Message Forums

My husband is very likely to loose his job next June, so to make this in to a positive we are planning to pack the tent ,two children (aged 10 and 12)into the car  and set off around Europe.

We can't really book anything as he may get another job and won't be able to take 5 weeks off work. I'm a teacher so it will be during the summer holidays when we will go. We have driven to Italy and Switzerland before but have stayed in apartments or hotels.

Does anyone have any 'must sees'. or fantastic places to visit I would love to go to Sweden , Austria, and into Switzerland. Are these places easy for turn up camping? I know Switerland is quiet expensive but what about other countries. We will be on a tight budget ( due to us been down to 1 salary) but just what to give the girls a taste of adventure.

Has anyone done anything like this before or know of any good websites and books.

Great  opportunity!  Highly recommend Austria - and the Kramsach  area (Camping Seehof) was by a beautiful swimming lake, with the price including free ski lift/chair lift passes - so wonderful views/walks included (and that was in August).  The countryside there is really magnificent, but not as overpowering as in Switzerland.  Bigger pitches too.  Germany is far too busy around Lake Constance/Bodensee area but we spent a very happy 3 weeks by the Rhine 2 years ago - fantastic castles etc for the children to explore too.

Enjoy!

Will second Camping Seehoff, Kramsach we stopped there for 4 days this summer excellent site and area.  We then went on to Switzerland, nice country not as pretty as Austria, very, very expensive £40 odd for vignette for car + caravan.  We had to forget the Eiger trip at just over £100 for the cheapest trip (6 am start) per person.  Far to expensive and the weather has got to be very near perfect to see anything.

All of Austria is pretty especially Southern Lakes on the border of Slovenia so you get 2 countries to explore.  Austria is cheapest except for Luxemburg in this part of Western Europe.  You can find more info of mine on some other forums.    

Austria is indeed a very preaty place with some spectaculur scenary,also the dolomites in Italy are very beautiful which is just a little way across the border as are the Julian alps in Slovenia.

36 of the top 40 highest peaks the alps are in the Valais area of southern Switzerland and this from a climbing/walking point of view is the most spectaculur area of the entire alpine chain (imho) and there are lots of easy great walks that can be done with help of cable cars etc.Ive taken kids to the area and they loved it.The summer toboggan Feeblitz at saas fee being a kids fav as is the adventure trail above the saas valley.

Zermatt and the Matterhorn is also close with wonderful walks to suite all levels of ability.For me personally (i love mountains/climbing) everywhere in europe is an anti-climax after the alps.

Wherever you go in Europe you will surely find something different and unique, but remember, if you want good weather, personally I would tend to veer south of Lyon for a greater guarantee.  There is plenty to see in France.  It's probably cheaper too overall, but there's probably not a lot in it.  Many of the French municipal sites charge less and are of good quality.  In the main holiday season (certainly up until mid August), it is worth booking at the main 'holiday/seaside' spots.  You will almost certainly get a pitch somewhere near to where you want to go, but booking in the most popular places at the most popular times helps to take away a little stress.  Having to you to two or three different sites before you get a pitch, at the end of a long journey may be not the ideal way to go.

To keep down costs, its worth looking at buying Touring Cheques or Camping Cheques to use for a short period towards the end of August.  Both these companies sell cheap 'cheques' to use to pay for sites at a knock down price.  They are mainly for 'out of season' use, but sites begin to accept them from mid August.  You would need to check the individual sites listed on the Touring/Camping cheques websites.

Cheapest way to get to Europe is generally with Norfolkline: Dover-Dunkirk.  Special deals are available through the cheque companies mentioned in the last paragraph, and through the Caravan Club (probably the Caravan & Camping Club too, but not too sure about that).  Even if you go direct to the ferry company Norfolkline tends to be the most economical way to go.

So many places to go to.  Champagne caves at Epernay (we have stayed at the Municipal site at Chalon-en-Champagne).  Visit Mont Ventoux (drive up in the car), Avignon, Orange etc (we have stayed at Camping Le Bregoux at Aubignan).  Personally, we like Provence, for the beach and some lovely inland areas too - a visit to Monaco/Monte Carlo (International Firework Competition Display will be on at least one or two night in August), (we have stayed at Camping Des Aubredes at Puget-sur-Argens, just outside Frejus - camp BBQ on Wednesday nights - take your own food to cook, free rose wine followed by sing song and disco - not too noisy - pool on site).  If you go to Italy, then Florence/Pisa/Tuscany is worth a visit (we have stayed at Camping Barco Reale at San Barento).  On the way back, stop off at the Haute-Savoie, just outside Geneva to visit Alps (Mt Blanc) and Annecy (we have stayed at La Columbiere at Neydens).  Further up, pop into Germany to the Black Forest (we have stayed at Camping Belchenblick) - take a pedalo boat on Lake Titisee and buy Cuckoo clock to bring home.  Finally, a journey up to the Mosel in Germany (we have stayed at Camping Bergen, between Koblenz and Cochem), plenty of castles to visit and just in time for the Cochem wine festival for the last weekend in August.  Firework display in the evening of Sunday 28th August.  Make way home on Monday 29th August.  There will be plenty in that for 5 weeks!!  We will do much of that in our 5 week stint but not all by any means.

If you want a campsite book there are many around, but we have always used the Alan Rogers Good Camps guide.

Enjoy!

Switzerland, yes expensive (1kg of onions worked out about £6) - remember your vignette - is around 30 euros per car and caravan.    Lovely Caravan Club site that does take tents so you can booked independently - Jungfraublich - walking distance of Interlaken town - or get the free bus from the site. 

From this area  - must sees are going up the Jungfrau - around 120 euros for a family but spectacular  - a little cheaper is the Schilthorne (sorry cant spell it) - and have a coffee or eat (if you can afford it!) in the revolving restaurant where they filmed a 007 movie.

We are going back their this August - bringing our own food though! on the way down the Italy.

If you were not going in the school holidays I would have said get the ACSI Camping Card for off season prices of 11 to 15 euro's a night but they are not acceptable at many sites between last week in July and first week in September.  Camping cheques cannot be used much either at that time of year either.

We go to Southern Austrian Lake area near to the Slovenia border and stay at Jodl Camping on the Ossiachersee.  Wonderful site we stay for 5/6 weeks each year. It is an ACSI Camping Card site out of the main season.