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Motorhome route: Normandy & Brittany
Skiing with your motorhome: everything you should know!
It might be the most popular type of vacation during winter: a skiing trip in the Alps. Rushing down the mountains in a beautiful, snowy white decor, sitting in the sun at a chalet, and exploring the après-ski at night; we get why these kinds of trips are so popular! Do you want to go on such a trip with your motorhome upcoming winter? Then quickly read on, because in this blog, you'll read everything about the necessary preparations for a skiing trip with your motorhome, as well as the best ski resorts for motorhomers!
Winter-motorhome-checklist
It's no mean feat: staying in the cold with your motorhome, surrounded by a thick layer of snow. To make sure that you keep toasty - literally and figuratively - we have already compiled a checklist for you, so that you are as prepared as possible for your trip!
1. Winter tires
It may be obvious, but winter tires are essential for a motorhome trip during winter. Make sure that, besides winter tires, you also have a set of snow chains with you. These will come in handy when half a meter of snow falls overnight! Tip: practice putting on the snow chains at home before you leave for your trip.
2. Ice scrapers and snow shovels
Make sure you're prepared for extreme snowfall or frost! Nothing is as tedious as waking up and realising that you have to clear out your entire motorhome before you can head out to the slopes. So, bring some good ice scrapers and snow shovels so that you can get rid of the excessive layers of snow on your motorhome in no time.
3. Antifreeze
Not only is bringing enough antifreeze fluid important, but it is also important to make sure you bring propane gas. This is because butane can freeze in frosty conditions. We also recommend that you bring a hair dryer, which can come in handy when your locks or taps freeze.
4. Awning
Obviously, clothes get wet from skiing and being in the snow. All that material and clothing ultimately needs to dry again, too. That's why you should consider bringing an awning, so that you have enough space to put all your wet stuff. Don't feel like bringing one? Some motorhome stopovers have special drying rooms, so that you can dump and dry all your wet clothes!
- Make sure that you are well prepared for your motorhome trip in winter!
Germany
The fun and cosy ski resort Winterberg is not too far from home. If you travel through the Eurotunnel, it's only a 6,5-hour drive more until you reach this German ski resort. In Winterberg, you'll find 27 kilometres of slopes scattered over multiple mountains, with a maximum height of 810 metres above sea level. A perfect area for beginners, or for a weekend break as a kick-off to the winter sports season! The vast majority of slopes in Winterberg are blue and you'll mostly find chairlifts.
To stay overnight in Winterberg, you can park your motorhome at Campingplatz Winterberg or Parkplatz Stadthalle.
- Germany has a couple of beautiful ski resorts, too!
France
Skiing in the shadows of the Mont Blanc, it's possible in the French ski resort Chamonix Mont-Blanc! This ski resort lies on the border with Switzerland, and via the special "Mont Blanc tunnel" you can easily ski all the way to the Italian ski resort Courmayeur. There are so many possibilities! Though, you'll have enough to do even just in Chamonix Mont-Blanc itself! With a mere 171 kilometres of slopes, of which a big part are red slopes, the average to experienced skier will definitely enjoy themselves here. You can park your motorhome at Parking Grépon.
Another beautiful and popular resort in France is Tignes-Val d'Isère. With over 300 kilometres of slopes, ranging from wide, blue runs to challenging off-piste descents, there is something for every type of skier here! Here, too, you can stay close to the lifts with your motorhome at the motorhome stopover Le Point Saint-Charles.
- The extensive ski resort Chamonix Mont-Blanc has slopes for every type of skier!
Switzerland
With a few of the highest peaks in the Alps, Switzerland is the perfect place to go on a skiing trip. Not only will you come across some beautiful, authentic villages here, but also some of the best mountain panoramas of Europe! The beautiful ski resort Villars lies in direct connection with the resorts Les Diablerets and Glacier 3000, which makes up for 132 kilometres of slopes. Fun fact: the abovementioned Glacier 3000 is located on a glacier. This alone makes it special already, but what makes it even better is that you can go skiing here from November up until May. So much time to enjoy the snow! You can stay at the motorhome stopover Gryon.
Are you planning to go with kids? Then the ski resort Meiringen-Hasliberg is the ideal destination! This ski resort is of average size and has about 60 kilometres of slopes. But, most importantly, it has an amazing kids village where the little ones can run around all day! You can stay at Alpencamping, located in Meiringen.
- At Glacier 3000, located in the beautiful Villars, you can even ski in May!
Austria
Every year, a long stream of tourists heads out towards the paradise for winter sports: Austria. A resort that is particularly popular during winter, is Zillertal Arena. With 147 kilometres of slopes and a lot of international ski instructors, this is the ideal place for a skiing trip. You will also find more than enough facilities for a fun evening in the après-ski here. The centre of Zilltertal Arena is Gerlos. Stay with your motorhome at Bauernhof Schönachhof.
