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French Caravan Tour 2008

A 6 week ( 44 day) tour through France, Germany, Austria, Italy and back through France. We planned our first stop to be at Guignicourt but as we caught an earlier ferry than expected we decided to head for Verdun instead. From Verdun we travelled to the Alsace region where we stayed a couple of days in Strasbourg the Capital of the region. This was our second visit here and the campsite is situated within walking distance of the City centre. In the centre of the historic city Petite France (Little Venice) is very picturesque and well worth a visit with its half timbered houses built along the canals and river Ill. Staying in Alsace we moved to Eguisheim probably one of the prettiest of the many Alsacian picture postcard villages and is a convenient base for visiting many of the other pretty villages in the area. From here we drove through Germany and down the shoreline of Lake Constance ( Bodensea ) to Bregenz in Austria. This is on the southern tip of the lake. More than 60% of Lake Constance's shoreline is is Germany only 10% in Austria, the rest is in Switzerland. It was wet for most of the journey and there was a torrential rain storm in the evening just as an open air opera was starting on the edge of the lake. We were pleased that we weren't there. Our plan was to go to Lake Como but we had another change of plan and decided to go back to Lake Garda via Innsbruck. The campsite we chose near Innsbruck was at Natterer See. It was excellent and instead of just an overnight stay we stayed for 4 nights before continuing our journey to Sirmione on Lake Garda.The highlight here was probably a mountain walk organised by the local tourist information office. It was free and they provided us with walking boots, two Austrian guides, Heinz & Willie, and the coach to take us up to the starting point and collect us afterwards. After leaving Nattersea it was a relief to arrive at Sirmione on Lake Garda and a pleasure to meet up with our Austrian friends Doris and Peter there.We stayed 5 nights here before moving on to Venice. The campsite we stayed at near Venice was at Fusina situated on the edge of the Venetian Lagoon only a few hundred metres from ferry service across to Venice. The next campsite at Florence was next to the Michelangelo Square with fantastic views over the City.There was a direct steep path down to the river and centre of Florence.Our next stop was at Deiva Marina - this was a mile or so from the beach and town but there was a free bus service to the Railway Station by the town and beach. The Cinque Terra can be visited by a short train to one or more of the 5 pretty cliff side villages.There is a cliff side walk along the coast linking the villages but this can be exhausting on hot afternoons. Along the Mediterranean Riviera we moved on to San Remo. The capital of the Italian Riviera and close to the border with France. It was a short drive across the French border to our next site at Villeneuve Loubet Plage. This was a few miles away from Nice but there is a regular 1 Euro bus service to the centre of Nice. A convenient way to travel avoiding car parking problems. Previously we had cycled into Nice but it was difficult getting round the airport.


French Caravan Tour 2008 A 6 week ( 44 day) tour through France, Germany, Austria, Italy and back through France. We planned our first stop to be at Guignicourt but as we caught an earlier ferry than expected we decided to head for Verdun instead. From Verdun we travelled to the Alsace region where we stayed a couple of days in Strasbourg the Capital of the region. This was our second visit here and the campsite is situated within walking distance of the City centre. In the centre of the historic city Petite France (Little Venice) is very picturesque and well worth a visit with its half timbered houses built along the canals and river Ill. Staying in Alsace we moved to Eguisheim probably one of the prettiest of the many Alsacian picture postcard villages and is a convenient base for visiting many of the other pretty villages in the area. From here we drove through Germany and down the shoreline of Lake Constance ( Bodensea ) to Bregenz in Austria. This is on the southern tip of the lake. More than 60% of Lake Constance's shoreline is is Germany only 10% in Austria, the rest is in Switzerland. It was wet for most of the journey and there was a torrential rain storm in the evening just as an open air opera was starting on the edge of the lake. We were pleased that we weren't there. Our plan was to go to Lake Como but we had another change of plan and decided to go back to Lake Garda via Innsbruck. The campsite we chose near Innsbruck was at Natterer See. It was excellent and instead of just an overnight stay we stayed for 4 nights before continuing our journey to Sirmione on Lake Garda.The highlight here was probably a mountain walk organised by the local tourist information office. It was free and they provided us with walking boots, two Austrian guides, Heinz & Willie, and the coach to take us up to the starting point and collect us afterwards. After leaving Nattersea it was a relief to arrive at Sirmione on Lake Garda and a pleasure to meet up with our Austrian friends Doris and Peter there.We stayed 5 nights here before moving on to Venice. The campsite we stayed at near Venice was at Fusina situated on the edge of the Venetian Lagoon only a few hundred metres from ferry service across to Venice. The next campsite at Florence was next to the Michelangelo Square with fantastic views over the City.There was a direct steep path down to the river and centre of Florence.Our next stop was at Deiva Marina - this was a mile or so from the beach and town but there was a free bus service to the Railway Station by the town and beach. The Cinque Terra can be visited by a short train to one or more of the 5 pretty cliff side villages.There is a cliff side walk along the coast linking the villages but this can be exhausting on hot afternoons. Along the Mediterranean Riviera we moved on to San Remo. The capital of the Italian Riviera and close to the border with France. It was a short drive across the French border to our next site at Villeneuve Loubet Plage. This was a few miles away from Nice but there is a regular 1 Euro bus service to the centre of Nice. A convenient way to travel avoiding car parking problems. Previously we had cycled into Nice but it was difficult getting round the airport.
