Help! 50 days in van across Europe in a van.
 

Hey folks,

So I'm doing a solo round trip this winter from Dusseldorf to Barcelona in a campervan and I need someone to smack some sense into me.

First, let me give you the facts:

Pick up van: 11 Jan 2017 fixed
Drop off van: 2 Mar 2017 fixed

That's approximately 50 days but probably more like 48 once you factor in the vehicle hand-over in Dusseldorf.

I have to start and finish in Dusseldorf.
I've got business down in Barcelona for 2 days. (Not yet scheduled)
The rest of the time I can play.

I want to be wild/free camping as far as possible.

I want to cook my own meals.

I want to have a flexible itinerary.

I want to spend at least 7 days surfing and a minimum of 4 days snowboarding.

My other priorities are natural wonders and science museums/experiences.

I want to experience remote locations/drives but I also want to go to a number of cities.

When I'm in the cities would you recommend that I camp on the outskirts and use public transport to get to and around the city every day?

Now then, can you please help me rethink & Narrow dow or redistribute this itinerary:

8 Countries - 6000km - Distance between destinations/campsites averages 280km)

1. Duesseldorf, Germany | 2 nights (Rest, Supplies & Vehicle Preparation)
2. Cologne, Germany | 0 nights (half day visit and drive 340km to Wuerzburg)
3. Wuerzburg, Germany | 1 night (See 4wd conversion factory, drive to Baden-Baden 221km)
4. Baden-Baden, Germany | 2 nights (Base for seeing the black forest in winter, drive 313km))
5. Munich, Germany | 3 nights (Deutches Museum, BMW etc.)
6. Linz, Austria | 2 nights (Ars electronica center, ice caves, halstatt etc.)
7. Krimml waterfalls, Austria | 2 nights (Stopover, scenic driving, rest)
8. Friedrichshafen, Germany | 0 nights (Zeppelin ride)
9. Zurich, Switzerland | 1 night (Fine art, rheinfall etc)
10. Flims, Switzerland | 3 nights (Ski resort - snowboarding etc.)
11. Milan, Italy | 2 nights (Da Vinci museum of science etc.)
12. Geneva, Switzerland | 3 nights (Tour of the LHC at CERN etc.)
13. Arles, France | 1 night (Scenic drive, Stopover on the way to Barcelona)
14. Barcelona, Spain | 5 nights (Business meetings, Cosmocaixa, Gaudi etc.)
15. Valencia, Spain | 2 nights (City of arts and sciences etc.)
16. Madrid, Spain | 2 nights (palace of cristal greenhouse etc.)
17. Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain | 5 nights (Basque country for surfing)
18. Bordeaux, France | 2 nights (Surfing)
19. Poitiers, France | 1 night (Futuroscope)
20. Paris, France | 2 nights (Architecture etc.)
21. Disneyland Paris, France | 2 nights (Can’t help myself)
22. Bruges, Belgium | 1 night (Have the place to myslef, castles etc.)
23. Amsterdam, Netherlands | 2 nights (Computer museum, Teylers museum etc.)
24. Dusseldorf, Germany | 1 night (Ready for drop off the next morning)

Okay, that comes to 46 nights on my first attempt.

I realise it's not an optimal route but it's not bad. I don't want to cut out Austria though.

What do you guys think of me doing long-haul drives a few times here and there to make up lost ground so that I could spend more time in specific locations? I will have to sacrifice many places then it would seem though.

How would you plan a trip like this with similar interests?

Oh, and does anyone know of a natural hot-spring site somewhere along the way?

All ideas welcome.

Thank you so much!

Wild camping is not always allowed, but there are plenty of places with official camper stops.
I assume you will have a toilet and shower on board and the ability to be without an electric hook up for a night.
Have a look at www.campervontact.com for a load of camper stops.
They also have an app.

Most campsites will be closed so you will need to be self supporting, and know how to use the various forms of sani-stations you come across for dumping and filling.
Do not just dump your grey water please. Use the facilities provided for it.
You will find plenty of Europeans are out in their campers. If you can hire a bike with the van you probably should do that. It isn't always possible to park a camper at attractions.

I won't comment on the overall plan, which to me sounds like a horror, but I will mention that you won't be surfing in or near Bordeaux in winter, nor will you likely be visiting Futuroscope - it's closed almost all of January and most of February.

