# Campsites in October in Europe



## benross (Sep 12, 2011)

I'm going to Europe in my campervan in October (3 or 4 week) for the first time. It looks like many of the campsites close in September.

I have a few places Im thinking of visiting but mainly it will just be day by day see where I end up.

I know there are overnight parking places for motorhomes that have electric, water etc, but I've been told you cannot set up camp in them I.e sit outside with a chair and table. 

Does this mean I'll be confined to my campervan? I also don't have a shower in my van and if the campsites are closed what will I do for a shower?

Unfortunately I cannot change the date of my trip as I am working until 1st of October. 

Any help or advice would be appreciated, 

Many thanks, 

Chris


----------



## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Hi Chris - don't be beaten - there are ways.

My first recommendation would be to get yourself more aquainted with aires. There's a download guide on here somewhere.

Yes, it's true that putting tables and chairs outside is, strictly speaking, not allowed but you tell that to the thousands of motorhomers who use aires - mostly French!

Unless it's a Sardine Aire, you will find that sitting outside is the norm. I reckon that if they really banned sitting outside, the aires would be empty!

At that time of year most will be pretty empty so it's even less of an issue.

There are a few aires that have showers - not many but there are some. Have a look at the MHF database.

Don't expect all aires to have electric - they don't. 

As for a camper without a shower - you've got water, you've got soap, you've got a face cloth - camp! Grab a shower when you find one.

Don't look for reasons not to go - just go.


----------



## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

agree with tony above


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

get an ACSI guide or Camping Cheques - there are lots of sites listed in there that are open beyong the end of September, and as said above, aires are out there!


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Even on tight aires people sit out behind or in front of their vans

It can be difficult to find open campsites in October but the up side is you can stay in many spots forbidden in season

We approached a campsite, closed in Spain and were directed to a beautiful spot next to the beach, the cafe was closed for the winter and we stayed for several days,free and the police checked it 2 a day

As Tony says nothing wrong with a stripwash, as X winter campers in Britain we often found that even if sites were open the water was switched off due to freezing risk and one tap was available (hopefully)

We are off to Italy Sept and Oct and one way or another it will all work out well

Have a good trip

Aldra


----------



## benross (Sep 12, 2011)

tonyt said:


> Hi Chris - don't be beaten - there are ways.
> 
> My first recommendation would be to get yourself more aquainted with aires. There's a download guide on here somewhere.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the advice Tony. I'm definitely going! I have a 73 litre water tank and sink in my van. Also a leisure battery powering lights and a small inverter to charge my phone/laptop so I'm pretty self sufficient.

I was planning on leaving the van at campsites while I public transported into town. Is that possible from Aires? Or as its October can I take the van into town and park easily? It's under 5 metres but is a high top. A chap I met told me that in France they take the height restrictions off car parks in October to promote tourism. Is this true?










Also I have a sat nav that does Europe but you can't put co-ordinates in to it. I'm considering buying a Garmin so that I can as it seems most of Europe uses co-ordinates.

Thanks for the help, it's a bit daunting going solo motor homing when you haven't done it before.

Chris


----------



## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Chris

As you're travelling solo, I'd definitely get myself a sat nav that you can input co-ords - I use a Garmin but many use Tom Tom.

Get yourself some data on aires, be that the popular All Aires book (which impresses many but not me), or a Campingcar-infos download/usb or download Archies - whichever you fancy.

Spend a few evening with your aires co-ords and Google Earth - see where the aires are, how close to towns etc.

Some aires are in town, some are in the sticks.

There are usually plenty of parking places in towns and villages but you could also leave your van on an aire and bus/walk/cycle in.

Do you have a bike hanging on the back of that van?

Be flexible, don't try and plan too precisely.

Where do you have in mind to visit?

ps - personally, I'd ditch the inverter and get cigar lighter plug in chargers for phone and laptop. What lights do you plan to power from the inverter?


----------



## benross (Sep 12, 2011)

Im going to get a Garmin before I go. I have a Tom Tom but it has the dumbed down menu without co ordinates. I'll do some research on the Aires 

I have two 12 small strip lights in the van that run from the leisure battery, that gets charged from the van alternator while driving

I don't have a bike rack as I have a back box on the back. I could take my bike along inside the van if needed as having a bike could be handy. 

