Trip to Spain, Portugal and France
 

A friend and I are planning to ride through Portugal, Spain and France this summer with the entire trip taking two weeks or a little more. Some advice, please -
1. Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao by ferry seemed a good idea until I read in the P&O brochure that the trip takes 35hrs. Perhaps Dover - Calais by ferry, then ride down through France on N-roads would be better.
2. I've been to S.E.Spain but know little about the rest of the country - Granada was excellent - so where else must we NOT MISS, and where should WE AVOID. 'Never been to Portugal.
3. Is there an Iberian (Spain & Portugal) equivalent to the inexpensive Formule 1 chain of motels - we're too old for camping!

Many thanks for any advice - oh, Pan European, I read with interest your comments on Spain and Portugal
(and,sir, England! ;-)

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We have done France & Spain several times. Whilst the Portsmouth Bilbao ferry is quite expensive and takes 30 - 36 hours it is well worth doing, especially if you use that route to come home it's a good unwind after several thousand kilometres. P & O will do you different routes out and back so you could sail to France, ride down through France, tour Spain & Portugal and travel back on the Bilbao route. Check out Motorcycle News for a 30% discount on ferry prices.

Ally

There is another ferry from Plymouth to Santander ( I think ) which 'only' takes 24 hours. The ride through France isn't too expensive on the motorways,( I think we paid about 12£ Bilbao to Cherbourg ) and they are very well kept with frequent service stations .France has a lot to offer, too, not least the very positive attitudes to motorcyclists.

Paul,

My wife and I have recently come back from the south of france & Spain.We spent six months over there.There is plenty to see and do, far too much to list here.Just relax and follow your heart.
F1 have got hotels in Spain, check it out here.
www.hotelformule1.com/formule1/gb/cartographie/espagne.shtml

Also, check out Accor (the sister company ) a little more expensive, but still good value for money,and they have a resteraunt & bar on the premises too which is useful after a long day explorin the locale.

Happy travels,
Griff.

[This message has been edited by GRIFF (edited 09 December 2002).]

I'm think that all the ferries to Spain take 35 hours going and 24 coming back - the difference is due to tides etc. They do have a swimming pool, nightclubs etc.

I've ridden down a couple of times - recently, going across to Cherbourg overnight, sleeping on the ferry (book a cabin, its worth it), and then riding on A and B roads through Normandy, The Loire (spend some time riding along the river), Limousin, and then staying overnight in the Midi-Pyrenees. I found a good campsite at Cahors (with pool). Also good places to camp at Najac and (superb) Belcastel. This part of France should not be missed. And then the ride over the Pyrenees, which is itself superb - I prefer the ride through the gorges and the smaller roads rather than Andorra.

As for Spain itself, if you get down to Seville, spend a day lazing around in the gardens of the Real Alcazar. The ride up to Montserrat monestary near Barcelona is also good.

I have a trip report here: http://www.warwick.ac.uk/~cusef/BarcelonaReport.htm and photos here: http://www.warwick.ac.uk/~cusef/BarcelonaTrip.htm and more of France: http://www.warwick.ac.uk/~cusef/

I'm heading down to Valencia (Spain) from London in early February. Looks like your route might be worth a second look.

Thanks!
Rob

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http://www.robstravels.com

Portugal is a great place to visit. I don't know about motels and prices, but it should be similar to Spain. Must see places in Portugal:
- Lisbon and area, unless you're not into
cities
- Algarve, but try to stay away from tourist
traps. Sagres, the interior and close to
the spanish border is less touristy
- Evora. This is an enclosed city with a lot
of charm. There are many such examples spread over the country
- the atlantic coast. Pretty much anywhere, the coastal villages and resorts are great
- the interior country and the many small villages

To see everything, you need a few months. Why, it's such a small country? Yes, but a long history says it all.

