First trip abroad in a Camper van.

[Borris]

Next month we are booked on a very early morning ferry to Dunkirk. Our eldest daughter and son in law have left their jobs and are spending the next six months touring Europe and Scotland in Helga, their ancient Mercedes campervan. Whilst in Italy, next month, they have rented a villa in Tuscany for several weeks and have invited us to come down and stay for a week. So, long story short, we have given ourselves four days to get there and almost four to get back. I have driven in Europe on very many occasions but have never been there in a camper van. Any advice would be welcomed especially on the most picturesque route to take us there and back and also the camping aspects. Our final destination is somewhere between Volterra and San Giminiano.

At this stage my thoughts are to drive through the Ardennes, the Black Forrest and then on to the Saltzberg area before taking the Grossglockner high alpine road (if open) towards Italy. Then on via Venice to our final destination. That's as far as I have got with the planning at present. I know it's the long way round but should easily be possible within our timescale. On the return I was thinking of trying the Stelvio pass but again haven't yet given it much thought. We don't much care for long trips on motorways and much prefer to dawdle along enjoying the scenery. What you you think?

We intend to use campsites on route. Is there an organization that I should join or publication that would help with this process. I had intended to just go and see what turns up. Wild camping?

One final thing. Will I need to buy some form of emissions permit for each country we visit. If we do need to enter cities we will almost certainly park up outside and take public transport. We have a T6 150ps manual.

I have only just started the research for our trip so would appreciate your thoughts and advice.

 

[WelshGas]

Next month we are booked on a very early morning ferry to Dunkirk. Our eldest daughter and son in law have left their jobs and are spending the next six months touring Europe and Scotland in Helga, their ancient Mercedes campervan. Whilst in Italy, next month, they have rented a villa in Tuscany for several weeks and have invited us to come down and stay for a week. So, long story short, we have given ourselves four days to get there and almost four to get back. I have driven in Europe on very many occasions but have never been there in a camper van. Any advice would be welcomed especially on the most picturesque route to take us there and back and also the camping aspects. Our final destination is somewhere between Volterra and San Giminiano.

At this stage my thoughts are to drive through the Ardennes, the Black Forrest and then on to the Saltzberg area before taking the Grossglockner high alpine road (if open) towards Italy. Then on via Venice to our final destination. That's as far as I have got with the planning at present. I know it's the long way round but should easily be possible within our timescale. On the return I was thinking of trying the Stelvio pass but again haven't yet given it much thought. We don't much care for long trips on motorways and much prefer to dawdle along enjoying the scenery. What you you think?

We intend to use campsites on route. Is there an organization that I should join or publication that would help with this process. I had intended to just go and see what turns up. Wild camping?

One final thing. Will I need to buy some form of emissions permit for each country we visit. If we do need to enter cities we will almost certainly park up outside and take public transport. We have a T6 150ps manual.

I have only just started the research for our trip so would appreciate your thoughts and advice.

ASCI - ID card and books, also there is an App but you pay for the Countries individually. It gives info on campsites and directions and contact details.
Archie’s - 32,000 campsites for Europe. Pay for app £2.99 when I got it. Contact details, GPS co-ordinates, contact details.
Need Vignette for Austria and Switzerland if you use motorways .
Toll roads in France and Italy. You can get a Tag for France and hire one for Italy if you wish.

Don’t forget in France there are many good quality, but basic ( no entertainment, pools or restaurants), Municipal Campsites. Archie’s includes these sites.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Just a penny worth from me.........
1: You will need an environmental sticker in Germany if you plan to enter any "Umwelt" areas. Most reasonably sized towns have one but as you say, public transport may obviate the need for one.
2: Do you like castles? Then drop in via Vianden in Luxembourg. There is a campsite within walking distance (40 mins) too. I visited in July last year, not busy, so should be easy in your time scale.
3: Just over the border is Trier in Germany - beautiful town, missed by most tourists.
4: Ever been to Florence? If not, easy on this trip. Go with your daughter?
5: The camping organisation ACSI lists many registered campsites. If you become a member (from memory about €13) you can use their discount card as you will be travelling in low season. Its all you will need.
6: Stelvio? Nice drive spoilt by too many other drivers (bikes, supercars, vintage stuff the lot!). If you go for it try early in the morning.

Anyway a few things to ponder.
Rik

 

[Hotel California]

Going thru Belgium requires no vignette and you can visit Brussels and Antwerp (LEZ )center with your T6 without any problem , German highways are also without a vignette entering some cityborders you may need a Umweltplakette .
France highways are ok without vignette but entering some city borders requiers a crit'air vignette
As WG says for Austria and Swiss , Italy ....don't know .

ACSI pass is a very good investment , special in low season you will have your money back after spending two to three nights on ACSI sites allready

 

[Borris]

I assume that the Vignette, Umweltplakette and ACSI pass are all available
online prior to travel. Am I correct?

