French and Spanish campsite locations recommendations

[G12RYX]

Good afternoon! Looking for some advice for a trip I have planned for May 19’.

We have an apartment in Murcia and having driven it none stop 3-4 times (so the dog could come) I decided to build a camper as there are so many nice places I’d liked to have stopped. With the main objective to either arrive at the apartment or back home as soon as possible this was never an option. Now the camper is (90%) finished I plan on travelling down over 3-4 days and the same on the return journey.

I now need some help in planning this. Can anyone recommend camp sites on this route? I plan on arriving around Orléans area lunchtime so will be staying around there 1 night then travelling on to Barcelona for 3 nights.

The return journey will see maybe one night in the Barcelona area and then 2 nights somewhere close to Paris as we would like to go spend a full day being tourists. From what searches I’ve carried out there aren’t many locations to choose from so any help is hugely appreciated.

Feel free to throw suggestions/pictures/ experience my way. Am willing to change the route if someone can convince me otherwise!

Thanks in advance people

 

[Salty Spuds]

We drove down to Portugal this year towing the boat with our T6 camper. We’ve discovered a route that takes you from the channel coast to Pau (China in your hand!!) that avoids the autoroute tolls & is a good route with plenty of aires along the way. You also get the benefit of supermarket diesel. We used the aires rather than campsites, these are either cheap or free & are usually in villages with plenty of shops/restaurants/bars for the evening.

Look out for the “All the aires in France/Spain” by Vicarious Books.

 

[Dilbert]

I would recommend getting the Camper Contacts app: Motorhome Parkings app | Campercontact Available for Android or iOS.

Costs £5.99 per year and we use it all the time. Details free aires, campsites and other stops. Been the best resource for us going to Spain France, Germany, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Croatia to name a few. Interactive map with links to your favourite route planner. Don't need anything else other than an ACSI card for out of season discounts in campsites!

 

[Foxxy]

Hi all… I had a quick search around the forum on places where others have stayed, which are super helpful. I couldn’t see one defined location? We are off in June from Calais to la Manga Spain over a three week period and just starting to plan the trip… any recommendations on stopovers or campsite would be much appreciated

 

[Salty Spuds]

Hi all… I had a quick search around the forum on places where others have stayed, which are super helpful. I couldn’t see one defined location? We are off in June from Calais to la Manga Spain over a three week period and just starting to plan the trip… any recommendations on stopovers or campsite would be much appreciated

There are literally thousands to choose from & it all depends on what you want from a site. We avoid the ones with pools/clubs/childrens’s entertainment etc. like the plague, but that’s what others seek out. We generally avoid anything with more than 3 stars. ACSI app is a great resource & will cover its cost in a weeks worth of stays. Also Search for Sites & Park4Night. Between those 3 you’re covered.

 

[Ayjay]

ACSI app is a great resource & will cover its cost in a weeks worth of stays.

Or even a couple of days!

 

[JumpShip]

3 weeks will fly by , How long are you allowing to travel to la manga ?

 

[Salty Spuds]

Hi all… I had a quick search around the forum on places where others have stayed, which are super helpful. I couldn’t see one defined location? We are off in June from Calais to la Manga Spain over a three week period and just starting to plan the trip… any recommendations on stopovers or campsite would be much appreciated

Just as an aside, Newhaven to Dieppe will save you a couple of hundred miles/tolls & half a days drive. Prices are competitive & you can sleep over in the ferry terminal car park if you have an early crossing. We normally book the very early crossing, drive down the afternoon before, park up. You’re on the boat, they serve an excellent breakfast & if the crossing is quiet & you ask nicely, they will let you use a spare cabin to get showered. We use them most of the time. If you’re a member of the C&CC, you also get a 10% discount.

 

[Foxxy]

3 weeks will fly by , How long are you allowing to travel to la manga ?

Hi… thinking 10 days down, then 7 ish in La manga… play some golf.. then more of a dash back. We can be flexible on time I.e take a little more or less… it’s all up for grabs at the mo.

 

[Bigsidavies]

Just as an aside, Newhaven to Dieppe will save you a couple of hundred miles/tolls & half a days drive. Prices are competitive & you can sleep over in the ferry terminal car park if you have an early crossing. We normally book the very early crossing, drive down the afternoon before, park up. You’re on the boat, they serve an excellent breakfast & if the crossing is quiet & you ask nicely, they will let you use a spare cabin to get showered. We use them most of the time. If you’re a member of the C&CC, you also get a 10% discount.

We use that crossing for the same reason. Plus if you're 60 or over you get 20% discount.

 

[JumpShip]

If your not travelling with a dog then for me the ferry crossing is a no brainer.
Work out where you start from , the distance to the port rather than le shuttle,
Miles saved in fuel and time is worth calculating .

We go in winter , our crossing is £116 extra to go on the boat portsmouth - caen Rather than driving to folkestone and going via le shuttle.
But saves 320 miles worth of driving/fuel but we have a dog so choose to drive more and sit on the train for 35mins as opposed to the dog sat in the van on her own for 7hrs while crossing on the ferry . ...

 

[JOG]

We use that crossing for the same reason. Plus if you're 60 or over you get 20% discount.

Says the fittest looking 60+ I’ve ever met!!!

 

[Bigsidavies]

Says the fittest looking 60+ I’ve ever met!!!

Ha ha. I'm a mere 56. It's Ally that's crossed the threshold.