Road trip to San Sebastián, Spain

Road trip to San Sebastián, Spain

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caymanbill

Original Poster:

389 posts

144 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
Hi folks, thinking about a road trip from Oxfordshire to San Sebastián over the chunnel, with a couple of stops along the way in France.

I'm really keen to do this but i fear I may be being a bit to ambitious as me and the mrs have never driven on the continent before. So wondering if we should maybe just go someone a bit closer to dip our toe in the water first? Any tips from the PH hive mind?

Pericoloso

44,044 posts

172 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
Driving on the other side of the road is a piece of cake.

I looked up the mileage to San Sebastien ,less than 700 miles from Calais ,could do that in one day if you put your mind to it but

probably better to take 2 days.

Just do it.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

135 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
San Sebastian is only just over the French border. 1,100km each way from the tunnel, just under 700 miles.

D'you want to just get there? Autoroute, one day tonk. Or just get the ferry straight to Bilbao.
D'you want to see some of France on the way? You could take as long as you want - a couple of days upwards.

Just because it's the wrong side of the road, it's really nothing to be scared of. Lower traffic densities than the UK, more laid-back driving styles. It's easy miles.

caymanbill

Original Poster:

389 posts

144 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
Cheers for the advice chaps! Was thinking of taking our time with a couple of stops in France.

Mattygooner

5,301 posts

213 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
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To get accustomed to France, why not see some of the war sites on day 1 like Caen, landing beaches, Somme etc get a good nights kip then head to Spain on day 2 There is lots to see in northern France.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

30,751 posts

244 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
We did that road trip. I think we broke it up at La Baule and then at Ile de Re. (And then Ile de Re & Honfleur on the return leg)

We actually didn't like San Sebastian that much. (That's why there's an Ile de Re leg on the way back, we cut San Seb short.)

On our road trips we never try to squeeze more than 600 miles in a day. You can do more, but it's then a chore not a holiday!)

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

30,751 posts

244 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
Get a peage tag too. Best thing we ever did.

littleredrooster

5,774 posts

205 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
If I was going to San Sebastian, I wouldn't want to start from the Chunnel! Baptism of fire if you've never driven abroad before - the roads away from the French end are far from user-friendly.

I'd go into either Caen or St. Malo - much easier to drive out of and far less traffic - and the added bonus that you're then actually on the correct 'side' of France to go down to Spain.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

30,751 posts

244 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
littleredrooster said:
I- the roads away from the French end are far from user-friendly.
I'd say the exact opposite. If you drop on the peage they are lovely open motorways with little traffic (compared to UK). Everything is well signed, service stations are frequent (as are rest areas).

We found the French roads the least stressed of most anywhere we've driven. Expensive though, and as said earlier a tag is a real boon.

caymanbill

Original Poster:

389 posts

144 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
We did that road trip. I think we broke it up at La Baule and then at Ile de Re. (And then Ile de Re & Honfleur on the return leg)

We actually didn't like San Sebastian that much. (That's why there's an Ile de Re leg on the way back, we cut San Seb short.)

On our road trips we never try to squeeze more than 600 miles in a day. You can do more, but it's then a chore not a holiday!)
interesting, what didn't you like about San Seb?

gareth h

3,831 posts

239 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
littleredrooster said:
If I was going to San Sebastian, I wouldn't want to start from the Chunnel! Baptism of fire if you've never driven abroad before - the roads away from the French end are far from user-friendly.

I'd go into either Caen or St. Malo - much easier to drive out of and far less traffic - and the added bonus that you're then actually on the correct 'side' of France to go down to Spain.
Yep I'd do this, overnight to st malo with dinner on the boat, La Rochelle is a nice stopover, and Biarritz is worth a look as well, don't forget to get up into the Pyrenees some really spectacular views

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

30,751 posts

244 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
caymanbill said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
We did that road trip. I think we broke it up at La Baule and then at Ile de Re. (And then Ile de Re & Honfleur on the return leg)

We actually didn't like San Sebastian that much. (That's why there's an Ile de Re leg on the way back, we cut San Seb short.)

On our road trips we never try to squeeze more than 600 miles in a day. You can do more, but it's then a chore not a holiday!)
interesting, what didn't you like about San Seb?
I can't quite put my finger on it. Part of it is I like to eat early evening. Nothing seems to start there until 21.00-21.30. That was only part of it though. Maybe we didn't give it a fair crack of the whip.

We loved Ile de Re so much, San Seb was a little like after the Lord Mayor's Show.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

135 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Part of it is I like to eat early evening. Nothing seems to start there until 21.00-21.30.
That's early for Spain...

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

30,751 posts

244 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Part of it is I like to eat early evening. Nothing seems to start there until 21.00-21.30.
That's early for Spain...
Yep.

Mind, we'd just left this



littleredrooster

5,774 posts

205 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
littleredrooster said:
the roads away from the French end are far from user-friendly.
I'd say the exact opposite. If you drop on the peage they are lovely open motorways with little traffic (compared to UK). Everything is well signed, service stations are frequent (as are rest areas).

We found the French roads the least stressed of most anywhere we've driven. Expensive though, and as said earlier a tag is a real boon.
I meant the actual exit from the Chunnel port, and perhaps the next 2 miles. Dead easy to get on the wrong road - despite swanning around Europe for the past thirty+ years on bikes/cars, I managed to get the wrong road twice in less than a mile trying to escape from the bloody rail terminal!

Other than that - yeah - driving in rural France is an absolute delight.

littleredrooster

5,774 posts

205 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
gareth h said:
Yep I'd do this, overnight to st malo with dinner on the boat, La Rochelle is a nice stopover, and Biarritz is worth a look as well, don't forget to get up into the Pyrenees some really spectacular views
Spot on. Brittany Ferries restaurants are excellent, arrive relaxed and refreshed for a lovely drive ahead. Good suggestions for stopovers. too.

Alternatively, what we usually do now is get the afternoon ferry Portsmouth - Caen, arrive at 21:30 local time and drive 30 mins or so to the Ibis at Falaise ready for an early start the next day. Caen is probably the easiest port to drive away from, and the roads are deserted at that time of day - it will still be just about light in May-June-July.

Simes205

4,707 posts

237 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
We did Dieppe to Biarritz a few years ago in a 205GTI. About 10 hours with no big stops.
Caen to Nantes motorway is free.
St Sebastian is not much further down.



paulwirral

3,499 posts

144 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
San Sebastián is a great place , but it's a very long boring drive down from the tunnel , I've done it both ways many times . You'll be fine driving down as it's pretty difficult to go wrong and at least you'll get some practice in for when you cross the border into Spain , I personally think the French road network is far superior to Spain's . San Sebastián is also very busy as it's a business town as well as tourist place .

Simes205

4,707 posts

237 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
Oh and get a sanef tag, it saves us loads of time even yesterday with light traffic.

And if you do make it to San Sebastian check out the freaky concrete fairground on top of the hill over looking the bay.

Edited by Simes205 on Saturday 17th February 14:42

caymanbill

Original Poster:

389 posts

144 months

Saturday 17th February 2018
quotequote all
Thanks for all of the useful advice guys. Looking forward to our trip.