What about this route for first European trip?

[davidathomas42]

Hopefully the picture works. if not ill edit.


Starting in Sheffield end of March. Were thinking of getting the overnight Ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge to save the long boring drive south and enjoy the cabaret and silver tops boogying on the dance floor. Sure our little girl would love that.

Then a run down to a French campsite for around 4 nights then moving on to Lake Geneva for 2 or 3 nights. Up to Stuttgart to check out the Porsche Museum then Cologne to take a ride on the Rhine River before circumnavigating back to Zeebrugge and ferry back to Hull and home.

Total trip length 10-12 days depending on how long we stop in last 2 places.

First trip I am planning so any tips or modifications to the route appreciated. Basically trying to keep the driving light so were not living on the road between places. Might be adding in a single night stop in France between the ferry and Sainte Marie.

Only concern so far is if the weather will be warm enough as its not really summer. In fact its probably a long way off good summer temps. But thats when we both have the time off and we really want to get a trip in before some other stuff ties us down in the summer.

 

[mitzimad]

we make our plans each morning after weve seen the weather forecast if you have 14 days i would do a long day heading south then wander around till its time to head home remember altitude can be as important as latitude where weather is concerned

 

[Riverbankannie]

Thanks for the input so far. The weather is the main thing we will need to combat to make it fun and have facilities (open it seems)
Also the inlaws are wanting to come with us. They will be in there car and looking to rent a lodge or the likes on the same location as us for the first 4-5 nights. Then I think we will probably go our own way to the next spot and they will do there thing.

Its looking not easy to get what we want and factor everything in.... But as said thats what these cold dark winter nights are for ------ plan plan plan.

Don't be too hard on the OP, he is a lad with a young family and is probably working his socks off, not able to be on here all the time.
He has asked for advice and gas thanked the original posts. He has some reasons for making firm plans in advance.

 

[davidathomas42]

The op seems to be a tad reluctant to respond ..was he really serious you have to ask.. !

I thought this thread had no reply since a few days ago

Just caught up.

I am taking the advice of the mass's are rerouting the thoughts on the trip. I have looked at ferry options to North Spain as advised by @hilldweeler and it just seems a bit awkward with ferry times and dates that time of year but a good idea none the less.

I am also looking into just trucking down the west coast towards Nantes and Bordeaux region in the hope that sites there will be open and have facilities we want.

I was wanting to use Hull ferry port but it might be better to just truck to the euro tunnel and place us in France quicker so we have more time to enjoy the holiday. Although I was really looking forward to a full overnight ferry for the little girl to experience the cabaret.

We can stretch the trip to 14days and still leave a day off either side from work so that might help to not feel as rushed.

Anyway thanks for the advice so far. Plan plan plan.

 

[davidathomas42]

Did a reroute...... Its still some miles.

Thinking about it.

My mum has a holiday home in Plumieux close to Rennes and its empty most of the time.

Might be worth routing via there. Can stop at the house to recharge etc. Its a nice little village with a couple of bars and cafes. (only been once in the 15 years she's had it)

Still thinking Hull - Zeebrugge then its 452miles to the house. Could stop in an Aire? for a night to break up the journey around Caen.

Do a couple of nights at the house then head south to La Rochelle region or anywhere on that cost that has a decent site for us to stay for maybe 5 nights. Then reverse it back up or go via another Aire on the way back to the ferry port.





Struggling to keep the miles down unless we just stick to the north. But then it will be cold

Thoughts?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[mjltigger]

I'm not sure how experienced you guys are with your MH granted that it is your first euro trip.

There are some / many who say this is too much driving but as we here in tiggsland know, when you are wage slaves (or worse, self employed) the only way to fit it all in is to drive a lot.

Providing you enjoy the journey it is up to you how long you drive and when. We tend to start with a long drive (8 - 10hrs) then meander from there. Some days start and end with driving, some days have no driving at all.

 

[Khizzie]

Like your re - route better but instead of going all the way back up to Calais why not get a ferry back from Saint Malo or le Havre then your daughter could experience a nice long crossing and give you more time to spend site seeing.. Roy

 

[Nirvanauk]

We use the hull ferry all the time and it's much more fun than slogging down the motorway to get to Folkestone. You can be sat on the M25 for hours.

 

[Riverbankannie]

I think maybe still a long slog for little gain in terms of weather and facilities. Is your mother's holiday home occupied during the winter? If not could take a whole day to air and warm but maybe you are able to stay in drive in your MH. Seeing your new route pass Paris gave me another idea. Cut out the bit to La Rochelle this time and cut back to Paris and stay at somewhere like this

http://www.irisparc.co.uk/camping-le-chene-gris/?gclid=CNKppLvKgtECFYsy0wod0mMD8Q
Which has both pitches, accommodation for inlaws and indoor activities and pool for you and little one. Then you could have a day in Disney, yeah! Fuel saved might pay for entrance if you get a deal.

 

[hilldweller]

I am taking the advice of the mass's are rerouting the thoughts on the trip. I have looked at ferry options to North Spain as advised by @hilldweeler and it just seems a bit awkward with ferry times and dates that time of year but a good idea none the less.

I didn't check ferry times, I know there is a 24 hour service and if two were available it would give you a good week in milder climes but they aren't like the Dover/Calais sailings.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[hilldweller]

My mum has a holiday home in Plumieux close to Rennes and its empty most of the time.

Might be worth routing via there.

Thoughts?

I nearly suggested this to you but thought "this is so bleeding obvious he must have thought of this" and so I didn't.

