89 days of Winter travels

 
 
 
 
 
 
StrandCampingDoonbeg
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89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #1
Not long to go now before I head down to Rosslare and get on the Stena ferry to Cherbourg I used my Tesco vouchers which gave me 4 times the face of the voucher ( I think it’s changing to 3 times next year). I have booked one of the captains class cabins as I had lots of vouchers. It’s a nice sailing time, leaves Ireland late afternoon arrives the following morning (Sunday) at 10.30 local time. Will I find any shops open? Probably not. I’m intending on crossing into Spain on the Somport tunnel which will be a first for us. I have around 1000km from Cherbourg to Somport which I intend to do in 3 or 4 days. France tends to be cold and closed in November. I have initially decided from Somport to head to the east coast and then meander clockwise into the algarve.
We have nothing booked campsite wise as we reckon there will slightly less snow birds this year and we know roughly which sites we want to stay on in addition to great choice of Aires.
Couple of sites we will aim to use as we like them for different reasons. Valfarta peace and quiet, Xabia/Javea lots of Nepalese restaurants, Mar Azul (stocks the Acsi book) camping Albufeira, 10 minutes walk to the old town. And zambujeira (approximately 50 miles north of Sagres, it’s just a nice site.

I have stayed on quite a few sites and Aires in Spain and Portugal so I know the ones I’ll avoid but I’m looking forward to finding some new favourites.

I will try to avoid the Aire at IKEA Mercia the Aire is free the shops are not.

As we are British we can only stay for a maximum of 90 days so we come back in January via the Brittany ferry from Bilbao to Rosslare.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #2
Hope you both have a good and safe trip,

Keep in touch 👍🏼👍🏼


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #3
Enjoy your trip Jamie, wish it was me going too 🌞🌞


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #4
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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #5
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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #6
Somport tunnel and Canfranc Station were on my wish list for my last trip to Spain but never got there. I had intended going through the tunnel and then returning over it just for the experience, but that may not be so easy in the winter months. In parts of Spain snow tyres are compulsory at certain times of the year with heavy fines if you're caught without them, but you probably know that already. Have a very safe and enjoyable trip and relax. (Said begrudgingly as massive jealousy creeping in. :lol: :lol: )


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89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #7
Hi, Jami/Amanda have a great holiday, I am not going to butter you's up in saying you deserve it sure you did nothing all year, ;-)
Stay safe will hope to see you early next spring,

:-/ If you skipped over to Gibraltar for a few days would that not get around the 90 day limit,or is it an Insurance issue? :-/


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #8
From 1st November to 31st March in the mountain areas of France the vehicle must be equipped with winter tires or have snow chains on board.
Winter tires are those with the 3PMSF mark.

As far as I know, these are the departments involved:
Ain (01), Allier (03), Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04), Hautes-Alpes (05), Alpes-Maritimes (06), Ardèche (07), Ariège (09), Aude (11), Aveyron (12), Cantal (15), Corrèze (19), Corse-du-Sud (2A), Haute-Corse (2B), Côte-d'Or (21), Doubs (25), Drôme (26), Gard (30), Haute-Garonne (31), Hérault (34), Isère (38), Jura (39), Loire (42), Haute-Loire (43), Lot (46), Lozère (48), Meurthe -et-Moselle (54), Moselle (57), Nièvre (58), Puy-de-Dôme (63), Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64), Hautes-Pyrénées (65), Pyrénées-Orientales (66), Bas- Rhin (67), Haut-Rhin (68), Rhône (69), Haute-Saône (70), Saône-et-Loire (71), Savoie (73), Haute-Savoie (74), Tarn (81), Tarn-et-Garonne (82), Var (83), Vaucluse (84), Vosges (88), Yonne (89), Territoire de Belfort (90).


