#didthatreallyhappen (1 Viewer)

Brian and Jo

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 24, 2007
3,002
6,447
oswestry,shropshire
Funster No
368
MH
A-Class N+B Arto 88F
Exp
Been motorhoming for 15yrs.had an American RV for 7yrs,Now got a Niesmann Bischoff Arto 88F
I know for a lot of you guys,taking long breaks is the norm,but for for me and Jo it just doesn’t happen.We have just had 2wks in Cornwall and that is the first time in 20yrs that we have had 2wks together ,mainly because of our businesses and one or two personal issues along the way ,you know the tune guys.Anyway my point is it has now prompted us to think about venturing into Europe ,something we have had very little interest in previously,and wandered how far 2 or 3wks would comfortably get us.Full retirement is out of the question at the moment but hopefully in 2019 a couple of 2/3wk trips should be within our reach.Also would that time be enough to do the NC500 comfortably.Its over to you guys ,thanks.
Brian & Jo:)
 

funflair

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 11, 2013
19,199
29,887
Guisborough
Funster No
29,351
MH
MORELO palace
Exp
since 2012
Hi Brian and Jo

To me it’s not as much about “how far” as “how different” and you don’t need to go far for that, reply from the ferry after a week away visiting Eindhoven Dusseldorf (the show and town) then Antwerp and a shopping trip in France.

Go and enjoy(y)

Martin
 

Zigisla

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 24, 2015
2,575
3,099
Gosport, Hants
Funster No
39,738
MH
Sunlight A72
Exp
Getting better month by month.
Europe every time. When we started 2 years ago we went for Scotland and UK tours before venturing to Europe Easter 2017. We have just completed a 3 week France only trip and saw and did everything we wanted. Down the east to the beaches of the south and then back up the west coast travelling for only 2 hrs a day. I think as long as you know what you want to do and see 2 & 3 week trips are great. We only get 2 weeks at Easter and 3 weeks in summer so will opt for Europe every time now. Happy travels.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Riverbankannie

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 11, 2016
10,432
60,972
Bristol
Funster No
41,967
MH
IH 630 RL PVC
Exp
12
We have just joined the NC500 route at Inverness yesterday. However I would not say “doing” the route, it sounds like an American in Europe. Moving everywhere and seeing little. Just spending at least 2 nights in Brora because it’s lovely and the sun is shining.
It’s the same in France, you don’t have to do a big itinerary, just pick a region, I would suggest Brittany, or Loire Valley and have a potter around. Then 2 weeks is plenty of time.
 
Jul 12, 2013
3,853
5,228
The City of Henlow
Funster No
26,906
MH
Adria Supreme
Exp
Since 1980
There is a lot to be said about new experiences. They are great to anticipate, and carry months of looking back on. Motorhoming and it's many possibilities are certainly better catered for outside of the UK and often cheaper. While it has to be accepted that extended journeys can eat up precious days travelling, there are more than enough new and unique experiences and places to visit well within a day's drive of the channel.
 

Snowbird

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 24, 2009
11,818
22,345
Liverpool.
Funster No
6,422
MH
Fifth wheel.
Exp
Since 11-05-2000
Hi Brian, as Ambilkate has said, the Mosel and Rhine are easily done in a 2 or 3 week trip. If you really pushed it you could go from your home base to Trier in a day or take 2 days with comfort. You could then take a week travelling along the Mosel valley to Koblenz, then another week doing the Rhine. If you pick your times there is always something going on.
 
OP
OP
Brian and Jo

Brian and Jo

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 24, 2007
3,002
6,447
oswestry,shropshire
Funster No
368
MH
A-Class N+B Arto 88F
Exp
Been motorhoming for 15yrs.had an American RV for 7yrs,Now got a Niesmann Bischoff Arto 88F
Spent about an hour today looking at French sites ,but it looks like the majority of them limit unit length to 7.5mtrs.Our Arto is almost 9mtrs and it looks limiting.We intended to take the car with us so that we can explore the area we decide on ,do you think that it’s a good idea.
Brian &Jo
 

TerryL

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 5, 2010
6,153
8,142
North East
Funster No
10,511
MH
Low Profile
Exp
2009
Nothing wrong with French sites if sites are your thing - but many are only open between May and September. We've used municipal sites a few times, not so posh but still have good facilities and tend to be quieter so your unit size is less of an issue. What about aires de camping car - lots of info/threads. They vary quite a lot but unit size doesn't seem to be so much a problem, provided you do a little research first of course.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

MattR

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 18, 2013
4,083
37,386
Beds
Funster No
27,578
MH
Panel van
Exp
Years
What do you like doing @Brian and Jo ? Food & wine, landscape or city? History or shopping? Hiking or beach bum? Or all of the above?
 
Feb 22, 2008
12,258
44,933
Norfolk
Funster No
1,575
MH
Nearly Tugging
Exp
Since 2004
Hi Brian and Jo,
Go for it , we did a fair bit across the channel in the RVs and are shortly off to the Black Forest and Lake Constance area for three weeks, so much to see and easy to do.
 

Chris

LIFE MEMBER
May 5, 2010
21,006
274,551
Funster No
11,412
MH
None
Exp
10 years
Ferry to Northern Spain and then drive across to the Costa Brava.

Approx 450miles.

June or September.

#sorted.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
Brian and Jo

Brian and Jo

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 24, 2007
3,002
6,447
oswestry,shropshire
Funster No
368
MH
A-Class N+B Arto 88F
Exp
Been motorhoming for 15yrs.had an American RV for 7yrs,Now got a Niesmann Bischoff Arto 88F
What do you like doing @Brian and Jo ? Food & wine, landscape or city? History or shopping? Hiking or beach bum? Or all of the above?
Hi Matt,we like food ,Jo doesn’t drink and I drink very little,scenery rather than city,history rather than shopping and we like walking and short spells on the beach.
Brian & Jo
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
venturing into Europe ,something we have had very little interest in previously,and wandered how far 2 or 3wks would comfortably get us.

Obviously the answer depends on how much driving you want to do. If you want to drive 8 hours most days you'll easily average 500 miles so you could get a bloody long way in a week and a half. I'd suggest taking it a lot easier than that though.

An example of a trip to Italy we've done a couple of times:

We only ever drive for a maximum of 4 hours a day because we have the dogs with us. We always aim to be parked up for the day by lunchtime.

Starting from Calais take about a week to get to Garda including stopping for a couple of days at Chamonix because we love it there.

Get to Garda, spend a week on a campsite. Italian campsites would be an eye opener for you (y) You'd have no issue with a 9m van, the pitches are mostly 8m x 8m and it's yours to use however you choose. It's pretty common to see bigger units than yours parked diagonally on the pitch.

We then spend a week getting back to Calais. We've done that a couple of ways - through Austria, Germany and France and also across the Riviera coast of France to Toulouse and then turn right.


If you've never been to France before you could easily spend 3 weeks in Northern France never getting further than 150 miles from Calais and still only see a fraction of what there is to see.

I would seriously suggest considering the idea of using aires though. If you restrict yourselves to sites you'll miss so much.
 
OP
OP
Brian and Jo

Brian and Jo

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 24, 2007
3,002
6,447
oswestry,shropshire
Funster No
368
MH
A-Class N+B Arto 88F
Exp
Been motorhoming for 15yrs.had an American RV for 7yrs,Now got a Niesmann Bischoff Arto 88F
Hi Brian and Jo,
Go for it , we did a fair bit across the channel in the RVs and are shortly off to the Black Forest and Lake Constance area for three weeks, so much to see and easy to do.
Thank you Larry ,we would be interested to know what those areas are like(y)
Our best wishes to yourself and Winn ,enjoy your trip and travel safely.
Brian & Jo

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

MattR

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 18, 2013
4,083
37,386
Beds
Funster No
27,578
MH
Panel van
Exp
Years
Hi Matt,we like food ,Jo doesn’t drink and I drink very little,scenery rather than city,history rather than shopping and we like walking and short spells on the beach.
Brian & Jo


It depends on the time of year that you go but generally, I would go to SW France and N Spain - lots of lovely scenery, history and food plus beaches - either long wide ones in SW France or small coves in N Spain.

