My First European Tour
Hello fellow caravan enthusiasts.
I'm excited to share that I'll be embarking on my first European caravan touring adventure at the beginning of June this year.
As a newcomer to European caravanning, I'd greatly appreciate any advice or feedback on my planned route from those of you with experience travelling through Europe by caravan.
I've attached my tentative itinerary below. If anyone has time to share their insights or personal experiences, it would be incredibly helpful for my planning!
Thank you in advance for your guidance.
Kevin
Arrival | Departure | Site | Post Code | Time | Miles | Site Website | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11/06/2025 | 12/06/2025 | 1 | Ferry Portsmouth tp Cherbourg 23:15 to 08:00 | Brittanny Ferries | ||||||
12/06/2025 | 14/06/2025 | 2 | Le Corman - Normandy France 50480 | 50480 | 00:43 | 28 | ||||
14/06/2025 | 16/06/2025 | 2 | Camping de l'Etang - Brissac-Quince France 49320 | 49320 | 03:32 | 223 | ||||
16/06/2025 | 18/06/2025 | 2 | Chateau de la Rolandiere - Trogues France 37220 | 37220 | 01:23 | 218 | ||||
18/06/2025 | 20/06/2025 | 2 | Chateau de Poinsouze Boussac-Bourg France 23600 | 23600 | 02:35 | 113 | ||||
20/06/2025 | 21/06/2025 | 1 | La Grappe Fleurie Boussac-Bourg France 69820 | 69820 | 02:50 | 147 | ||||
21/06/2025 | 25/06/2025 | 4 | Camping Les Rives du Lac - Lake Annecy France 74320 | 74320 | 02:25 | 118 | ||||
25/06/2025 | 29/06/2025 | 4 | Les Marmottes - Chamonix Mont Blanc 74400 | 74400 | 01:23 | 66 | Home Les Marmottes Campsite | Chamonix Mont-Blanc • Camping les marmottes | |||
29/06/2025 | 01/07/2025 | 2 | Camping Les Iles - Tohapi Passy 74190 | 74190 | 00:44 | 23 | Camping Les Iles - Tohapi in Passy, France (2025) | Book your camping on JetCamp.com | |||
01/07/2025 | 04/07/2025 | 3 | Le Chateau de l'Eperviere - Gigny sur Saone 71240 | 71240 | 02:35 | 157 | ||||
04/07/2025 | 07/07/2025 | 3 | Belchenblick - Staufen Germany 79219 | 79219 | 03:31 | 184 | ||||
07/07/2025 | 10/07/2025 | 3 | City Kamp Strasbourg - France 67200 | 67200 | 01:24 | 69 | ||||
10/07/2025 | 12/07/2025 | 2 | Rudesheim am Rhein - Staufen Germany 65385 | 65385 | 02:51 | 150 | ||||
12/07/2025 | 15/07/2025 | 3 | Camp Berger - Cologne - Germany 50996 | 50996 | 02:22 | 103 | Oldest campsite in Germany | Camping Berger | Cologne on the Rhine | |||
15/07/2025 | 17/07/2025 | 2 | Oolderhuuske - Holland 6041 | 6041 | 01:25 | 68 | Resort Marina Oolderhuuske Roermond - Oolderhuuske (powered by e-captain.nl) | |||
17/07/2025 | 19/07/2025 | 2 | Camping Memling - Brugges Belgium 8310 | 9310 | 02:45 | 138 | Camping Memling in Bruges, Belgium (2025) | Book your camping on JetCamp.com | |||
19/07/2025 | 21/07/2025 | 2 | Urban Gardens Blaarmeersen Gent Blegium 9000 | 9000 | 00:58 | 29 | Urban Gardens Blaarmeersen Gent in Ghent, Belgium (2025) | All campings on JetCamp.com | |||
21/07/2025 | 23/07/2025 | 2 | Camping Carvan Club Brussels 1970 | 1970 | 01:02 | 46 | Camping Caravan Club Brussels in Wezembeek-Oppem, Belgium (2025) | Book your camping on JetCamp.com | |||
23/07/2025 | 25/07/2025 | 2 | Camping Du Moulin - Luxembourg 9164 | 9164 | 02:32 | 124 | ||||
Not decided from here to Channel Tunnel Yet | ||||||||||
48 | 20:19:00 | 2397 | ||||||||
Comments
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I know you said Tour and it looks exciting, but that is a lot of sites, even for 48 days. I believe campervan/motorhome owners are more likely to move on after a few days but in a caravan you are going to spend a lot of your time setting up and packing away.