It'll still be cold. Not much will be open so you need to plan ahead if want a nice site.

http://www.eurocampings.co.uk/

 

[bellabee]

I like your idea of taking the Hull ferry. Much more relaxing than driving to the southern ports. Although it'll mean you have more Continental driving, the driving abroad is much less stressful than that horrible drive south on British roads.
I do think you're still trying to drive too far in France, though, particularly as you have a young child. The weather's not likely to be that good anywhere, in March, so you may as well try to find a good campsite in eg Brittany and stay there, rather than slogging down to la Rochelle.
Just my thoughts. Enjoy yourselves!

 

[davidathomas42]

That's Josslin a few miles from the house.

That's the house. Loads of parking around it on the grounds. Mums best friend owns next door.

Is your mother's holiday home occupied during the winter?

Then you could have a day in Disney, yeah! Fuel saved might pay for entrance if you get a deal.

Now there's a thought! Disney!

Not sure on the heating but I was thinking we would probably sleep in the Motorhome anyway and just have the house for bathroom use etc and if needed any other facilities to reboot the Motorhome as it's our first long trip.

Liking the Disney idea!

 

[Popeye]

If there was a road to the Moon id be off in the morning.

Really, even with all the contra-flows

Quite honestly I quite like the look of your original route. Change it when you're on the road and discover all that the village Aires have to offer.

 

[denisejoe]

We went to Josslin this year. Lovely town, will definitely revisit at some time.

Denise

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[magicsurfbus]

A couple of years ago we drove from NW England to the coast near La Rochelle in less than 48 hours, setting off mid afternoon from home for Dover and arriving at La Palmyre around noon on the third day. The trick was to get an early ferry on day two and drive from Calais to the huge aire at Parc Futuroscope (near Poitiers) in a day, 400 miles in about 8 hours, sharing the driving. If you're travelling over Easter remember Good Friday isn't a public holiday in France so you can use that to bag a spot for the holiday weekend, which will get busy. Looking at your route, the Poitiers to Calais option might work coming back, giving you more time by the sea.

So, if you're happy with driving long distances, you can be halfway down France very quickly. Likewise in the direction of Brittany, we've gone from Calais to Fougeres (just NE of Rennes) in a day, again by catching an early ferry. Long distance driving on autoroutes is very easy - the biggest hazard is nodding off.

Brittany and N France are still likely to be cold, but the closer you get to Bordeaux the greater chance you have of warmer weather. When you say coast near La Rochelle, a lot of people on this forum would recommend the Ile de Re as a destination, myself included, although once you're on a site it's best explored with bikes. The nearby Ile d'Oleron is very similar in character. We'll be heading that way towards the end of our trip next April without any hesitation.

PS: Disneyland Paris - you can park a MH overnight there in a reserved section of the main car park. Not cheap, but convenient. Another good reason for going there is to avoid driving Paris's Boulevard Peripherique, which your current route will take you along.

 

[davidathomas42]

When you say coast near La Rochelle, a lot of people on this forum would recommend the Ile de Re as a destination, myself included, although once you're on a site it's best explored with bikes. The nearby Ile d'Oleron is very similar in character. We'll be heading that way towards the end of our trip next April without any hesitation.

Thanks for all that info. Good food for thought.

We have the inlaws round later so going to run initial thoughts past them to see what they are thinking. They are very seasoned French campsite visitors but they do it in the Family Volvo and rent a big tent or caravan on sites rather than haul it with them. I imagine they are thinking the same this time but tagging us in or were tagging them in. Which ever way you look at it I guess.

Ferrys I am 99% certain we will do the Hull/Zeebrugge route as then its only 70+ miles on the first and last day which will relax it. Any heavy driving is then done within the trip and we avoid that dreaded last day long haul round the M25 etc to finish us off and need another holiday lol.

Paris will be avoided at all costs unless we do Disney. In which case we will have a good look at the best way to attack it.

Thoughts on what we want to achieve and avoid are becoming clearer. Thanks to the Forum people for clearing some mud.

Plan Plan Plan....................

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

A couple of years ago we drove from NW England to the coast near La Rochelle in less than 48 hours, setting off mid afternoon from home for Dover and arriving at La Palmyre around noon on the third day. The trick was to get an early ferry on day two and drive from Calais......................

.......... and the other half of that trick is to arrive in Calais on a Sunday.
An early start on a Sunday morning can get you a long way.
If circumstances allow, even better is to catch a Saturday evening ferry and a short overnight at, or close to the ferry port.

 

[macscrooge]

We used the Hull-Zeebrugge ferry for our trip to Belgium back in February. Starting from South Yorkshire it beats the hell out of driving to Dover.

 

[Bognor Saint]

I'm still not sure that the OP has factored in the "little girl" equation. How far one travels in a day may be determined by her.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[davidathomas42]

Provisionally booked.....

Had the Mother in Law round tonight and she/they are pretty much on board with what ever we want to do. She suggested a first stop in Lisieux area to break up the journey to the main site. Its 268miles off the Ferry subject to where the site is then its 254 to the main site. (all distances subject to little girl of course) hoping the smaller trips were doing at new year etc will help her settle into been in the seat. She can always ride shotgun with mummy in the back if that helps. (mum can't drive as no C class on her licence) (Thats not a failing of the purchase. She does not even like driving her golf to the local shops. A motorhome will always be a big no)

They are probably going to drive to Dover then Eurotunnel it and meet us in France. We are going to be doing the Hull Ferry.



That brings us to here

http://www.yellohvillage.co.uk/camping/le_littoral/our_pitches

Booked in for 5 nights but I dare say we can up this if needed once we finalise the plans with the Ferry etc. was open from the 1st of April and has a big indoor heated pool and Jacuzzi etc all open.

Lots of cabins which will be for the in-laws and we can also retreat into if were getting a bit of cabin fever in the Motorhome.

Then I guess its either the reverse route back up or we break off by ourselves and go to my Mums french house in Plumieux to extend the trip a couple of days.

Now to iron out the details.