Unlocking the lockdown

[BeachLife]

Safe trip back - you'll have to let us know how it was going through the borders and any checks that you were exposed to as you went through the different provinces in Spain

Just a day too late for me but good news for the remainers. The council have been working on the beach all week, cleaning up and installing the foot washes at the beach end of the boardwalks so normality returning slowly. No sign of any beach bars but who knows.

All bars still very quiet as there are so few customers.

Valencia into phase 2 on Monday.

I'll  be in Manchester doing a Dominic providing I have all the correct documents to cross Spain and transit France. With a bit of luck I'll be turned around at Valencia and have to come back.

Dave

[DaveG]

Hi Beachlife,
Left GA this morning and drove to just north of Pamplona via Valencia, Teruel and Zaragoza. No checks anywhere. Lots of messages on overhead gantries reminding of the need for correct justification for travel but that was it.
Big heavily armed Civil Guard presence at toll off AP68 onto A15 but waved us through, obviously looking for bigger fish.
Big test tomorrow at the border but hopefully got everything I need.
Dave

[Spurs]

Hi Dave

Where are you staying overnight I assumed most places are closed up

[John H]

Used to love that drive up north that way, far better than the Albacete Madrid route, the scenery is so much better. I dont think we ever drove that way without seeing at least 40 or 50 eagles soaring on the thermals....amazing sight. A slight detour was often made to go round the Logrono area to buy a few cases of the superb Rioja.
Enjoy the journey Dave.

Regards all

John

[DaveG]

Hi all,
Where did I start..........at the beginning.
Last night we stayed at the El Toro hotel in Berrioplano, north Pamplona (J97 A15), it fits the requirements of within fuel tank range, close to motorway with nearby off motorway fuel. The Basque Country is in phase two so hotels can be open at 50% capacity although if there was anyone else there last night I didn't see them.
This morning we drove up the A15 to the border, this route with minimal tolls or the nearby N121A, no tolls, are both stunning drives in my favourite part of Spain; and yes John we saw your eagles, masses of them riding the thermals.
The only police we have seen since leaving GA were the French at the border, our documents were correct and into France we went.
Tonight we are at an Airbnb, Le Bordage A28 J24 near Parigné-l'Évêque (fuel at nearby SuperU), Le Mans. If anyone is driving this way  I would recommend it wholeheartedly, it's absolutely stunning and a steal at £60 a night. As I understand it French hotels haven't had to close but I think some have due to lack of business.
So far it's been a very easy drive with mainly goods vehicles on the road, very little private traffic; even Bordeaux was quiet at midday.
Last day tomorrow, 4 hours to Coquelles and 5 to Manchester. Home for tea.
Dave

[Blue and white stripes]

We've driven to Le Mans and back 3 times from GA and have always had 3 overnight stops each way taking time to explore France and Spain on the way. We've crossed the Pyrenees via San Sebastian, Perpignan and Andorra and it's a superb journey up through France whichever way you go. We've done Birmingham to Le Mans 16 times but have never done the complete drive from Birmingham - GA in the same trip

[John H]

Bit of a petrol head Blue and white stripes  I'm a life long member of the club.
A few years one of my old bosses invited us to stay at his place in Sotogrande in Southern Spain fora few days, absolutely gorgeous area with magnificent detached villas. My old boss was also a bit if a petrol head so he invited his next door neighbour round for a BBQ lunch and an afternoon on boys chatting cars.
His next door neighbour was non other than John Fitzpatrick......what an afternoon.

Regards all

John

[RachUK]

DaveG...thanks for that. We've been looking at driving routes and that one seems a good one.
How much have you paid for tolls etc in total?

[Dave C]

I'm confused.com.
Are we about to go into phase 2 or not?
At first I read that the whole of the Valencia region was to move into 2nd phase,
and then I read that it was staying in phase 1 by its own request.

[bertdove]

From El Pais:

70% of Spain will be in Phase 2 of coronavirus deescalation plan by Monday, government announces
The entire region of Valencia will enter this stage.

Bert

[chris and jackie]

According to n332 Facebook page, beaches in Alicante & Elche regions will open tomorrow which means Carabassi beach and assume Santa Pola beaches will be open.

[TRIDENT]

✅ Reopening of Beaches in Santa Pola COVID-19
Santa Pola will reopen its beaches in mid-June when all citizen safety criteria can be guaranteed:

[Alicante Holiday Villas]

The Carabassi beach has been open for walking only, but as of tomorrow opens fully as it comes under Elche. Santa Pola will open on 15th June.

[kevinb]

https://mol.im/a/8373929

Seems us Brits won't be allowed to travel to Spain for the foreseeable future.

[DaveG]

Hi RachUK, toll charges for that route are around €130, you can reduce them if you're not in a hurry and avoid the toll roads. The French side is around €100 of the total, all the tolls on the Spanish side are north of Zaragoza, some can be avoided by using the N121A and not the A15 from Irun to Pamplona.
Left Le Mans today at 0715 and was in Manchester at 1630.  Best ever run, sunny and warm all the way from GA and not a police check anywhere except crossing into France. Busier than I expected in UK though and I don't know if it's  me but is motorway lane discipline getting much worse, middle lane rolling roadblocks everywhere.
Dave