A slightly less popular area in Austria is Achensee. Located about an hour and a half's drive from the German city of Munich, this ski resort is a perfect area for beginners and families. In Achensee, you will find 51 kilometres of slopes, all of which are fairly easy. Not such a ski fanatic? Then Achensee, with its 200 kilometres of trails, is also a true paradise for cross-country skiers! The area also has plenty to offer hiking enthusiasts. You can stay overnight at Wohnmobilhafen Achensee.
- There are over 200 kilometres of nordic skiing trails in the ski resort Achensee! © Achensee Tourismus
Italy
If you go skiing in Italy, you will be ensured of beautiful sights and delicious food on the slopes. What more could you want during a skiing trip? One of the most popular ski routes in Italy - and perhaps in all of Europe - is the Sellaronda. This 40-kilometre ski tour takes you through the most beautiful valleys of the Dolomites. Not surprisingly, this route is high on the list of many ski enthusiasts. Is it on your list too? Then you can spend the night at the motorhome stopover Piz Sella.
- During the Sellaronda ski route, you will come across some of the most beautiful spots in the Dolomites!
Don't like the cold so much? Of course, a winter sports holiday is not the only option for motorhome owners in winter. Stay in the "sunny south" next winter and enjoy the sun even in December! For example, you can head out to explore Andalusia! Read everything about this Spanish destination in the blog "Highlights of Andalusia by motorhome!".
Locations
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Camperstop Europe - motorhome guide
(Detailed) information about thousands of motorhome stopovers throughout Europe!
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Back to the Middle Ages in Graz!
Your motorhome route starts in Normandy, in the north of France. Prepare yourself for lots of art (Monet!), beaches full of history and admirable nature. Have a nice trip / Bon voyage!
Giverny
The route starts in the colourful village of Giverny, which you may know from the famous painter Monet. He lived here from 1883 to 1926, the year in which he died. The gardens and the artist's home can still be admired during your camper trip through Normandy. The gardens are full of colourful flowers, but the house also has a lot of colour: something you will of course see in his paintings. The fact that Japan was a great inspiration can also be seen: in his house there are many prints from Japan, but you won't be able to ignore the Japanese bridge and water lilies in the garden either! Giverny also has the Museum of Impressionism with changing exhibitions.
At camperstop Giverny you are within a few minutes' drive of all the sights in Giverny from your motorhome.
Giverny - Lyons la Fôret (50 kilometres)
From Giverny, continue your motorhome journey to Lyons la Fôret, which is about 50 kilometres. In the middle of the fairytale beech forest you will find the beautiful village of Lyons la Fôret. When you arrive, you will understand why several artists have chosen the village as their creative breeding ground! Composer Maurice Ravel and poet Isaac de Benserade, among others, have lived here. As you walk through the village, the typical Norman atmosphere meets you with the beautiful old half-timbered houses and eighteenth-century wooden halls.
Next to the beautiful village you can also walk through the beech forest. Along the way you will certainly pass a number of places of interest that are hidden here, such as beautiful old castles or the abbey of Mortemer. There are many exciting legends known about the abbey, there are said to be many different ghosts roaming around... You will learn all about these legends during your visit to the abbey, which is open daily during the high season. Beyond that, it is advisable to check the opening days and times on the website.
You can spend the night with the camper van at Parking de Besguay.
Lyons la Fôret – Rouen (35 kilometres)
Ideally, you should spend the night near the centre of Rouen.
Rouen - Pont-Audemer (55 kilometres)
Motorhome stop Campigny is a 10 minute drive from Pont-Audemer so is the perfect place to stay during your motorhome trip!
Audemer - The chalk cliffs of Etretat (60 kilometres)
Stay for free in Étretat at the Etretat motorhome park. A little further away from the town centre you will find Aire de stationnement Maupassant or Etretat car park.
Extra tips for your motorhome trip through Normandy
Ouistreham
Because of the name Ouistreham, you may already know what you can particularly enjoy in this seaside resort: oysters! Perhaps the name is also familiar to you because D-Day, Sword Beach, one of the five landing zones, is close by! So be sure to drive by here with your motorhome. Ouistreham is also a great place for a day at the beach during your camper trip through Normandy with beautiful villas in the background.
In Ouistreham there is a camper place to spend the night.
The rest of the coast of Calvados
Ouistreham is one of the highlights along the coast of Calvados, but the rest of this coast is also worth a visit! Indeed, many of these beaches were a great battlefield during the Battle of Normandy and many of them can still be seen today. Drive along the coast to visit several military cemeteries and be sure to visit one of the many museums that are located here. The most famous is the Overlord Museum, where you can learn everything about the Battle of Normandy. Besides history you will find several (chic) seaside resorts such as Deauville.