In September my wife and I traveled from London, took the Dover/Calais ferry, rode through France to Spain, toured central Spain, toured the Picos de Europa in Northern Spain, and took the Santander/Portsmouth ferry back to UK. The Santander/Portsmouth ferry is a faster ship than the Bilbao/Portsmouth ferry and takes 24 hrs. I recommend getting a cabin. I am glad we did the ride down through France to begin the tour. You might check out my website for a better explanation and lots of pictures of the whole trip (including some helmet camera videos). http://webpages.charter.net/rodpowell/

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Rod
I enjoyed your website a great deal, and your overuse of the word 'wonderful'. When I was in the US this May and June, I felt exactly the same as you did in Europe, ie there was so much which was wonderful. Your website is food for thought and I'll bear it mind when planning our trip. Thanks again,
Paul

Hi Paul, http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/eek.gif

I´ll go to Northern Spain and Portugal in May/June 2003 with my XF 650. If your are there in this time send a mail and let´s have a coffee overthere.
Greetings Norma (Germany)

If you´re visiting the North of Portugal you should visit one of the more beatifull rivers there are, the Douro. You start in Porto, or Oporto, and follow the Douro upstream towards Spain, it is really worth the ride.

Well, dunno about you, but I was driving around N Spain/Basque Country last summer and busting to get back to that beautiful area with it's amazing roads on 2 wheels this time- and yup, come July, that's where I'll be on my Af Twin. (But, shhhh, don't tell anyone OK? let's keep it quiet)...

Well, after a great deal of thought, I'm a mere seven days away from embarking on the trip through France to Spain. Here are my plans -

From Calais, ride on autoroutes to Rouen (old GP circuit),then E-roads to Le Mans (enough said), Saumur (excellent sparkling wine), Perigueux, Cahors, Toulouse, Andorra then Barcelona.
Wife flies out from UK to Barcelona.
After a couple of days, ride back to Andorra, then following the excellent story in Rider magazine ( February 2003) on to Arties, Lourdes, Jaca and Pamplona. Then to Madrid, Galizia and back to the Cantabrian Mountains to our ferry at Bilbao (to Portsmouth) A big rush is 12 days but we can always return another time.

Brittany Ferries go from Plymouth to Santander - I took this route in Aug. 2000. It took 24 hours, sailings are limited, twice per week each way. I was by myself and did not use a cabin. I had a reclining seat and paid a refundable deposit for a blanket and a fresh towel (£5.00 each) s there's a small shower / fitness room in the depths of the ship. Generally, I found Brittany to be preferable to P&O.

The one problem you'll find at this time of year is making a booking. A friend had great difficulties recently, their phone number is: 08705 - 360360.

Last September we could not get a booking, so sailed to Cherbourg & travelled through France to Spain, Andorra & Portugal - glad we did it! Would recommend the Pyrenees, Basque region, Picos de Europa and anywhere in north and n/west Spain - you cannot go wrong. Frech campsites are crap, use Formula 1 or Etap hotels. Spanish campsites are far superior, with good facilities (washing machines etc).

Enjoy the trip.

Steve

Sorry Steve - can't agree on "French campsites are crap".I've used them on and off for a long time. They are often cheaper than UK (I've just returned from Chamonix - me and 3 kids in 3 tents for £14 total per night. Showers etc, baker's van on site in morning) They do get crowded in Summer, but the French are a lot better at being quiet at nights than people in UK.
I've rarely been disapointed.Seems like you might have had some bad luck.

How did it go?

Regards BOND

It went pretty well although the extreme heat got to me as usual.

I caught the Dover-Calais ferry a day late owing to carelessness on my part and rode down to Rouen to try to find (for the second time) the old GP circuit at Rouen Les Essarts. It began to rain and although I followed direction found on the Net, I failed again. I headed on to Le Mans but the rain increased so gave that circuit a miss, but spent the night in Saumur in the Loire Valley.
Next day I left in rain but it slowly cleared and I headed on south to stay with neighbours in the Languedoc. After a couple of days rest, it was on the Barcelona to collect my wife at the airport. A smashing city but very busy with thousands of motorcycles and scooters.
After a couple of days we headed off north into the Pyrenees and aimed for Andorra (just to get an 'AND' sticker?)but the highlight was the impressive Col du Tourmallet, the highest mountain pass in the Spanish Pyrenees and finishing point of one of the Tour de France stages.
We later rode along the bustling, hectic north Spanish coast and stopped for a couple of days at Ondarroa before catching the luxury Bilbao-Portsmouth ferry home.
A smashing time but too damned hot for us. I'm now look at Joe Rocket ventilated jackets.
I will attempt a travelogue on the trip for this webite with more detail. Thanks for enquiring

Look at Hein Gericke jackets also. The Tourag GTX jacket has huge vents on the inside of both arms, one each side in front of your collar bone and another horizontal vent across the shoulders. All can be zipped up.

