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Route Planning Where to go, when, what are the interesting places to see
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 27 Dec 2008
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My kids are in their teens now but when they were the age of yours we spent a lot of time touring by using eurocamp sites. Their tents are very well equiped and most sites have excellent facilities for young kids. You can also book different sites on different nights in different countries.

Just my tuppence worth
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  #2  
Old 27 Dec 2008
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We did a version of the following route a couple of times on our bike before we had children and have been back to most of the places of interest since with them:
London-Dover-Calais-Paris-Reims-Dijon-Switzerland around the east end of Lac Lemon-Chamonix-Grenoble-Gap-Grasse-South coast to Toulon-Arles-Millau-Aurillac-Dordogne river to Bergerac-Limoges-Futuroscope-London.

To do it justice that's a good three week trip. On one occasion we went to Brussells instead of Paris which was good but Paris is better if you've not been ther before. Holland and Austria would be hard to fit in in three weeks but Germany and Northern Italy would be good coming back into France via the Mont Blanc Tunnel or over one of the small alpine passes. City hotels are expensive these days but worth it if you want more than a drive by experience. You can save money by camping elsewhere but it can be hard to find camping along the south coast in July and August - best to pre-book. Try to plan to enter and leave Switzerland on minor roads and avoid paying the extra Motorway Insurance.

Maps and GPS. I'm new to GPS and it does have its uses especially in towns but there is no substitute for up to date Michelin maps (IMHO).
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  #3  
Old 27 Dec 2008
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Quote:
Also European road signs are really quite good, almost all roads are clearly numbered
Hmmm, i still find that it can be very frustrating finding the correct road should you want to stick to the back-roads (or even the main-roads, sometimes!). This i found even in Germany, and as for Italy...well - and i'm fine with maps! So satnav for a high-mileage trip has it's place IMHO.
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  #4  
Old 27 Dec 2008
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campsites
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsieur-to-go View Post
My kids are in their teens now but when they were the age of yours we spent a lot of time touring by using eurocamp sites. Their tents are very well equiped and most sites have excellent facilities for young kids. You can also book different sites on different nights in different countries.

Just my tuppence worth
This seems to be a good idea.
I will give them a call to see if they can plan a route of stay for us.
Thanks
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  #5  
Old 28 Dec 2008
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Try this site and print off your maps.

ViaMichelin: Maps, route planner, route finder, UK maps, European maps, hotel booking, travel guides
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  #6  
Old 11 Jan 2009
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euro/key camp
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsieur-to-go View Post
My kids are in their teens now but when they were the age of yours we spent a lot of time touring by using eurocamp sites. Their tents are very well equiped and most sites have excellent facilities for young kids. You can also book different sites on different nights in different countries.

Just my tuppence worth
Hi,
It seems likely that we book several of these camps for our two weeks drive round France. They say the minimum stay is three nights.
As I am not familiar with France, I am having difficulties deciding how long we need to book which camps in order to see the places we have in mind.
Any suggestions on how long is required and where (Based on the route I have mentioned in this forum)?
Thanks
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  #7  
Old 13 Feb 2009
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campsites
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsieur-to-go View Post
My kids are in their teens now but when they were the age of yours we spent a lot of time touring by using eurocamp sites. Their tents are very well equiped and most sites have excellent facilities for young kids. You can also book different sites on different nights in different countries.

Just my tuppence worth
Hi,
Not sure if I thanked you before. Thank you.
I have booked the following campsites through keycamp and eurocamp.

1)
Calais
To
Lac de Chalain (Domaine de Chalain) -> 2 nights
2)
Lac de Chalain (Domaine de Chalain)
to
Port Grimaud --> 5 nights
3)
Port Grimaud
to
Aiguebelette (Saint-Alban-de-Montbel, centre) --> 1 night
4)
Aiguebelette (Saint-Alban-de-Montbel, centre)
to
Interlaken (Manor farm) with Eurocamp --> 4 nights
5)
Interlaken (Manor farm) with Eurocamp
to
Paris --> 4 nights
6) Back to London
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