Lifestyle question - wild / campsites, urban / villages, overnight / longer stays

[CDinFrance]

We are a couple about to retire and are carefully considering options. Spent 4 nights in a MBMP recently and will be renting a Cali for a week soon. We are experienced campers and found the van to be a big step up in terms of comfort and privacy, and quite easy to drive. We are in France.

I am considering the following questions though:

If we ever wild camp, I assume we would have to move every day to get to a loo etc. It may also eliminate the joy of outdoor cooking as it seems that discretion is very important and any smoke is a bad idea.

If we stay in camp sites, will we find enough sites within walking distance to a town, to find a restaurant when we feel like it, or are all of the best sites a bit far for this?

We like to hike and bike a lot. Often that means driving to another starting point. Packing up a van seems to take about 30 minutes (if just for a day trip) I am wondering whether a car and a 3dog tent trailer might make this more agile and convenient.

Lastly, if we decide to spend the winter in somewhere warm, maybe a bigger vehicle is a better option for that period. Or an airbnb apartment.

Just reflecting...

 

[Hotel California]

Hi , you say "...we are experienced campers..." if so , you should have done some of the things in the above questions ...no?
How did you get to camp before ....?
What is a MBNP?

If you don't carry a portable toilet it will indeed be hard to try and wildcamp .
Alltough lots of free aires have some facilities in France .

Campsites near towns and cities are availeble and using public transport (or bikes if you take them ) can help.

Spending a winter in Spain to escape the cold northern Europe in Cali for sevral months i think would be harder as a Cali is a rather small verhicle with minimum space , still in combination with renting a house or flat some time inbetween is a option imo.

 

[CDinFrance]

Hi,

The MBMP is the Mercedes Marco Polo, so not a bad start. Thanks to this forum we have a boginabag, which is quite useful at night, but not really a replacement for a loo. Previously most of our camping has been with a tent and a car, which is quite easy to do quick trips with. We always have a bike, but weather, distances and hills can get in the way.

I am fully aware that this forum is for converted van owners, just wondering about the reflections of others.

 

[B J G]

We have a house in Normandy and decided that we miss travelling about in France, days out involved too much travelling there and back in a day, so replaced car with an Ocean.
Due to no inbuilt loo we bought, as advised on here, a Thetford 335 porta-potti, this fits in the rear when not required or can be stored under the sink (loss of space not liked so it stays in back & gets put in front when required.
Had a test run to the Loire area for 2 nights in April (32 euros incl electric) & stayed on an excellent site by a river on the edge of a town so full facilities available plus top rate on site restaurant.
The Cali has proven ideal.
I purchased the ACSI site info which comes as an App as well as books making it really easy to find sites to your requirement.
Having come from a past of camping-trailer tenting-caravanning-motorhomeing I'd personally want more that a Motorhome can offer in the way of beds, toilet/shower, cooking and storage than the Cali can provide for a long term winter break.

 

[Erbster]

We were previous tent campers before getting a van. Every vehicle is a compromise so you are right to think hard about how you would use a Cali.

We love ours (as opposed to a white box) for these reasons:

1. It's my daily drive.
2. Inconspicuous for wild camping.
3. Easy to park in towns when on tour.
4. Heating- so can camp comfortably with kids in spring/autumn
5. Great tow vehicle and base of operations for our water sports

When I am travelling alone, I rely on public loos (and the odd bush) but when traveling with wife/family take thetford 335 for night time use.

Have regularly used wild sites in northern and Southern Europe, Aires and camping sites. Each has its benefits and we generally mix it up on a trip.

If you have camped regularly, I suspect you will be used to the compromises involved (eg travelling light, being frugal with water, no fixed toilets)


Charles

 

[briwy]

We carry a PortaPotti but it's rarely used except for mid nightime emergencies.
Never had a problem finding toilets, public loos, supermarkets, garages, restaurants, tourist info centres etc.
Spent five weeks in Norway last year and at least 80% was wild camping with no problem finding toilets during the day.
No way would we go back to a tent now, yes it's a bit of hassle packing up the van if you want to go out for the day but we have a Quechua Seconds Pop up tent which we use if on a site for a while. It takes up very little space in the back when packed up (unlike a drive away awning). Just chuck stuff in there, roof down and go.

 

[larrylamb]

I would buy a book listing all the French Aires, you have got the lot then, small villages, towns, lakes, countryside etc. Stick a portaloo in the Cali and pack wisely, you can soon be on the move again and camp very cheaply. The Cali has a good heater by the way.

 

[GrannyJen]

I use bog-in-a-bag and find it excellent. Easier to dispose of than a chemical loo. however as others have said, finding public loo's, even when well off the beaten track, is not too difficult.

Morrisons in Fort William saw a lot of me last year ......

 

[Skylark2.0]

If you keep it simple then packing up takes about 15 mins and no wet mucky tent to deal with.
Sitting up around a table with lights and warmth in the evening extends the season.
Cooking in the rain is much more pleasant! The massive cool fridge is fantastic all the time.
When we go on long trips we take 5 days clothes for each (3) of us and use a launderette service wash if possible.
Also amazing for transporting big things back from ikea!
What's not to like?!
Oh and they hold heir price better than a car.

 

[Skylark2.0]

I use bog-in-a-bag and find it excellent. Easier to dispose of than a chemical loo. however as others have said, finding public loo's, even when well off the beaten track, is not too difficult.

Morrisons in Fort William saw a lot of me last year ......

No doubt you made a deposit!!