Steve

Paul, SNAP!
I am on site tonight doing the same.
The answer is Plymouth-Santander 17hrs: Runs Sundays at 10pm arriving 3pm Monday. Expensive but get a cabin too. Much more relaxing and not much more cost that Ferry to North France +588 miles and an extra hotel/day. And those French Autoroutes ZZZZZZZ. North Spain and Portugal offer the best of roads and scenery, Mountains a bit scarce on hotel chains, but look out for many smaller hotels.
Coming home a bit more awkward. Sailing Thursdays or Mondays, messed up our two week hol dates a bit.
We 2 Wings and 4 peeps going July 18th
Have fun,......

Bluto,
I went LAST year. I wanted the long French ride as I intended to stop off at the old GP circuit at Rouen (which I failed to find for the second time in ten years), the circuit at Le Mans (but it was pouring with rain), Saumur (where as a family we'd camped some years ago) and at a friends place near Lot. We returned on the Bilbao-Portsmouth ferry, a bit more slower than the Plymouth-Santander one but a bit closer for us in Kent. Because of a lack of time plus the heatwave everyone experienced, we didn't see a lot of Spain, but we intend to return to North Spain in September to the 8th International Pan European Gathering at Noja when we hope to see some more of that great country. Thanks for your reply and good luck with your trip.

Try www.ferrysavers.com or 08704 44 14 73 they have always been very cheap for me
regards Gary

I will be going down to Spain (Bilbao) and traveling around the North from 21 June - 28 June does any one have any good ideas or are any of you around at the time? we intend to go to a bike friendly camp site South of Jaca for part of the time.

John

We stayed at a very strange hotel on Ondarroa. It was like a large block of flats overlooking the sea and the place was only staffed for part of the day. The Basque speaking staff couldn't speak English and therefore couldn't understand that we wanted to leave before 9am the next day to get to the ferry at Bilbao. When we came to leave, there was no one to pay. When we arrived back in the UK, there was a long and protracted phone call back to Spain before we put a cheque in the post for the estimated amount.

One place you MUST visit when in the Pyrenees and that is Col du Tourmalet (2114m, 6935ft) the highest pass on the French side of the Pyrenees. This is at the end of one of the stages of the Tour de France, and this will fill you with admiration for those brave cyclists.

Route to Valencia
 

Don,t miss the N260 from Pamplona to Andorra, we did it earlier this year on the way to the Catalunia GP.

This road is in the fictional I spy book of best motorcycle roads ever:clap:

Good info... thanx

I second the n260, also teh n240 abd the C15 all of which follow the border through the pyrenees,
There is a good caampsite at castlejon

Hello PAUL Im from Sevilla the south of Spain.:scooter:

First , in spain the summer is very hot, the the first is choose a fesh jacket and trousers. I think the best month to visit spain is from march to April.

-The north coast have a lot of places; Santiago de Compostella (Galicia) the pillgrim city where Santiago apostol was.

-ride along the coast in Cantabria region, and "climb" to the fresh mountains in Picos de Europa.

The south where I live hot...but...cant lost.

Andalucia; Sevilla essential!! walk in narrows streets remind a muslim past, and enjoy cultural sites and good food.
(if you came Sevilla I can help you to find good places and we can share a beer!! hehe)

more places... Cordoba,Granada, Ronda,Cadiz,Cadiz mountains,Huelva beaches,Jerez,Osuna;Carmona, and more....

Portugal; the really nice Lisbon and sourrondings,Oporto, the lonely Alentejo region.....and more.

-Accord hotel company have the cheap..."ETAP" one kind of small touristics hotels.
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I recommended you this books really good to find the best route in Spain.

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ESPAÑA EN MOTO GUIA VIVA|: en su libreria Casa del Libro

(you can buy the set of 2 books)

Hope you have a good travel...all you need , send me private.:welcome: to Spain.

I'm think that all the ferries to Spain take 35 hours going and 24 coming back the difference is due to tides etc

Plymouth-Santander 18 hours, nice new ship :thumbup1:

Pegaso Adv

I've just looked at this thread for the first time in a very long time and come across you post. I am returning to Spain this year, probably in August and heading for Granada as I want to visit Alhambra again. I may well take you up on your kind offer, and thank you for the advice.

Paul