Sidetracked in the Cévennes – very cheaply

[Roryboy]

I've been reading the new Jan 2019 MMM (The Motorhomer's Magazine) that arrived today.

 

There's an article entitled 'Sidetracked in the Cévennes' about a guys trip to France in his Pilote MH.

 

Normally most of the articles in this magazine have reports of people who visit France, and other European countries, and stay on sites which cost not much less that you'd pay in the UK.

 

But he didn't, despite going to France during the main holiday season in August, he stayed on Aires and 'wild camped' and his total overnight stopover payments for 12 days was €3.

 

His MH has all facilities and he doesn't require EHU, similar to mine, but even I find that quite remarkable – and reading where he'd been and what he'd seen I don't think he was in any way restricted on his holiday by not going on expensive sites that offered services he didn't need and require.

 

Obviously Channel crossings and fuel had to be paid and he would have had to top up with water a few times, usually around €2 from the Bornes, but little else to add to that grand total.

 

I know that's not a holiday for everyone but it does show that even in the height of the season in Europe it's easy to find places that are easily accessible and it's not essential to spend a fortune on overnight stops.

[spirou]

Not surprised at all, isn't the point of a motorhome to be mobile and self sustained?

 

I hardly ever pay for any over night stay. If memory serves correctly, previous summer driving through Austria, Germany, France and Switzerland we only paid 3 nights out of about 18 days on the road. This summer with a 1 y.o. we were a bit more static for two weeks around Lago di Garda and the Dolomites but again paid only about half the nights and even those were almost nothing.

 

I can't imagine what you'd need at whatever site in the middle of summer other than toilet dump and water refill and even those can be done for free in many places. Winters are a bit different and I might choose to stay at a campsite every few days as I can't really shower inside the van and I don't enjoy the deep freeze of the outside shower too often. But we've also gone without all that comfort. Last winter, when she was 10 months old, we drove (and I skied) the mountains around Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Macedonia. 12 out of 14 days/nights were free. Not that any campsites were open anyway :-D

 

Similar story in Norway with a friend a few winters ago. We stayed at a friends house near Oslo for 2 nights and we stopped at a campsite to recharge batteries and have a proper shower in Voss. Everything else over 2 weeks was sometimes quite literally in the middle of nowhere.

 

In my view a MH is a tool to avoid campsites, aires etc. If I wanted to be static and "comfortable", I'd rather go to a hotel.

[EJB]

On our regular continental excursions we use all options and tend to do about 50/50 paid sites and free sites.

Normally we travel spring and autumn but last year one 3 week trip was to Switzerland in August and our usual unbooked 50/50 regime was the same as normal.

One of my sons rarely uses paid sites and on a 3 week trip to Switzerland, in August, only paid for 3 nights....'to do the washing'.....he has 3 teenage youngsters!

[vindiboy]

http://s358.photobucket.com/user/vindiboy1/library/AIRE%20HOPPING%202 when on our travels we aire hop all the time we do not like campsites except in extreme circumstances, we do not need hook ups , washing up facilities or communal showers , our van is fully equipped for all eventualities, so I am not in the least bit surprised that others have great experiences out of campsites.