Motorhome/MPV/Van for europe trip ?

smallzoo2

Mands said:

Diddidi said:

smallzoo2 said:

Mands said:

I can't help with transportation but do hope you have a plan to protect the dogs against leishmania. 

Hadn't heard of it thanks

Seresto collars protect against sandflies which can carry leishmania - just need to put them on a couple of weeks before you travel and they last for up to 8 months. The dogs can also wear them while swimming. We’ve always used them on our dogs. 

I live in a leish-endemic area, as south of Spain is. I have a leish-positive dog, wearing a seresto collar, asleep at my feet as I type. 

Yes, Serestos are *mostly* effective. But since the disease is so deadly (90% mortality rate if untreated), AND costly to treat (UK first year costs are typically 1000) AND the disease can lie dormant for 7 years it would be foolhardy not to be aware of the risks before taking the dogs

Thanks for that

is the disease around in France aswell ?

smallzoo2

[Deleted User] said:

smallzoo2 said:

Next September  we are taking a trip from the UK to southern Spain as a sort of family road trip. It will be 4 adults and 3 dogs. We will plan anything from 10 to 14 days with 5 of those in a Villa etc in Southern Spain. 

I often do motorhome trips around Europe, I'd suggest that you look at timings.

A return trip to Southern Spain is possible in ten days but even in 14 days it's a demanding journey.

The trip will be mostly sat on autoroutes, with many hours driving at speed each day, even if you take the direct route.

Calais to Valencia (so not that far South) is around 1,050 miles each way, or 2,100 mile round trip.

Staying at a villa for five days, it leaves between 5-9 days travelling.

Five days travelling would mean a minimum 420miles per day. Even at an average speed of 60mph (unrealistic), that's seven hours driving each day (equivalent of London to Edinburgh each day).

Extend it to nine days and it's still almost four hours driving each day.

If you want to go further than Valencia or deviate from the autoroute for sightseeing and stops, your time spent driving will rapidly increase.

With kids and dogs, I fear that you could be setting yourself up for a very uncomfortable trip, bearing in mind that temperatures could still be in the mid-high thirties.

A motorhome isn't really suitable, acceleration is slow, top speed is low, refuelling is frequent.
Seats (other than front two) aren't particularly comfortable, air con is of limited use and a vehicle would likely be over 3,500kg, so class 3 tolls (about £250-£300 tolls each way)

If you're determined to visit Southern Spain, ferry to Bilbao or Santander followed by a solid day's driving across Spain would be a far easier option.

Thanks for that

Would you recommend anywhere in France then that would be lovely and warm beginning of September ?.. maybe more doable ?

Mands

smallzoo2 said:

Mands said:

Diddidi said:

smallzoo2 said:

Mands said:

I can't help with transportation but do hope you have a plan to protect the dogs against leishmania. 

Hadn't heard of it thanks

Seresto collars protect against sandflies which can carry leishmania - just need to put them on a couple of weeks before you travel and they last for up to 8 months. The dogs can also wear them while swimming. We’ve always used them on our dogs. 

I live in a leish-endemic area, as south of Spain is. I have a leish-positive dog, wearing a seresto collar, asleep at my feet as I type. 

Yes, Serestos are *mostly* effective. But since the disease is so deadly (90% mortality rate if untreated), AND costly to treat (UK first year costs are typically 1000) AND the disease can lie dormant for 7 years it would be foolhardy not to be aware of the risks before taking the dogs

Thanks for that

is the disease around in France aswell ?

The latest data I can find, from October this year, says northern 2/3rds are clear, southern 1/3 is endemic. 

https://www.esccap.org/n/New+canine+leishmaniosis+map/220/

TELLIT01

I have no plans to do such a trip but thought the reply from @[Deleted User] was incredibly informative.  It shows just how easy it is to underestimate travelling times and distances.

[Deleted User]

smallzoo2 said:

[Deleted User] said:

smallzoo2 said:

Next September  we are taking a trip from the UK to southern Spain as a sort of family road trip. It will be 4 adults and 3 dogs. We will plan anything from 10 to 14 days with 5 of those in a Villa etc in Southern Spain. 

I often do motorhome trips around Europe, I'd suggest that you look at timings.

A return trip to Southern Spain is possible in ten days but even in 14 days it's a demanding journey.

The trip will be mostly sat on autoroutes, with many hours driving at speed each day, even if you take the direct route.

Calais to Valencia (so not that far South) is around 1,050 miles each way, or 2,100 mile round trip.

Staying at a villa for five days, it leaves between 5-9 days travelling.

Five days travelling would mean a minimum 420miles per day. Even at an average speed of 60mph (unrealistic), that's seven hours driving each day (equivalent of London to Edinburgh each day).

Extend it to nine days and it's still almost four hours driving each day.

