stagger Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Hi, we are starting to plan a trip to Southern Spain and Portugal from mid December this coming winter and wondered if anyone had been to Zahora ? Also any advice on the route from Calais would be appreciated, got to go from Calais as we have a couple of collie dogs, I am a bit concerned about crossing the Pyrenees in winter( never been but they are mountains!!!!) with a saloon rather than 4x4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLD NICK Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Hi Stagger,I would,nt dream of taking a car + van over the pyrennes in December. You WILL encounter snow & ice & why risk it when you can travel on much safer routes. You say that you will have to travel from dover to Calais because you have dogs. Dogs can travel on virtually any ferry nowadays most of them have kennels. When we travel to southern spain we always use BF Portsmouth to northern spain it,s then a doddle down to the south. Failing that I would suggest that you bypass the Pyrenees either in the north past san sebastion,or in the south towards Barcelona. I am sure that someone will come on telling you that it,s perfectly safe going over the top,it is,nt I went over the top in a car, no van. in January some years ago & had to buy 6 new pairs of underpants when I arrived in spain. Have a safe journey whichever route you choose. I am sure that you will have a great holiday. Hi, we are starting to plan a trip to Southern Spain and Portugal from mid December this coming winter and wondered if anyone had been to Zahora ? Also any advice on the route from Calais would be appreciated, got to go from Calais as we have a couple of collie dogs, I am a bit concerned about crossing the Pyrenees in winter( never been but they are mountains!!!!) with a saloon rather than 4x4 Quote van Bessacar 625 towed by Mercedes M class 3. 2 cdi. we do 6mths at home (winter) 6mths touring (summer) Retired & loving it.--------- Adventure before Dementia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stagger Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 Thanks for the reply Old Nick, forgive my ignorance but don't you have to go over the Pyrenees to get to Spain from France ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFM Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 You can go round them, effectively at either end of the humps. We did it this summer on the Med side. On motorways go down the A9 past Perpignan and then it turns into the AP-7 at the border. It's then about 250k to Barcelona. On the other side, it's the A63 that becomes the AP-8. Neither have any significant climbs. It's a 3 day trip at least from Calais though. Quote Enjoy every minute of every day. It doesn't last nearly as long as you'd like, and there's no guarantee of coming this way again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulyka Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Hi, No! You don't have to go over the Pyrenees. As Old Nick suggests you go one side or the other and hopefully you can avoid extremes of weather, no guarantees though. Old Nick, have you not heard of launderettes or do you have shares in underwear companies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OWOMW Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) The route down from Bordeaux is A63/E5 which won't be a problem. The route we took through Spain two years ago was Irun/Burgos/Valladolid/Salamaca/Caceres and was easy driving with only a toll as we entered Spain from Irun on the AP-8. If you want to find a low toll route from Calais down to Irun then have a look at the link below, but bear in mind the route will be via Rouen where there currently are diversions - search the CT forum for more information. http://about-france. com/tourism/no-tolls-routes. htm Stayed at Pinar San Hose in Zahora for a month and can recommend the site and the area. In fact if you want a list of the sites we stayed at on our trip to Spain PM me your email address and I will send you a spreadsheet. Edited July 25, 2014 by onewheelonmywagon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bopeep Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 I travel that way regularly in dec and jan sure we have bad weather but the snow ploughs are plentiful. Last dec on going to UK the sun shone all the way. coming back in Jan we hit fog, snow, ice and hailstones but it did not slow us at all. Plenty of different routes from Calais. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stagger Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 Thanks for the info, I had the notion that you had to climb up to about 3000ft and then drive on a plateau before dropping down into Spain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLD NICK Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 As everyone has said either end of the Pyrenees is fine. Sulyka. I did,nt have the nerve or the inclination to wash them. Going down the road sideways on thick ice with a massive drop on one side was still too fresh in my mind. Quote van Bessacar 625 towed by Mercedes M class 3. 2 cdi. we do 6mths at home (winter) 6mths touring (summer) Retired & loving it.--------- Adventure before Dementia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N&L Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 We travel through the Somport tunnel every year in January and although there has been snow the road has always been clear Quote 2023 Pilote P696GJ for European touring- 2022 Coachman VIP 565 for touring the UK towed by a 2022 Audi Q5 TFSI-e S-Line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobJS Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) I wouldn't bother trying the high pyrenees in the winter. I've been the two years in a row. Last year, some roads DIDNT open all year! This year, there were still a few closed mid June. I've been skiing there this January. I needed snow chains for the car! Edited July 25, 2014 by RobJS Quote Caravanless. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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