 

[CDinFrance]

Thanks for all of the replies. I tend to admire those who purchased without much thought, but I guess I am not one of them. It is an expensive experiment, and not a throw-away idea...

 

[Seaside Sussex]

Thanks for all of the replies. I tend to admire those who purchased without much thought, but I guess I am not one of them. It is an expensive experiment, and not a throw-away idea...

Indeed, but on reflection, too much thought can equate to little action and life is short.

As a family we find we can pack up the van in around 15 minutes. We keep the essentials in there (it is our 2nd vehicle too so is used on school-run etc) and have everything else bar clothes and fresh food packed in large boxes in the loft. Just plug it in the night before, fill up the water and fuel tank and off we go on our next adventure!

 

[BikerGran]

I was a bit surprised that packing for a day out takes you 30 minutes - just as a matter of interest, what are you packing?

 

[CDinFrance]

Just sleeping bags and topper, loose items and general mess. Top down, unplug, dump rubbish, and bikes on the van. I guess in a rush it would be faster,

 

[BikerGran]

Just sleeping bags and topper, loose items and general mess. Top down, unplug, dump rubbish, and bikes on the van. I guess in a rush it would be faster,

I can't help wondering why you need sleeping bags and a topper for a day trip? Or perhaps you mean for a trip out from a campsite where you're staying, in which case I misundersttod.

 

[Simon Kelly]

Having just come back from almost 3 weeks in France - I would offer the following:

You'll nearly always find somewhere near an Aire to go to the loo. The Aires are close to some lovely villages/towns.

We cook outdoors on a two ring gas hob and it is perfect for 'wild camping', unobtrusive and easy to set up and pack.

France Passion is an amazing resource.
Camper Contact website is superb as is camping card ACSI. The flexibility that the van offers in combination with these resources is amazing- don't plan day to day in obsessive detail. Just have a general idea of where you might want to go and a quick internet search will help
you plan where to stay that night.

The whole point is not to be in any sort of rush. There is no stopwatch on packing the van. If it takes an hour to breakfast and pack up, then what is the big deal. If we needed to move on quickly then we probably could in 15 mins from waking. The whole point is that it is a leisurely, relaxed lifestyle.....go for it.

There is no way you will consider it an expensive experiment.....

 

[CYCLOPATH]

I am a french passion fan
And aire de camping-car online
I have a boginabag, but never actually used it

Every french village has a bakery and a cafe.
It is almost ritual to buy a pain au raison and the days bread
Then enjoy it with a little coffee....
Newspaper or chat
and they have a loo

 

[CYCLOPATH]

And I am in Portugal at the moment...In an air B and B
With a rental car
So many lovely places for a van.....but we have to keep coming back
I will be in the van next time....energy though the air B and B is lovely....amazingly cheap, as was car hire
But the van life is just so much free er

 

[CYCLOPATH]

Albuferia in the algarve

 

[CYCLOPATH]

It's stunningly beautiful...I thought it would be all desert like,,,like a lot is spainitmis green and lush, so many flowers and birds and fruit
Just been coasteering , the other side of Lagos

 

[CYCLOPATH]

If you get a chance have a look at my neck of the woods.

Head east to Vila Real de Santo Antonio which is on the border with Spain, then head up the Portugal side of the River Guadiana, exploring as you go. Take the old river hugging Road. Have a superb lunch at the Soirero by the church at Alcoutim. Then if you have time go further up to Mertola....etc.

Cheers, sounds great
I am thinking a trip to morocco in April, then may next year In portugal

 

[T6 CFO]

Thanks to all for these posts. Ours is still fresh out of the box and not yet ventured to mainland Europe. When we do the plan is to just go and plan as we go. I shall be banging in search terms such as town names and the like so these tips will be awesome.
I shall contribute when we have something to add.
Ta

Mike


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[T6 CFO]

If you get a chance have a look at my neck of the woods.

Head east to Vila Real de Santo Antonio which is on the border with Spain, then head up the Portugal side of the River Guadiana, exploring as you go. Take the old river hugging Road. Have a superb lunch at the Soirero by the church at Alcoutim. Then if you have time go further up to Mertola....etc.

Just about to enter Portugal from Spain and a quick search found this.
Lovely drive by the river to Alcoutim

Onward to Mertola where we found a good Aires in the town.

We shall stay for a day or so and then probably drop down to the coast. Mid 30c so anticipating lingering in the South for 2-3 weeks then head North for a ferry.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[BerndRos]

Just about to enter Portugal from Spain and a quick search found this.
Lovely drive by the river to Alcoutim

Onward to Mertola where we found a good Aires in the town.

We shall stay for a day or so and then probably drop down to the coast. Mid 30c so anticipating lingering in the South for 2-3 weeks then head North for a ferry.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Glad you like it.

If you have time go about 15 miles from Mertola to the old mining village of Mina de Sao Domingos, lovely place to park by the lake, then on the way back divert off to Pomarao, lovely village with a free wash room/shower. Also on the Guadiana river.

If your coming back down via Alcoutim, pm, me and we can meet up here at Alcoutim for a coffee.

 

[T6 CFO]

Glad you like it.

If you have time go about 15 miles from Mertola to the old mining village of Mina de Sao Domingos, lovely place to park by the lake, then on the way back divert off to Pomarao, lovely village with a free wash room/shower. Also on the Guadiana river.

If your coming back down via Alcoutim, pm, me and we can meet up here at Alcoutim for a coffee.

Excellent. Thanks for the tips. Plenty of time and no plan so shall no doubt have a look.
Might catch you later in the week.

Mike