Member Since: 10 Apr 2019
Location: Medway/ Mos Eisley
Posts: 168
Eurocamp in Lazio Italy
A question for those well traveled
My wife is looking to book a holiday with Eurocamp. She has found one in Italy for £425 for 6 people and 7 nights. Seems a bit of a bargain and is significantly cheaper than the horror that was the Norfolk Broads last year!
My only concern is the cost to get there. Fly or drive? It's 1049 miles from where I live in the SE of England and according to Google Maps would take around 17 hours to get there. I don't mind driving that far but 17 hours with my 4 (aged 18 to 13) and the wife sounds like hell. However is it cheaper to fly? Or my other thought was to break the journey up, maybe stay overnight in Germany on the way down then France on the way back up. I'd like to make it more of an adventure and visit other places on the journey there and back.
Any other ideas? We are not new to camping (Scouting family) but it seems a cheaper and easier way to visit some places in Europe than hotels or more expensive parks.2004 Disco 3 HSE TDV6
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27th Jan 2020 12:34 pm
Browny90
Member Since: 19 Jul 2016
Location: Ashbourne
Posts: 698
We've done the Alps a few times and I cba doing it again, I always think its' not that bad until you've watched you fuel gauge go from full to empty twice in one day..
I think its worth doing at some point in your life, I usually drive all the way, we drove to Paris, had 2 days in Disney then drove the for the next 12 hours ish to Chamonix.
If you want less of a challenge try Brittaney, you can get a boat from Plymouth or somewhere similar to Caen or Rosscoff, then we drove for like 3 hours to Quimper one time and Carnac another. you can get a decent deal on Eurocamp or similar in Carnac or Quimper, the weather is decent and the beaches are nice. Carnac was my favorite, nice food, people, beaches etc and where we stayed was really nice, I cant remember how much it was, maybe in the region of £700 for a week for 5 of us.
We stayed here, we may even go again this year as we all had a great time, and the journey doesn't steal part of your soul..
Member Since: 14 Jan 2020
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 1509
We have been driving over to Eurocamps for the last 5 years, South of france 2 years (La Baume), then 1 year in Italy (Altomincio), 1 year in France (La Sirene), 1 year in Italy again (Altomincio). Were going to Spain this year, but will be back in Italy next year.
Firstly, the drive is a breeze. We drive down to Dover on Friday night and get the ferry 11.45 ish get to Calais and drive till I am knackered then stop for a 2-3 hours snooze, then all the way to wherever, obviously stop for toilet breaks.
Secondly, cant fault Eurocamps been spot on every stay!. I would highly recommend Altomincio near Lake Garda. I have posted on Tripadvisor if you want to check that.
Thirdly, register with Healthservicediscounts.com as you get another 10% or more off. You just need to to work for, know someone who works for or sub contract to the NHS. If yore unscrupulous they dont check anyway, for the record I have 2 sisters, a sister in law and a niece that work for the NHS and I sub contract to them. Well worth checking out.
Finally and MOST importantly, most Eurocamps do not allow swim shorts, check the swimming pool details. Whilst I more than happy strutting around the pool in Budgie Smugglers, the kids would die slowly of embarrassment. Actually Id rather die than wear them!
We always go in the May school holidays and whilst we have had some real scorchers, we have have had some downpours too.
In short I cant fault these holidays and whilst this will be our first year with a Disco (always has a Vito till it died last year). I would also recommend getting the AA Euro cover, I have used it once for a flat battery on a ski holiday, and nearly had to use it for a faulty alternator, and theyve always been spot on.
If you want or need any more help or advice let me know.
Cheers
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27th Jan 2020 3:18 pm
pwheeldon
Member Since: 14 Jan 2020
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 1509
Browny - we did Chamonix year before last and it was a breeze of a trip. I cant fault the drive over there, the worst bit of the drive is the 5 hours from here to Dover!Discovery 4 GS 2009 Auto Stornoway Grey
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27th Jan 2020 3:20 pm
Browny90
Member Since: 19 Jul 2016
Location: Ashbourne
Posts: 698
Agreed its an easy drive.. just boring.. then half way through your hols you realise that you have to drive back too!
I looked at the TGV to take the car down, which would be an excellent service if you didn't have to sell your soul to pay for it, and I've read recently that's its stopping all car trains, or it already has? ShameDisco4 MY16 SDV6 Landmark Black
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We (wife and I) have done lots of holidays on the continent and have always driven. We make the journey part of the holiday by stopping at different places and hotels on the way down and on the way back. We have driven through France to the Pyrenees, Italian Alps and down to the bottom for Spain for the ferry over to Morocco.
Sometimes it does get a bit much in a V8 especially when you are filling up twice a day
Member Since: 19 Jul 2016
Location: Ashbourne
Posts: 698
we did Frejus 7/8 years ago in a freelander 1.. it was all good until on the way home the clutch went to the floor and stayed there.. as they have internal slave cylinders I thought it would have to be recovered from Marseille.. but I figured there isn't many stops on the way back up so I drove it from there all way back to Derby with no clutch pedal, I got going on the starter at the tolls and the freey, as you say the hardest part was Dover to Derby..
Oh yeah! TOLLS, don't forget them, you'll need and extra £100+ each way for those..Disco4 MY16 SDV6 Landmark Black
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27th Jan 2020 3:38 pm
pwheeldon
Member Since: 14 Jan 2020
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 1509
Browny - when you stayed in Frejus was it at La Baume by any chance as that is in Frejus as well?Discovery 4 GS 2009 Auto Stornoway Grey
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27th Jan 2020 5:37 pm
pwheeldon
Member Since: 14 Jan 2020
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 1509
BTW like the selection of boards and skis. We have 4 boarders and 1 skier. give it a year or two and we will probably have 2 skiers, I'm getting a bit long in the tooth for the board.Discovery 4 GS 2009 Auto Stornoway Grey
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