As newcomers to caravanning, my wife and I both teachers are beginning to plan next summer's trip - our first big one. Have been to France quite abit, tenting etc an as I'm studying Italian and am tempted to go there, but are we over-reaching ourselves for a first major outing? Keen if possible to avoid very busy areas and not too bothered about seaside. Any suggestions, gratefully received.
First timers
- Thread starter acbruce
- Start date
Alistair my husband and I, in our 70's, went abroad with our caravan in 2004 for the 1st time. We went over by Tunnel then through France to Med coast, then along to Cinque Terre,Italy to Amiata in Tuscany, Lago Bracciano for Rome, Sorrento to do the Amalfi Coast, up to Lago Trasemeno to go to Assisi then to the southern lakes of Austria, next to Vienna, to Germany to visit Bertchesgaden, up to the Romantic Strasse up to Bitburg,Ypra in Belgium and back to Calias and home. We live in Suffolk and covered 6,550 miles in 9 weeks. It is amazeing where you can go once you get over the Channel. How long are you going for? If you would like any site recommendations would be glad to help.
Dianne,
Well, we could take three to four weeks of our six week break and yes, please any site recommendations would be most welcome. Thank you.
Well, we could take three to four weeks of our six week break and yes, please any site recommendations would be most welcome. Thank you.
Just let me know which area's you need the sites for. Will you be there before the 2nd half of July or after August? as before and after these dates you could get the ACSI camping card and get sites for 11,13 or 15 Euros per night. I guess being teachers you will be going in the school hoidays though.
If you ask the Moderators they will give you my email address then you can email me as it might be easier to list the sites and give you all the gen etc by email.
If you ask the Moderators they will give you my email address then you can email me as it might be easier to list the sites and give you all the gen etc by email.
Hi Alistair
Snap!!! My wife and I are both teachers too!! We go away for 5 weeks to the Continent caravanning every summer.
We went to the French Alps in 2009 and to the French Pyrenees the year before. Despite hearing some tales of doom and gloom about busy sites in this peak season, we do NOT book in advance but just phone ahead on the day before or sometimes the day of arrival. In both France and Italy we have rarely had any problems getting a pitch and have in fact had some super lakeside and other pitches.
We travelled to Italy in 2006 and loved it. In 2006 we went to Lake Como and then on to the Jesolo peninsula, for Venice,and in 2007 Rome then Lake Iseo. Italy is a long way but you, like us, will have plenty of time to take your time. We reckon to do a maximum of 300 miles a day and stop at a mixture of campsites and autoroute aire de service. You can see details of our routes to Italy in the adjacent thread, which you've probably already looked at, "Calais to Italy".
Campsites we have used enroute to and in Italy are as follows:
Camping Chenefleur, France just north of Luxembourg - very near autoroute.
Camping Acasias, Cernay, just before the Swiss border
Camping Roma Sport Flash, Bracciano a rail journey from Rome
Camping Riva di San Pietro, Marone - shores of Lake Iseo
Camping La Riva - northern end of Lake Como
Camping Cavallino, near to Venice
All these sites are reviewed by me in the campsite search section of ukcampsite.co.uk - I would recommend that website as another source of information regarding Caravanning generally.
It is possible to drive from Calais/Dunkerque to the Swiss border on toll free autoroutes but one does have to buy 2, car AND caravan, vignettes for Swiss autoroutes. All Italian autostrada are toll roads in Italy, I think. The French, Swiss and Italian main roads are all good and as long as you pace yourself regarding driving distances I don't see why you shouldn't head to Italy next summer - my advice GO FOR IT.
If you have any further questions please post again and I'll try to help.
Regards
Tim
Snap!!! My wife and I are both teachers too!! We go away for 5 weeks to the Continent caravanning every summer.
