Caravan Europe Volume 1

[Dusty1]

I have just received my 2005 copy to replace my rather old one. It's an excellent reference book to carry with you when touring on the continent.

Volume 1 covers France, Spain, Portugal and Andorra. Not only does it have a huge number of sites listed, with Caravan Club comments, but also the first pages are full of general information to help you to have a trouble free holiday. Furthermore, on France alone, it has 15 pages of facts and information.

For anyone travelling on the continent it must be £10 (£12 for non members) well spent. It will probably answer many of the questions posed on this forum, for instance it has current auto route toll charges and other toll charges like those for the Pont de I'lle de RÇ.

 

[EvansofSprot]

Its the bible!

 

[chrissie2]

It may be the bible, but remember the song - 'The things that you're liable to read in the Bible, they ain't necessarily so'. The CC Caravan Europe Guide's great strength is that the reports are based on reports from real caravanners, but as these are not checked or verified in any way, if they get it wrong, the guide gets it wrong.

This year, for instance, it was spot on for two out of the three sites we stayed on, but for the third, the information given was downright misleading. This was 'La Vanne de Pierre' at St Di

 

[EvansofSprot]

Heretics!

 

[chrissie2]

So do I get burnt at the stake?

 

[Caroline3]

I think its a fantastic guide too just ued it on our three week tour of France and found it very accurate. What can be more reliable than other caravan users opinions. They know what they are looking for rather than campsites trying to sell themselves in brochures or websites. they could tell you anything!

Caroline

 

[EvansofSprot]

Its the bible!

 

[Dusty1]

I have found one error in it though. It gives the speed limit for towing outside a built-up area in Switzerland as 60 kph where it should be 80 kph!

 

[EvansofSprot]

That is definitely a 'burning at the stake' offence finding something wrong in it.

 

[RayS]

Remember too that the reports are only as good as the people who write them. In several years of use I have found one or two sites which are at total odds with the reviews - usually far worse - and some of the directions given are fanciful to say the least.

Suggest you use the large scale Michelin map and try to identify where the site is before travelling - if you can't find it easily, it probably means the directions are rubbish and you won't find it easily on the ground either.

The deadline for reports is September of the prvious year, so it is understandable that some changes can occur. Also a particular site may not have been visited for some time - see the date of last report at the end of the entry.

The guide is also confused about requirments for spare bulbs, jackets etc. in some respects - but then, so is every other source, including the Foreign Office website (which is the only one to suggest a legal need for a spare fan belt in Spain).