# Continental Confidence on Toast !



## Ed on Toast (Jul 4, 2017)

Well as our fantastic summer starts it slow Indian descent towards the Winter Solstice, thoughts change to a Winter Adventure.

Having spent last winter in the North of England, I plan to head South, South and a bit more South this winter !


Yes, I know there are many, many different threads on this subject and that, all over this great forum but I thought I might just pull together some great advice from wise folk about my forming plans.

So far:

Set off around the start of October, planning to return in March.

Some route down the West of France?


Down the Costa's of Spain but with some trips inland, maybe look at the cave houses. 


Over into Portugal, along the Algave and up the Atlantic coast to Porto


Up the Douro, before the North coast of Spain and finally up through France.



So, as you can see lots of space for your great advice and guidance to fit into my plans!


I am not one to hightail it about the place, would much rather travel at a speed to enjoy and absorb everything, lots of days or weeks here and there.  It is much less about distant travelled and more about memories gathered. 

Lots of local food, wine, brandies, beers, people watching, sunsets and general advance chilling.

Cooking Alfresco or Ala-cart 

A mixture of stopovers and sites (overnights or over weeks)

I have Camperstop Europe, insurance, recovery, roaming, data and a change or two of underwear What i need from you is inspiration. 

So, inspire me !


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## Jo001 (Jul 4, 2017)

ACSI is useful for off-season discounts, but the card runs January to December so if you use it,  try to get a postal address so that someone can post the card out to you (the books change little from year to year so less of an issue if you don't get them sent out).


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## alcam (Jul 4, 2017)

Ed on Toast said:


> Well as our fantastic summer starts it slow Indian descent towards the Winter Solstice, thoughts change to a Winter Adventure.
> 
> Having spent last winter in the North of England, I plan to head South, South and a bit more South this winter !
> 
> ...



Sorry changes of underwear is SO not wildcamping


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## oldish hippy (Jul 4, 2017)

Why bother with underware just go commando


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## Ed on Toast (Jul 4, 2017)

alcam said:


> Sorry changes of underwear is SO not wildcamping



Well the frilly ones chaff after a few days and the others are more open in areas that might benefit from a breeze  :banana:


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## izwozral (Jul 4, 2017)

Can't offer much advice Ed but I will be watching this thread with interest.....and NO, not because of the knicker issue.


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## Ed on Toast (Jul 4, 2017)

It will be my first venture overseas in the camper


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## carol (Jul 4, 2017)

There are so many things,  Ed. Firstly, breakdown cover and health insurance.


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## Pauljenny (Jul 4, 2017)

carol said:


> There are so many things,  Ed. Firstly, breakdown cover and health insurance.



Get a little of the local lingo. It helps break the ice if you can start off politely.
Treat Google Translate with a pinch of salt, more wars have been started by mistranslation  than by armed invasion.
Try to avoid the bleeding obvious,when visiting the Costas, Benidorm and Val de Lobo were not designed to cater for wildcamping motorhomers  and nowadays, there's too many about. Go inland,where you'll be more welcome ...and it's cheaper.
Look at the latest forums on France and Iberia travel.
Use the drop- in laundrette units at supermarkets and garages.
Have nothing to do with those lightly dressed young ladies, sitting by the Spanish roadsides. .. Some of them are not so young, others are not so ladylike.
Get a Halifax credit card ,for cheap FX.


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## izwozral (Jul 4, 2017)

Ed on Toast said:


> It will be my first venture overseas in the camper



We have only done Ireland in our camper, hired a camper in NZ and drove cars in Spain and that is it.
 We want to do a Europe trip later in the year too, hence my interest in this thread.


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## carol (Jul 4, 2017)

carol said:


> There are so many things,  Ed. Firstly, breakdown cover and health insurance.



Btw, I'm going in December/January


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## Haaamster (Jul 4, 2017)

carol said:


> Btw, I'm going in December/January



Watch out for Carol. And low bridges
Definitely watch out for Carol near low bridges :scared:


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## Canalsman (Jul 4, 2017)

carol said:


> There are so many things,  Ed. Firstly, breakdown cover and health insurance.



ADAC and EHIC ...


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## carol (Jul 4, 2017)

Haaamster said:


> Watch out for Carol. And low bridges
> Definitely watch out for Carol near low bridges :scared:



Someone actually followed me off the Orkney ferry, thinking I knew the way to the campsite. We were practically in Kirkwall before they realised they'd made a mistake following me! I did lead them there eventually!


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## rugbyken (Jul 4, 2017)

hi ed i'll see you at druridge and bring my map with a few markings on it i personally would give thought to going the other way round reason being northern spain is better in oct and southern spain better feb time if you do go the other way we may meet up i'm planning jan till april in portugal but if you've got solar and your gas sorted everything else is manageable,


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## TJBi (Jul 4, 2017)

Ed on Toast said:


> Well as our fantastic summer starts it slow Indian descent towards the Winter Solstice, thoughts change to a Winter Adventure.
> 
> Having spent last winter in the North of England, I plan to head South, South and a bit more South this winter !
> 
> ...



