Summer 2025 Road trip
Discussion
Hi all
Quite excited with this adventure just planned.
Leave work Friday night to catch the Portsmouth - Santander ferry. Plan is to drive back through the Pyrenees cross France via a night stop on the Normandy coast with family before catching the Eurotunnel home on the [following] Sunday.
Few Top Gear inspired stops including Pamplona (RH did the whole bull run thing in the Murcielago spyder video). Also popping up to see the Millau viaduct and drive the Gorges du Tarn (French supercar tour).
If interest shows I'll share an itinerary and pictures. Not going until July just a little excited!!
Quite excited with this adventure just planned.
Leave work Friday night to catch the Portsmouth - Santander ferry. Plan is to drive back through the Pyrenees cross France via a night stop on the Normandy coast with family before catching the Eurotunnel home on the [following] Sunday.
Few Top Gear inspired stops including Pamplona (RH did the whole bull run thing in the Murcielago spyder video). Also popping up to see the Millau viaduct and drive the Gorges du Tarn (French supercar tour).
If interest shows I'll share an itinerary and pictures. Not going until July just a little excited!!
Edited by Driversmatter on Monday 10th March 11:03
Edited by Driversmatter on Monday 10th March 16:45
Thanks all for the comments.
Timing is everything. We were initially looking at joining an organised tour that was going to be covering the Picos De Europa and Pyrenees. However, we needed to get exact dates of the lads GCSE exams. These mean we will miss the set tour. Have come to realise this may not be a bad thing. We wouldn't know anyone (I know you'd quickly get to know people / make friends) but how many would be father and son travellers and sometimes it's nice to be able to break step and do your own thing or travel at your own pace.
So we then looked at boat into Santander and out of Bilbao following weekend. The return gets expensive and for a week road trip gives you a good dollop of time at sea. Then looked at Eurotunnel options for the return.
Family are on the Normandy coast so plotted a route that would take us through Le Mans taking in some other sites of Top Gear road trips. Incidentally road trips, when typed as one word, gets auto corrected to 'disastrous '. Lol
We now have provisional accommodation booked, and a rough route planned using Michelin route planner on the computer.
Timing is everything. We were initially looking at joining an organised tour that was going to be covering the Picos De Europa and Pyrenees. However, we needed to get exact dates of the lads GCSE exams. These mean we will miss the set tour. Have come to realise this may not be a bad thing. We wouldn't know anyone (I know you'd quickly get to know people / make friends) but how many would be father and son travellers and sometimes it's nice to be able to break step and do your own thing or travel at your own pace.
So we then looked at boat into Santander and out of Bilbao following weekend. The return gets expensive and for a week road trip gives you a good dollop of time at sea. Then looked at Eurotunnel options for the return.
Family are on the Normandy coast so plotted a route that would take us through Le Mans taking in some other sites of Top Gear road trips. Incidentally road trips, when typed as one word, gets auto corrected to 'disastrous '. Lol
We now have provisional accommodation booked, and a rough route planned using Michelin route planner on the computer.
Edited by Driversmatter on Friday 1st August 16:56
Edited by Driversmatter on Friday 1st August 16:57
Edited by Driversmatter on Friday 1st August 16:58
Quick update:
Used Roadtrip Tribes route planner. Web based routing software and syncs to mobile app which provides sat nav style turn by then routing.
Fairly straight forward to use, despite the initial gremlins. First glitch was that from Santander to get to San Sebastian, the software advised catching a ferry to Portsmouth, up the A3, along the M25 down the M26, M20, Le Shuttle and drive through France!! After sorting the settings (avoid ferries) easy to use.
Used Roadtrip Tribes route planner. Web based routing software and syncs to mobile app which provides sat nav style turn by then routing.
Fairly straight forward to use, despite the initial gremlins. First glitch was that from Santander to get to San Sebastian, the software advised catching a ferry to Portsmouth, up the A3, along the M25 down the M26, M20, Le Shuttle and drive through France!! After sorting the settings (avoid ferries) easy to use.
Edited by Driversmatter on Friday 1st August 16:59
Will get a write up added. Just wanted to let anyone know considering a trip: Get it booked.
Road Trip Tribes app was awesome - seemed to have an accurate handle on live traffic too. Only went down on one occasion and had to use Waze to get back on track, but not sure why or how it went wrong.
We covered 1950 miles. Was enough driving but didn't feel overwhelmed until the return leg which was all motorway and during a downpour.
Highlights were C-28 in Spain, route from Pamplona to Pau, the Gorge du Tarn and Le Mans curcuit.
Road Trip Tribes app was awesome - seemed to have an accurate handle on live traffic too. Only went down on one occasion and had to use Waze to get back on track, but not sure why or how it went wrong.
We covered 1950 miles. Was enough driving but didn't feel overwhelmed until the return leg which was all motorway and during a downpour.
Highlights were C-28 in Spain, route from Pamplona to Pau, the Gorge du Tarn and Le Mans curcuit.
Sounds like a great trip, what was your route generally? Hotels/parking issues?
I’m looking at a road trip next May/June taking in the Picos, Pyrenees and even over to the Alps and was thinking of doing a thread with some questions. Wondering if it’s better in the holidays and travel forum as this one doesn’t seem to get as much attention?
I’m looking at a road trip next May/June taking in the Picos, Pyrenees and even over to the Alps and was thinking of doing a thread with some questions. Wondering if it’s better in the holidays and travel forum as this one doesn’t seem to get as much attention?
Ok still haven't sat down to write this up.
I was very impressed with the ferry. Helped no doubt by the conditions and the weather. Long time at sea but it passed effortlessly.
Roads in Spain are empty.
In terms of stays I was lazy looked at the route thought about what we wanted to see / drive and booked accommodation using the Booking app
Only place that let us down was Andorra as the secure car parking was full so had to park in a pay as you drive away car park. Not ideal but Andorra was lovely and not the end of the world.
Pamplona was the best stay we had in terms of hotel and had secure underground parking which was great.
French side of Pyrenees was shrouded in fog meaning we cut that side short and returned to Spain, so guess you'd need to be flexible.
Next trip would look.to stay in Spain / Pyrenees as the drive through France (in the main) wasn't all that thrilling. Millau, Gorge du Tarn and Le Mans excepted.
If I can help with anything else let me know.
I was very impressed with the ferry. Helped no doubt by the conditions and the weather. Long time at sea but it passed effortlessly.
Roads in Spain are empty.
In terms of stays I was lazy looked at the route thought about what we wanted to see / drive and booked accommodation using the Booking app
Only place that let us down was Andorra as the secure car parking was full so had to park in a pay as you drive away car park. Not ideal but Andorra was lovely and not the end of the world.
Pamplona was the best stay we had in terms of hotel and had secure underground parking which was great.
French side of Pyrenees was shrouded in fog meaning we cut that side short and returned to Spain, so guess you'd need to be flexible.
Next trip would look.to stay in Spain / Pyrenees as the drive through France (in the main) wasn't all that thrilling. Millau, Gorge du Tarn and Le Mans excepted.
If I can help with anything else let me know.
Edited by Driversmatter on Monday 18th August 13:41
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