I have a bazillion [hyperbole] questions about camping on the continent.

[SlubberdeSuetPudding]

DH announced this weekend that he has got six weeks off in the summer for us to go camping abroad.

The last time I camped on the continent I was 12, we had a big orange frame tent and English men wore sandals and socks with no shame.

I have not done a family camp yet somewhere that is HOT. Properly hot sit in your shorts at 10pm with a cold drink hot.

The very vaguest of plans is to do Germany, Austria, Switzerland and then maybe back up through France.

Here are some of the questions:

Anything else we need to do to the car apart from stick those stickers on the headlights?

Car breakdown cover, how does that work then?

No EHU. How do we keep things cold? Can you do ice block exchange over there? Do we need a deeply impressive new esky?

Is it very hot at night? I'm going to be too hot in a 3/4 season down sleeping bag aren't I? What is the best bedding to take?

Maps. Tell me about maps.

Should we book all our campsites in advance or can we be breezy? How booked up do the campsites get over there in advance?

Anything we absolutely HAVE to take that might be additional or different to two weeks camping in the UK?

Good campsite review website in addition to ukcs?

Um what else.

Strategies to avoid long term campers crack-up please.

I am worrying about books if we go with just rucksacks, I read a lot and so do all 3 dds, we can get through a lot of books in a 3 week camping trip. That's the main thing that you can't easily just wash or buy, the dds are monolingual so you can't just stock up when you run out.

yy Fennel. No way i can take enough books for 4 prolific readers for 6 weeks. I was thinking about buying a Kindle.

Dh had a major grump on as he just gave me an iPad for Christmas and I get upload books onto that too. I think the iPad is much too nickable and takes quite a lot of juice to recharge (difficult without EHU and don't want to drain the car battery).

Friends of ours (who may be lurking ) have got a device called a monkey iirc that is a solar charger and quite diddy. Apparently the kindle takes less juice and runs for much longer.

monkey charger

re motorways, you can buy the vignette for switzerland and austria at the motorway services as you arrive, for switzerland i think you have to but an annual one but for austria you can buy different length ones eg 10 days which may be better.

Second ivykaty tip re luxembourg, we often drive back that way from italy, avoids tolls in france and stock up on cheapest petrol

We have a campervan and travel to italy most summers for up to 3-4 weeks, never book in advance even in august, we go there and back different routes so tried many ways through france, germany, switzerland etc

Bikes great to have if you can fit them in, cycling in germany etc good,

Have a great time....

I had thought about the kindle idea. 4 kindles though? and on beaches, and low-key campsites without electricity handy?

We took a box of 50 books to France for 3 weeks. That was about right. Too many kids books are a bit quick to read. don't tell me I'll have to actually engage with the kids and play scrabble or something or talk to them?

Thanks gem. This thread is certainly putting my mind to rest about not booking all the campsites in advance.

Will lie carefully stretch the truth and tell dh that the money savings we will make from driving through Luxembourg will fully cover the cost of a Kindle.

LOL fennel. Although travel scrabble does pack small .

I was thinking that 1 kindle plus dh's iPhone with the kindle app will have to do all four of us. We will have to take it in turns .

That monkey gadget is worth looking at. I like the idea of powering up stuff using solar power.

If you take one adult bike and both dc bikes then hire an adult bike when you get to a site.

That will mean saving on bike hire and the dc can cycle round the campsite at each stop expolring.

Thats if you can't get all 4 bikes on the rack.

or get roofrack and put two on roof and two on boot rack.

take your own washing powder - then you can use washing machine at campsite and clothes dry really quick in summer on portable washing line - so remember portable washing line aswell.

remember when you pack that dc spend a lot of time in swim wear and shorts with flip flops.

So pack three swimsuits and two pairs of flip flops and shorts and a sun hat for the dc everyday wear. then add in a few extras for any outings.

We pack toweling robes for shower trips and to the pool trips. The a towel each. Flip flops are also used for showering and left on in the shower. Then get dressed in tent.

I brought a solar charger for India and never used it for my phone as the girl I shared a room with had a different phone but same charger as mine so I borrowed her charger.

I got my solar charger from amazon for £24 and it does cameras and ipods

looks like this one but has increased in prie

Thanks for the link ivy, will show to dh later.

I really like the idea of taking bikes. No room on the roof becaue of roof box. Will have to investigate racks on the back.

