best camping guides/books for europe

[Hammer]

Hi all happy New Year.

We are planning our first european trip in our california this year and plan to head down to northern Italy. With this in mind I am looking for one or two good guides for sites to stay. I will most likely get the French Aires book as this will be handy for future trips but would like some recommendations on any other guides you guys have used?

Many Thanks

Mark

 

[Calimark]

Hi, my new cali arrives soon and I will be looking to do the same trip via Germany/Austria in Aug. We love Italy but in the 2 weeks summer holidays it is hard to get too far south so if we don't go to France we will most likely do Northern Italy too (so will be looking for the same guide as you). I don't believe there are too many "aires" in Italy though.

Cheers
Mark.

 

[Martin]

ACSI is a good place to start http://www.eurocampings.co.uk/en/europe/

 

[Hammer]

I have looked at ACSI but for the July/aug hols card does not work, is the guide worth it even if the discount can't be used?

 

[jts46]

I have looked at ACSI but for the July/aug hols card does not work, is the guide worth it even if the discount can't be used?

Yes they are. Try "Vicarious Books" in Folkstone

 

[greyplague]

Anyone planning to visit Germany might like to have a look at http://www.freegermanyguide.com/
which has various FREE guides (some can be downloaded - others sent by post). Of particular value is the Campsites and Motorhome Sites in Germany guide - over 350 pages with more than 800 sites listed. I've just downloaded this myself and, as a Yorkshireman who appreciates anything that costs nowt, I'm dead chuffed :clap !

 

[Gasgas]

Hi, there is a Britstop type arrangement in France where you can stay on farms and vineyards etc for free ,you just have to purchase, if needed some of their produce ...I just can't remember what it is called.?

 

[Richard]

Hi, we agree the ACSI book is worth it even if you are travelling peak season and can't get a discount, (site descriptions are a bit bland but ACSI is a Dutch company and they seem to weed out bad sites) but our first choice would be the Caravan Clubs site guides, they have very pointed and accurate reviews of sites in our experience. We tried a few France Passion sites (= Britstop?) but there are usually no san facs and if there are facs they are very basic and sometimes filthy, also deepest rural France can be a little creepy at times, we left one site due to the aggressive farm dogs who naturally believed we were on their territory. Aires are variable, mostly no san facs so not really practical for most Cali owners but occasional ones can be really good.

 

[Hotel California]

Hi, there is a Britstop type arrangement in France where you can stay on farms and vineyards etc for free ,you just have to purchase, if needed some of their produce ...I just can't remember what it is called.?

France passion

 

[bvddobb]

Under this link is the France passion site in English. There was also an Italian variant, Fattore Amico, but they have closed down per 2018, alas. Then there are always the 'camping at the farm' type sites (camping à la ferme in France, Agriturismo in Italy).
Good tools to find places (camp sites, aires) are campercontact.com (with a very nice app) and good ol' Google Maps: just open it and search for 'campsites' in the neighbourhood.

Not a camping guide, but books we have taken inspiration from for several trips in e.g. Italy, Germany, the UK, are the 'Back Roads' series from DK Eyewitness Travel: