Right Funsters, what's the nicest place you've toured?

[garry63]

hi all
Where's the nicest place you've toured in your mh, have you been nicely surprised by anything unexpected?

 

[Spriddler]

UK would be a great country to tour if it was Motorhome friendly but it's so anti Motorhomes it's not worth the bother.

Like you I only tour abroad, where motorhomes are welcomed and not just tolerated as it feels when in the U.K. We are both only about a 20 miles drive from Dieppe (i.e. the Newhaven ferry port) and I become totally relaxed once over there (far more than when suffering the heavy traffic, restrictions and delays here) with excellent roads and never a problem getting a (usually attractive) spontaneous overnight stop within or close to villages/towns.

 

[nicholsong]

It was the cycling and swimming but take a look at the aires at Le Cheylard, Lamastre, St Agreve (higher than Snowden) Les Ollieres Beauchastel and Privas but look at the cycling routes around there and it becomes far more interesting than the towns.

Further south on that side of the Rhone, anywhere along the Ceze above la roque is far better than the Ardeche which could be rammed. (in our view) but NB Chusclan aire if you have transport. Another nearby of high quality is at Uzes. Wine is better at Uzes (lovely town) than Chusclan and further cycling to Pont du Gard including a route across the Pont.

Thank you. Very helpful.

Geoff

 

[nicholsong]

Like you I only tour abroad, where motorhomes are welcomed and not just tolerated as it feels when in the U.K. We are both only about a 20 miles drive from Dieppe (i.e. the Newhaven ferry port) and I become totally relaxed once over there (far more than when suffering the heavy traffic, restrictions and delays here) with excellent roads and never a problem getting a (usually attractive) spontaneous overnight stop within or close to villages/towns.

I think peoples attitudes to whether UK or Continent suits is probably influenced by whether one likes campsites or not.

UK is OK if you like campsites, but not otherwise.

Continent is good whether you like campsites or off-grid.

 

[EuroTrotters]

So, so many. I love mountains.

Norway
Switzerland
Austria

For beaches. The costal road from Menton / Monaco to Hyeres has t be my favourite beach holiday.

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[Spriddler]

I think peoples attitudes to whether UK or Continent suits is probably influenced by whether one likes campsites or not.

UK is OK if you like campsites, but not otherwise.

Continent is good whether you like campsites or off-grid.

True enough. I've rarely used campsites and only when necessary and briefly for doing domestic chores or for family gatherings reasons. What I certainly don't like is forward planning a trip and having to book sites which seems to be necessary in the U.K.
Before getting the m/h I toured a lot abroad using the car and booking hotels but so many times I was dismayed that I had to pass by attractive places where I would've liked to stop for a night or two where it not for a pre-booked hotel elsewhere.

 

[garry63]

How true. We have just arrived at free parking 1 1/2 miles from the centre of Florence having fettled with all services for free at a nice clean area at a motorway services and refilled with gas at 71 cents/litre. Granted we did pay 8 euros to use the autostrada for 60 miles of relaxing driving on smooth uncrowded roads.

I can understand that for some people motorhoming in UK is good for them, but it’s not what I call motorhoming.

Can we have some pics Lenny?

 

[Lenny HB]

Can we have some pics Lenny?

Plenty on my threads.

 

[DDJC]

True enough. I've rarely used campsites and only when necessary and briefly for doing domestic chores or for family gatherings reasons. What I certainly don't like is forward planning a trip and having to book sites which seems to be necessary in the U.K.
Before getting the m/h I toured a lot abroad using the car and booking hotels but so many times I was dismayed that I had to pass by attractive places where I would've liked to stop for a night or two where it not for a pre-booked hotel elsewhere.

I'm the opposite. We much prefer the continent, always book and always prefer sites.
I have a plan laid out of where we want to go, and don't do aires and deffo no wild camping anywhere. Mostly stay two or three nights in one place, up to a week, maybe. We see our motorhome as less of a camping thing and more of a mobile gite.
It's horses for courses.

 

[irnbru]

The Western Isles for me as long as you are lucky with the weather. Just stunning!

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[Lenny HB]

I'm the opposite. We much prefer the continent, always book and always prefer sites.
I have a plan laid out of where we want to go, and don't do aires and deffo no wild camping anywhere. Mostly stay two or three nights in one place, up to a week, maybe. We see our motorhome as less of a camping thing and more of a mobile gite.
It's horses for courses.

