# WILD CAMPING IN EUROPE.



## 97324 (Jan 17, 2006)

When my posts run out i will proberly join this site,as beside the funny bickering"like school",it is a wealth of information.
I have looked at every post and my question is this and i would be grateful for any help.
Has anybody on this site wildcamped in europe france belguim germany ect.can u tell me how long u went with out a campsite?in july august.
did u have to go to car parks to camp?or like england if u find a quite laybye with no sign can u park there for the night?so anybody went wildcamping in europe please tell me how u got on thankyou
ps i have the aire de camping book and know about aires but that is mainly france,i am interested in denmark as well.

pps sorry about england and the world cup,but when a team builds its entire world cup around one player?sorry its doomed to fail,most teams have 3 or 4 rooney players how come we dont?. er also rooney is left all on his own up front alone?? 8O :roll: =no balls keeps tying gets nowere loses temper  :twisted: by by..


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## 95531 (Jun 23, 2005)

I dont think that that was the problem,lost,I think the problem was you all thought you had it won before a ball was kicked,that all you had to do was make an appearance,not gloating here,but I was sick to the back teeth of the commentators telling us how brilliant England were and how we should all get behind the team and get the street parties organised for the boys coming home with the big prize.


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## desertsong (Mar 8, 2006)

Hello there,

Couldn't have put it better, Paddywhack. 

Whilst watching France-Brazil, all I hear is things like Patrick Vieri the ex -Arsenal man, Henry for Arsenal etc, etc Heinze of Man united when Argentina were doing well, but in the fracas at the end with Germany, he was demoted to Heinze the Argentine. It doesn't matter what match it is but somehow they have to get some reflected glory from it and bring in some tenuous English connection like, "Matterazzi, didn't play like that when he was at Everton." Maybe there was a good reason.

It's funny that the word Chauvinist is French in origin after Marshall Chauvin, if they hadn't invented it, we would have to have incvented something like Motsanism.

Like your choice of van too.

Willie


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## 97324 (Jan 17, 2006)

agree,but DOESNT ANYONE WILDCAMP IN EUROPE??? 8O 



PS WE MIGHT win tennis 8)


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

I am just into week three without hitting a campsite. I use aires and unofficial mh stopping points (such as the one at Blaye Castle). In france we are spoilt for choice. Other countries I couldn't advise on.

There are loads of dump and fill points so the only need for a site is for electric. However once you get a solar panel this shouldn't be much of an issue.

Cheers
Karl


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## 95531 (Jun 23, 2005)

Naw,you could have a problem with the tennis as well,lost,young master Murry seems to have that in the bag,you might get a result with the Tories trying to stop us(Scottish MP's) making earth shattering decisions for you 'in the house' and I dont mean big brother,haha.Wild camping in Eurpooe? Do it all the time,We are about to go to France (Annecy) and Germany (the Mosel) for a couple of weeks,then Spain and Portugal November/December and again January/February,never go into campsites,would not give them the money for a postage stamp size pitch,and besides.I'm a Scotsman,there are thousands of lovely places to park up for a night or two or three,you just have to use your own judgement,it's been said on this forum many times,if if does not feel right,move on.Good luck,regards paddywhack.

Hello Willie,yes,after an apache,dakota and three arapaho's (all new) we are very happy with our van,best van yet,hope you think so yourself,and remember this, if it does not come out with a point,yer in trouble!!! Paddywhack.


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## desertsong (Mar 8, 2006)

Hi Lost,

Sorry!!! I lost the plot on my last posting and forgot to answer the original question. However, Paddywhack has done it for me. Like he says, common sense, if it feels wrong, then it probably is and don't overstay your welcome.

In France, even gipsies are allowed to camp for two days maximum.

We haven't put our new van to the test yet apart from a couple days near Paris on a site, and a couple of nights stopping at the services between trucks with no problem. Also parked on a derelict piece of wasteland with a bit of disused road, no problems again. 

Years ago we had an old motorhome and we covered from up past Inverness down as far as almost the Spanish border, winter and summer. I never thought about anything like wild camping, didn't even know it had a name. Basically, when we got tired we stopped, when got hungry we ate, if we liked it we stayed and when we had enough, we moved. Nice and simple. We bothered nobody and nobody bothered us.

Willie
p.s. Paddywhack, what did you mean by "if it does not come out with a point,yer in trouble?" Is that a reference to the length and getting where you intend in tight situations? If it is, I know what you mean.
W.


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## 95531 (Jun 23, 2005)

Willie,no,it takes a bit of imagination,think about spending a penny,or two as the case may be,I'll get my coat.


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## 90188 (May 1, 2005)

There is no need to wild camp in Europe. France provides 1000s of Aires, Germany provides 1000s of Stellplatze, Italy provides 1000s of Sostas. Wildcamping is probably illegal and unsafe.


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Wild Camping - misconceptions*

 
Hi all, I remember Gehard posting a very concise definition on wild camping a few weeks ago.
What you have to remember in Continental Europe is quite simple.