Sorry, we haven't bothered going abroad much in recent years due to heavy family comittments so are now a bit rusty on these issues.

 

[jts46]

ACSI is in Folkstone, Vicarious Books, they have a website. From your location not too far methinks.

 

[WelshGas]

I assume that the Vignette, Umweltplakette and ACSI pass are all available
online prior to travel. Am I correct?

Sorry, we haven't bothered going abroad much in recent years due to heavy family comittments so are now a bit rusty on these issues.

https://webshop.acsi.eu/en/campsite...Ct_TVveFYCUPwWCDOVoV0xbOtgfZyteEaArlgEALw_wcB

Swiss Vignette

https://www.ch.ch/en/swiss-motorway-sticker/

German Environmental Sticker

https://www.umwelt-plakette.de/nc/en/store.html

France

https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/

 

[Borris]

Thanks Paul, Rik and Wim,
Very useful information.

I believe they say that the closer you live to somewhere the less likely you are to visit it. I live only 15kms from Dover and yet we rarely go accross the channel these days, despite the good deals during the off peak times.
Before I retired, I used to go to France extremely frequently for £9 return on the Le Shuttle, fill the car up with very cheap diesel, go shopping, have a meal and be back home all within several hours. However, now I am retired we just don't bother!

 

[Velma's Dad]

Timely thread for me also Borris, as we're planning to head down to the Dolomites in first week of May. Haven't planned a route yet but one thing to bear in mind is that some of the high Alpine passes will very likely still be closed at that time.

It looks like the Grossglockner usually opens early May so might well be do-able. Stelvio pass however is almost never open before June, it appears.

So if anyone has nice tips for the most dramatic ways across the Alps, snow permitting, I'll be watching out as well.

 

[Borris]

Timely thread for me also Borris, as we're planning to head down to the Dolomites in first week of May. Haven't planned a route yet but one thing to bear in mind is that some of the high Alpine passes will very likely still be closed at that time.

It looks like the Grossglockner usually opens early May so might well be do-able. Stelvio pass however is almost never open before June, it appears.

So if anyone has nice tips for the most dramatic ways across the Alps, snow permitting, I'll be watching out as well.

Thanks VD,
Our plan of action is first to buy a/some decent maps and then plan our route in detail. The high alpine passes are something that we would like to do but realise it might not be possible in early may. So there has to be a plan B. Once we have decided on both routes I will then look into which window stickers we need to purchase.
I suppose it's possible that tyres may also still be an issue on the alpine passes. I will have removed our winter tyres by then so if there are any legal requirements due to the conditions I may have to re-think the idea.

 

[Amarillo]

I will have removed our winter tyres by then so if there are any legal requirements due to the conditions I may have to re-think the idea.

Just stash a pair of chains under the driver's seat. Just make sure you practice putting them on a couple of times in the safety of your own driveway. You don't want to be fiddling with instructions in a force 10 blizzard parked in a lay-by at 5000 feet!


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[sidepod]

Stayed very close to the Grossglockner last week. Panoramic camping, Zell am See. South end of the lake.
May be of use to you. Pretty good site. Small so prob best to book.

 

[westfalia]

I thought you had a Beach.

 

[Borris]

Just stash a pair of chains under the driver's seat. Just make sure you practice putting them on a couple of times in the safety of your own driveway. You don't want to be fiddling with instructions in a force 10 blizzard parked in a lay-by at 5000 feet!


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

Thanks Tom,
Do you only have to have the one pair for the driving wheels or do you legally need a full set? It's on my list of things to find out unless you know already.

 

[Borris]

Stayed very close to the Grossglockner last week. Panoramic camping, Zell am See. South end of the lake.
May be of use to you. Pretty good site. Small so prob best to book.

Thanks Sidepod,
That sounds like a good place to head for as we would like to drive the Grossglockner in the early morning if possible. We could get an early start from there.

 

[Borris]

I thought you had a Beach.

Hello Westfalia,
Not sure if your comment was aimed at, Amarillo or me but whoever it was, we both have a Beach. Why do you ask? Has it any relevance in this context? Just curious.

 

[bvddobb]

Thanks Tom,
Do you only have to have the one pair for the driving wheels or do you legally need a full set? It's on my list of things to find out unless you know already.

You just need them on the front wheels.

We doubt the really high passes will be open in May. We have been in the Alps often, and found many high passes are still closed first half of June... Hope you will be lucky, but do plan for alternative routes in case of closures!

Our tour last September, making sure we hit every pass we hadn't hit before :

 

[briwy]

Luxembourg city is worth a visit Paul. We stayed on a site (name escapes me) on the edge of the city and got the bus in. Cheap fuel as well. Black Forest roads fantastic. Makes you want to be in something a bit fruitier than the Cali.
We caught a late ferry to Dunkirk and stayed the first night facing the beach on the dead end bit here, lovely sunsets.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.0599227,2.4394012,588m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en&authuser=0

 

[DavidofHook]

Borris, for what it is worth, when in France we put the Sat Nav into "Shortest Route" instead of "Quickest Route" which gives some delightful routes over some very quiet roads and well away from Autoroutes. As regular traveller there you may be aware of this but just in case...........
Presumably this will work in Italy etc too.