Everyone is different, we book a ferry sometimes have a rough idea of where we are going but often not.
Don't like sites prefer Aires or wilding.

At a nice wild spot beside a river in Spain for tonight.

 

[scotlandgh]

So far Dumfries and Galloway

What’s your favourite places in d&g? Just curious as that’s where I live

 

[UptheGas]

As a newbie who’d only previously done weekends , a two week trip to the Scottish highlands was our only tour but thoroughly enjoyed it .
Doing France for a couple of weeks in summer , first week nr Limoges ( booked ) , second week in Charente maritime ( not yet booked, so any good recommendations of sites appreciated)

 

[Folkranger]

Annecy

 

[hblewett]

Can we have some pics Lenny?

Not Lenny this time. It’s not glamorous, just a car park beside Fiorentina’s stadium, so photos would just be the outside - looking like the outside of any other stadium. You can’t park when there’s a game on, (of course) but it was easy enough to check their fixtures - they play here again on Thursday. You can find it on P4N.

Why it is free I really don’t understand; why there was plenty of space when we arrived at 14.00 I don’t understand; when people were paying to park in crowded streets a few hundred yards away I don’t understand - but there are 6 happy campers here tonight in a floodlit, cctv monitored car park where we can hear traffic only if we make a point of listening for it.

I only need to understand that such things are possible. What’s not to like

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[KiwiKampers]

We really liked NZ, scenery and motorhoming was fab but their Motorhomes were horrible. If it wasnt so far would seriously think about taking ours over for a temporary import.

I agree with you jongood. NZ-made motorhomes are very basic and utilitarian. The majority are made for the rental market and as such they tend to be well-built to withstand the wear and tear, but they have no niceties!
Kiwis, who like to wild camp, tend to buy Australian-made motorhomes and caravans which are often designed to go off road.
We imported our Autotrail from the UK in 2016. It has had a very hard life here and has withstood the rigours better than we expected, but there’s rarely a trip without needing to do repairs of some sort or another, usually to the window fittings and other fiddly little things. Plus the strong UV from the sun damages the plastic pieces outside, making them discolour and brittle.
In fact, I’m currently trying to source new decals for the bonnet. If I find some, would someone like to volunteer to bring them out here? They should fit in your carry-on case!

 

[Soycd]

Germany, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Spain, Poland, France. UK I have found is the least welcoming for motorhomes. Having lived in Germany for many years we got used to a plentiful supply of stelplatz etc so we could go of for a weekend practically anywhere within a 50k radius of home and always find somewhere to stay. Even the small town we lived in had two stelplatz. On our longer tours we never struggled to find reasonably priced campsites/stelplatz etc. I was quite shocked at how motorhome unfriendly UK is when we came back. We are away next weekend and I’ve had to book a campsite and staying in a pub car park, so we’ll have to have a meal there. I just wish local councils would view motorhomers as an asset to have in town rather than people that should be repelled at all costs! Off to Croatia in the summer and will enjoy the journey.

 

[Chrisvh]

It was the cycling and swimming but take a look at the aires at Le Cheylard, Lamastre, St Agreve (higher than Snowden) Les Ollieres Beauchastel and Privas but look at the cycling routes around there and it becomes far more interesting than the towns.

Further south on that side of the Rhone, anywhere along the Ceze above la roque is far better than the Ardeche which could be rammed. (in our view) but NB Chusclan aire if you have transport. Another nearby of high quality is at Uzes. Wine is better at Uzes (lovely town) than Chusclan and further cycling to Pont du Gard including a route across the Pont.

+1 for Uzes. We visited a couple of years ago after your post extolling its virtues. Great vineyard Aire within a 5 minute stroll of the town. Fantastic farmers market on a Saturday and a French Champion Patisserie to drool over. Sunday seemed to revolve around eating plates of oysters in the street washed down with a the local plonk. Easy ride to Ponte du Gard along the old railway line. Perfect motorhome stop for us.
’

 

[DDJC]

I just wish local councils would view motorhomers as an asset to have in town rather than people that should be repelled at all costs! Off to Croatia in the summer and will enjoy the journey.

