Our first overseas caravan holiday

[Guest Syd]

Originally posted on the incorrect forum, I was hoping to get some constructive criticism so have posted again

 

 

 

For my first ever post I thought I would pop up here and tell you about our first trip abroad with our caravan.

This is a story of what can go wrong if you do not plan properly.

 

Wife terrified about going abroad but finally I had bullied her into a trip to Disneyland Paris and then down to Castellet for the car racing which I follow.

However she did not succumb to my bullying until less than seven days before I planned to go alone in our people carrier so there was then a mad rush to get the caravan ready as it has not been used for about 18 months plus her sister has an apartment in Benidorm and she wanted to visit her, she thought it was just around the corner sort of thing.

Anyway I agreed because I was so pleased that she was finally going.

Then she added St Tropez, Cannes, Nice, Monaco and I had to go to Turin and Maranello. Now I like driving BUT

Arrive at the tunnel 5pm 17 March after a 325 mile drive, wife a nervous wreck but she made it onto the train and off we go to France, she was so excited when she finally got to France that everything was her idea in the first place anyway.

 

My plan was to find a site and stay overnight but her indoors suggested driving to the disneyland campsite there and then.

After the additional 200 mile drive we got lost and eventually at about 1.30am parked up on a Aire then onto the site in the morning, it rained heavilly until I got the awning up then stopped raining but was VERY cold

Decided to look at Paris, no problems other than it being so cold until we got out to visit the tower then the heavens opened up with hailstones that almost took the skin off ones face, took a few pictures and legged it back to the Sedona quickly

Place de Concorde, parked and walked around it,whoosh down came the hail again so back to the sedona again, Arc de Triumph, very heavy hail again, getting late now so back to the caravan site, got lost and arrived back late.

Next day Paris again, still cold but not too bad, Notre Dame, got out and the weather changed form cold to bitter cold but we stuck it out for two hours then retreated to the sedona. Napoleons toum, got lost couldnt find parkig place got there late and as I walked into the place they SHUT so I didn't see anything, started raining so back to the caravan, got lost and arrived back late.

Disneyland, place almost deserted as it was cold but warmed up later and between the showers we enjoyed the visit. Got lost going back to the caravan and eventually arrived back late again.

Disneyland again, rained abd blew all day, very cold too but partly enjoyed it.

Friday off to the Med so it has got to get warmer but NO, on the way we were slowed by heavy snow at Avignon and arrived late but arrived WITHOUT getting lost.

weather somewhat warmer but still jumper weather, visit to Castellet, everyone should visit this town it is simply fantastic had best day of holiday so far

Saint Tropez, beautiful for two days but still not as hot as expected then off to Benidoem (643 miles) drove like mad and got there rather late. Spanish caravan site so cramped together that I think we shared awnings with the guy next door.

Next day visit to the town, quiet cheap and tatty but enjoyable and so we stayed until the Wednesday then back up to Nice. Covered 490 miles and had to stop for the night, had booked a overnight site but didn't get far enough to use it (90 miles short) so slept on an Aire.

Woke up to find caravan door ajar, we had been robbed of everything, had just enough money to get to the site in Cagnes sur Mer. Contacted relative to bring money out and met them at Nice airport.

Nice great especially at night, Cannes very disapointing, Monaco, well what can you say that has not already been said. Menton was so nice but the iceing on my cake was the coast road from Nice to Monaco, the views were absolutely breath taking eventually it was time to go home so I didn't get to Turin.

All in all we covered 5500 miles in a month and will not be doing that again but we shall be going back to France again this year

 

What have I learned from all of this

 

If you get a nail in your front tyre leave it there, I did and covered 2500 miles with it there, it's still there

 

Syd