# Is this possible???????



## dunravin (Jul 21, 2009)

Hi

I have been spending days reading all the good advice posted on this forum, and it has helped me a great deal. Thank you for taking the trouble to post.

I am intending to rent a motorhome for 14 days in June of next year, I have not owned or rented one before. I have a very rough plan to do the following........have I bit off a bit more than a newby can chew???

Day 1 - Cardiff to campsite outskirts of Paris.
Day 2 - Spend day in paris (via bus/train)
Day 3 - Head to Lyon area for overnight.
Day 4 - Arrive at coast ( St Tropaz etc)
Day 5 - Remain at campsite (St Tropaz)
Day 6- Remain at Campsite (St Tropaz)
Day 7 - Costal highway along coast towards Italy (Florence), with overnight stay along the way.
Day 8- Arrive campsite outside Florence.
Day 9 - Florence
Day 10 - Depart for Lake Garda
Day 11 - Lake Garda
Day 12 - 14 Leave Lake Garda for home via Switzerland

I suppose I want to incoporate 2 city breaks, a beach break and a lake break.

Is this realistic?

Any feedback appreciated.


----------



## teifiprt (Oct 2, 2007)

Hi,
Sounds like a lot of driving to me. You need a good few days in Paris to do it justice. Why don't you confine yourself to a particular site like Versailles on the outskirts. As for St Tropez well in my humble opinion there are many more beautiful places on the South coast, if you want the other buy Playboy!!!!
To sum up I would cut the miles down and have more time to enjoy the sights.
Peter.


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Tour*

Hi

It is possible - but possibly strenuous!

What ferry route are you looking at to France? Cardiff to Dover and then to Calais for the onward journey to Paris should be do-able in a day. I have done Yorkshire - Dover - Strasbourg before.

Russell


----------



## blondy (Aug 23, 2007)

I would miss out paris, why go there in a M/H, fly there and stay in the centre, use the M/H for what its intended, Touring.
Just my opinion.


----------



## Auldgadgey (Jan 25, 2009)

*Is this possible*

I've just run your route through Auto Route and its come up as 2453 miles!
Some years ago I might have attempted that on my trusty Kawasaki GTR 1000, but I wouldnt dream of trying it in the van! 
As a newby myself I've found the joy of a motorhome is the ability to do just a few miles and find a new place to stop and explore for a night or two. 
Doing massive miles You might always catch a bad dose of earache from the better half :lol:


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

The question was "Is it possible".
The answer is NO..!!

Ray.


----------



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

dunravin said:


> ....have I bit off a bit more than a newby can chew???


Day 1 - Cardiff to campsite outskirts of Paris. . . your gonna be well & truly Knackered & end up sleeping all of the next day !
Day 2 - Spend day in paris (via bus/train) . . . head for 'Camping International' campsite http://www.campint.com/
and jump the train into Paris
Day 3 - Head to Lyon area for overnight. . . again a lot of driving.
Day 4 - Arrive at coast ( St Tropaz etc) - give St Trop a miss - nothing much worth seeing [except a lot of big boats owned by old[er] men with young girls on their arms]
Day 5 - Remain at campsite (St Tropaz) . . }
Day 6- Remain at Campsite (St Tropaz) . . } Try Frejus or St Agulf.
* * If you go 'out of high season' - get yourself an ASCI card - it'll save you a pile on campsite fee's.

I can't comment on going on to Italy as I've not done it but no doubt others will be along to give their views.


----------



## dunravin (Jul 21, 2009)

*Re: Tour*



Rapide561 said:


> Hi
> 
> It is possible - but possibly strenuous!
> 
> ...


Yeah, Dover to Calias,

Yorkshire to Strasbourg sounds like a run and a half 8O


----------



## dunravin (Jul 21, 2009)

Hey Guys

Thanks for the replies. I guess my initial gut feeling was that although it may be possible, it will be hard-work.

I am not fussed on the Paris stop, as someone has mentioned this can be done via other means (although it is a selling point to get my other half to agree to do this)

I am not set on St Tropaz as such, to be honest I plucked it out of the air, I would welcome suggestions.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

You have certainly bitten off more than I would want to chew!! 8O 

If you want to enjoy the holiday, 150 to 200 miles every other day is plenty of driving.

You can still clock up 1,500 miles in a fortnight, so it doesn't limit you that much. (Florence is exactly 850 miles from Calais).

In my opinion of course!  