Measured my van, it's 6.3 metres long, 3 metres high. So heightwise I'll struggle with normal height restricted car parks. Hopefully there will be unrestricted parking.

Hopefully I'll gain lots of experience and come back and share it with people thinking of doing the same!


----------



## benross (Sep 12, 2011)

I had a rough plan of getting a ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. Visiting the D-Day beach, war museum and American cemetery, then head to Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, a bit of Italy, then head back up through France and back to blighty. 

I have considered that if I want some warmer weather, I might need to head straight down to the med. 

The beauty of it is that I can change the plan or make a new one at any time!


----------



## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Only ever seen one height restricted carpark.

Your itinery seems massive for the time available. All you'll be doing is driving through places and not seeing anything.

Remember there is another time to visit other places.

Joe & Denise


----------



## rotorywing (Jul 19, 2010)

Download Points of interest for swimming pools !. There are 431 poi's on this link. comes in handy when you need a swim or shower

http://poiplaza.com/index.php?p=sdb&d=7327&lstpg=ds&lsts=_LSTS_

Lots of things on this link

http://poiplaza.com/index.php?p=co

Martin


----------



## benross (Sep 12, 2011)

joedenise said:


> Only ever seen one height restricted carpark.
> 
> Your itinery seems massive for the time available. All you'll be doing is driving through places and not seeing anything.
> 
> ...


Having not travelled Europe by vehicle before Its all going to be new to me. I don't mind driving, that said I will gladly reduce my itinery when it hits me that I've been too ambious!

I think I'm just going to go to the beaches and then decide from there where to go.


----------



## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Chris - I totally agree with the previous posts - don't try to do it all in one trip. 

Try plotting your route on something like Via Michelin, then divide the distance by the days you have - and remember, it's October, the days are shorter.

Out of interest, Cherbourg to Prague is around 870 miles (3 days there, 3 days back).

There are many here that would happily spend 3 or 4 weeks within 100 miles of Cherbourg and then go back next year for some more.  

What you don't see this year will still be there next year and the year after and.....


----------



## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Our MH is 3m high and 6.8m long. We have never had a problem in France. There are height restrictions in some supermarket carparks, but we have always found the (legitimate) way in avoiding the height bar - not sure why they put them on really. We also go May/ June and Aug/Sept so I think you will be fine for parking.

I think you will find France so MH friendly and such a big emptyish country that you may not get very far from Normandy unless the weather does something unseasonal like it is just now  

Enjoy your trip and although you like driving make sure you stop for long enough to enjoy the place.

Sue


----------



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

benross said:


> . . . I have two 12 small strip lights in the van that run from the leisure battery, that gets charged from the van alternator while driving . . .


Dump the strip lights & fit some 12v [warm white] LED's - that way you'll save a huge chunk of battery power [and be able to fit/have 5 or 6 on & still use less than 1amp


----------



## rod_vw (May 10, 2005)

We tour France with a LWB (5.1m) high roof (2.65m) VW T5, very rarely have problems with access to supermarkets or towns.

There are Aires of all sorts from tarmac car parks to beautiful wild countryside with facilities to match. We find some of the best facilities are offered by those that are canal side often with electricity and toilets occasionally with showers.

You can find hundreds if POI for Aires on the following websites...

www.i-campingcar.fr 
www.campingcar-infos.com 
www.archiescampings.eu

Maybe you should also look to the many municipal campsites, they don't all close early in the season. We know to some with fantastic facilities for little more than £10 per night (camper, 2 persons + ehu). To find these we have used Michelin Camping France, ours is an old edition but there is a 2012 edition available. It's in French but easily understandable with minimal knowledge of the language.

We will be out there again sometime September - October looking forward to better than the current British weather!

Rod

P.S. Our navigation is by MS Autoroute with many POIs loaded (including many of our own notes added over the past years). Power for it is by small inverter. Batteries are two 100Ah, lighting in the habitation area is LED, fridge is a 65litre Waeco compressor type.


----------



## DianneT (Dec 15, 2011)

Try looking into ACSI Camping Card site book.


----------



## benross (Sep 12, 2011)

bognormike said:


> get an ACSI guide or Camping Cheques - there are lots of sites listed in there that are open beyong the end of September, and as said above, aires are out there!


Mike, I've just ordered my ACSI card and book. After looking at their map it seems your spot on, there are some good sites open til late in the year. Thanks for the heads up


----------

