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 Topic: European touring in early autumn
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01/1/2025 at 9:56am
Location: Wessex
Outfit: Dethleffs Trend T675
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Happy New Year to you all.
As is usual at this time of year we're mulling over options for touring in September, amongst the options we're considering is a tour launching from the Tunnel in Calais and taking in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, back through Germany and into eastern France then back to the Tunnel.
We're well conversant with touring in France making use of campsites (usually those within the ACSI scheme), aires and France Passion sites. Our usual routine is to book our crossings and then make the rest up as we go along. We would like to do the same in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.
Whilst we have toured in those countries before it was when we had the kids with us and we were always pre-booked into sites (they were vehemently against us making up things as we go along like we do now). This means we have no experience about being able to just turn up unannounced and hope to get in somewhere or any experience of those countries equivalent of aires (such as the German Stellplatz).
Vicarious has this guide to camper stops (albeit sold out, but presumably available elsewhere), there's also the Bord Atlas too, so these are likeliy to be new year purchases.
The question to the collective are:
1. Do Belgium/the Netherlands and Denmark have the equivalent of aires/Stellplatz?
2. What's the availability like? Would we be able to just turn up?
3. Likewise campsites, how flexible are they about you just turning up unannounced?
I'll be posting the same question on another site so if you use that (Motorhome Facts), don't be too surprised and don't feel you have to answer twice, I'll be checking both sites for responses.
Thanks in advance.
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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
02/1/2025 at 4:20pm
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the netherlands has many camper places.
It is recommended to make a reservation during the weekends.
The schools started again in september, but it can still be busy(er) at campsites. Especially when the weather is nice.
Also take a look at SVR.nl or VEKABO.nl these are small campsites.
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03/1/2025 at 12:42pm
Location: Wessex
Outfit: Dethleffs Trend T675
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Thanks for that tip, I'll take a look.
Anyone else with any advice?
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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
04/1/2025 at 1:06pm
Location: West - North Yorkshire
Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate
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Instead of early Autumn I would do Spring. Reasons are:
1. Days get longer each day.
2. Campsites, bars and restaurants aren't jaded as they are at the end of the season.
3. There is no 'End of season' feeling about towns. All the local markets are full of spring produce.
4. If you do find you can add an extra week you'll find that more and more places are available to stay, instead of less. Same with 'facilities' - more opening, instead of closing for the end of season.
There are loads of places in Spring to 'just turn up' on spec. We've been doing Spring holidays for years and years, and the only time we couldn't find a pitch was on a site in the Ardeche, where we stayed overnight outside on the verge, with full access to all site facilities, including a hook-up and they gave us a lovely pitch the following morning.
Just my thoughts!
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05/1/2025 at 9:14am
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I would agree with Val, providing you are equipped for weather. One March we were at Jumiege when the olive oil froze.
Often at the beginning of the season, in the smaller sites, the owners are very flexible and helpful. Once, at Plazac, rather than open up the large toilet facilities just for one unit, they gave us a chalet as our bathroom.
At Montsorreau we were given free nights for having helped the owner lug his picnic furniture out of storage.
We were not very social, just happy with our own company, but if it socialising you crave, then early season might be a bit lonely
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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
05/1/2025 at 10:37am
Location: West - North Yorkshire
Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate
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Quote: Originally posted by SGThomas on 05/1/2025
I would agree with Val, providing you are equipped for weather. One March we were at Jumiege when the olive oil froze.
Often at the beginning of the season, in the smaller sites, the owners are very flexible and helpful. Once, at Plazac, rather than open up the large toilet facilities just for one unit, they gave us a chalet as our bathroom.
At Montsorreau we were given free nights for having helped the owner lug his picnic furniture out of storage.
We were not very social, just happy with our own company, but if it socialising you crave, then early season might be a bit lonely
I agree about weather unpredictability. We've had temperatures of thirty-three degress in March (Aude), and also snow at the end of April (Gien on the Loire!). But it can be the same in Autumn - with floods in August (Ardeche) snow in the Pyrenees in September and bakingly hot in mid-October (Aude)!
As far as 'lonely' in concerned, at least at the start of season more people arrive every day. Nothing quite so depressing as being on a lovely site, in a beautiful area, which empties day by day until you are the only ones still on site. However, being there when the site bar closes can be an advantage if they have a 'help us drink up everything' free night!
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05/1/2025 at 10:50am
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Whenever we arrived on a site it seemed to empty pretty quickly.
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via mobile 01/1/2025 at 10:09am
