Driving to spain

[Guest sibon]

Further edit: Do it in a GOOD car.

 

Best advice on the whole thread.

 

Even further edit: Keep track of what the worst days on the French roads are! Some Fridays and Saturdays at the end of June, beginning of July the motorways heading south get so clogged up with Dutch caravans that it will take you twice as long!

 

The French, for some reason, all like to go on holiday at the same time. This results in ridiculous traffic jams. Don't even attempt to drive in France the last weekend in July, or the first two weekends in August.

 

Having said that, I'm off to the South then. I'll be avoiding motorways though.

[phoenixboy]

Silly question. Do you need valid road tax in spain?

[Obelix]

Silly question. Do you need valid road tax in spain?

 

If your car is road legal in the UK it's road legal in the rest of the EU and switzerland.

 

Not sure if you need a vignette for Spanish motorways.

[ukdobby]

Done it to Alicante many a time,make as you want,quick and cheap or longer and exspensive,never take the toll roads as i like to see the country,if Summer come over the mountains ect ect,just done Galicia and down to Porto then back to Andalucia,great adventure.

[L00b]

Mate that sounds amazing. I'd love to do it in a sports car

Done Dublin to Strasbourg via London & Chunnel in 2 days in our MX5. It's a bloody long, uncomfortable way. I was glad it was only one way, at the time.

 

We used to regularly do Sheff to Strasbourg via Zeebrugge on the Hull overnight ferry with the same car. Half the miles, twice the smiles.

 

Driven Strasbourg to Spain a couple of times, and to south of France often enough in my youth. From late June until end August, it's brutal. Best done at night when it's cooler and much emptier.

Edited June 17, 2015 by L00b

[Hesther]

Yes. It's pretty gruelling, so make sure you have some good planned spots.

 

If you're going to do it, try and plan some little detours in to some of the beautiful old little towns.

 

Try and avoid times like when the whole of France breaks up from school and are heading south.

 

With those sort of distances, even a car you thought was reliable, may not be, so have good contingency plans ready in case of a breakdown.

 

Watch out because I was warned I nearly faced a heavy penalty, as your speed can be calculated from the previous toll apparently.

[biotechpete]

You sure it was Father and Son?

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/01/17/24CA304400000578-2914707-They_were_seen_leaving_Mr_Fry_s_London_home_earlier_this_month_i-a-7_1421518864089.jpg

 

Yeah, i'd have recognised Fry, they were in different cars, but crucially, when they got out at the services one called the other one dad.

[Obelix]

Done Dublin to Strasbourg via London & Chunnel in 2 days in our MX5. It's a bloody long, uncomfortable way. I was glad it was only one way, at the time.

 

We used to regularly do Sheff to Strasbourg via Zeebrugge on the Hull overnight ferry with the same car. Half the miles, twice the smiles.

 

Driven Strasbourg to Spain a couple of times, and to south of France often enough in my youth. From late June until end August, it's brutal. Best done at night when it's cooler and much emptier.

 

Yes, if done in summer you want a car with air con. A sunroof doesnt cut it - and there is nothing worse than being on a motorway jam near Avignon in summer with no water in the car to drink....

 

---------- Post added 17-06-2015 at 21:51 ----------

 

 

Watch out because I was warned I nearly faced a heavy penalty, as your speed can be calculated from the previous toll apparently.

 

The flics were about to stiff me good with that trick until I pointed out I had entered the system over 24 hours before and stayed overnight at a motel...:-) They do check tickets though and can and do fine you based on them if you arrive early and are taking the proverbial with the speed limit.

 

Also remember that the speed limit in France drops when it's raining

[ANGELFIRE1]

My sister and her bloke have just driven to Kos, close on 4000 miles. Seems it all went well, much planning done though, ferries and such.

 

Angel.

[tzijlstra]

Just remember, England is titchy - everywhere else is flipping massive.

 

What, like the Netherlands I drove to West Somerset from Sheffield once, took me nearly as long as getting to Belgium!

 

Further tip: On German roads and, I think but Loob might be able to confirm this, French roads, you need a safety trangle, luminiscent vest and jump-start cables.

 

I am a bit drunk at the moment, so might have got some details wrong, but fairly sure it is that.