Ok - get the tunnel using your Tesco vouchers - once over the channel stop. - Just for the night- we have far enough to travel on this side as it is, and it's much better to get the hour time change thing done.
If using the tunnel - stop at the Tesco at Ashford just off the motorway and use the loo, stock up on snack type goodies and stuff for lunch. Leave home at 5am, tunnel at 11am - stop for a late lunch with wine and collapse.

Avoid the Paris peripherique - I can't stand it - it is the very spawn of the devil.

Don't underestimate the size of France. Mahoosive. - or the cost - eek at the euro.

Use this website to get ideas for over night stops.

Avoid Eurocamp/Keycamp/canvas sites.

This thread on ukcamping is fantastic

More to follow as my brain catches up!

v btw.

Thanks so much Lucycat.

I read somewhere yesterday (might have been ukcs) that you are not allowed to take gas bottles on the channel. Is that right?

I was looking at the Kent (somewhere) to Oostend ferry, didn't seem horribly expensive.

We think we might do France (possibly Loire) on the way back, which would be in sept so hopefully some of the French campsite would be a bit quieter.

Dds deperate to go to Disney

Autocorrected bah on the CHUNNEL

I presume you can take them on the ferry.

Gas bottles are fine - just declare them.

ifyou are members of c&c club the have 2 competitions to win free crossing atm

Gas bottles are fine in the train - we take them every year.

We take 3 bikes on the back (mine - huge, and 2 24inchers for the DC) and DH's on the roof alongside a narrow roofbox. It is half-full with books, even with us all doubling up!

We go for 3 weeks, and I find that a tiny bit long, so you are very brave going for 6!

We have camped all over Normandy, Brittany, Vendee and Charente-Maritime late July/Aug and I have never been cold in my double sleeping bag (2 season, maybe 3 at a push) with DH! We take the DC's fleece blankets just incase, but they are often too hot with the sleeping bag and just use the fleeceys.
DH always looks for cheapest breakdown cover, which we have never had to use yet. You will prob need to do insurance too.

We a big France map-book - you can get them and ones for europe in the motorway services there.

I will think if there is anything special that we take....

Get yourself some of those camping vouchers that they all talk about on ukcamping if you are going out of high season - they will make some of the more popular sites ded cheap. Check closing dates for sites too.

Keep a euro handy for the old shopping trolley - and bags!

If you do use the tunnel make sure you take the credit card that you booked with as you need it to check in.

Crocs and flip flops area all you will need to wear on your feet, except for visiting Loire Chateaux where Parisian style seems to be essential a jaunty scarf should do with 'pumps' and brushed hair.

More to follow if i think about it.
The gas bottle thing - we packed it at the back of the trailer and the customs bloke (UK side) wanted to look at it and put a 'checked' sticker on it. French couldn't care less - quelle surprise!

Lucycat they have never asked to see ours in 10 years!

And we wear crocs on the campsite/beach, birkies for best - sod the Parisien-chic stylers

you lot are brilliant. The top tip of needing naice shoes to access the chateuxs ....jeez how do you write the pleural of chateaux is excellent. With my silver birches do?

Damn you auto correct

Silver BIRKIES fgs

Ooh slubbers, how exciting! You can drop in and visit me in our pageant-stylee with cadac encampment on the Cote d'Azure .

Do you know the cheapy bookshop 'The Works' - they generally have the Michelin map books for a couple of quid. Via Michelin is the routefinder website of choice chez moi, as it gives optional routes and tolls. Also check out Bison-Fute website for when not to travel in France.

Do not be afraid of the EHU - many French sites have pitches with their own tap and occasionally their own toilet also [tres luxe], so a hook-up is quite normal. You should see what the Dutch take along - full-size fridges and freezers . On the continent they value comfort, rather than the discomfort which seems to be the norm in UK.

bison fute

via michelin

cheap hotels for when you get fed up with teh rain/are stuck on ring road in rush hour and other emergencies

[shock ] i'm not AFRAID of EHU

I'm a strong capable woman with strong capable children and a very strong capable husband. Ray meats transmogrified into a nuclear family unit with a bit less khaki and shorts with pockets. That's us that is.
WE DO NOT NEED THE ACCURSED EHU

[folds arms]

We do have a works though so will be popping in there and would love to meet up chez Chippy to mock view your pageant, not sure if we are going that far south though.

Mears. Ray Mears.

Ray Meats is a made up person who probably does have EHU.