When we left the U.K. on the 6th January it was a typical grey winter day, the blue skies of the south were calling though and like many others we saw no point in hanging around in France for more of the same. Purposely we got to the Euro tunnel well ahead of schedule, knowing that as it was a Sunday we would probably be able to get an earlier crossing. All went to plan and so we were able to drive straight round and on to the waiting train.
We’d planned ahead and filled a flask with boiling water (Oh heck we’ll be getting an allotment next!), and so had a leisurely breakfast whilst the train took the strain! In no time at all we were in France and driving on the opposite side of the road. We’d planned out a non- toll route south which originally involved 2 overnight stops in France, but as it was Sunday when most HGV’s are banned from driving in France (a tip worth remembering if you’re ever planning a long drive), the roads were incredibly quiet so we were able to get much further south than we’d first scheduled. On day 2 we were able to get over the border into Spain and day 3 saw us just cross the border into Portugal on the Eastern Algarve. N.B. We share the driving so if your doing this with only one driver you will need more stops (we’ve suggested some alternatives in our route plan below). If you want to follow a similar non toll route just click on the map below for more details or follow the route on a map.
From Calais take the A16/E402 in the direction of Abbeville. At junction 29 exit onto the D901, once you reach Abbeville take the A28/E402 to Rouen. Follow the D18E to the A13/E5. Exit at junction 20 and take the D321 to the D6015 then onto the N154/A154 in the direction of Evreux. Stay on the N154 to the N12 to Dreux, after pick up the N154 again to Chartres. Go around Chartres onto the D190 which becomes to N10 to Chateaudun.
Note if only one driving this is a possible stopover Follow N10 take the exit to D957 then D917 to Montoire Sur Le Loir Aire GPS 47.7575 0.8693
Follow the N10 onto the D910 direction of Tours. Keep on the D910 around Tours toward Chatellerault and Poitiers (after Poitiers this turns into the N10). Follow this to overnight stop at Vivonne Free aire with services GPS 46.42607 0.26318.
Follow N10 to Anglouleme then the E606 in the direction of Bordeaux. Go around the ring road N230/A630 onto the A63/E5/E70. Exit at junction 18 (this is a toll road but a short detour bypasses the toll booths). Take the D834 onto the D43 and rejoin at junction 17. Follow to junction 12 Castets.
If only one is driving there’s an aire convenient to this Junction at Moliets Et Maa GPS 42.350829 -3.680554)
At Castets there’s a road that runs alongside the motorway to avoid the toll booth go through the industrial estate and pick up this road to rejoin the motorway at the next junction. We followed the Motorway past Bayonee and exited at Junction 5 however we did get caught by one toll charge of just over 5 euros. To avoid this you can exit at junction 9 and follow the D810 instead. After leaving the motorway follow the D810 over the border toward Irun and San Sebastion. Follow the N1/G1636 to San Sebastion then Vitoria Gasteiz/Burgos. After Burgos follow the A1/E5 to Palencia. We stayed here overnight at a free aire GPS 42.10443 -4.545504 with services and showers (2 euro charge).
Follow the A62 in the direction of Valladolid then Salamanca. After Salamanca take the A66 to Caceres. After Merida follow the E803/A66 onto the N630 in the direction of Seville. At Seville take the A49/E1 to Huevla. This road will take you into Portugal.
Safe Travels All
Andi x
followourmotorhome 
Hi U 2 Do you remember Lily from NZ en Leo from the Netherlands?? We met in Romenia 2017. We completed our trip to Bulgaria, Greece and crossed to Italy. Decided that we wanted to live in Umbria. Drove to Holland and flew to Miami. Did the cruise through the Panama Canal to LA, as planned, flew back to Rome drove to Umbria and started house hunting. We had 6 weeks to find a home as we were booked to fly to Costa Rica for Christmas and on to NZ. Long story short, we found a lovely home, settlement last year March. Stayed most of the summer in Umbria and are now on vacation in NZ for the NZ summer. Back in Italy in April. Keep on traveling and when you are one day in Umbria, you are welcome. Lily&leo PS. Flying in and out of Rome is no problem with a Brexit visa. The Italians don’t look they just stamp.
On Sat, Jan 19, 2019 at 7:36 AM followourmotorhome wrote:
> followourmotorhome posted: ” When we left the U.K. on the 6th January it > was a typical grey winter day, the blue skies of the south were calling > though and like many others we saw no point in hanging around in France for > more of the same. Purposely we got to the Euro tunnel well ahe” >
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Hey there you two, how nice to hear from you and all about what you’ve been up to.
We have also bought a house although it’s back in the UK, it’s nice to have a base again though. Although like you we are also escaping the winter.
We are still talking about living overseas at some point though so I don’t think it will be our last move!
It’s good to be on the road again though, any traveling in a motorhome really is a sociable way to travel. Although our waistlines may not think so at the end of this trip.
We’ll will defiantly look you up if we get to Italy again. We need to see more of it as didn’t see enough when we traveled through there.
It’s so nice to hear from you.
Stay in touch
Andi and Paul xxx
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Interesting to see that you went round Paris a route we have never done as we normally head down the A16 to Rouen and then basically end up doing the same route down to Bordeaux but usually use the Somport Tunne.
Will look at your route to see if it’s worth going that way thanks.
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We have some that route too but we’d marked out a stop that we thought we’d get to on day one which was part of this route and never thought we’d do it with just one night in France. It was hard going even sharing the driving but worth the effort just to get to the warmth a bit sooner.
Happy travels
Andi 😃
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Just revisited my map after your comment and realised I’d published the wrong one…whoops. We didn’t go around Paris. it’s now correct.
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Glad to hear you are on the road again and hope there is blue sky and lots of sun for you. We stayed at Olhão at the campsite, a bit of a walk into town, then had one night in the Aire in town, all ok. Enjoy Portugal and travelling again.
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Hi Again,
Thanks for that we will. It’s very busy down here with motorhomes though so not sure how long we will hang around. I’m sure it’s mostly the same in winter x
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We just missed you. We left Villa Real de Santo Antonio on 3rd December and headed towards Seville for the 3 Kings celebrations. Now making our way back up the Med coast towards home for mid February. Huge number of motorhomes this year and many campsites completely full.
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