I would like to hear from those who have RV camped through Europe. We are a "motor home family" in the US and have been all over America in our RV. We are seriously thinking about traveling in Europe via rented RV. I know in Europe they are smaller than their American versions, more the size of my conversion van. :) We have looked into the rental to an extent. The countries we plan to visit are France, Belgium, Germany, Austia, Switzerland, and Italy. We are basically doing a similar trip to Rick Steves 21 day trip with a few variations, less emphasis on cities and more on countryside, but similar. ( we have a month to travel)Anyway... could those "in the know" comment on Campings (European word for campground). Safety, Practicality, things I might not have thought about. Tips from your own experience...... Thanks,
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Cythnia we rved for years here, so had considered it at one point for europe also. We decided against it for a few reasons( fuel costs there being one) .. but I did read a book by a couple who have done it and done it alot, many great tips and advice. It was called Europe by Van and Motorhome, by Patty Shore and David Campbell , you can still find it online, or at most librairies. ( or maybe it was Patty Campbell and David Shore, just google )
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8307 posts
Cynthia: With $9 gasoline, I think it would be cost prohibitive to travel much by RV. The Grand Tour may just take too much gasoline, and cost too much. Now, if you got a RV and stayed in one area, it'd be nice. There are a lot of campgrounds around Innsbruck and outside of Amsterdam. I too am an RV'er, and so are many friends. We have 5 state parks and a # of governmental campgrounds within 40 miles of our house. We don't necessarily spend much $ on gasoline/diesel.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9369 posts
Camping areas may be well outside of cities, and you would have to pull up stakes, so to speak, every time you wanted to go into town. Parking might be an issue in some areas, too.
Posted by
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
58 posts
We have not RV'd Europe; but we have visited and made an effort to buy (EU rule stopped us, but now possible) perhaps some of this will be of help. Mike and Terry Church www.rollinghomes.com have written two books on RVing and camping the EU. We have used their Mex, Alaska, SW & NW books and have heard them speak and talked with Terry on the phone-get ph # from site below. They are good! They have been in every camp they write about. They also suggest planned tours in their books. Below, their site link has a huge amount of stuff about the EU www.rollinghomes.com/elinks.htm We have visited Braitman & Woudenberg - rents camping vans and small Class C's RV's, office a block from the central train station in Amsterdam. U arrive it's ready-best go to near by camp & try everything out before heading out. We have a friend who rented and bought from them & RV'd EU for 10 years, each year use it/store it. Separate fee, for EU RV for each item in inventory & black & grey tank + camping very different from US. Our EU tours we've had many visits w EU RVers-all loved their experience + some US drivers. RV's smaller, handle narrow roads, small villages, manual trans, diesel eng = + mpg. Escapee RV club, sub group, world wide travelers-Kathy Howe currently writes news letter & former writer RV'd EU, check w Kathy see if any current contacts who RV the EU [email protected] Also, there are RV professionally lead tours-you drive, the set trip plan and all arrangementssome look good.