Comparing Off-Grid Touring in Germany, France, and Spain

[WESTY66]

You might decide to keep this one for ever?

He’s only looking after it for me

 

[DBK]

We have some experience of both countries. Biggest difference is France has a massive and varied coastline where finding places to stop overnight in the popular spots can mean being on crowded aires. Out of season and inland you will have no problem finding places to stop.

I lived in Germany for four years, it's a civilised and organised place but a bit clinical for me these days. And they do like their rules and everyone follows them. It's very different in France.

Visit both countries, which you can easily do one one trip, and form your own impressions.

 

[ambulancekidd]

 

[f6c]

Welcome aboard

 

[ChesterB]

One thing worth bearing in mind about Germany (probably covers Austria too) is their definition of "camping". Out of season at least, you can usually get away with parking up for a night even if it says "No Camping". The Germans accept that you might well be just "Resting" and are usually quite tolerant unless you are daft enough to start getting out the table & chairs, not to mention the barbeque.
If you look tidy, are tidy and don't take the p***, you should be fine.
Obviously high season is a different ball game.
We're off to the Pyrenees next week, in a re-run of our first ever moho trip nearly 20 years ago. Been a while, so anyone got any good pointers please?
Cb.

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[Smokaijo]

I can’t compare Germany to france because I don’t do france, BUT Germany is excellent for off grid touring via the vast amount of Stellplatz, and I’ve found the Germans nothing but welcoming

At least they don’t block off the ports now and again and stop us visiting their country

Do you know if most of Stellplatz are wheelchair accessible?

 

[carolyn]

I would agree with Lenny HB about the food, it’s dreadful other than the cake Everything is just so heavy. I’m not a fussy eater but I feel queasy just thinking about it. Even if you have a side salad it will be like a 70’s English one with a bit of sweetcorn on top and drowned in somesort of sweet dressing yuk.

 

[G-RMPS]

Just for balance I love schweinhaxen with kartoffelknoedel!

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

the food, it’s dreadful other than the cake

Your not wrong

 

[MichaelT]

Do you know if most of Stellplatz are wheelchair accessible?

In what respect, basically it's just a car park so what else would a wheelchair user need?

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[Mad dog]

Spain cheepest, Germany next, France the most expensive. We've toured France very extensively, the only difficult area to park is on the south coast & bits of the West coast, Germany pretty easy, North Spain really easy & very cheap. Not done inner or south Spain.

 

[jumartoo]

I've just finished my thread A Year in Spain, in which we mostly spent our time off grid.

When I get round to it I'm going to do a "Summer in Spain, again" thread for this summer. We'll be heading to the Pyrenees to start our trip.

 

[Stealaway]

Hi How does Germany compare to France and Spain for of grid touring?. How are UK motorhome tourers receivedGerman Holidays

German Holiday

We always travel on a Sunday to avoid the traffic and queues at the Dartford Crossing.

We would catch a cheap tunnel crossing at about 8.00 PM going and a cheap return at about 8.00 AM.

Easy overnight stops are at

Grave lines Aire about 7E.

Bray Dunes central carpark FOC.

(Carrefour Supermarket and services nearby)

De Panne just over the border in Belgium is a nice town and seaside resort.



My Favourite route south through Germany is to pick up the E40/42 in Dunkirk to Aachen via Charleroi. Turn off at Junction 2 just as it enters Germany near Aachen and head directly south to Monschau a town unchanged since a 1700. Then south again to the Mosel at Cochem. Tour the Mosel to Boppard and a ferry across the Rhine. For me there is not much to see on the Rhine so either side will do. There are ferries at various spots down to the south. South to Rüdesheim am Rheine and then I would head for Lindau on the Bodensee. You’re now in my favourite part of Germany, Bavaria and the Tyrol into Austria. There are many place to stop anywhere in Germany and plenty of Stellplatze if needs be. I would strongly recommend Mittenwald for a few days. You are next to the railway station and ticket to Garmish are very cheap. At Garmish station there is mountain railway to the highest Beer Keller in the world.

http://zugspitze.de/en/winter/mountain/zugspitze



We only ever stop at Stellplatz but they usually have all services but often with a small charge



Other popular visits are a lap of the old Nurburging circuit. (25E I think)

The science museums at Technik Museum Speyer and Sinsheim.

The private Technic Museum at Marxzell is not to be missed

The NSU museum at Neckarsulm has the finest collection of motorcycles plus



https://demomu.de/



http://www.fahrzeugmuseum-marxzell.de/



https://sinsheim.technik-museum.de/en/



You could buy a Critical air sticker for Germany – and even France last forever and only about 5 euro.

 

[Just smiffy]

Do you know if most of Stellplatz are wheelchair accessible?

If you can drive a van into them them a wheelchair will go too…

 

[G-RMPS]

My insurance specifically excludes cover for the Nurburgring :-;

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[Roby2008]

Do you know if most of Stellplatz are wheelchair accessible?

Most are as they are car parks, some have dedicated wheelie spaces but not all.....the biggest thing is usually the ground, not all are tarmac or concrete, eg: Heidleberg has gravel, nice stellplatz but impossible to move around as a wheelie.
Google maps is your friend here, change to Satellite View and you can usually tell the makeup of the surface.
We try to have an alternative stellplatz in mind just in case we can't utilise our first option..