Me and my family (me, wife and son) are seriously considering holiday-ing sept 08 - by travelling through france and onto maybe spain or italy - for 3 weeks.
Slighty limited on dates we are able to go - due to work commitments - rough date would be from the 29th August for 3 weeks.
Although we camp a lot we havent never camped abroad - so this would be a totally new experience for us!
Was wondering if anyone had done this before - or would like to do it (maybe again?) but is too scared to do it alone - like us!!
Be greatful for any advice etc or if anyone would like to accompany us thatd be great!
My partner and I will also be making our 1st trip over the channel in October 08. We have had our van now for 2 years and have toured the UK and are off to Ireland in June for a couple of weeks, but we have never plunked up the courage to tour the continent. However, on the spur of a mad moment a few weeks ago I booked a Norfolk Line crossing! Our plans now are to drive into Belgium. If we get on OK, no doubt we will book another trip next year. What I have noticed in France, a lot of sites seem to close in September for the season so you may need to plan your trip wisely.
Keep me posted how you get on and what you decide on.
Good thing about France with a motorhome is you dont need campsites-most towns--all in tourist & coastal areas have motorhome parking areas--as you drive into the town you will see a sign 'Aire du campingcar'--ie 'place of the motorhome' often free or about 4€ there will be a service point to empty your bog etc-you will also see loads of motorhomes parked out together on seafront carparks & nobody bothers---there is some confusion when French 'aires' are metioned on here--because motorway services are also referred to as aires but you dont really want to be parking overnight on French motorway services.
--Spain is slightly different--ok inland its empty so you can park anywhere(campsites are few & far between inland) they can be a bit funny about overnight parking on coastal town carparks but September should be ok--theres plenty of campsites on coastal Spain tho--
If you want to book a Ferry you will generally find Norfolk Line Dover/Dunkerque is cheapest--
Just got back from 4 1/2 mths out with m-home,yes Airs are good (Not m-way ones) . From France down to the south of Spain,upto the south of France,on into Italy, then upto Switzerland over to Gremany on to Belgium,France (calais boat port aire big and good cost 7€ for the night )then home to Shropshire.Boat costs £70.00 return Nov07 out 01/04 back.Now booked to go back on May 19 to Gremany going down Hymer Show for 28/31of May.Get Air`s books if you have GPS better still,just go for it you will not look back.Regards john
------------- look all over the uk and spain if the sun is out so are we.
Well Mark, as a matter of fact, at the end of august i'm going out again, but i'm going all the way down to Pompei, Italy, we may have some friends from down south who might be coming along, it is their first time abroad re, travelling long distance,(they usually just go to Calais to fill up with you know what) but never ventured any further, this time they are determined to go where i go, therefore if you get in touch we might join you or you join us? But will you go all the way down to Pompei?
Well we dillly dallied over whether to go abroad for weeks................almost taking the 'safe' option of going to Cornwall (this was in Feb) anyway one night my Son who is 23 said 'I have never met a pair of wusses like you two' well that did it for me, and I thought I will show you.
Well it was one of the best things we have ever done, it was so easy the driving over there is so much easier than here in the UK and you munch up the miles in no time at all, we did intend to head for Spain but in the end we found ourselves in the Algarve and I can't wait to do it all again, in fact I just can't settle down to normal life since arriving home.
Depending on weather at that time of year though you could easily be in northern Spain in 2 days we found a lovely site there that we really would like to stay longer at just down from San Sebastian, even in Feb we mananged to find sites open all year.
If I can help just shout out.
------------- 'A motorhome is for life, not just for Summer'
Thankyou for your reply - have noticed that some sites do close in september but unsure whether this is at the start or end of september....?
Good luck for your first trip in Oct 08 - hope all goes well for you both.
We have also thought about taking a trip to Ireland but havent yet done so.
We have decided to take the plunge and do it! have now booked time off work for 3 weeks starting the end of August - think the fact that having bought the van and really enjoy using it - then hearing that we are in for a wetter summer this year than we had last summer!!!! helped us make a definate decision!!
Felt only options as far as a decent hol was concerned this year was to either just book a package holiday and go abroad - cost loads and sitting around at airports etc boring - or if we wanted to make use of MH then we would have to fellow the sun - ;-)
Have now booked time of work for this trip as we are definate now that we are going! ;-)
Have spoken to my wife and son and we are all more than happy to a trip to pompei.
Who is going on your trip? ;-) I think I have already said that in my party it will be myself - wife - and extremely well behaved (and friendly) 16 year old son.
Do you use your MH regular - was thinking it would be nice to meet up perhaps to meet and get to know each other beforehand. Would this be something that would be good with you?
Really looking forward to going away end of August and to actually be able to do it as part of a group would be excellent! look forward to hearing back from you.
Hi Lelley, are you going to Peterborough show? If yes, look for a Talisman with an Italian flag on it and a sort of rude no. plate. It would be very nice meeting you and we could have a chat re, the trip, it will be me and her indoors, my friend Andy and wife Denise, and Jim and Carole, as mentioned above this will be the first time that Jim will make a long trip(if he does not change his mind yet again). Yes we use our camper all year round ie. Rallies here and we just go abroad whenever we feel like, unfortunately (good job i had not booked the ferry) due to recent events, re, friends coming from Australia for a 95th birthday bash we had to cancel our trip beginning first week of this month. Then we been invited to a wedding up in Aberdeen at the end of may, so you see we just could not get away at all, so we decided to have some holidays re. revisit the lakes and maybe go back to Scotland and visit more friends in Musselborough/ Killin which is the burial ground of my wife ancestors the McNabs(very fierce clan they were) and perhaps go were we never been before, i retired at the ripe old age of 55so every day is saturday,, i'll give you my email you can get in touch, and perhaps exchange phone numbers? f.cimmino at btinternet.com as they say here in sunny Liverpool tara' for now
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: oct trip to france/spain or italy?
so every day is saturday,, i'll give you my email you can get in touch, and perhaps exchange phone numbers? 
