# Turning Up at Continental Sites on Spec?



## 108033 (Nov 1, 2007)

We are heading off in early March on our first big (six months) trip. Previously we have toured Scotland (last September/October), turning up at sites on spec. We very much like the idea of travelling at our own pace and not making advance bookings. We do however have a general idea of the route we want to follow this year:
- fairly fast down to the Algarve and Southern Spain
- spending the spring meandering round the Meditarranean coast, into and through the south of France and then around Italy
- when it gets hotter (we have two dogs) heading north through Switzerland and Germany into Scandinavia, before returning home around September.
We have learned a lot of useful stuff in these forums, but are concerned at the postings that give the impression that in March (which of course includes Easter this year) Southern Spain and the Algarve will be fully booked with people over-wintering. As relative novices, we'd prefer to be on sites rather than wild camp. How much of a problem is this really likely to be? And are there going to be similar issues in northern Europe in July and August?


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## 97201 (Jan 7, 2006)

I don't know if the over winter brigade will be much of a prob as migration starts in March.

The real prob is Easter being so early this year and the Spanish and other holiday makers moving in to replace them.

Do phone ahead, but also turn up and ask as sometimes there are no shows or delays and you may get one or two nights. A Euro in the pocket as they say......

Ian
Three Green


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2008)

Can't help you, but one hell of a trip, enjoy it a lot.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Until a couple of years ago we were always tied to school holidays and we never booked ahead. We have never once been turned away from a campsite. We tend to stay away from the all-singing holiday parks - which is where, I think, the over-winterers stay. We go for municipal sites from choice and they can always squeeze a motorhome in somewhere ! 

That said, even in high season at the biggest sites you can usually get a pitch away from the sea as long termers or caravanners want to be as near to the beach as possible. If you go for a campsite away from the beach area then you might be on your own altogether.

If you're going to a honey pot area in high season or public holiday then it might be a good idea to phone ahead if you can but I wouldn't get too worried if you can't. There is not quite the same adherence to the 6 ft rule as there is in UK and sites do pack vans in but, on the plus side, you're unlikely to get turned away !

Make a note of public holidays in the countries you will travel to from the internet before you go. Petrol stations and shops close on those days much more than they tend to do in UK.

G


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Booking ahead*

Hi

I agree with Chris - stay away from the all singing, all dancing sites and you should be OK.

I always book ahead though as I am "belt and braces".

I remember one conversation with the manager at the municipal site at Obernai. I had a booking so was "OK". The site was full but the manager did say that for regulars there would always be a space. The following morning I saw a British van pitched on the tennis court!

Russell


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Booking*

Phil,

We've spent quite a lot of time in France and Spain between March and September. We have never booked ahead. The busy times are Easter (the sites get busy but not full) and then in France for the mid-August public holiday (being the only time we couldn't get onto a site - but went to one nearby). Ironically, many of the Spanish sites are just as busy in winter (Brits, Germans & Dutch) as in peak season.

Go for it, you'll enjoy it. For a six month tour, what gas are you relying on? And are you taking ACSI?

Ray


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## 108033 (Nov 1, 2007)

*Re: Booking*

Thanks for all the replies. We feel a lot more relaxed about finding somewhere to lay our heads this Spring.



rayhook said:


> Phil,
> 
> Go for it, you'll enjoy it. For a six month tour, what gas are you relying on? And are you taking ACSI?
> 
> Ray


Got the ACSI book/card a couple of days ago.

Gas? I had naively assumed you just exchanged your Calor cylinders, the same as in the UK. Having now searched through the forum, I now realise that this is quite a big issue! I can't say I now totally understand the subject, but hope the following strategy will suffice:
- Ensure both Calor cylinders are full on leaving the UK
- Use electricity for heating/cooking/hot water unless forced to camp without hookup (our Cheyenne has a Truma unit heating/hot water system which works on both fuels, and a cooker with three gas and one electric hobs)
- If we completely run out of gas during the trip, bite the bullet and buy a local gas bottle and regulator, and connect to the rubber hose via a jubilee clip.
Despite my searches of the many posts in this forum, this whole gas issue still confuses me (how about a sticky 'Idiot's guide to bottled gas in Europe' posting?) Some of the questions I have is whether Camping Gaz fittings are universal in Europe and, if so, whether it can directly replace the Calor Gas propane our van uses? Or, if not, does _every_ country have its own bottle type and regulator? Postings I've seen here only seem to refer to France and Spain - what if we run out in Italy, Switzerland or Germany?


