My Journey back to the United Kingdom - Wed 07th October 2015
Having packed the car the night before with everything including the mosquito plugin and intending to leave Moraira at 6am, was awoken by a single mosquito at 3ish, so we left with a startled sleepy dog at 4.15am.
Taking the usual route back to Dieppe via Bordeaux (driving routes page ) we stopped for a change at the modern Comfort Hotel in Gradignan, which only cost 51€ for the room (plus breakfast 10€ pp).
There is a restaurant on site but is only open during the week, as well as a outside small pool for summer use. Well located just south of Bordeaux and very close to the motorway. We tend to dine out anyway, regardless that the hotel has a restaurant, so on this occasion we went locally to Bistro de France at 1 Rue Du Bearn, Pessac, which was well written up on Tripadvisor. Located in a street market and is more like a good local cafe for locals than a finer dining venue. Although nothing special the food was cooked perfectly, although only option is to have a cold starters, but the staff were very friendly and helpful. The restaurant was full on the Saturday night, for which we had pre-booked, as was the hotel too.
It is advisable to eat before going on the ferry or better still to take some sandwiches with you, simply because the food onboard is very poor and overpriced and it helps breakup the 4 hour sailing time,
The strong pound and low fuel costs for diesel in France and Spain at 1.12€ and 1.08€ respectively makes a car trip very inexpensive.
Key info one way;
9 hours drive from Moraira to Bordeaux (speed limit adhered to +10% on occasions) then a further leisurely 8 hours on the Sunday, which then allowed for catching the 6pm ferry at Dieppe for Newhaven.
The diesel BMW X5 consumed a total of 126 ltrs of fuel from Moraira to Dieppe at a cost of 138 Euros.
Cost of tolls in Spain and France 55.95 Euros.
Hotel 51€
Restaurant 70€ inc wine for 2.
Coffee and snack stops for 2 being 30€
Ferry Dieppe Newhaven £90.
Total £345.
Posted by Bruce Gibson
