Portsmouth to Bilbao by ferry then road trip through France

[bigfoot7]

I'm thinking of taking a ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao around the middle of May and then spend just over a week travelling back through Spain and then France. Has anyone done that trip and what is the crossing like? Also what are the must see bits of France to see? I want to go via the Millau Viaduct and maybe head over to Lake Geneva but anyone got any more suggestions? I'm planning on staying in cheapy hotels on route as travelling alone so would like to try and book in advance once i know where i'm heading.

Over to you guys

[Gizmo535]

If you're heading over to Millau, Clermont-Ferrand is just a little bit north of there and has lots of the cheapy motel-type hotels. Some great roads in the Massif Central too.

[Don]

I've done the Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry. Advice:

1) Get the best cabin you can. It doesn't cost that much extra as a percentage and it makes the journey considerably more civilised. If the weather is crap you can go and hide in the cabin and won't have to listen/smell everyone else!

2) Get the best cabin you can. You will be spending TWO nights on board. A decent bed to sleep in ensures you arrive rested and ready to go.

3) Get the best cabin you can. The good ones have an ensuite - its nice to avoid everyone else (!) - and also good to be clean and showered.

4) TWO days on board is a long time. The wife read a great deal - I spent as much time as possible nature watching (they have a "wildlife officer&quot. Be prepared to entertain yourself however it is you prefer...

Enjoy! We had a great experience. We did the ferry in both directions and toured in a big circle around northern Spain. Picos de Europa and the Rioja. It was a really good week with splendid driving roads and scenery...

[bigfoot7]

Thanks for the tips guys. I take the point about a decent cabin and i'm sure there is only so much to keep you amused on the 35hrs it takes to get to Spain. With the boat leaving Portsmouth at 9.15pm and then arriving at 8am the day after next, half the time you'll be asleep anyway. I have a decent map of France so i will do some research and work out a list of places to visit.

The other dilemma is which car to take - Golf or Caterham? My heart says take the 7 and although it performed without hiccup during a Lands End to John O'Groats trip last year, i don't fancy being so far from home if things go wrong. Yes i know i can get breakdown cover but it would spoil the whole trip if something silly went wrong and couldn't be fixed. And besides i can enjoy the Caterham over here anytime i like

[Seasider]

Go with your heart

[Black Frog]

Hi!

I'm going with the Mrs in mid-June, but starting at the other end and finishing off at Bilbao.

We're doing:
1. Calais:Reims (GP circuit & Champagne)
2. Reims:Annemasse nr Geneva - over the Alps
3. Annemasse:Clermont-Ferrand (for French GP and some great roads)
4. Clermont-Ferrand:Bordeaux (Bordeaux Wine Festival week!!)
5. Bordeaux:Pau via Nogaro (just popping in to see what Nogaro is like en route)
6. Pau:Pamplona (old historic racing town, up over the Pyrenees, into bull country)
7. Pamplona:San Sebastien (party town)
8. San Seb:Bilbao (Guggenheim, tapas and Bilbao Live concert!)
9. Bilbao:Portsmouth on the boat (Club double bed en suite £440)

Whole thing is 1200 miles or so.

Avoiding the autoroute and sticking to N's or less as in no hurry and taking the car with a boot (you'd get spare skids, a toothbrush, a French stick and not much else in my ClioV6), but looking to enjoy the drive and the scenery all the same.

Bit of a zig-zag but there are reasons (event to event). Take a trip through an atlas...

We're using Accor Hotels all through France - mostly Mercure's but with a couple of Ibis' thrown in. Got some brill deals by booking ahead.

Bon voyage!!!!

BF

[Don]

Take the Caterham - and good European recovery cover. I took our Porsche - just brilliant driving through the mountains with the roof down.

After all - what could go wrong? Its a Caterham. It only has about three moving parts...I'm sure the low flying club could advise as to the spares pack to take with you...

But be aware - the Spanish do not understand cars the way we do. DO NOT park your P&J on the street - use a car park. The Spanish "touch-park"! i.e. they know they in the spot by bashing the car in front and behind! Whilst this is a generalisation I saw enough of it to know that the P&J shouldn't be left anywhere where the general public might need to park next to it in a confined space! I got away with it OK - only the front number plate and mounting was destroyed...

[neilmac]

Any particular reason why you want to take such a long ferry crossing? If you are going to enjoy the driving - why not drive both ways? Time and cost won't be much different and you won't have to endure the Bay of Biscay.

Cheers,

Neil

Oh, and if you get as far south as Valencia you can book a stay here

[Lensey]

I would forget the ferry and drive the whole way, I took my Griff down to Denia and back a few years ago and really enjoyed it, we only went for a week too. I plan on going down again in August in the T350, really looking forward to it