Travel from UK by road - Page 2

Thank you for your reply. That’s most helpful.

Andrew

I admire your driving first day Newcastle - Poitiers via tunnel, overnight and then to Orihuela Costa next day. I presume you have 2 drivers sharing. I find Sunderland Portsmouth then overnight on ferry my limit for a day, hence next overnight Bayonne/Bordeaux. Mind though I add 2 hours daily onto actual driving to exercise and feed dog and snack myself.

I enjoy both routes through Pyrennes (Pamplona or Canfranc) for their different scenery. Did you see documentary on Canfranc on Sky? I hadn't realised it was a main train route under Franco (till big French bridge collapsed). The abandoned rail station in Canfranc is impressive.

Last trip I used Ace hotels Bordeaux and Chartres in place of Camponile / Pemiere Classe. Rooms in ACE were smashing, Camponile are good but I find breakfast in Camponile is better.
Chris

Newcastle to essex to stay with son for weekend,Monday 12.25 dover to calais ferry.   Down to Abbeville 》 Rouen 》 Evreux stayed in comfort hotel €42 nice clean and breakfast for €6.50 each.

Next morning down to Chartres 》 Tours 》 Tours 》 Poitiers 》 Angouleme 》 Bordeaux overnight stay at Premier Classe complete dump please do not stay there cost €45 €5 would have been over priced.

Next day down to Langon 》Pau then through Somford tunnel 》 Jaca 》 Zaragoza stayed in  Hotel Cogullaga was very nice €40. Next day down to Valencia 》 Alicante then to Daya Nueva where we are staying.

Avoided most tolls as we were in no hurry as here for 5 weeks and wanted to see sights, were a few tolls as it was not worth the detours but they amounted to approx €15.

Overall really enjoyed the drive, scenery in South of France really good can be tiring but worth it,just take a few comfort breaks.

Felt really safe throughout whole journey especially now with the concerns in uk, we have already considered staying for a few more weeks rather than return to uk where there is no enforcement whereas here in Spain they are really strict.

Go for it and enjoy 

Any questions etc please get back to me and will do my best to help.

Hi Chris

No I am the only driver, used to be HGV european driver for years own a chauffer company now so clocking the miles up is second nature plus I have a 740LD BMW which drives itself makes all the difference.

I didn't know about the station we have only stayed once we usually stay around Jaca as there is more choice, the Pamplona route is ok just a little more expensive in tolls.

I find the tunnel the easiest, we normally pay about £76/85 each way and hotels are in the region of £150 total.

Andrew

Even more impressed. Your modesty on the practically self driving car (!) does not detract from your achievements. Whilst not in your car's league, mine is pretty helpful (Golf with ACC cruise control and satnav).

My wife is travelling with me and dog this time, she normally flies after we arrive so I think I may do both routes one there and the other back so she sees what she has been missing.

Nice chatting with you

Chris

Premiere Classe hotels can be basic, but the one at Bayonne is OK. In Bordeaux I have found 2 decent hotels, the Campanile at the southern end but even better the ACE Cestas on A63 motorway service station just after Bordeaux. Cost me about Euro 40. It is new last year and the room would be 4 star. Breakfast was OK but Campanile had wider choice. Both dog friendly.

Chris

Hi Chris

Thank you, but as I say I am used to bashing the tarmac as we call it lol, next year we are taking the wifes Astra down now that will be a bit more shared driving and we may split into 3 days not sure yet....!!

Have a safe trip down the scenery is fabulous through the Pyrenese we are in Pau8 if your about at the begining of December or next April - June nice to put faces to people in the group.

Regards Andrew

3 weeks ago, at the beginning of September we came through France via the Eurotunnel, then down to the Marina Alta area. We printed off the health check form, but we were never asked for any forms, at passport control onto and off the Eurotunnel or on the whole journey down here.  There were no checks on the French/Spanish border.  

Thanks

Chris

We returned yesterday to Uk having driven from costa Blanca and uk four weeks previously. We spend hours filling in forms -nobody stopped us at any borders and asked for these forms. The only one you have to fill in is on the government website called the locator form upon your return to uk