Home to Verdun 299 Miles camping Les Breils http://www.campinglesbreuils.com/	Verdun to Strasbourg 158 Miles camping de la Montagne Vert http://en.aquadis-loisirs.com/alsace/camping-de-la-montagne-verte,3.php Strasbourg the Capital of the Alscace region. This was our second visit here and the campsite is situated within walking distance of the City centre. In the centre of the historic city Petite France (Little Venice) is very picturesque and well worth a visit with its half timbered houses built along the canals and river I	Strasbourg to Eguisheim 59 Miles Camping Des Trois Chateaux http://www.camping-eguisheim.fr/?lang=en Eguisheim probably one of the prettiest of the many Alsacian picture postcard villages and is a convenient base for visiting many of the other pretty villages in the area. There is a stork sanctuary slose to the campsite and they can be seen nesting on roof tops and even walking around the campsite. Regulars return here for the Town's Wine Festival in September
Eguisheim to Bregenz ( Lake Constance) 155 Miles Camping Seecamping http://www.seecamping.at/	Bregenz to Innsbruck 130 miles Camping Innsbruck/ Natterer See www.natterersee.com an ACSI site This is an excellent campsite and instead of just an overnight stay we stayed for 4 nights before continuing our journey to Sirmione on Lake Garda.The highlight here was probably a mountain walk organised by the local tourist information office. It was free and they provided us with walking boots, two Austrian guides, Heinz & Willie, and the coach to take us up to the starting point and collect us afterwards.	Innsbruck to Sirmione (Lake Garda) 178 miles Camping Village San Francesco http://www.campingsanfrancesco.it/
Sirmione to Venice 98 Miles Camping Fusina (http://www.campingfusina.com/en/ ) The campsite we stayed at near Venice was at Fusina situated on the edge of the Venetian Lagoon only a few hundred metres from ferry service across to Venice.The trip across the lagoon takens about 20 minutes. Magical sunsets and sunrises from the site but it is situated next to the new 'Motorways of the Seas' terminal which has large ships coming and going from time to time	Venice to Florence 164 Miles Camping Michelangelo :-http://www.ecvacanze.it/en/campingmichelangelo The campsite is next to the Michelangelo Square with fantastic views over the City from the site. There was a direct steep path down to the river and centre of Florence.We visited Sienna from here.The site is on a steep hill and if you have a choice choose a pitch at the top near the facilities.	Florence to Deiva Marina 118 Miles Camping La Sfinge http://www.camping.it/liguria/lasfinge/ accepts ACSI cards this was a mile or so from the beach and town but there was a free bus service to the Railway Station by the town and beach. The Cinque Terra can be visited by a short train to one or more of the 5 pretty cliff side villages.There is a cliff side walk along the coast linking the villages but this can be exhausting on hot afternoons
Dieva Marina to San Remo 137 Miles Campsite Villaggio dei Fiora http://www.suncamp.co.uk/gb/en/camp-sites/italy/liguria/campsite-villaggio-dei-fiori/camping- Open all year round and is a favourite winter stop for some friends of ours with their motorhome	San Remo to Villeneuve Loubet Plage(Nice) 48 Miles Camping De L'Hippodrome http://www.camping-hippodrome.com/ This was a few miles away from Nice but there is a regular 1 Euro bus service to the centre of Nice. A convenient way to travel avoiding car parking problems. Although it is not too far to cycle into Nice it is difficult skirting round the airport which takes you away from the coast. Not a site I would recommend very highly apart for its proximity to Nice	Villeneuve Loubet Plage to Antheor Plage 34 miles Camping Azur Rivage http://www.camping-azur-rivage.com/fr The Massif de I'Estérel, an ancient mountain range with Mont Vinaigre as its highest peak at 614m (2,050ft). Driving the coastal road is a dramatic sight, the rugged, reddish rocks contrasting with the azur blue sea. The red color of the rocks comes from the porphyry, a type of reddish solidified magma. The Estérel's vegetation consists mostly of garrigue, the hardy shrubs of juniper, lavender, rosemary, wild thyme, heather and cistus as well as stunted holm oaks
Antheor Plage to Malauscene 63 Miles Camping http://www.provence.guideweb.com/camping/bosquet/malaucene-provence.htmluet	Malauscene to Neris Les Bains 254 Miles n Camping Municipal du Lac http://www.ville-neris-les-bains.fr/hebergements/campings.php	Neris Les Bains to Loches 117 Miles Camping La Citadelle http://www.lacitadelle.com/
Loches to Blangy Sur Bresle 252 Miles Camping Municipal Les Etangs http://www.francecamping.org/11086/camping-municipal-les-etangs.html	Blangy Sur Bresle to Autingues Camping St Louis http://www.campingstlouis.com/	Autingues to Home