Maybe one or two will, but enough to make UK motorhoming enjoyable? Can't see it. Too shortsighted.

As unpopular as it will sound to some, the entire reason for so few overnight areas, and the height restrictions, is because of our friends in their huge twin axle Fendt caravans, towed by Ford Transits.

 

[Soycd]

Maybe one or two will, but enough to make UK motorhoming enjoyable? Can't see it. Too shortsighted.

As unpopular as it will sound to some, the entire reason for so few overnight areas, and the height restrictions, is because of our friends in their huge twin axle Fendt caravans, towed by Ford Transits.

France, Germany etc all have itinerant populations but I've never seen any on a stellplatz/aire/sosta etc, and I've been to a lot, maybe I've just not noticed any. Local councils in UK will use the traveller issue as a scaremongering excuse for not providing overnight parking for motorhomes. Stellplatz/aire/sosta are generally only for motorhomes, no caravans allowed. That would be a good starting point in UK. Canterbury seems to be a good example of the way forward. Have a barrier/ANPR, charge a modest fee for overnight + free P&R into town.

Canterbury New Dover Road Park & Ride

Details for Canterbury New Dover Road Park & Ride a Overnight parking - with services Canterbury, Kent, England, United Kingdom, CT1 3EL

www.searchforsites.co.uk

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[DDJC]

Stellplatz/aire/sosta are generally only for motorhomes, no caravans allowed. That would be a good starting point in UK.

"No caravans allowed"?
That'll work!
Maybe travellers in UK are more ready and willing to ignore signs saying "No caravans allowed"!!

Best option is to drive south and when you reach the water, cross it. Go somewhere where the locals value the motorhome wallets stopping in their town, to eat, drink, visit and buy.

 

[Soycd]

"No caravans allowed"?
That'll work!
Maybe travellers in UK are more ready and willing to ignore signs saying "No caravans allowed"!!

Best option is to drive south and when you reach the water, cross it. Go somewhere where the locals value the motorhome wallets stopping in their town, to eat, drink, visit and buy.

I’m not going to risk this thread ending up in the belly locker so I’ll just reiterate. Stelplatz/aire etc are generally just for motorhomes probably due to the space caravans take up. Local councils in UK seem to be quite narrow minded when it comes to providing motorhome stopovers. Most European countries seem to provide this service without any problems from people who the sites are not intended for, so why not UK? I expect the travelling community of Europe far exceeds UK. The idea that a motorhome stopover will be a magnet for travellers is not proven it’s just used as an excuse. A managed system possibly like the French Camping-Car Park would ensure only the folk you want to get in, get in. So much negativity in UK around this issue, not enough creativity.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Peterbough Show ground in a boat

 

[ANDKEZLULA]

Maybe its because the undesirable element wouldn't get away with it on the continent?

 

[garry63]

Can we get back to nicest places i think wether mh welcome could be another interesting thread

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[PG]

hi all
Where's the nicest place you've toured in your mh, have you been nicely surprised by anything unexpected?

My problem is I forget them so I couldn't tell you mine.
But I will read this thread to get some tips for the future

 

[garry63]

My problem is I forget them so I couldn't tell you mine.
But I will read this thread to get some tips for the future

Thats why I started it thery are saved to reference

 

[steve69]

Austria, tho disappointed that Julie Andrews didn’t skip across the road in front of me

I'll do that for the right price....

 

[ANDKEZLULA]

We especially liked the Aire at Carro near Marseille. Its just a large car park really but right on the coast at a tiny fishing village with a couple of bar/restaurants& a fresh fish market every morning, you can walk or cycle for miles along the coast path directly from the aire.
Just the sound of crashing waves & the beautiful sea view if you get a spot along the front.

 

[chippenham red]

Agree there

We love Brittany. It is like having the best of our Celtic regions combined with a Motorhome friendly attitude!

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[Fdhadi]

We really enjoy driving down the side of the Rhine from Koblenz to Breisach and then across to Bavaria. Plenty of stunning scenery and Castles galore.

I find most of the German Stellplatz Motorhome stopovers excellent and plentiful.

We do enjoy Rudesheim and generally stop on the campsite there and use the facilities. Also enjoy staying at Rust where we like to go to Europa Park, our 2 daughter’s really enjoy it there.

No toll roads is also a massive bonus.