 

[Borris]

Borris, for what it is worth, when in France we put the Sat Nav into "Shortest Route" instead of "Quickest Route" which gives some delightful routes over some very quiet roads and well away from Autoroutes. As regular traveller there you may be aware of this but just in case...........
Presumably this will work in Italy etc too.

Thanks David,
That's an excellent idea. Like everyone else, we normally end up barreling down the autoroutes, which gets you there quickly but is really boring. I want to avoid that this time. With four days to get there and the same for the return journey we should be able to stay on the back roads and enjoy a steady drive through some great countryside.

 

[westfalia]

Regarding the Umweltplakette, apparently, its the traffic wardens that issue the fines so if you did
park up in a German city, try to park in a private car park. Also, you having a foreign vehicle and a newish one, i doubt that you´d have a problem.
I can only speak for myself here, but if it was me driving from calais to venice, then i would take the french toll roads heading to strassbourg, down a bit, then across into the black forrest then head for lake como
skim by milan then your on the road to venice.
That takes you through swiss, the first day won´t be any dawdling but the others might.
Once you´re in the black forrest, salzburg seems a long way around to get to venice,
Brenner pass and down by lake garda is also a good one.
There are many options for the route and its all nice.
As for the ´beach´ comment, it was tongue in cheek, as the thread said campervan.
Oh no, its that old chestnut.

 

[Amarillo]

Thanks Tom,
Do you only have to have the one pair for the driving wheels or do you legally need a full set? It's on my list of things to find out unless you know already.

Just the front. We have gone all year on summer tyres with snow chains for emergency use, but we have been in the extreme south of Europe for most of the winter.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Borris]

Regarding the Umweltplakette, apparently, its the traffic wardens that issue the fines so if you did
park up in a German city, try to park in a private car park. Also, you having a foreign vehicle and a newish one, i doubt that you´d have a problem.
I can only speak for myself here, but if it was me driving from calais to venice, then i would take the french toll roads heading to strassbourg, down a bit, then across into the black forrest then head for lake como
skim by milan then your on the road to venice.
That takes you through swiss, the first day won´t be any dawdling but the others might.
Once you´re in the black forrest, salzburg seems a long way around to get to venice,
Brenner pass and down by lake garda is also a good one.
There are many options for the route and its all nice.
As for the ´beach´ comment, it was tongue in cheek, as the thread said campervan.
Oh no, its that old chestnut.

Thanks Westfalia,
We may well adopt your route. The only reason for going towards Saltzburg was to drive across the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse. This is something I've always fancied doing since I read about the famous hill climbs that took place there in the 1930s. They probably still have them today but it's that particular era in motorsport that interests me greatly. I'd just like to take a look for myself. However, if the pass is still closed there will be no point going that far.

Here's Hans Stuck tackling the Grossglockner in a 520bhp supercharged V16 Auto Union on cross ply tyres with no armco. Men were men then!
I was at Shelsey Walsh in 2016 to see his son, also Hans Stuck, take the same or similar car up the hill. Magnificent. The hairs on my neck stood up.

It's a well known fact that the Beach is like a spritely plucky mountain goat, able to climb any high alpine mountain pass with consummate ease, unlike the SE/Ocean that is left wallowing in the valleys due to the weight of all that kitchen gubbins.

Oh dear, what have I just said?

 

[samdb]

Thanks Westfalia,
We may well adopt your route. The only reason for going towards Saltzberg was to drive across the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse. This is something I've always fancied doing since I read about the famous hill climbs that took place there in the 1930s. They probably still have them today but it's that particular era in motorsport that interests me greatly. I'd just like to take a look for myself. However, if the pass is still closed there will be no point going that far.
View attachment 31781
Here's Hans Stuck in a 520bhp Auto Union V16 on cross ply tyres with no armco. Men were men then!
I was at Shelsey Walsh last year to see his son, also Hans Stuck, take the same or similar car up the hill. Magnificent. The hairs on my neck should up.


It's a well known fact that the Beach is like a spritely plucky mountain goat, able climb any high alpine mountain pass with consummate ease, unlike the SE/Ocean that is left wallowing in the valleys due to the weight of all that kitchen gubbins.

Oh dear, what have I just said?

Great thread folks, this is bucket list stuff. Really useful advice. Of course, with an Ocean I’ll never make it to the top of those mountains though...

 

[sapto]

Hi Borris
Just found this page for Switzerland:
https://www.alpen-paesse.ch/en/

Austria:
https://www.oeamtc.at/verkehrsservice/

These pages might give you some intel to plan your route.

If you need any support in Switzerland: let me know!