Rent a Camper
Mar 3rd 2003 | 1:43 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Rent a Camper
We will be in Europe this summer, with most of our time in France. Our
plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the way
to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
Merci!
************************************************** ************
Tom Ihlenfeldt
St. Paul, Minnesota
[email protected]
plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the way
to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
Merci!
************************************************** ************
Tom Ihlenfeldt
St. Paul, Minnesota
[email protected]
Mar 3rd 2003 | 4:58 pm
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Rent a Camper
"Tom I" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We will be in Europe this summer, with most of our time in France. Our
> plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the
way
> to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
> Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
> finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
> Merci!
> ************************************************** ************
> Tom Ihlenfeldt
> St. Paul, Minnesota
> [email protected]
I used to own a VW camper for about 8 years when I lived in Belgium &
Switzerland (roughly 1981-88) and travelled a lot in France & elsewhere with
it.
There are plenty of well equipped campsites in almost everywhere. I would
not worry about that now, you can get a guidebook when you are in France.
I used a printed guide - no web in those days and anyway a book is much
more practical to look at than a computer when you are driving.
Some sites can be full in peak season (July-August) especially in beach
areas, but I never had a real problem.
Also I often camped in forests etc. not in camp sites and never had any
problems (never left a mess behind either!).
I prefer it as a way to travel to a hotel and cars, except for large cities,
where you may still prefer to stay in a hotel..
Also I think you meet people more easily.
On the other hand it can rain....
and camper van rental is not cheap...
and in some areas, especially the Med. coast, car parks have a height
restriction to stop campers entering and staying overnight - this is mostly
in major tourist areas and can be a nuisance.
Roger
news:[email protected]...
> We will be in Europe this summer, with most of our time in France. Our
> plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the
way
> to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
> Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
> finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
> Merci!
> ************************************************** ************
> Tom Ihlenfeldt
> St. Paul, Minnesota
> [email protected]
I used to own a VW camper for about 8 years when I lived in Belgium &
Switzerland (roughly 1981-88) and travelled a lot in France & elsewhere with
it.
There are plenty of well equipped campsites in almost everywhere. I would
not worry about that now, you can get a guidebook when you are in France.
I used a printed guide - no web in those days and anyway a book is much
more practical to look at than a computer when you are driving.
Some sites can be full in peak season (July-August) especially in beach
areas, but I never had a real problem.
Also I often camped in forests etc. not in camp sites and never had any
problems (never left a mess behind either!).
I prefer it as a way to travel to a hotel and cars, except for large cities,
where you may still prefer to stay in a hotel..
Also I think you meet people more easily.
On the other hand it can rain....
and camper van rental is not cheap...
and in some areas, especially the Med. coast, car parks have a height
restriction to stop campers entering and staying overnight - this is mostly
in major tourist areas and can be a nuisance.
Roger
Mar 3rd 2003 | 7:51 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Rent a Camper
On Mon, 3 Mar 2003 20:43:53 -0600, "Tom I" wrote:
>We will be in Europe this summer, with most of our time in France. Our
>plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the way
>to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
>Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
>finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
>Merci!
France by campervan is FANTASTIC, there are places everywhere that
cater for these vehicles- free space to stay overnight, to fill up
with water etc. (with 'sanistations'...)
http://www.eurocampingcar.com/uk
http://trans.voila.fr/ano?anolg=6554...fr/accueil.htm
(the english translation is a bit dodgy)
In French but easy to navigate:
http://campingcar.free.fr/Francais/recherche.htm
You can locally get a map with all the camperplaces on it. (they are
mostly free, or have a small fee in the summer months)
If you want to do something special, get the 'France passion'
book&licence (only about 20EURO)- then you can stay on the farms that
have a place for campers as well (and, most surprisingly- you're
invited- it's free. And a good way to buy local produce as there are
all kinds of farms and vineyards).
True enough, near the coast it is often not allowed to stay overnight
next to the beach- but a 'camping municipal' is almost everywhere to
be found.
Apart from those, there are plenty places where you can just park up
for the night.
You can do that in Spain as well, but don't try it in Holland (it's
forbidden there)- it is a good place to rent a camper though!
Anjo
>************************************************* *************
>Tom Ihlenfeldt
>St. Paul, Minnesota
>[email protected]
>We will be in Europe this summer, with most of our time in France. Our
>plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the way
>to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
>Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
>finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
>Merci!