If you want to go further than Valencia or deviate from the autoroute for sightseeing and stops, your time spent driving will rapidly increase.

With kids and dogs, I fear that you could be setting yourself up for a very uncomfortable trip, bearing in mind that temperatures could still be in the mid-high thirties.

A motorhome isn't really suitable, acceleration is slow, top speed is low, refuelling is frequent.
Seats (other than front two) aren't particularly comfortable, air con is of limited use and a vehicle would likely be over 3,500kg, so class 3 tolls (about £250-£300 tolls each way)

If you're determined to visit Southern Spain, ferry to Bilbao or Santander followed by a solid day's driving across Spain would be a far easier option.

Thanks for that

Would you recommend anywhere in France then that would be lovely and warm beginning of September ?.. maybe more doable ?

What do you enjoy, beach, mountains, lakes, cities, villages? How warm would you like it and how old are the kids?

If you want hot and sunny, crossing into Spain (or Italy) would still make sense, just not so far South as to make the holiday a chore.
France will still be warm but evenings can be cooler, depending on where you are.

I can give recommendations but a few pointers would be handy (France is big and has almost anything a person could want).

thegreenone

We love the ile de Re and La Rochelle area.

Where you live in the UK will make a difference to where you land.  Last time we visited, we used the fast ferry Portsmouth to Cherbourg return.

[Deleted User]

Ile de Re and La Rochelle will be nice in September and not nearly as busy as peak summer.
Great for kids and dogs, and probably enough to keep everyone entertained for a couple of weeks.

It's at the limits of a day's drive from most of the Northern ports but doable.

If OP did want to explore / travel a little bit more, there's plenty to visit within a few hours drive or places that could be incorporated into the journey.

• Pyla Dune / Arcachon basin
• Bordeaux
• Dordogne and Lasceaux caves The International Center of Parietal Art Lascaux IV - Lascaux
• Futuroscope / Poitiers Amusement Park and Water Park | Futuroscope Xperiences
• Puy du Fou Puy du Fou | The best theme park in the world | A must-see in France!

Within about four hours, Op could be at the Spanish border/Basque Country.

• Bayonne
• Biarittz
• Saint-Jean-de-Luz
• Le Train de la Rhune (near all of the above) is a good way to spend a few hours Le Train de la Rhune

Another couple of hours would put San Sebastian, Pamplona, Vittoria all within range and well into Rioja country....

onomatopoeia99

[Deleted User] said:

A motorhome isn't really suitable, acceleration is slow, top speed is low, refuelling is frequent.
Seats (other than front two) aren't particularly comfortable, air con is of limited use and a vehicle would likely be over 3,500kg, so class 3 tolls (about £250-£300 tolls each way)

Plenty of motorhomes are 3500kg MGW because the companies building them know it massively increases the market if they can be driven on a B (car) rather than requiring a C1/D1 licence.

I went to the caravan and motorhome show a month or two back which was actually about 95% motorhomes and unless you got into A-class vehicles almost everything (van conversions and coachbuilt) could be driven on a car licence.

teaselMay

that's true but the available payload to keep within 3.5 tonnes is often very little. 4 adults, 3 dogs and luggage can easily weigh half a tonne. Add in a full diesel tank and full water tank that's another ~200kilos.


OP I've never travelled outside the UK but regularly wander in my van with 3 dogs. I'd say be aware of how tiring the dogs might find it and how much they'll need to rest and explore as well as the humans. An unfamiliar vehicle will add to how tiring it is for them. My guys are old hands at travelling and took to it like the proverbial ducks, they treat their van as their second home. Even so a days driving is tiring - even though they sleep as only a greyhound can for much of it!

Definitely get good advice regarding leishmania and make sure the dogs are safely strapped in, makes me so angry when I see dogs wandering around the dash of motorhomes on the motorway!

[Deleted User]

onomatopoeia99 said:

[Deleted User] said:

A motorhome isn't really suitable, acceleration is slow, top speed is low, refuelling is frequent.
Seats (other than front two) aren't particularly comfortable, air con is of limited use and a vehicle would likely be over 3,500kg, so class 3 tolls (about £250-£300 tolls each way)

Plenty of motorhomes are 3500kg MGW because the companies building them know it massively increases the market if they can be driven on a B (car) rather than requiring a C1/D1 licence.

I went to the caravan and motorhome show a month or two back which was actually about 95% motorhomes and unless you got into A-class vehicles almost everything (van conversions and coachbuilt) could be driven on a car licence.

I'm aware of what's out there and the legalities (motorhome owner for over 20yrs).

OP has said four adults, three dogs and kids?

That's not going to be possible in a 3,500kg van, it might have enough berths but you couldn't legally travel with them as the van would be significantly overweight.