Dave


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Thats not a holiday its a Rally in the faster sense.
We never have a destination that we have ever reached. Too many nice places on the way.

Last year headed for Garda weathe poor ended up in Pisa then Florence for 4 days. An awfull lot of driving.

Year before headed for Swiss alps again weather poor. Ended up o Petite Carmarge. Wouldn`t touch St Trop. huge traffic jams. two and a half hours to do 4 miles.

Just take it easy and enjoy it. There is always next year.


dave P


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

Zebedee said:


> You have certainly bitten off more than I would want to chew!! 8O
> 
> If you want to enjoy the holiday, 150 to 200 miles every other day is plenty of driving.
> 
> ...


Having done all of the routes you mention I would say its going to be a tough holiday.

We do Swansea to East of Paris day one a long day .

Then down to Port Grimaud another long day

Lie on beach etc for as long as poss then bumble back slowly.

We have a house in Austria so we often Drive

Swansea Calais

Calais ULm

Ulm Salzberg

enjoy the Alps for a week

Salzburg into Italy maybe S of Garda.

Garda Port Grimoud

Beach for two weeks

Prt Grimaud Annecey

Annecey North towards Paris.

On to Calais

Early crossing next day

Swansea mid afternoon.

Your trip is going to be hard work especially in the heat.

Wups

Must add none of this at peak times.

As mentioned above the coast road from Port Grim to St Tropez is horrific


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Journey*

Hi

I still say it is possible.

Lake Garda - Strasbourg area for an overnight stop - 360 miles.

Strasbourg - Calais - 360 miles.

Dover - Cardiff - no idea.

In September, I shall be going at high speed to Chianciano Terme, south of Florence and am away only for 11 days. I think it is about 2300 miles from start to finish. Chianciano is 950 miles from Calais. Lake Garda is about 730 miles from Calais - based on Lake Garda south - such as Desenzano.

I used to work for a holiday firm called International Group Travel and we had this one by coach.

Day 1 - pick up points in the UK - Dover - Calais - Strasbourg.

Day 2 - to Lido di Jesolo

Day 3 - Coach and boat to Venice

Day 4 - Coach from Lido to Chianciano Terme.

Day 5 - excursion to Florence

Day 6 - excursion to Rome

Day 7 - Chianciano to Strasbourg - 580 miles

Day 8 - Strasbourg - Calais - UK and home.

It was my favourite. I love hammering out the miles.

Russell


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

*Re: Journey*



Rapide561 said:


> It was my favourite. I love hammering out the miles.
> Russell


That's exactly what we don't like Russell, so the OP has advice from both ends of the scale, and all at no extra cost. :wink: :wink:

MHF is great, innit??

Dave


----------



## gromett (May 9, 2005)

I agree with most posters. This is "possible" whether it is practical or enjoyable I would strongly doubt. As Zebedee said on holiday you want to be enjoying yourself not banging in the miles. 150-200 is more than enough for me. I work on each 50 miles is an hour. I usually do better than that but if you include stops for tea/toilet/diesel breaks etc it is a more realistic holiday speed. That equates to 3-4 hours driving a day which when you are on holiday is more than enough.

For you first trip out in an MH I would recommend a more sedate run with fewer goals. The beauty of France is that it is so MH friendly and there is no shortage of places to stop.

I wouldn't do Paris in my MH. I would do a separate trip and use the eurostar tbh. I have been to Paris a Number of times and I don't find it relaxing in the slightest tbh. A dedicated trip and stay in a reasonable priced hotel will be more enjoyable I find.

Anyway have fun whatever you decide to do 

Karl


----------



## dunravin (Jul 21, 2009)

Mmmmm......thanks again for all your replies......much to think about.

I suppose I really need to consider is it the destination, or the journey/experience more of a consideration.

Although I have never before motorhomed it, I have driven from Alicante to Cardiff in a car, and made several trips in a large van to Paris and back the same day, Also Brussels however I do appreciate it is different in a large motorhome.

I must also consider my partner and our 13 year old boy in this, whilst I may be happy charging around to get as much "value" out of the holiday as such, they as passengers may prefer a slower, more relaxed experience.

At the same time, I am drawn to getting as much out of it in terms of destinations as possible.

I am sure there is a compromise somewhere.

What we want from our holiday is a city break , some culture, traditional villages etc, perhaps some beach for the weather and our son, also lakes/mountains. 

Is this possible in either France or Northan Itlay over 14/16 days?

Thanks again


----------