France by campervan is FANTASTIC, there are places everywhere that
cater for these vehicles- free space to stay overnight, to fill up
with water etc. (with 'sanistations'...)
http://www.eurocampingcar.com/uk
http://trans.voila.fr/ano?anolg=6554...fr/accueil.htm
(the english translation is a bit dodgy)
In French but easy to navigate:
http://campingcar.free.fr/Francais/recherche.htm
You can locally get a map with all the camperplaces on it. (they are
mostly free, or have a small fee in the summer months)
If you want to do something special, get the 'France passion'
book&licence (only about 20EURO)- then you can stay on the farms that
have a place for campers as well (and, most surprisingly- you're
invited- it's free. And a good way to buy local produce as there are
all kinds of farms and vineyards).
True enough, near the coast it is often not allowed to stay overnight
next to the beach- but a 'camping municipal' is almost everywhere to
be found.
Apart from those, there are plenty places where you can just park up
for the night.
You can do that in Spain as well, but don't try it in Holland (it's
forbidden there)- it is a good place to rent a camper though!
Anjo
>************************************************* *************
>Tom Ihlenfeldt
>St. Paul, Minnesota
>[email protected]
Mar 3rd 2003 | 10:41 pm
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Rent a Camper
Hi Tom
depending on what you want and what you used to. In France there are
hundreds off "camping car " (thats what tey call a camper)places and the
most off them are totaly free off charge. there are hundreds off places were
you can empty your waste water and toilet bins this cost a little bit, at
those places you can full up your drinking water, all for a few cents( i
think on this moment the most off those places ask 1 euro but there i am not
sure) we travelled thru France wihtour own camper and went never on a
campsite, camper places are in some cases even cleaner than cheap
campsites( this we saw ourselfs sot from someone who now someone who was
there)
it is also thru that in the south ( cote d'azur) there are parking area's
who has height limitid barriers) but it is also thru that there are beaches
were you can drive your camper on the beach.
here in Belgium it is more like what the local politici wants but if you
on't go t the cooastal area there is no big problem.
in the Netherlands it is not allowed to stay outside campings at night fines
are about 100Euros( dollars).
Germany is like France and if you are tyred nobody can force you to drive,
you are allowed to stay .
the Uk is also different scotland no problem att all, England officialy not
alowed but in many places tolerated we went to parking spots at railway
stations.
and to all the guys who have critics on it, we went almost daily to a
restaurant and did our shopping at the local stores, so we supported the
local stores.
--
Swagmanneke( walter caremans)
[email protected]
"Tom I" schreef in bericht
news:[email protected]...
> We will be in Europe this summer, with most of our time in France. Our
> plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the
way
> to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
> Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
> finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
> Merci!
> ************************************************** ************
> Tom Ihlenfeldt
> St. Paul, Minnesota
> [email protected]
depending on what you want and what you used to. In France there are
hundreds off "camping car " (thats what tey call a camper)places and the
most off them are totaly free off charge. there are hundreds off places were
you can empty your waste water and toilet bins this cost a little bit, at
those places you can full up your drinking water, all for a few cents( i
think on this moment the most off those places ask 1 euro but there i am not
sure) we travelled thru France wihtour own camper and went never on a
campsite, camper places are in some cases even cleaner than cheap
campsites( this we saw ourselfs sot from someone who now someone who was
there)
it is also thru that in the south ( cote d'azur) there are parking area's
who has height limitid barriers) but it is also thru that there are beaches
were you can drive your camper on the beach.
here in Belgium it is more like what the local politici wants but if you
on't go t the cooastal area there is no big problem.
in the Netherlands it is not allowed to stay outside campings at night fines
are about 100Euros( dollars).
Germany is like France and if you are tyred nobody can force you to drive,
you are allowed to stay .
the Uk is also different scotland no problem att all, England officialy not
alowed but in many places tolerated we went to parking spots at railway
stations.
and to all the guys who have critics on it, we went almost daily to a
restaurant and did our shopping at the local stores, so we supported the
local stores.
--
Swagmanneke( walter caremans)
[email protected]
"Tom I" schreef in bericht
news:[email protected]...
> We will be in Europe this summer, with most of our time in France. Our
> plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the
way
> to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
> Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
> finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
> Merci!
> ************************************************** ************
> Tom Ihlenfeldt
> St. Paul, Minnesota
> [email protected]
Mar 3rd 2003 | 11:07 pm
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Rent a Camper
"Tom I" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We will be in Europe this summer, with most of our time in France. Our
> plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the
way
> to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
> Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
> finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
> Merci!