I was looking at French climate data for October recently, and the west of France looked reasonable from the point of view of temperature and sunshine, but with slightly more rainfall than areas a bit further east.  But as to what will happen this year...  I will be looking at the forecasts day-by-day at the time and routeing accordingly.  Route/stopover suggestions would also be highly dependent on where you cross.  Cherbourg and Saint-Malo are both good starting points for western France, with generally excellent non-toll roads.
If the weather is good in eastern Brittany in early October, you might try some of the excellent wilding locations alongside inland waterways such as the Vilaine and the Canal de Nantes à Brest.


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## jeanette (Jul 4, 2017)

Ed on Toast said:


> Well the frilly ones chaff after a few days and the others are more open in areas that might benefit from a breeze  :banana:



Ed turn the frilly ones inside out!! :scared: (Or not)!!! :lol-061:


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## Jo001 (Jul 5, 2017)

If you don't have them, the All the Aires books for France and Spain are very useful.


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## Canalsman (Jul 6, 2017)

Jo001 said:


> If you don't have them, the All the Aires books for France and Spain are very useful.



As are our POIs - which as a full member will cost you nowt


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## Ed on Toast (Jul 8, 2017)

I was kind of hoping this thread would be a fun and flowing exchange of advice n guidance, mainly by seasoned Snowbirds. 

Alas it seems they have flown the coupe!

:idea:


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## John H (Jul 8, 2017)

We will be setting off for southern Spain in September and aiming to get back in April, as we usually do. We have been to all the places you mention and you will have a great time whichever way you choose to go. My only advice about the route would be to keep an eye on the weather forecast - it is usually wetter on the western coasts but you can also get long dry spells. If it is raining in Portugal, try heading to south-eastern Spain (usually a lot drier on average). As for general advice:

The website CAMPINGCAR-INFOS is excellent for aires

Don't forget to order your free EHIC card

Get a copy of the ACSI book for off-season rates on campsites (it is available at many ACSI campsites)

Spain is the cheapest of the countries you mention for diesel and for lpg

If you have any specific questions, just ask.

Have a great trip


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## carol (Jul 8, 2017)

Ed on Toast said:


> I was kind of hoping this thread would be a fun and flowing exchange of advice n guidance, mainly by seasoned Snowbirds.
> 
> Alas it seems they have flown the coupe!
> 
> :idea:



Well that's nice innit! Maybe your thread title isn't attracting the right folk? :cool1:


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## Ed on Toast (Jul 8, 2017)

Could be Carol but over 400 views in a few hours ain't bad. Maybe is is just an over worked subject ?

Who knows


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## Imalaphil (Jul 8, 2017)

I did the same last winter, first time abroad with a motorhome, turned right at Calais and hoped for the best. Spent two months in France via the Somme, Normandy beaches, Bayeaux, Mont st Michel a few cities along the way, Bordeaux, vinyard tours, Biarritz, Toulouse, Nimes then back into Spain. Followed the coast all the way down to Gibraltar then Seville (stunning) before heading north via Madrid to Santander then back to Blighty in early March. 
Used a mixture of campsites, aires and wilding. As has been said, ACSI, all the aires books and this site are all useful tools. Both countries are better geared for motorhomes than home, apart from Scotland. Some aires aren't special, you'll know if a stopover feels right for you. Lots of likeminded souls out there to meet, locals are generally decent, be helpful if you can speak a few words too!
I found France expensive, gave up beer for weeks  but stuck to wine, very cheap, even coffee was dear so morning coffee was morning wine!! Marvellous!!
Spain, different ball game, nicely priced all round, back on beer!!!
Going back to Spain in August until end of November, only going to drive through France this time, looking forward to getting back. 
Hope this is some help, any Q's give us a shout.


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## carol (Jul 8, 2017)

Ed on Toast said:


> Could be Carol but over 400 views in a few hours ain't bad. Maybe is is just an over worked subject ?
> 
> Who knows



Have you checked out the existing threads? There's a brilliant post from Sky about France. I'm not a seasoned Spanish Snowbird but done France a few times on my own and 11 weeks away this year so I have a few ideas. Main things, as mentioned, EHIC, ADAC, I always get health insurance and which cards are best to use for cash. Halifax Clarity is popular.


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## Tony Lee (Jul 8, 2017)

Ed on Toast said:


> It will be my first venture overseas in the camper



Be even braver and go overseas twice - second time to Morocco


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## Ed on Toast (Jul 8, 2017)

I think one continent at a time, lol


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