France (Sete) - Tanger

[Cole]

Having ridden across France and Spain to get to Morocco and back, I am surprised that most punters skip France (by means of ferry to Bilbao / Santander) and choose to ride Spain instead.

Apart from the Pyrenees (or should that be Pyreknees) I am unaware of a more boring, less interesting country to ride across in Europe than Spain. The cities are souless and too modern and the villages are completely dead and deserted. The food is grim at best. French back roads, restaurants and villages on the other hand are fantastic fun and the food and accomodation is infinately better value (I am still trying to work out why crappy food in Spain is more expensive than fantastic food in France and likewise with accomodation). Given the choice I would much prefer to ride across France and skip Spain ... and will do that on any future trips to Morocco.

I was recommended the Sete - Tanger ferry by a Moroccan guy who lives in Germany and regularly rides his F650 from DE to Maroc. Its also 36 hrs (2 nights and a day - and arrives early in the morning) ... so the comparison with the Santander / Bilbao ferrys is one of "do you bypass France and ride across Spain, or do you ride across France and bypass Spain."

Does anyone here have any experience of the Sete - Tanger ferry?

 

[(RIP) Shenzi]

No but I know quite a few that have used it, it a big ferry called the Marrakech. It is only 20 mins from here so give me a shout and I will come down and buy you a drink. I actually know the owners of the bordello at the other end of the quay!

 

[Steptoe]

Bad food in Spain

Always had a good choice of menus and very good food, anywhere in Spain. And found it better value than France.

Cest mange two, cest la vie .

Chorizo boccodillo - mmmmhhhhh

 

[Steptoe]

You need Wapping with you to order - 1st time i'd eaten razor fish
Espania food

 

[Cole]

I never thought it was totally bad food ... but certainly found it boring, oily and overpriced. Tho the mrs did get a dodgy gut from some clearly microwaved hotel meal at a good hotel in Pamplona.

Both me n my riding companion were very pleased to cross the Pyrenees heading North and get into the land of 15 euro, 4 course menu de jours, in some out of the way village restaurant, that never fail to knock my socks off. Not to mention petrol stations that do more than sell petrol, and for some reason I have never figured out, an entire population that seems to respect bikes.

Why does everyone in France happily pull their car half way off the road so that you can pass them on the bike without even needing to change lane?

Maybe I am just a closet Francophile ... but find rural Spain pretty backward considering its 'Europe'. Whereas I find any village in France will be able to get you a great meal. As for a comparison of food in petrol stations in France vs Spain ....

 

[Voyager61]

I rode through France and Spain (down to Marbella) last September and didn't have a bad food or accommodation experience in either country. I've ridden in France many times and all over, but it was my first ride through Spain.

I found the food to be fantastic quality (they really know how to serve a streak!) and really very cheap (cheaper than France).

Eg I had a great stay, including evening meal, for 60 euros here:
http://www.flordelamancha.com/

Spanish driving is truly mad though.

I'm planning a trip to Morocco and will ride through France and Spain ...

Maybe I am just a closet Francophile ... but find rural Spain pretty backward considering its 'Europe'. Whereas I find any village in France will be able to get you a great meal. As for a comparison of food in petrol stations in France vs Spain ....

I love France too, for all the reasons you cite ... but Spain may well be the European country to watch over the next few years.

Cool web site by the way Colbatch.

 

[The Other PaulG]

If you're taking a ferry from Sete, consider taking the boat to Mellila / Nador (rather than Tanger) - Nador also offers a nicer, quieter ride through to the Er Rachidia part of Maroc, too, in my opinion.

Paul G

 

[GRingo]

If you think 15 euros is a good deal for a menu, no self respecting Expat or Spanish grafter would pay more than 10 euro for their main meal of the day including wine and coffee!! (Most come in at about 8 euros). In a true Spanish Venta you will get great quality food and loads of it. Also you will be treated like a human if you try to speak Spanish and mess it up! Unlike our French cousins ("Non" being their favourite word).:mad

Their are some great rides through Spain and to rush through would be tragedy so don't miss out. If you need some tips give me a shout

 

[easyman05]

no info about dates and prices on-line.
Was able to find only Genoa-Tanger and Barcelona/Tanger- same operator/stopover in Barca/. The price difference is amasing - from Eur245 for Genoa and from Eur79 fro Barca. It's the same m/v - it makes a stopover in Barca on her way to Tanger and takes 12 hours to get from Genoa to Barca. Fnd then 36 hrs to Tanger.

 

[Fanum]

I'm with the above ref. food through Spain.....as a confirmed carnivore I always look forwards to eating there- huge bits of very very good quality meat and if you ask for rare, they just cut the hooves off, wipe it's arse and stick it on a plate for you....yummmm!!


I'vealso found that the French police on motorways are fascist bastards, far worse than the Spanish which is odd because the Guardia Civil have a really notorious reputation- I suspect that goes back to the ''bad old days'' of Franco and I've certainly found them to be no problem.

The biggest down side about travelling through Spain after the ferry is the ferry itself.....full of fat welsh and scouse booze cruise scum- though it can be 'interesting' if you like sitting back and people watching.

The pride of Bilbao is also flea ridden...withing 10 mins of taking a seat in a public area, I'll have bites all up my ankles if I've forgotten to put on insect repellant....how shit is that!!!


I Did compare the Sete ferry for prices and times but it doesn't add up for me- it's more expensive and the overall time travelling is greater.