Away to foreign climes...

In a few weeks, I'm planning to take Bod (my van) to France and Spain so I can visit family. Any suggestions on places to visit in each country? I'm going to end up about 40 miles west of Alicante by the end, and will most likely be taking a different route back, so I can see more things. Also, any tips for driving or finding overnight stops along the way? Mine will have a bed in the back so I can park up and sleep if need be.

Not trying to be a scaremonger but if you parkup at a service station for the night get as close to the buildings as you can and under a light. Watch out in Spain for unmarked cars pretending to be police trying to get you to stop, don't, police will have a blue light. That aside it is a great trip, I used to live near Alicante and done removals so done the journey loads of times. You must go over the Millau viaduct. Give me a call if you want more help.

I'm Italian, so I don't love France
I rode through France to Spain in 2005. 2006, 2007 and 2009 summer.
Only in 2007 I went to the north, riding all the country from San sebastian to Finisterre, in 2005 we stop the trip to Barcelona, in 2006 and 2009 we rode all the south coast to Tarifa.
First of all, NEVER parking overnight on highways on the south coast.
Try to find a camping, in this season they are cheap

About all the spain south coast is the symbol of the reasons why spain is now in deep economical crisis.
There are lots of hotels, golf camps, new town, big commercial centres, all pratically unused.
Near alicante I stop in Denia, camping Los Pinos.
Denia is (was?) a very touristic station in summer.
It has a port from wich boats depart to Ibiza and a beautiful sea and nature.
In 2006 Denia was a mess;
Tourists everywhere, cars parked in triple row, no places to stay overnight (I found a place only at camping los pinos).
In 2009 you could ride a skateboard blindfolded and drunk in any Denia road without touching a car or a person for kilometers.
No tourists, deep crisis, but Los Pinos camping was full of hippie, as always...

If you like nature and curved roads, I suggest you to leave highway in Perpignan, and enter in Spain at Cerbére.
I ride that road by car and by autocaravan, it's a small and slow, but you can see a very beautiful nature.

At south of Valencia there is "El Saler", there is a natural park.
In august '09 we enjoyed one of the most beautiful rough sea I never see...I love "fighting" with waves...
Also there is a public camping, very cheap HERE.

click HERE to see the road on google maps and HERE some pics of my trip in '09.

Probabily all this places wasn't too beautiful during autumn/winter, I went there only in august

Summarizing, campings:
Running from north to south, i Stopped in:
Llança, camping L'ombra.
A small camping, beautiful place.

Tossa de Mar, Cala Llevadò
This is a very beautiful camping.
But it's closed by 30/9 to 30/4.

Lloret de mar, camping Canyelles
We stayed only overnight.

Castelldefells (south of Barcelona), campung Tres Estrellas
A good base to visit barcelona.



I hope I helped you.

gonna be another doom monger, just be carefull, keep all valubles safe, and not all in same bag, even have somthing that looks like it has all your essentials like money phone and passport so if you run into usavouries you can give that up and not the real mcoy! my dad and his girlfriend drove to spain and got mugged by people on scooters, the scum demanded the bag at knife point while one threatnd to slash thier tyres, they wernt hurt just lost everything in the bag which did have absoloutly everything of importance in it.

they were in a rather posh looking motor home and had gone a shorter route which they had been warned about so a bit silly realy! made themselves targets

all that said, it does sound like fun, i had been contemplating driving to portugal to visit my mum one day, i dont look like i have anyhting worth nicking and id have the dogs but we'll see!

I think there are some huge differencies between a man driving a Hijet or a couple in a fancy motorhome, for a thief...

With mine I had never one problem.
But I think that some gypsies would be ashamed to use it.

However, I love it... CLICK

And watch out you dont get eaten by bears.......

Never done the trip so cant help with advice other than dont forget yer camera

Just looking at campsites in France, it seems that a lot of them are closed off season. Is this the case for all of them, or will I be able to find some?

You can use google maps to create a road-map.
Then decide how many hours you want to drive between stops.
Then, you can watch for interesting spots around the stops.
Make a list of the places you want to see, then search on google for campings.


I know that in france there are lots and lots of municipal campsite, opened all year round, with basic services (warm shower, electricity...) for a few money.
I never visited France because I hate persons that think I'm a shitty man only because I'm Italian, and in france a lot of persons hate italians...
I know there are many reasons for this, but I'd rather be judged by how I act, and not by how my fellow citizens act.
Probably as an Englishman, you be able to enjoy the best of French hospitality...

El_Ventu wrote:
I never visited France because I hate persons that think I'm a shitty man only because I'm Italian, and in france a lot of persons hate italians...
I know there are many reasons for this, but I'd rather be judged by how I act, and not by how my fellow citizens act.
Probably as an Englishman, you be able to enjoy the best of French hospitality...

Don't worry the French by and large are not prejudiced they hate everyone