You also need to be sure the camper is winterised, so completely insulated and preferably with heating in the fresh and grey water tanks. Also it needs winter tyres, and a set of chains would be a good idea.
You need propane gas as well, butane doesn't turn to gas at freezing point.

We have rest areas on our autoroutes where folks in vehicles can sleep -I don't recall seeing many of these in Europe but I have not driven in a long time except in France -are there truck stops or rest areas along Europe's motorways?

Traveling in a van in the dead of winter will be interesting to say the least.

Yes, there are natural hot springs along your proposed route. Some of the ones I am aware of are in private resorts/spas in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Aragonese Pyrenees and Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

And no, you will not be surfing on the Basque coast if you are planning on being in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

seems like you will be driving all day everyday almost?

I think your plan is too ambitious. You will be seeing a lot of roadways and not not have much time at most of your destinations.

I would start by deciding which places are your priority stops and create your itinerary around those. I would try to avoid any one night stops, if possible. Taking public transportation while in cities is a good idea.

There are aires along the autroutes in France where it's possible to stop and spend the night free of charge. But in general in France wild camping is not allowed, and if you are found you'll be rousted, fined, and sent on your way. I've seen in happen in the dead of night in my village. And if you do stick to the autoroutes, you won't see much at all of what's wonderful about France.

I'm not sure the folks telling you you will not be able to surf in the winter are correct, but for sure you'll need a wet suit. You probably already knew that. :) Finding board rental (assuming you aren't taking your own) might be a little more difficult, you should research before you go...

As I said there are plenty of camperstops. Do not stop at motorway services for the night. You could robbed, especially in France.
Some supermarkets allow an overnight stop for free, but most don't.

Free camping is legal in France, provided you obey the rules on where you can stop. An internet search will provide the information.

The biggest problems will be the cold, diesel vehicles don't like really cold weather, nor do most campervans, and the short amount of daylight especially at the start of your trip. It will mean either stopping early or trying to find a stop in the dark.

A satnav or a navigation app on your phone is essential for finding some of them. Make sure you have a car charger for whatever device you use, and if using an app download the maps before you leave home.

Use the Campercontact app and download the stops for the areas you are visiting.

Make sure you stop often, it is tiring driving a camper. Be prepared to adapt your plans according to weather and what appeals. You are not tied to places to stay each night so do take advantage of that and be flexible.

You could robbed, especially in France.>

more than in say Italy - what do you base this on - not contradicting you but if you're in the van sleeping folks will rob you -do they use knives or guns to do so or just strong-arm tactics.

I've heard that robberies are possible at Italy rest stops too - but France is worse than all those other countries - it could be a risk anywhere?

As I said there are plenty of camperstops. Do not stop at motorway services for the night. You could robbed, especially in France.>>

my hairdresser and her family stopped overnight in a lay-by in southern France somewhere and in the night, someone got into their camper van and not only stole things from the front cabin, but also, most scarily, from the back where their kids were sleeping.

They were able to claim on their insurance but it put a damper on the holiday.

So I would not advise free camping in France.

as for the rest, we would hesitate to do an itinerary like that and there are two of us to share the driving. I would suggest looking at a map and plotting straight lines between your fixed points and then seeing what time/energy you might have left.

Well there is one example and I'd say that could happen in Italy and other countries too- like on trains keep your valuables - money, c cards, passport in a money belt under your clothes.

But heed hetismij's and annhig's warnings - and yes driving all those distances daily would make anyone a bit weary- I'd cut down by about half.

Pal,I could quote numerous examples, mostly in France, but also in Spain and Italy. A friend lost €€€€ of camera equipment whilst he and his family slept. They were completely unaware of the break-in. Another one returned to their camper to find it totally trashed and the two safes ripped out. And so it goes on.

People think motorway services are safe because they are parked with the lorries, but they aren't. Indeed the lorries act as a screen and encourage break-ins, even during the day. Lorry drivers don't see what is going on, and aren't going to stick their neck out for you.
If we stop on a Motorway - a very rare event since we try and avoid them at all costs in the camper only one of us leaves the van at any time.

Far better to use a designated stop in a town or village or outside a campsite, even if it costs you a few euros to do so.

In France even in a Bentley you aren't safe: https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...torway-hold-up

thanks for the detailed reply - knowing you I knew there must be something behind it -I guess I only thought especially in France rather than say Italy where I hear theft from airs are ripe.

Be careful everywhere and I guess avoid rest areas or truck stops.

Thanks for the info.

Caveat emptor!

Tot Ziens!