We have gone to Spain 2020

Due to developments it looks like the Aires will get closed sooner rather than later so we have decided to make a break for it and try to return to the Uk , we have booked the tunnel for next wednesday and got as far up as Madrid today , tomorrow we will try and cross the border into France , I have downloaded the form but it is in French and I cannot understand how to fill it in , if anyone can help me translate the form to English I would appreciate it . Now Parked up for the night on a hotel car park with another German van
Has the form got one of those funny square patches..a QR code, I believe it's called
You take a photo of it on your phone there's an icon like an eye to tap ,and it should give you an opportunity to translate it... More tech savvy folk on here might be able to assist.
Good luck and enjoy your adventure.
 
Spain are now closing ALL camping and caravan sites!

I have just received the following attachment from a friend who lives 6 months of the year on a site in Spain in his giant of a 5th wheeler, he has to be off and away from the site by Monday 24th March.

 
The FCO advice is that Spain is closing Short Stay Campsites. Long stay will remain open "We.. expect these measures do not apply to long term accommodation, such as long-stay campsites, as long as clients can cater for themselves, in their own spaces." Of course this may change. Getting back to the UK may be tricky. BF have cancelled all ferry operations between UK and France/Spain till around 12th April.
 
With regards to Spain and new Spanish law, it will be the same as it is in France and any new French laws.

Basically from my experience, the law might be one thing and the other is the way the local head of police interprets the new law.

The person who face booked the Spanish information to me has been on his long stay site now for 6 months along with a large number of his friends and basically they have all been told that their site is closing as of a few days time and that they will have to leave!
 
We are facing unprecedented times globally.

Hotels in Spain have been requisitioned by the government to be used as hospital beds.
The situation in Portugal seems to be a little better, for now at least, but they may probably have to follow suite at some stage.

There will be a lot of uncertainty and chaos in the weeks & months ahead, but you're not on your own.
It's going to be exactly the same problems back here in the UK and everywhere else around the world.

Forget about FaceBook, strongly suggest that if you have access to radio you listen to the BBC World Service regularly to get pretty good up-to-date and accurate reports of what's actually going on around the globe, including Spain, France & Portugal. Guess that's why it's called the World Service! ;) 😁

This email to me from the pureportugal.co.uk website this morning:-

BORDER CLOSURES: TRAVELLING BY ROAD.
If you are travelling by road to the UK from Portugal, and may have experienced issues at the Portugal-Spain border, the issues have been clarified and there is inter-Governmental agreement that allows vehicles including motorhomes to travel across the borders from Portugal to Spain and Spain into France, in order to return to the UK. It is very important that you have all appropriate personal, vehicle and travel documents, and evidence of your ferry booking, to present to immigration authorities or the police in those countries.


Otherwise just hunker down, keep a good look out for each other and hope for the best.

If you're unfortunate enough to be getting kicked off a campsite it might be feasible to make your way to somewhere where you can safely wild camp near essential amenities, or make your way to places where other members are already safely hunkered down, if there is room for you?

Keep your spirits up and stay safe & well everyone.
 
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I came thru the spanish border into france yesterday evening,no issue not even a second glance, staying on Camping car park aires on the way up thru France to Calais, they are staying open for those who are full timing.
Havent been asked for an Attestation yet but do do a new one every day. Also have a eurotunnel booking and we are sticking to toll roads.
 
Arrived in Dover Tues 21st January 11.30pm , stopped on the Maison Dur car park for the night , it was freezing -1 deg so diesel heater on all night , Wed 8.15 am arrived at Folkstone and checked in and we was put on the 8.50am train ( we was booked on the 9.50am originally ) 35 min later arrived in Calais and drove for about 30 min to the wissant Aires , when we arrived there was 3 Belgium vans and it was still only 2 deg so left the heating on and went for a walk down to the beach and around the town . Thursday we left for Le Mans 5 hours drive , when we arrived at the Aire it has been shut down , so got the book out looking for plan B , we headed just south of La Mans and stopped at Guaelard in the village car park , nice and peaceful and had a good nights sleep , but still only 2 Deg , our heater still purring away keeping us warm . Friday we set off to the Aires at Magna only to find it was a Super U car park , it was getting late so we decided to stop the night , again it was nice and peaceful but still only 3 Degrees . Saturday on the road again over 5 hours to Southern France through Freezing fog and 1 deg most of the way , then just as we past Bordeaux it started to warm up to 12 Deg ,we arrived at a lovely Aires called St Pauls Les Dax near a large lake and in the woods , we decided to stop here until Monday . Today is Monday and on the road again we decided to travel through the pyrenees and look at the scenery and we was not disappointed , it was stunning and the side of the roads still covered with snow from the blizzard at the beginning of last week . Now we are in Spain at Zaragoza on the Aires near the fun fair we are the only van on this huge car park so a bit lonely , weather now 14 Deg 20.00pm , so getting better at last . I will try to upload some pictures from St Pauls les Dux aires

We hae just returned from three months in Spain, it was in lock down with the police patrolling the streets, only essential shopping allowed, camperstops closed. We made tracks just before the Spanish/Frrench boarder closed, we have never seen so many vans on the move, France was going into lock down, we contacted Euro Tunnel to change our booking bringing it forward by more than two weeks, they could not have been more helpful with no extra charge I cannot praise them enough Thank you Euro Tunnel.
 
He's probably digging the tunnel now..
 
:giggle:
Jeff can we have an update on your escape .
We are about 100km south of le man's , stopped at a nice Aire overlooking a lake , we have been on the road for 6 hours so will stay here for the night if we can . Then back on the road tomorrow towards Ruen , then need to find a vets for Roxy's passport , then Calais for our train on Wednesday evening . That is if things stay as they are and don't change
 
:giggle:
We are about 100km south of le man's , stopped at a nice Aire overlooking a lake , we have been on the road for 6 hours so will stay here for the night if we can . Then back on the road tomorrow towards Ruen , then need to find a vets for Roxy's passport , then Calais for our train on Wednesday evening . That is if things stay as they are and don't change

there is an aire at La mailleraye-sur-Seine N49*29’04” E000*46’24” with a vets just a few yards away, it is a nice aire on the bank of the river seine
 
Maybe we should change the thread name to " we escaped from Spain after 2020 trip"! Glad people are managing to get where they want to be. ( maybe not want, but In the circumstances!) All good here in Portugal. If people are self sufficient and need a spot near the towns, many places have parking spots for a couple of nights free of charge. Figeiro dos Vinhos, Serta, are just two. Watch for the blue and white motorhome sign. Live near these places and only just noticed how many signs there are!
 
Well finally arrived about 50km from Calais , rang eurotunnel and tried to change my booking and bring it forward only to be told there and no available spaces until next thursday , never mind we will stay were we are on a aires until Monday then possibly to Gravelne until Wednesday
 
Took Roxy to a vet in st ouen just before la mans we had to wait outside until the vet was free ( about 5 min ) then a English speaking vet lady came out and apologise for having to wait outside , she checked Roxy over and gave her the tablet then asked if she could keep her jokingly , went to pay and only 18 euro , what a result . Now very near Calais having a few days to recover from the long journey
 

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