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## 101405 (Oct 15, 2006)

*gaz en Spain*

look out for a repsol (orange)bottle on a sunday market (car boot?) 20/25€ propane (black band) -butano no mark xchange garage /depot.
you can buy a libre pression valve which fits a uk propane connection or buy a regulator 9-12 € and connect your tube to it. good luck on your trip.
and dont forget to copy every document you have, only carry 1 card with you, hide your passports and cards in a safe box, and use your photo licence as ID, this way is safest. Enjoy


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## 97201 (Jan 7, 2006)

BTW, thieves know about fake baked beans tins that are used to store valuables so don't buy one of those. It is often the first place the b****rs look!

Ian
Three Green


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Hello Philwaring!

In August 1999, we could not get onto a site in Northern France because it was full. It was also on the path for the rare solar eclipse! No surprise there then! :lol: 

That is the only time we have been denied. In fact, the last French site we booked was as tuggers back in 1995! 

We have four weeks planned for this summer and will just turn up at sites or use aires de camping-cars.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

camperian said:


> BTW, thieves know about fake baked beans tins that are used to store valuables so don't buy one of those. It is often the first place the b****rs look!


Great advice, Ian. Brilliant advice! THANKS SO MUCH!

(So you don't get paranoid :wink: )

Gerald

_Edit: it's actually pretty good advice. Nice one_


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Actually, we do use a spoof baked beans tin.

But, don't tell the thieving community, we put out of date cards and just a few £ & € notes bundled with paper to look like it is loadsa dosh.

Hopefully the bustards will find it quickly, think they have struck gold and p1ss off without looking further.

We actually keep all the real dosh and cards wrapped up in a plastic bag in the black (brown?!) tank of the Thetford.

And no, there is no chance of losing it down the vidange, the bag is too big to exit via the emptying spout.

Rubber gloves anyone?


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Cash as a decoy*

Hi

I have a wad of old notes - Zloty in fact from about 15 years ago when there were 33000 zloty to the pound. I usually have these in a pocket that could be picked, but the real money is safely tucked away.

Keeping an out of date credit/debit card - as mentioned - is a fairly good idea, but note that with a debit card the thieves have your account number, sort code and signature. I will not tell you what they can do with it, but trust me, they try. I know from working in the bank.

Russell


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Gas options*

Phil,

This is my solution - which has stood us in good stead so far. We carry two bottles - usually a 6 Kg and a 11/13 Kg larger one which just about fills the gas locker.

I have installed a 30 mb regulator (my appliances are jetted for 30 mb) connected to an automatic change-over head. Nothing revolutionary there - all kit by Gaslow who are very helpful if you call them. Now install two Gaslow high pressure hoses to the cylinders with standard Calor screw fittings i.e. the screw on blue calor regulator. Gaslow will know what you need. Now buy the adaptors from Gaslow to fit the bottles you expect to use. Butane or propane is both fine and you can use one of each.

In France I go for a 6 Kg Le Cube which is readily available almost everywhere and is easy to handle; in Spain we use Cepsa. Repsol is most widely available but as suggested above the only place you can get a cylinder is 'unofficially' as the contract requires a home visit. Cepsa are less fussy and the contract is downloadable from their web site or from their petrol stations and agents. Note also that Camping Gaz (same fitting for say a 907 everywhere) is readily available everywhere and cheap in Spain as gas is subsidised there. Both Cepsa and Repsol use the same 28mm fitting. Note that Cepsa seems to be like chickens' teeth north of Barcelona but is readily available elsewhere in Spain. If anyone else knows of a Cepsa refill station North of Barcelona I'd love to know.

Italy requires a different high pressure hose from Gaslow - I don't know why, but it's not expensive.

When you leave France make sure the Cube is full and use it as the reserve; when in France burn french gas and keep the spanish as reserve. All you need to do when you cross the border is change the gas flow direction in the change-over head - a simple twist.

I understand cylinders in Italy are very cheap but have no actual experience - any takers?

And when you back to the UK? Either change the high pressure hoses for Calor propane fittings or use a Gaslow Calor butane adaptor on the existing hoses.

Hope this helps.

Ray


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## 108033 (Nov 1, 2007)

Thanks Ray for the detailed suggestions about obtaining gas in France and Spain. My problem is, we'll be visiting a lot of countries this Summer and so it's impossible to predict exactly where we'll run out. I dont want to end up buying every conceivable type of adaptor in advance and, during the course of our travels, building up a collection of national bottles. Having spent the last couple of days trawling through this forum and elsewhere, the logical answer would seem to be installing a Gaslow system.
This however brings up more questions - but I'll start a new thread, as this one seems to have moved on (via baked bean tins!) from the original questions about site availability.


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