Colin
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I tend to agree with @eribaMotters about the length of stays. You will be surprised at how far it is from say Annecy to Belgium with a caravan.
Looking back at our first trip to France we restricted it to the Loire area and Normandy/Brittany in an 18 day tour moving only 4 times and found it rewarding. We knew after the first trip what to expect in future ones and proceeded over the years to visit all of the different areas in France. Why rush? I'm exhausted looking at the number of stops and the short times in between them. Cut out a couple of them and immerse yourself in local life a bit longer. Hopefully you'll enjoy it so much you'll be returning time and time again.
If you do continue with your itinerary then I wish you luck but remember you are going in what hopefully will be sunny and hot weather and 3-4 hours in those conditions may not be the best way to get the most from your time.
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I agree with the comments made by @eribaMotters and @Wherenext. A lot of sites, even for 6+ weeks.
In addition, I'm puzzled by the last section, ie from Cologne to the SE of Holland, from there a long way West to Brugge, then back (Eastish) to Gent, further SE to Brussel, then South to Luxemburg. You then don't know yet which way back to Channel Tunnel.
Would you not be better cutting out the Dutch bit altogether and going to Luxemburg first, from Rudesheim? Via Trier, that's a nice area. Then from Luxemburg up via Brussel, Gent, Brugge and from there to the Channel Tunnel. To me that would make more sense.
I think you're trying to cram too much into the tour personally. And as already said, travelling and setting up takes a fair chunk out of each departure/arrival day. Also, be aware that some sites are closed over the lunchtime period, sometimes until 2 or 3pm, possibly later. If that happened on one of your shorter travelling days, you'd be no better off timewise.
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I have stayed at 6 of the sites you list and I don't see you being disappointed. Tend to agree with others that it is a very busy schedule, likened more to "Americans" doing Europe, if its Tuesday it must be Belgium! (what film did that come from?) You have obviously put a lot of planning into it so I suppose you will need to see whether it suits.
David
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Good luck, but for goodness sake don’t take an awning .
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I would also agree with @eribaMotters and @Wherenext. The number of sites you propose is similar to our itinerary over a similar period with our MH. Moving on and setting up is much faster and of course as we don’t have a car we move to be where we want to visit. When we had a caravan, although we did a few 1 / 2 night stops most were 5 to 7 days. We would have found it very hard work moving on so frequently.
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Like InaD, I am puzzled by the last bit of your route!
And I can confirm that there are still many sites that close for a long lunch.
A 2 night stop means really only one full day for sight-seeing, and there is a lot to see at several of your stops.
Another thing to watch out for is the lack, on some sites, of provision at ground level for emptying waste water. You can often use the MH service point instead should it be a problem.
A sun canopy to provide shade I would consider essential.
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Like others have said that is a busy itinerary which you may well prefer to try to do regardless of what is said. I have not looked at your route in detail or the distance involved between halts but as long as you are prepared to adjust it as you go along, I see no reason why you should not try it.
peedee
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I'm excited to share that the next update on my European caravan touring adventure at the beginning of June.
As a newcomer to European caravanning your advice and feedback on my planned routes has been greatly appreciated. Based on feedback I've already received, I've decided to save Germany & Holland for another trip to avoid trying to cover too much ground.
For equipment, I'll be bringing a sun canopy instead of a full awning, too heavy and time consuming - looking at treating myself to a Telta Sky Link 400. At only 11kg, these roll up and stay on the caravan when traveling between sites, which seems ideal for a multi-stop tour.