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #9
Off topic but I just checked my insurance it allows me 180 days. Through Motor CarVan Wise


StrandCampingDoonbeg
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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #10
Quote by sprinter

Hi, Jami/Amanda have a great holiday, I am not going to butter you's up in saying you deserve it sure you did nothing all year, ;-)
Stay safe will hope to see you early next spring,

:-/ If you skipped over to Gibraltar for a few days would that not get around the 90 day limit,or is it an Insurance issue? :-/

No British are only allowed 90 days in any 180 days a quick trip to Gibraltar doesn’t reset the clock.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #11
Not jealous at all !! 😜.... Have a great trip Jamie and Amanda and keep us all posted with the odd post or pic from time to time.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #12
I did the somport tunnel 2 years ago. I loved it so much ,I turned around and did back through it and then back through it to continue on my journey.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #13
Having done it again during the summer, dont fill up but have enough fuel to get you through to Spain as its cheaper there than France.

We stayed at 43.304314250620976, -0.43644441895603947 in Pau, lovely stopover but no services on our way back and at Camping Le Gave d'Aspe 42.876706618233534, -0.556846014647023 on our way up to the tunnel. Not sure if its open at that time of year but it was a lovely simple campsite on the ourskirts of Urdos which is the last village before hitting Spain on that route.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #14
Quote by the fat controller

Having done it again during the summer, dont fill up but have enough fuel to get you through to Spain as its cheaper there than France.

We stayed at 43.304314250620976, -0.43644441895603947 in Pau, lovely stopover but no services on our way back and at Camping Le Gave d'Aspe 42.876706618233534, -0.556846014647023 on our way up to the tunnel. Not sure if its open at that time of year but it was a lovely simple campsite on the ourskirts of Urdos which is the last village before hitting Spain on that route.

Thank you I’ll check it out. I will also coast into Spain until I can fill up again with the cheaper Spanish fuel prices.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #15
StrandCampingDoonbeg
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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #16
Quote by <BM>

 


Ha ha. And yes.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #17
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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 05.10.2021  ·  #18
Like to wish ye a safe, hassle free and enjoyable Holiday Guys. Keep us posted.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 06.10.2021  ·  #19
Regarding insurances, isn’t there a maximum you can leave your home unoccupied? Is it enough that someone “stays” (even if only long enough to move the piling post) how does house insurance company know whether anyone occupied it during your time away?.
Likewise if your holiday insurance only covers you for specific number of days for any one visit, it shouldn’t matter if claiming for something at start or finish of holiday.
I know the less than 90 days is for UK citizens , Jamie could you /would you get an Irish passport ?


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 06.10.2021  ·  #20
Quote by R&N

Regarding insurances, isn’t there a maximum you can leave your home unoccupied? Is it enough that someone “stays” (even if only long enough to move the piling post) how does house insurance company know whether anyone occupied it during your time away?.
Likewise if your holiday insurance only covers you for specific number of days for any one visit, it shouldn’t matter if claiming for something at start or finish of holiday.
I know the less than 90 days is for UK citizens , Jamie could you /would you get an Irish passport ?

Aside from the insurance questions, yes either of us could apply for an Irish passport and with either of us having one if we travel together the 90 day doesn’t apply. Getting an Irish passport is not a quick process, around 2 years at present from the date you apply even if you meet all the criteria.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 06.10.2021  ·  #21
Quote by R&N

Regarding insurances, isn’t there a maximum you can leave your home unoccupied? Is it enough that someone “stays” (even if only long enough to move the piling post) how does house insurance company know whether anyone occupied it during your time away?.
Likewise if your holiday insurance only covers you for specific number of days for any one visit, it shouldn’t matter if claiming for something at start or finish of holiday.
I know the less than 90 days is for UK citizens , Jamie could you /would you get an Irish passport ?


There are huge differences in the unoccupied periods across the different policies. They range from as little as 28 days cumulative in an insurance year for some of the cheap policies to 60 days per absence and not acumulating for high end policies. Mine is the latter and I just get one of the offspring or siblings to spend a weekend in the house once every six weeks or so and that restarts the clock.
As said in an early post, I forgo the forty odd euro discount for having an alarm so if it goes faulty or someone forgets to set it any claim won't be effected.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 06.10.2021  ·  #22
Like yourself Colin, I didn’t go for the alarm discount in the house for the same reasons, however I discussed this with the guy fitting it and he was under the impression that if the guards put it in their report that there was an alarm fitted and not activated the insurance company might not honour the claim. Anyone any views on that?


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 06.10.2021  ·  #23
The discount is in recognition of the reduced risk due to an alarm being fitted and operating.
If the policy does not require an alarm and one is not declared then having one, operational or not, would not increase the risk.
Having an undeclared alarm actually reduces the risk to the insurance company free gratus


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 06.10.2021  ·  #24
Quote by baguette

The discount is in recognition of the reduced risk due to an alarm being fitted and operating.
If the policy does not require an alarm and one is not declared then having one, operational or not, would not increase the risk.
Having an undeclared alarm actually reduces the risk to the insurance company free gratus


That would be my thinking too, but with Insurance companies you never know 🤨

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89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 06.10.2021  ·  #25
Quote by baguette

The discount is in recognition of the reduced risk due to an alarm being fitted and operating.
If the policy does not require an alarm and one is not declared then having one, operational or not, would not increase the risk.
Having an undeclared alarm actually reduces the risk to the insurance company free gratus


Does any Insurance give real discounts in the first place, When all of them have a net, that they catch figure out of the sky with, and see if it will fly again.

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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 06.10.2021  ·  #26
Have a great trip ye two. Hope to see ye next year. Safe travels.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 07.10.2021  ·  #27
We are currently in Benidorm Jamie, having meandered down the west coast of France then hugging the east coast of Spain. We will get home just before you travel. All good with the trip so far. Covid certs required for campsite reception on arrival and all restaurants, even outside in France. No interest whatsoever in the certs in Spain. Masks obligatory in indoor spaces in both countries, like at home. You should have no difficulty getting a pitch. There are lots of Dutch as usual but we are on Villasol for the last few days and there are still a good few pitches available daily. Saw almost no UK or Irish in France but since Valencia there are a good few UK vans and caravans. We met two couples from Ireland in Javea - they were the only ones in 7 weeks. Weather has been really pleasant. Still getting to 25 deg at the moment. Hope you and Amanda gave a great trip.


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 07.10.2021  ·  #28
Quote by voyager

We are currently in Benidorm Jamie, having meandered down the west coast of France then hugging the east coast of Spain. We will get home just before you travel. All good with the trip so far. Covid certs required for campsite reception on arrival and all restaurants, even outside in France. No interest whatsoever in the certs in Spain. Masks obligatory in indoor spaces in both countries, like at home. You should have no difficulty getting a pitch. There are lots of Dutch as usual but we are on Villasol for the last few days and there are still a good few pitches available daily. Saw almost no UK or Irish in France but since Valencia there are a good few UK vans and caravans. We met two couples from Ireland in Javea - they were the only ones in 7 weeks. Weather has been really pleasant. Still getting to 25 deg at the moment. Hope you and Amanda gave a great trip.

Which site did you stay on in Javea we have always stayed on Naranjal but this time we might stay on camping Javea aswell.
For me I won’t be doing anything in France except driving through it, if I could travel in September then I would take a bit more time in France but not in November.
We have found that certain towns are mini Germany’s or mini Hollands or mini uks etc. Javea very popular with the Brits for example, Torrox very German. We have our favourites and I’ve identified a few more locations we will try out this trip. We don’t eat out a lot unless it’s outdoors as Spain can be a bit like Ireland when it comes to providing for dog friendly pubs and restaurants.
Enjoy the rest of your travels and leave a bit of sunshine behind for us.


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89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 07.10.2021  ·  #29
jami, if you were even thinking of applying for Irish naturalisation, this is the year to do it because of Covid you will have fulfilled, the first condition, but maybe too late to act on it now, 🤔


"Have a period of 365 days* (1 year) continuous reckonable residence in the State immediately before the date of your application for naturalisation and
During the 8 years before that,,,, have had a total reckonable residence in the State of 1,460 days* (4 years)"


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Re: 89 days of Winter travels

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Posted: 07.10.2021  ·  #30
Hi Jamie - we stayed at Camping Javea. Lovely site and facilities. Only black mark is there is no supermarket on site. Lucky to have bikes to get the baguette at nearby supermarket in the morning ( 600m). A lot of UK folk here too.


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