Depending on when you go, campervan rental can work out quite expensive, and
it isn't so easily available. When you can find it, the rental for a small
'van (2-4 berths) will cost from around 100 euro to 150 euro a day, 700 to
1050 euro a week. You can rent a small car for 200 euro/wk. You can easily
find a modest double hotel room for 100 euro/night. OK, you can save by
cooking yourself in your 'van, but adding extra diesel cost (it's about half
as fuel efficient) and site fees, it'll end up costing more. It makes more
sense for 4 people sharing (unless they're children who can sleep in a
family room). So do your sums first. Unless staying in camping and caravan
park appeals to you particularly....
Alec
news:[email protected]...
> We will be in Europe this summer, with most of our time in France. Our
> plans were to rent a car and use nightly lodging but someone thought the
way
> to go would be to rent a camper and use campgrounds.
> Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of a location for
> finding camping sites, or is it more a town by town search?
> Merci!
Depending on when you go, campervan rental can work out quite expensive, and
it isn't so easily available. When you can find it, the rental for a small
'van (2-4 berths) will cost from around 100 euro to 150 euro a day, 700 to
1050 euro a week. You can rent a small car for 200 euro/wk. You can easily
find a modest double hotel room for 100 euro/night. OK, you can save by
cooking yourself in your 'van, but adding extra diesel cost (it's about half
as fuel efficient) and site fees, it'll end up costing more. It makes more
sense for 4 people sharing (unless they're children who can sleep in a
family room). So do your sums first. Unless staying in camping and caravan
park appeals to you particularly....
Alec
Mar 4th 2003 | 3:49 am
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Rent a Camper
Tom,
The official website of Camping de France provides a map-based
campground locator. They have over 11,000 campgrounds in total. You
can search by region & 'departement' (county level). Click the flag
for information in English. Results ('reponses') are classified by
campground type: 'Camping a la campagne' (campground in the
countryside), 'camping a la montagne' (campground in the mountain),
'camping a la ferme' (farm + campground).
Their site is slow to download.
http://www.campingfrance.com/
Hope this helps,
Stephane (you Tyzo.com friend)
The official website of Camping de France provides a map-based
campground locator. They have over 11,000 campgrounds in total. You
can search by region & 'departement' (county level). Click the flag
for information in English. Results ('reponses') are classified by
campground type: 'Camping a la campagne' (campground in the
countryside), 'camping a la montagne' (campground in the mountain),
'camping a la ferme' (farm + campground).
Their site is slow to download.
http://www.campingfrance.com/
Hope this helps,
Stephane (you Tyzo.com friend)
Mar 5th 2003 | 5:56 am
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Rent a Camper
The following website provides a wealth of information (photos, maps,
hotel contact info..) on different towns and villages located in the
French Alps including the Hautes Alpes, Alpes de Haute Provence, Alpes
Maritimes, Bouche du Rhone, Var and Vaucluse.
http://www.provencebeyond.com/villages/index.html
Depending on how much time you have and how you are travelling you may
consider different locations.
I would suggest - if you have more than 'a few days' - to visit and
stay in Briancon. It is supposedly the highest town in Europe. If
you like hiking + architecture, this is a good match. It is an
amazing fortified town designed by Vauban (the famous army architect
under Louis XIV). I did some renovation work in the late 80's.
Briancon is just incredible for its architecture and surroundings!
Don't miss to step on the Pont d'Asfeld...See picture on this page.
http://216.194.69.141/alpinewhitewaterfrancaise/gallery_7/025-Pont-D'Asfeld-in-Briancon.htm
Stephane (your Tyzo.com friend)
hotel contact info..) on different towns and villages located in the
French Alps including the Hautes Alpes, Alpes de Haute Provence, Alpes
Maritimes, Bouche du Rhone, Var and Vaucluse.
http://www.provencebeyond.com/villages/index.html
Depending on how much time you have and how you are travelling you may
consider different locations.
I would suggest - if you have more than 'a few days' - to visit and
stay in Briancon. It is supposedly the highest town in Europe. If
you like hiking + architecture, this is a good match. It is an
amazing fortified town designed by Vauban (the famous army architect
under Louis XIV). I did some renovation work in the late 80's.
Briancon is just incredible for its architecture and surroundings!
Don't miss to step on the Pont d'Asfeld...See picture on this page.
http://216.194.69.141/alpinewhitewaterfrancaise/gallery_7/025-Pont-D'Asfeld-in-Briancon.htm
Stephane (your Tyzo.com friend)
