Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - Camping in Europe in late September

Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/)

- Europe (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/europe/)

- - Camping in Europe in late September (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/europe/camping-in-europe-late-september-37067)

campsites? who needs 'em?

no better fun than camping out...

Out for a spin: Free camping

Out for a spin: Not all glamour and glitz

grand. september/october in middle europe. we had a ball!

cheers,
andy

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooN (Post 207313)

Erm... sort of off topic but, I've been living & riding in france for the last 15 years, & have not found this to be the case. There used to be a lot of "tolerence" whereby your statement would be correct, but I have seen this "tolerence" dissappear slowly over the last 5 ish years. Now this maybe only the case in my area (burgundy) but from the french websites I frequent (le repaire des motards, motards bourguignon, etc) the general impression is that things are tightening up, starting with drink driving, speeding & other traffic offences but filtering down through the whole spectrum of "social legislation".

maybe someone living in the midi kinows better about that specific area?

As I said, the french police and Gendarmes are mostly concerned with road safety. as far as they are concerned if you overnight in an 'aire' you wont be having and accident. Conversly drink driving and speeding through villages constitute a danger and yes, they will clamp down on anyone trying to kill themselve and/or others. Behave reasonably well and you will be fine. I live in deux Sevrs and this has been my experience, seems to be similar in other rural areas.
France has a high kill rate on motorists in general and they are genuinely trying to improve this..hence tha clampdown on the above offenses. for instance I have had a warning for doing 61 in a 50 limit. Another few Kph and I would have been nicked.

fair comment.

I think the "aire de repos" are probably a case apart, where the obvious benefit of sleep is recognised even by the gendarmerie...

I was more thinking of "camping sauvage" just in the countryside, & in the midi particularly. The fire risk being the reason for them being more severe down there ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooN (Post 207452)

Yes, I would not advocate lighting an open fire in any wooded countryside. Basically if you can find stuff to burn, dont start a fire. I use a little camping gaz stove. You certainly do not want to send up smoke signals for teh watch towers to see.

A personal update....three days ago, on my way back to the UK I was camping in an aire. For the first time ever, the gendarmerie stopped and asked for my ID. That was all, they were most pleasant, and recognised that a bike rider had to use a tent for getting a rest.

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!!! a fine country!!!!! Vive la France!

Hi all

I've made it down to Slovenja at the moment, and it has been a very nice trip.
The route I've taken was roughly: Stavanger-Kristiansand then by ferry to Hansholm in Denmark, Camped near Ribe in Denmark, Guesthouse outside Hamburg-Guesthouse in Leipzig-Hotel in Plzen (not a very exiting place)-Welz in Austria-Hostel in Lubljana-Hostel in Piran
Not much camping tough, it was a bit cold in Germany and Austria, and the cost of Hostels down here are quite cheap.
Done about 1700km in one week, not bad on a 36 year old two-stroke.

Glad to hear your trip is going so well, Elbert. :thumbup1:

Sounds like a wonderful trip!! :)

Yeah, it was a nice trip. After Slovenija I drove back to Austria via Italy, then Switzerland (and a short trip into Lichtenstein), Germany, Luxemburg, The Netherlands and back home via Germany and Denmark. I ended up driving 6000km in 18 days, but I haven't got a clue on how much petrol and two stroke oil I used.

The last week of the trip was quite wet and cold, and I had a flat tire in Germany.
Slovenija was the best experience, cheap and interesting. But the ride was best in Germany, specialy in the soth by the border to Austria. It was like driving through "Sound of music land".

Hopefully I'll be going on vacation a bit earlier next year, and maybe a bit longer.