New to the game

[Guest Jim]

Planning to tour europe for 6 months next year April.Any advice on routes,countries to visit,anything a beginner needs to know would be appreciated.

[Guest Clive]

From our 33 years of experience touring in europe (mostly France but also Spain Portugal, Italy, Switzerland) I would suggest. 1) Don,t book anything other than the ferry. 2) Have Michelin maps of all the countries you intend to visit before you leave the UK.(This gives the navigator a purpose, do not insult your navigator by fitting a GPS system!) When touring ... 3) Dont use Autoroutes. (what's the rush? why pay?) 4) Look for somewhere to stop from 4.00pm onwards. Driving late means rushed suppers, short tempers and not relaxing. 150 miles a day is quite enough. 5) In the mornings get up reasonably early with a coffee, drive into the next village, purchase the crouisants / baguettes etc then stop again shortly for another coffee and the fresh local breakfast. 6) Overnight stops when traveling are best in villages, often in front of the church or the village centre lorry park. Locals normally make adequate provision for motorhomes and lorry drivers. Respect local draditions. A French copper said to us "you must stay where there are people, it is safe" Something we have adhered to since then. 7) Dont stay overnight at motorway services or aires. If you eat out in the evening at a Les Routiers restaurant ask the owner if you can sleep in the lorry park overnight. They will always say yes and you can also have a eat out breakfast. Small camping municipals are normally excellent. Go where the locals go, not the rest of the brits! Try and speak some French in France. If you try so will they. It makes a big difference. Re-fuel at supermakets. Check out the bank hollidays in the country in question, we nearly ran out of fuel one year in France due to assuming we could fill up on a Monday. Unlike France, Wild Camping is not legal in Portugal - although a lot of it takes place away from the touristy bits. We never felt relaxed in Italy re security. We were accosted too many times, but it was 25 years ago. Never had the yearn to return. Germany - been there too many times on business to want to holiday there. But its a beautiful country if you can stand the locals. Hope that helps Good luck Clive

[Guest Paul W]

Funny old world isn't it, it just would not do if we were all the same and had had the same experiences. We have done the Europe thing with caravans and motorhomes since 1978, we camped in a tent proper before that, and I think we would agree with Clive on point 1, there never seems to be a problem getting somewhere to stop and on point 5, there are many tasty things for breakfast though we still like our fryups done outside in the fresh air on our Cadac. However points:- 2, although we keep paper maps in the cab we would not be without our GPS, probably for us the second best thing we have added to our m/home, the paper maps are all but redundant now but are there for backup. 3, we like to visit an area and walk or public transport about for a day or two then move on with that 'in between' journey done as quickly as possible, it has not been unknown for us to do 560mls in one move depending where we are headed. This is where our number one accessory comes into its own Cruise Control, brilliant. 4, we stop where we feel like at whatever time it happens to be, we are not slaves to time and we can be into Italy in 1.5 days if we wish. 6 & 7, well we have used Aires and service area's for overnight stops and have found them fine, if you do not like the look of one go on to the next its as simple as that. Service area's can be noisy but we have used some beutiful Aires. One of the best'sites' we have used was in southern Germany overlooking Lake Constance at the rear of a garage filling station that the owner allowed us to stop on for three nights over the weekend and would not take any payment! Again in contrast to Clive Italy was the best country, in our view, we have visited and particularly in the north around Lake Garda we find the people so friendly, they actually like us Brits., being fed up with their more normal German clientel. We find the Italians a warm and friendly people who are more 'up front' than the French, a lot of whom we find have a smile on their face as they 'stab you in the back', but thats just how we have found it. The Germans, well they are very nice people if you accept their brusk sort of attitude and don't take it personally its just their way. The Austrians are like the Germans and the Swiss are similar but more ruthless. Been to Spain, won't ever return. Portugal nice but thats about it. So its horses for courses whatever you do wherever you go you will make your own mind up, thats what is good about doing your own thing!!

[Guest bb]

Have you thought about using some of the low-season camping schemes, such as Camping Cheques, or the ACSI card (www.campingcard.com ). You can stay quite cheaply at some very good sites with these. I agree that in France, the municipals usually offer very good value, and are usually well situated for access to the town. Sometimes they are also used by workers who leave quite early, so choose your pitch carefully if you like to lie in. We have always found these guys to be quite thoughtful and pleasant, though. On some more touristy sites your neighbours may like to stay up late sampling the local brew, whilst waiting for their teenagers to come back from the disco! Off the tourist routes, do not expect to find English spoken universally. In Spain earlier this year, we ended up getting directions from a policeman in French, as he spoke no English, and we don't speak Spanish! In Spain, site fees are usually heavily discounted for longer stays of a week or a month.

[Guest Clive]

I agree with Paul and would not be without our Cruise control. We regularly do a French trip of 600 miles in one day every year, 1500 miles over 3 days. but its fast Landrover - Nice Hotel & Restaurant - bottling plant for loading then rush back. Oh yes and lots of dosh on tolls. The only time we ever got near that mileage with a motorhome was when we had a phone call saying someone close in the familly was very poorly and we were back the following morning. We to tend to stay at a place for a few days them move on, but travelling towards the South initially is 150 (ish) miles a day along all the smallest roads we can find. Many single lane and some cobbled. Its the country we go to visit not the towns. We take two small motorcycles with us as well, these have gears and will climb the steepest of mountains - or just pop into the village for shopping when encamped. For us France is a massive diverse country. The French are happy to see you doo prety well what you like. I don,t like being organised on holiday having spent many years working being organised of late by Germans. So respect the locals and vive la difference. The French answer was 55% NO. So that makes them about the same as us - does it? Bon apetite

[Guest Norma]

Regarding point 2 - as the navigator I am in no way insulted by our wonderful satnav/GPS. It's great to know that we took/missed the intended turn pretty quickly. I just wish we could come up with a name for 'her'. Her favourite phrase seems to be 'You are lost' Definately plan nothing. Amazing the bits and bobs we have seen having taken 'wrong' turns. Trouble is I always worry what we missed on the other roads. Good luck and enjoy yourselves

[Guest Clive]

Well, That sums it all up very well. Motorhomers do pretty well what they want. Also we are different. My Mrs would throw a wobbler if I fitted a Sat Nav, especially one that didn,t agree with her!. Last year we had one in a car in November and my Janet with map was more accurate in final detail than the sat nav. I haven,t been allowed to forget this! If I didn't have a "Janet" then I would have a sat Nav! But on the other hand if I didn't have a "Janet" what would be the point of going on holiday? We all agree on having the least amount of forward planning as its unesessary and restricting. Other than that "Do you own thing" Getting ready is part of the fun! Bon voyage Clive

[Guest Jim]

Advice much appreciated.We are in the process of researching german motorhomes as we intend to buy early next year.Any advice?.

[Guest martin h]

Hi Jim, we,re new to it too but if it,s German info you want my experience will be usefull. Check out my last entry on the thread entitled Mobilvettas dated 11/5/05. It worked well for us!