I've attached my revised itinerary below. If anyone has time to share their insights or personal experiences, it would be incredibly helpful.
I'm looking for suggestions on a nice site for four or five nights between Brugges and Channel Tunnel, preferably site with a pool and on the coast.
- Below is my new going out route, Google Maps.
On left of page you'll see "Camping Icon with a car", click on this then scroll down click on "details" for route mileage and times between stop to open up.
- Route heading back, Google Maps
Below is details on sites
Arrival
Departure
Site
Post Code
Miles
Time
Site Website
11/06/2025
12/06/2025
1
Ferry Portsmouth tp Cherbourg 23:15 to 08:00
Brittanny Ferries
12/06/2025
14/06/2025
2
Le Corman - Normandy France 50480
50480
28
00:41
14/06/2025
16/06/2025
2
Camping de l'Etang - Brissac-Quince France 49320
49320
221
3:27:00
16/06/2025
18/06/2025
2
Chateau de la Rolandiere - Trogues France 37220
37220
54
1:25:00
18/06/2025
20/06/2025
2
Chateau de Poinsouze Boussac-Bourg France 23600
23600
110
2:31:00
20/06/2025
21/06/2025
1
La Grappe Fleurie Boussac-Bourg France 69820
69820
156
2:57:00
21/06/2025
26/06/2025
5
Camping Les Rives du Lac - Lake Annecy France 74320
74320
109
2:17:00
26/06/2025
30/06/2025
4
Les Marmottes - Chamonix Mont Blanc 74400
74400
66
1:19:00
Home Les Marmottes Campsite | Chamonix Mont-Blanc • Camping les marmottes
Height restriction on bridge at entry are fine.
30/06/2025
04/07/2025
4
Camping Les Iles - Tohapi Passy 74190
74190
13
0:23:00
Camping Les Iles - Tohapi in Passy, France (2025) | Book your camping on JetCamp.com
04/07/2025
08/07/2025
4
Le Chateau de l'Eperviere - Gigny sur Saone 71240
71240
154
2:33:00
08/07/2025
11/07/2025
3
Port-surSaone 70170
70170
129
2:19:00
Campsite Camping de la Maladière à Port-sur-Saône in Burgundy Free County - camping.info
11/07/2025
16/07/2025
5
City Kamp Strasbourg - France 67200
67200
144
2:34:00
16/07/2025
19/07/2025
3
Camping Du Moulin - Luxembourg 9164
9164
167
2:53:00
19/07/2025
22/07/2025
3
Camping Carvan Club Brussels 1970
1970
139
2:33:00
Camping Caravan Club Brussels in Wezembeek-Oppem, Belgium (2025) | Book your camping on JetCamp.com
22/07/2025
26/07/2025
4
Camping Memling - Brugges Belgium 8310
9310
62
1:12:00
Camping Memling in Bruges, Belgium (2025) | Book your camping on JetCamp.com
Thanks again everyone.
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I think you will find your streamlined itinerary more relaxing and hope you enjoy your 1st adventure abroad. Like many we have been making he crossing for 20+ years and to us it seems a no brainer for an extended holiday in the sun.
The Telta Sky Link 400 is a new product to me. I have always used a Fiamma Caravanstore that is left on the van at all times. We now travel with it on the back of the van for a dry area for bikes, clothes airer and a 2nd fridge. On the door side we now use an Isabella Shadow as the Fiamma Caravanstore would foul the outside light and door opening as we have a pop top Eriba. Both go up in minutes.
One thing you may wish to add to your list is a table top fridge, not a coolbox. Your caravan fridge will struggle to cope with Continental temperatures.
Colin
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We use a Caravanstore Fiamma when on the continent.. especially when touring. +1 for taking another fridge too.. we use one just for drink.
Depending on what town(s) you are passing through, you might need to check if they require a Crit'Air badge (low emission zones)
We are just putting together a route down to the Italian lakes for 3 weeks in the summer - cant wait!
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