My fourth trip to Spain began only one day after I returned from the previous one. This time, I did not make it home at all and spent the night in the truck, parked at the company yard. I wanted to find out what it was like to complete two trips to Spain back-to-back.
It was already mid-December, and this was also my last trip to Spain before Christmas 2025. Thousands of kilometres through Germany and France were waiting for me again, but the journey felt slightly different this time. I already knew the route, I knew where I could stop, and some places were slowly becoming a regular part of my journeys.
A Peaceful Drive Through Germany and France
Almost as if it had become a tradition, I spent the night at my favourite parking area beyond Nuremberg. I do not know whether it simply works out that way every time or whether I am somehow meant to keep stopping there, but once again I found myself in the same place. The weather in Germany was pleasant, the roads were quieter, and the entire drive had a peaceful atmosphere.
I tuned in to a local radio station, and an interesting German song began to play at exactly the right moment.
Quiet roads, sunshine, and the perfect song on the German autobahn.
The drive through Germany and France passed without any major problems, and on Saturday I arrived at the Cestas rest area near Bordeaux. I had already slept there during my first trip to Spain, when I walked through an open gate, explored the nearby village, and visited a local Sunday market. This time, however, I began thinking about a slightly bigger plan.
The next day was Sunday, I was relatively close to Bordeaux, and I had never visited the city before. Almost every trip to or from Spain had included a full day off, which I tried to use for exploring Europe.
These small travel adventures were among the things I enjoyed most about my routes to Spain.
Since Christmas was approaching, I expected festive markets, decorations, a Christmas tree, and perhaps even some grilled French frogs. You never know. In any case, I was genuinely excited about the trip.
From the Truck to Bordeaux by Train
On Sunday morning, fog still covered the area, but the sun was slowly beginning to break through, and the temperature was expected to reach around twelve degrees in the afternoon. I had slept surprisingly well that night. Even the refrigerated trailers humming around the parking area no longer disturbed me. My body had developed a strange routine, though, and I was waking up naturally at around 4:25 almost every morning.
The walk from the truck to the railway station took approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. From there, the regional train ride to Bordeaux was only about fifteen minutes. The main thing was that I was out of the truck, walking, and heading towards another new experience on my day off.
My regional train was double-decker, and during the journey I watched endless vineyards disappear into the fog outside the window. The closer we came to Bordeaux, the more excited I became. When I stepped out at Bordeaux-Saint-Jean, the beautiful historic station building immediately made me feel that a real trip was beginning.
The Sunday I Forgot About Work
At that moment, I felt that I was truly travelling. I did not feel as though I was at work, that I had arrived in France by truck, or that another day of driving and an unloading in Spain were waiting for me the next day. I was simply in a new city, ready to explore it.
I walked through the streets of Bordeaux and enjoyed the Sunday flea markets I came across along the way. I had not planned every street or monument because I did not want to turn the visit into another task. I mainly wanted to walk, observe the city, feel the atmosphere and enjoy being away from the cab on my day off.
Eventually, I reached the Garonne River, where a huge promenade stretched along the waterfront beside a large Christmas market area. There, I tried a large galette salée filled with several kinds of cheese and prosciutto, then baked until everything melted together. It was excellent, and together with a glass of Christmas mulled wine, it fitted the festive atmosphere perfectly.
Galette salée 🥞 and Christmas in Bordeaux 🎄
I also visited the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, with a modern Christmas tree standing in front of it. I went inside and spent a quiet moment enjoying the atmosphere. I have always liked historic cathedrals because they make you slow down and switch off from everything happening outside.
More Than Just a Day Off
That evening, I returned to the truck feeling satisfied and convinced that I had experienced a genuine day of travel. After all those hours behind the wheel, I had walked, taken a train, tasted French food, visited a new city, and completely forgotten for a while that I was actually there for work.
The most important thing was that, for that one Sunday, I was not only a truck driver on the way to Spain:
I was simply a traveller in Bordeaux.