If you pull into a layby, or some other likely looking spot, and stop for a rest, and there are no 'no parking' signs around, you are perfectly legal even if you stop for a day or two or three. Nothing to stop you cooking a meal, going to bed, watch TV or whatever. You are simply 'parked'.

Only if you pull out your step, pull out your awning, open your side windows, discharge waste, set up your outdoor tables and chairs - does it becomes 'camping' and depending on the locality may be illegal.

saluti, eddied


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## 99470 (May 30, 2006)

*Aires on a G string*



Hi everyone,

This is a first time posting from someone with their first 'van, who is about to go away in it for the first time - and overseas no less! Blimey, it's years since I was a virgin.

We'll be going down through France and into Spain, basically just driving to get there as we have a meeting in Costa Watneys. After that, we chill and take our time coming back.

The thing is (have you ever noticed how when someone says 'to cut a long story short', it's usually too late?), I've read lots of stuff about stopping at aires. I appreciate the rule of 'If it doesn't feel right, move on', but as a newby I haven't got a scooby about what feels right and what doesn't! The Caravan Club says 'Stay at your own risk and don't say we didn't warn you', others talk about people getting gassed and their Y Fronts pinched, while other people say they never stop anywhere else.

So are aires OK, should I avoid ones with a service station or ones without a service station? Or is your advice to a virgin to opt for safe camping and head for the nearest campsite?


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## 92046 (May 1, 2005)

Hi lost

Had 3 months in France and only went into a camp site OR launderette once a week, I pull off the main roads and go into the small villages and always ask if there is a local place to stop, (I don't speak french) have never been told "no", lots of the MH shops have a place to dump gray & black water, 

Good luck

Colin


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## Guest (Jul 9, 2006)

*Wild camping is a doddle.*

Hi Lost,

We arrived back in the UK in June after 9 months in France, Spain and Portugal, in that 9 months we spent a grand total of 7 nights in a camp sight.

There is no need to wild camp in France as M/H camping is permitted and organized every were.

In Spain its a little different, if you go down to the costas then you can expect to get moved on by the Gardia cival on a regular basis but away from the costs its not a proplem if you dont stop more that a few nights and you use a bit of common sense.

In Portugal, well Porugal is heaven for M/H,s, you can get moved on by the GNR but not often, I have been in company with 20 or 30 other vans for over 6 weeks before being moved and then we all went back after a day or two with out a problem.

I define wild camping as "camping without permission". Oh I know there are lots of people who will call me names but most of them have never tried it or even seen it in action.

I am told that Norway is also very good for M/H,s but I like the sun not the cold so I have not been there.

So good luck with the camping, we are off again in August for another 9 months and this time with 3 months in Morocco.

Doug.


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## sheringham (Mar 24, 2006)

*Stellplatz in Germany*

Hi Lost...& others

We have been visiting Germany now for some years and for the last 4, since normal retirement age, in a MH.

Just returned 23.06.06 from Germany after 9 weeks travelling from North
(Hamelin) to South (Lake Constanz or Bodensee) then East at the Czech border to West (Trier)into France and home. During that time we spent about 50% of the time on many "stellplatz" throughout the country.

Prior to going we got the ADAC Stellplatz Fuhrer book which is a mine of info and at 16.80 Euros is worth every cent. There are ADAC centres in most medium size towns and in many book shops stock the full ADAC range of products
It gives good narrative with site addresses, albeit in German, but the key words are easily understood and it is aided with maps of each and every site.

Some are adjuncts of official camping sites, some are municipal, others belong to commercial enterprises...we seldom paid more than 6 Euros per night and electricity at 0.50c per kW.

It may just be coincidence but there appears to be a more definate comradery with all nationalities when cheek to jowl. Also there now appear to be a lot more Brits enjoying the scene.
Each stellplatz has its own character varying in each region but all provide economic overnight stays in fairly secure settings...or at least it has always felt that way with us as we have never felt threatened. So much so that this was a second trip following an 8 week trip we made last Autumn when we originally discovered the "German Aires"and used them extensively.

Incidentally Stellplatz are where you see the really big RVs such as the Niesmann & Biscoff Clouliners some towing small autos!!!!! as they are to big for some camp site pitches.. such a site was Trier where there was on the 2 days we stayed some 80 units parked up..most with power from 10A outlets. This site charged 6 Euros and delivered bread rolls to the MH door at 0800, if required.... I kid you not!!!

Your original question also enquired about Denmark..
It is illegal to camp outside a regulated caravan and camping site in Denmark. I have no experience of wild camping there but there is a sytem called "Quickstop" which allows MHs 14 hours on a site arriving between 2000/2300 hours and leave before 1000 the following day to enable all of the necessary chores to be done in an environmentally acceptable manner. 2006 prices of between DKK95 & DKK120 for a family of 4 excluding electricity.

Further info available on www.dk-camp.dk

Trust that info may be of interest

sheringham


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