Mini European Tour Summer 2019

[GreatGranny]

Quite fancy taking the van over to the continent next year for the first time.

Been caravanning for over 15 years but never taken it abroad.

Going for 2-3 weeks and want to see a few places but also spend maybe a week on a nice coastal site.
Will be my wife and I and 16 year old daughter and 12 year old son but I have a feeling the 16 year old won't want to come :-)
The 19 year old will no doubt be either working to pay off her student debt or in Majorca/Menorca etc....

So any suggestions on routes and a decent place to settle for a week.

I realise 2 weeks may not be enough time so may have to extend to 3 so we can visit places on route.

We would love to go to the south of France (had a wonderful 10 days camping in Agay pre kids) but maybe it's just too far.

Thanks

[oblio]

The SoF is do-able easily with that timescale. Break the journey with a couple of 1 night stops at sites/aires along the way and still have 2 weeks there. Job jobbed

We spent a couple of weeks in Cavalaire sur Mer at a site 400m from the beaches the other year. Very pleasant little town on the bus route to St Tropez.

NB If you go to St Tropez take a packed lunch or time your visit. Prices can be extortionate

[GreatGranny]

oblio said:

The SoF is do-able easily with that timescale. Break the journey with a couple of 1 night stops at sites/aires along the way and still have 2 weeks there. Job jobbed

We spent a couple of weeks in Cavalaire sur Mer at a site 400m from the beaches the other year. Very pleasant little town on the bus route to St Tropez.

NB If you go to St Tropez take a packed lunch or time your visit. Prices can be extortionate

Thanks for quick reply.

So 3 days getting down and 3 back leaves 2 weeks down there :-)
Sounds ideal.

Any times to avoid but keeping within our school holidays?

[oblio]

We do most of our travelling outside of school holidays tbh but it may be worth researching when the main Paris 2 week holiday is and avoiding travelling on those dates. I have heard of tales of jammed roads with a massive exodus from the capital down to the south and west.

[troika]

Ile de Re. Take your bikes.

[mike9009]

troika said:

Ile de Re. Take your bikes.

Seconded, we love the West coast of France, Ile de Re being a highlight.

Now we have an older campervan, I prefer not to travel too far - so South of France is out. <50mph, 17mpg, 95dB, 2 kids>

I would love to do the Loire (Tours, Saumer, Angers, a little further north to Le Man, perhaps) and then down near La Rochelle somewhere - La Tranches sur Mer, Ile de Re, Les Sables D'Ollone, Ile de Oleron etc. All lovely places. (Apologies if my spelling of French place names is not very good!!)


We have been down to Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Holland, but in various two seater sports cars (MR2, VX220, Smart Roadster) with a three man tent. The driving was fun then, but I can imagine towing a caravan over those distances would become a chore, especially in the Alps.

Mike