We went to the French Alps in 2009 and to the French Pyrenees the year before. Despite hearing some tales of doom and gloom about busy sites in this peak season, we do NOT book in advance but just phone ahead on the day before or sometimes the day of arrival. In both France and Italy we have rarely had any problems getting a pitch and have in fact had some super lakeside and other pitches.
We travelled to Italy in 2006 and loved it. In 2006 we went to Lake Como and then on to the Jesolo peninsula, for Venice,and in 2007 Rome then Lake Iseo. Italy is a long way but you, like us, will have plenty of time to take your time. We reckon to do a maximum of 300 miles a day and stop at a mixture of campsites and autoroute aire de service. You can see details of our routes to Italy in the adjacent thread, which you've probably already looked at, "Calais to Italy".
Campsites we have used enroute to and in Italy are as follows:
Camping Chenefleur, France just north of Luxembourg - very near autoroute.
Camping Acasias, Cernay, just before the Swiss border
Camping Roma Sport Flash, Bracciano a rail journey from Rome
Camping Riva di San Pietro, Marone - shores of Lake Iseo
Camping La Riva - northern end of Lake Como
Camping Cavallino, near to Venice
All these sites are reviewed by me in the campsite search section of ukcampsite.co.uk - I would recommend that website as another source of information regarding Caravanning generally.
It is possible to drive from Calais/Dunkerque to the Swiss border on toll free autoroutes but one does have to buy 2, car AND caravan, vignettes for Swiss autoroutes. All Italian autostrada are toll roads in Italy, I think. The French, Swiss and Italian main roads are all good and as long as you pace yourself regarding driving distances I don't see why you shouldn't head to Italy next summer - my advice GO FOR IT.
If you have any further questions please post again and I'll try to help.
Regards
Tim
Tim,
Many thanks. That's such useful and very interesting advice and I think you've just convinced us to go to Italy. I've always been until now a great believer in having to book well ahead because of having to go during school breaks, particularly for skiing in February, so the thought of not pre-booking is going to take some assimilating into my holiday psyche, but I guess with camp sites it's worth the adventure. Many thanks once again.
Suggest you join on of the major clubs and look at their travel services. I am a long time member of Caravan Club and have no experience of the other one, but I'm sure there will be plenty of others who have.
Red Pennant travel insurance may not be the cheapest but is well regarded. The CC Europe site handbooks are largely reports from members who will tell you the bad points as well as the good. They cost less than a night on a site each and have a wealth of other good advice, contact telphone numbers etc.
Travelling in Europe is generally more comfortable than in UK due to lower traffic density in most places away from major cities, although the toll charges can be significant - caravans are charged class 2 in France which is usually well above the solo car rate.
As in Uk fuel is more expensive on autoroutes and cheaper at supermarkets, but don't try towing through a filling station at most French supermarkets - the exits are often tortuous and narrow. leave the van(accompanied) in the main car park and take the car in solo.
Most of the other advice is on the PC website, in this forum (apologies for the difficulty in searching) or in the CC handbooks. But please don't feel awkward at posting specific questions here too. I've been taking a van to France since the 1960's and I still as questions particularly about sites.
Red Pennant travel insurance may not be the cheapest but is well regarded. The CC Europe site handbooks are largely reports from members who will tell you the bad points as well as the good. They cost less than a night on a site each and have a wealth of other good advice, contact telphone numbers etc.
Travelling in Europe is generally more comfortable than in UK due to lower traffic density in most places away from major cities, although the toll charges can be significant - caravans are charged class 2 in France which is usually well above the solo car rate.
As in Uk fuel is more expensive on autoroutes and cheaper at supermarkets, but don't try towing through a filling station at most French supermarkets - the exits are often tortuous and narrow. leave the van(accompanied) in the main car park and take the car in solo.
Most of the other advice is on the PC website, in this forum (apologies for the difficulty in searching) or in the CC handbooks. But please don't feel awkward at posting specific questions here too. I've been taking a van to France since the 1960's and I still as questions particularly about sites.
Facebook
Twitter