Stupid question about campsites

[noeltal]

Hello folks - newbie here with a really stupid question.

I am thinking about doing a few weeks in Spain on my 1200gsa later this year. I would like to go down the east side and come back up the west side. There is a lot of very useful information on this part of the forum and I have recently discovered Paradors and Hostels but what about campsites? And here is the stupid question - if I book into a campsite do I need to bring my own tent? Do they rent out individual pitches for one man tents? From what I can gather camping anywhere other than on an official campsite seems to be a no no.

I would really like not to have plan everything in advance or to be tied down to a really tight schedule. I drove down through France and into the Pyrnees last year and pre booked everything in advance but I am feeling a little more adventurous this year. Is it best to attempt to be flexible or to book in advance? How easy is it generally to book on spec?

Thinking of going last week in July and say first ten days in August.

Any advice gratefully received.

Noel

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Hello Noel,

I've done a few camping trips in France and Spain and never booked in advance - never had a problem either.

Campsites are very widespread in France. Seems like most villages have one, they tend to have good facilities, and are fairly well signposted. Larger towns are likely to have a "Camping Municipal", which are also very good, up to a certain standard, and very reasonably priced. I think they are owned by the local authorities and can vary in size.

I've only camped on the Mediterranean coast in Spain and I don't recall seeing too many campsites away from the tourist centres. I love Spain away from the tourist centres, which is where I've done most of my riding, and tend to use cheap hotels and B&Bs. You can find such cheap places that it almost makes camping obsolete unless you really enjoy it.


Maybe because I wasn't looking for campsites, I didn't notice them, but my impression was that there are far fewer campsites in Spain than in France. Someone with a different view might be along shortly.

 

[naza]

camping and tents

Hi

I've been camping allover Europe (western) for a few years, so think I can be helpful here.

If you are camping trough France, you will be shocked once you enter the first Spanish camping site. There’s absolutely no comparison with the French ones. The French people have a camping tradition so they take it very seriously.
In Spain, (exceptions exist) they will only provide you with a bit of ground to set the tent. Say good-bye to silence and quiet at night, and no more top bathroom facilities.
There are also some nasty ones here in Portugal, but in Spain I’ve found the worse ever.

I ALLWAYS take my tent!
Go to Decathlon, and buy one of those self-assembly ones. The new “light” model is small enough to be carried in a motorcycle.(It resells for about £28)

Hope I’ve been useful.

Cheers!

 

[Pondboy]

noeltal,

Our yurt is available to GSers who are passing through the southern Catalunya area. We have got secure bike parking and basic facilities, but the village is just 2 minutes away with a free swimming pool, bars, food etc. GPS data is on ebrobiking. Piccies on thewatermargin.

PB

 

[Backmarker]

Hello Noel,

I've done a few camping trips in France and Spain and never booked in advance - never had a problem either.
Maybe because I wasn't looking for campsites, I didn't notice them, but my impression was that there are far fewer campsites in Spain than in France. Someone with a different view might be along shortly.

Last July arrived in France for a pre booked 3 week holiday. Booking not honoured, but got last slot on the site (for a week only). Frenchman next to me, also with an email showing a booking, arrived 10 secs after me in the office, and was sent away.
Spent nearly a whole day crawling from site to site trying to get a pitch, eventually managed to get one for the following two weeks (but no hope for that week), so all was well sort of. Both the sites I was on, and many of the others I went to, only book Saturday to Saturday during July/August.
We were looking at 'nice' (3*) sites, and I am sure the municipal sites would be easier, but everything in France can get booked out in the summer holidays.
On both occassions we have stayed at Formula 1 hotels on the way down and back, we prebooked (which was hugely inconvenient on one occassion), and on every occassion we were greeted on arrival with 'Hotel Full' signs.

Seen so few campsites in Spain that we actually went with cheap hotels (the only trip we didnt camp), didnt even bother taking the camping kit. One good thing is you can eat out quite cheaply, which mitigates against the usual disadvantage of not camping, ie not being able to cook for yourself.

But if going for hotels in Spain, check festival dates, most cities have festivals, and then every hotel will be booked out for days each side.

 

[fuddy]

Hello Noel,

I've done a few camping trips in France and Spain and never booked in advance - never had a problem either.





Second. But i did go in june.

 

[adie]

enjoy the site

 

[pedro]

Try

a website named- eurocampings. It has loads of campsites throughout Spain