Alternatively, a tour of the Alps with a week or so in N Italy.

I would be wary of aiming to go too far - there is so much to see if you don't rush but if you want more reliable weather, aim to be south of the imaginary line between the Loire and Troyes in France during the summer. The weather north of that line is more similar to the UK's climate.
 
Jun 12, 2016
1,609
4,333
Scottish Borders
Funster No
43,560
MH
Globecar Revolution
Exp
Since 2006
Two weeks not a bad amount of time for a first trip
Lots of French or German options
As others have sagested Mosel could be a good tester
 
OP
OP
Brian and Jo

Brian and Jo

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 24, 2007
3,002
6,447
oswestry,shropshire
Funster No
368
MH
A-Class N+B Arto 88F
Exp
Been motorhoming for 15yrs.had an American RV for 7yrs,Now got a Niesmann Bischoff Arto 88F
Two weeks not a bad amount of time for a first trip
Lots of French or German options
As others have sagested Mosel could be a good tester
Yes the Stellplatz option sounds ok but just don’t like the idea of being packed in like sardines and parked so very close together,or am I worrying about nothing.
Brian & Jo

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
Yes the Stellplatz option sounds ok but just don’t like the idea of being packed in like sardines and parked so very close together,or am I worrying about nothing.
Brian & Jo

You'll find a great many campsites in Europe don't have the sort of spacing rules you're used to either.

Stellplatzes tend to have more space so don't worry about them. They tend to be privately owned and operated so many of them are campsites in all but name. Aires vary - on some you will have as much space as you want, on others you will be parked close together. This is usually based on popularity - the more popular the location the less space you will have.

I'd say you're worrying about nothing but I don't care about spacing anyway. If it's something that bothers you you'll need to take a view on it on a site by site basis.
 

TerryL

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 5, 2010
6,153
8,142
North East
Funster No
10,511
MH
Low Profile
Exp
2009
Yes the Stellplatz option sounds ok but just don’t like the idea of being packed in like sardines and parked so very close together,or am I worrying about nothing.
Brian & Jo
Only the very busiest get like that - it is more normal to have a decent gap between vans, although it probably won't be the CCC 6m. Some do, however, have marked out pitches. And anyway, as I've said, if you don't like the look move on.
 

AMK

Free Member
Feb 2, 2013
283
202
gainsborough
Funster No
24,534
MH
Coachbuild
Exp
Since 2014
Recently did the NC500 in 7 days, the North East section is a waste of time you may as well be going over the moors to Whitby.

I would stay east and North east next time I’m up that way.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

tonka

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 2, 2008
10,796
21,441
Cannock, Staffs
Funster No
3,141
MH
A class Burstner 800
Exp
Since 2000
Yes the Stellplatz option sounds ok but just don’t like the idea of being packed in like sardines and parked so very close together,or am I worrying about nothing.
Brian & Jo

Been a while since we went to the Mosel, maybe 10 years... But here is one pic of the sardine parking (y);)

DSC00376.JPG
 
Feb 22, 2008
12,258
44,933
Norfolk
Funster No
1,575
MH
Nearly Tugging
Exp
Since 2004
Thank you Larry ,we would be interested to know what those areas are like(y)
Our best wishes to yourself and Winn ,enjoy your trip and travel safely.
Brian & Jo

Thanks Brian, will definitely feed back on the trip. Take care both,
Larry and Win
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top