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So … we have a large motorhome (7.2m long and 2.4m wide, 3m high - basically a big white box that is our home on wheels 😊)
We love it, but admit that it’s not feasible to take it down little lanes or winding roads!
We’re planning a long trip touring the Spanish side of the Pyrenees from East to West (as far as Ordessa). Hiking and Biking in the mountains, so looking at the map it seems like a lot of small wiggly roads. Not the best for a large motorhome!
Has anyone driven / explored round the Spanish Pyrenees, up into the mountains? Any advice on the reality of driving these roads would be much appreciated 😊
I've only been to the French side, in a car. However, we were sharing a site with a travelling circus* at<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> one point. As you might imagine, they had some fairly large vehicles. 😁</span>
* Actually, troubadors might be a better description.
Roads vary enormously, some of the major passes would be fine and you'll find 100s of motor homes parked up along the way, others I wouldn't want to even try it - they can be very steep and twisty in places....
fwiw we've travelled by full size coach from Zaragoza (sp?) airport to the ski resort of Formigal. Also travelled by full size coach from Lourdes airport to Formigal. Boy did I feel sick both times especially when it was dark.
We took our 6m x 2.4m motorhome to the Picos, Basque country and across the south side of the Pyrenees as far as Ainsa.The pass up the A136 to the Portalet is easy and staying at the top fine on the Spanish side fine, French side narrower but ok. I think the A136 Bielsa pass is fine too. Gavernie on the French side narrow but very popular with RVs.
We went north from Ainsa and up the Pineta and Chistau Callie's (went up the dirt road beyond the latter's road end into the Poset range but don't recommend for a van bigger than ours).
The main N260 Jaca to Ainsa is very windey for the last 20kms.
Ainisclo valley into Ordessa off limits for RVs, not sure about the standard way into the Ordessa canyon from the southwest.
I always pull over to let following traffic past, just wish other folk did likewise.
Thanks all 😊
@chickenman - really useful info, thank you! I suspect we’d struggle with the extra length of our van, although the width is the same.
Is there someone on STW who lives out that way? I think his forum name is Spekkie, but I’m not sure! @Spekkie - not sure if this is your patch?
We tried to take our tiny 1975 VW Bay into the Pyrenees. We called it a day when we got here
We weren't even in the foot hills but there was plenty of full lock hair pins, first gear climbs, terrifying, stinking fading brake descents and long convoys - great fun!
Lovely campsite run by a lovely dutch lady.
Spain is really well set up for RVs, we just put camping aires into google maps at our destination of choice and it usually came up with where one can stay, usually with facilities and very reasonably priced. Actually our van is 2.2m wide. In the Chistau valley there was a long tunnel where two vehicles can't pass but there is a traffic light that detects large vehicles and stops traffic in the other direction.
We kind of just went for it and didn't let having the van cramp our style and by and large it worked great. Upping sticks in the middle of the night to escape approaching forest fires in Gascony was much fun on the other hand.
We intend taking our caravan down through France to south of Barcelona, first time to Spain but have been to France many times. Would be interested in the best route across the Pyrenees.
Spekkie used to work on the campsite in Ainsa but last May I asked after him and they said he wasn't working for them anymore. He hasn't updated his thread for a few months:
I'd just like to ask the OP to read the signs on mountain roads and if there's one requesting you don't use the road, don't. All the major cols across the mountains intended for trucks: Roncevalles, Somport, Bielsa, Col de Bonne agua... are fine, but doing the D918 routes des cols in France or the equivlent small roads in Spain is just anti-social. I love it when two idiots arrive from opposite sides and completely block the road so no one can move - it makes riding the bike much more pleasant. It also means that you catch up with the roadhog that forced you off the road, that's entertaining. 🙂
Our 76 T2 camper was fine everywhere, our Ducato van had a mirror smashed by someone who wanted more than his fair share of the road and with a big camper I'd respect the signs. Many of the new camper van generation haven't driven big vehicles on narrow, twisty roads with overhanging rocks before and **** up.
And don't go where you're not welcome:
Just respect the signs.
Thanks Folks 😊
We have no intention of trying to squeeze our large vehicle down a small road, causing problems for other drivers! (We live in North Wales and have seen it too often here!)
So asking in advance about any places to avoid, or routes that are good for a large vehicle helps us plan a suitable route.
We’ve got various campsite apps etc, but any extra info is always appreciated 😊
Always reminds me of the Italian job.
(Only ever visited the Pyrenees and Andorra once in ‘75 , dads mate converted a van into a camper van hooked our caravan to it and off we went - pre YouTube van-lifers,I still rember my dad cutting out the holes for the windows with a niblex nibbler)
This mighty help, a couple who did a MH trip in and around the Spanish side.
Spekkie is around and about, might well be worth pm'ing him to see if he can help out with riding around Ainsa. He will know the guys at the camping ground too.
I’ve done it in my 7m motorhome. Just take it easy and you’ll be fine.
Feel free to message me for more info/tips for places to park up.
Great video blog link - thanks 👍 Looks hot even in October - somewhat concerned that we’ll fry in late June / early July!!! Trying to wait for the snow to clear in the mountains but don’t want to overheat in the valleys - any advice on when to visit? Would early June be better than late June (especially for Ordessa / high mountains)?
@Pauly - many thanks, will message you later 👍
Hi guys - yep, we're still here in the Ainsa/Boltana/Zona Zero area and happy to give advice where we can.
We've just had a cracking weekend of unusually high temps and sunshine, thanks to an anticyclone somewhere I believe 😉
This whole area is very popular with campervans all year around and the local councils do what they can to encourage/accommodate visitors. The main east/west and north/south roads are fine for campervans - they're the same roads that coaches and big delivery lorries use so..... And the smaller roads are good here too - you could get "stuck" I guess but you'd have to try quite hard to do so . . . 🙂
We intend taking our caravan down through France to south of Barcelona, first time to Spain but have been to France many times. Would be interested in the best route across the Pyrenees.
Stay on the motorway past Perpignan and head straight to Barcelona. Unless you actually want a scenic route through the Pyrenees that is?
We took our old Talbot camper to both sides a few years back. Wherever we were there were bigger motorhomes but don't recall seeing many full blown A class motorhomes. As above I imagine you will be fine, just make sure the brakes and cooling system are in good order, climbs (and descents) are long, 1st gear slow and very steep.
We got to Ordessa on the road with the overhang, we're 2.6m high but only 2.1m wide. There was a bus for the final stretch to the canyon for all vehicles from memory.
Spekkie can give better info on the weather that side, we're over the other side and our weather can be stinking hot in late June/early July but usually only for a few days. Being in and around mountains means the weather can fluctuate massively in a day, let alone a week.
My favourite time of year is September/October, as the weather is cooler and usually more settled. Although the last time the EWS visited Ainsa it was a very hot September weekend, as I remember. Great time to travel though, which is why there are usually a lot of MHers on the road after the summer season.
Early June can even see some mountain passes with plenty of snow beside the road, although they should all be open.
For a bit of reassurance, we were thinking of buying a MH and so hired one last September and drove along and over the mountains into Spain. We had no trouble with the height or length of our vehicle on any of the roads we used, although we did keep to main roads.
Sounds a great trip you're planning, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.