Parc de l'Edit is situated on the coast of Calvados, but of course you can also spend the night in Ouistreham!
Le Havre
Le Havre is a beautiful city on the UNESCO world heritage list because of its many modern architecture. As the name suggests, this used to be a port city, although it has not always been well known, it was always seen as a somewhat drab port city. Today there is nothing left of that grey and it has become a trendy destination. Monet returns here too, because he painted his painting 'Impression of the Rising Sun' in Le Havre! A great work in the art world, because this is where the Impressionist art movement was ultimately named after.
You can spend the night at Camperstop Le Havre, just outside the city centre.
Tips for spending the night in Normandy
We leave Normandy behind us, on our way to Brittany with the motorhome!
From Normandy your motorhome journey continues to Brittany. Also in this region you will find a lot of old works and you will be overwhelmed by the delicious food and the beautiful nature. Bon voyage!
Étretat - Côte de Granit Rose (420 kilometres)
From Étretat you drive on to the next pearl of nature. The Côte de Granit Rose is part of the 350 kilometres long Côtes d'Armor. The Côte de Granit Rose lives up to its name, because this coast is literally pink! Through hundreds and perhaps thousands of years, the rocks of solidified magma have been so eroded that you can now admire these beautiful shapes and colours. In addition to the Côte de Granit Rose, it is certainly advisable to drive a little further along the Côtes d'Armor, because there are still plenty of gems to discover here! Among other things, the beaches - also pink - at Trégastel are highly recommended. So this coastline is certainly colourful!
Motorhome stop Trégastel is a good stop from which to visit the Côte de Granit Rose.
Côte de Granit Rose – Dinan (140 kilometres)
A city with a medieval atmosphere: that's Dinan, the next stop during your motorhome trip through Brittany. This is particularly striking in the Rue de Jerzual because of its many half-timbered houses. Every two years you can already enter the medieval atmosphere, because that's when the Fêtes des Ramparts take place. In these Fêtes des Ramparts the whole city is being transformed into medieval spheres where there are also various tournaments, among which knight tournaments. If you come dressed up, admission is free. Even more beautiful old works are the thirteenth-century fortifications and the castle of Dinan, which stands in the middle of the medieval city wall.
Dinan has a camper stop for the night.
Dinan – Rennes (55 kilometres)
Rennes is the bustling capital of Brittany. A good counterpart after the medieval spheres in Dinan. Especially the many students in the city create a vibrant atmosphere in the capital: terraces are full, and that's not surprising with a street also popularly called 'Rue de la Soif', which means 'Street of Thirst'. This street was originally called 'Rue Saint-Michel'. In the centre, one historical building after another emerges: the beautiful half-timbered houses in the old centre and the Romanesque cathedral, which is particularly special because of its marble, are just the beginning. The half-timbered houses are particularly beautiful to admire on the Place du Champ-Jacquet. If you are hungry, the Marché des Lices is an ideal place. This is the fourth largest market in France. Here, too, you can pick up various delicacies for on the road, but you can also eat them here while strolling past the many stalls!
Just outside Rennes you can spend the night at camper stop Rennes.
Rennes - Carnac (145 kilomtres)
After bustling Rennes, it's time for the last stop of your motorhome journey through Normandy and Brittany: Carnac. Here you will find impressive menhirs, large stones from the Bronze Age. The menhirs were erected here a long time ago, even before our era! They are thought to originate from about 4500 BC, but we can't be absolutely sure because there is very little material here. The stones are probably placed to worship ancestors or as a kind of calendar, as more stone circles were used on the rest of the world. Because the stones can become loose when many tourists walk on the grass, you can walk between the stones between October and March. The other months the stones can be admired from a distance.
You can spend the night at camper stop Carnac, just outside Carnac.
Extra tips for your motorhome trip through Brittany
The Château de Kerjean is a beautiful castle in Renaissance style, where you will find all the elements you would expect from a castle. Think of a courtyard with a well on it, immense corridors and of course a gigantic castle garden around it. Throughout the castle there are several actors who like to tell you about the former life here in the castle!
From Camperstop Landerneau you'll be right at the castle!
Fort la Latte
The Fort la Latte is situated on the coast at Cap Fréhel and has a turbulent history of past centuries. It was a strategic point during the Hundred Years' War, during which it was in French and English hands, but during the French Revolution it was also used as a prison. If you still want to stroll along the rugged coastline, you can do so from Cap Fréhel. From there you can reach the fort in 1.5 to 2 hours.
Camper stop Aire de la Roche aux Cygrons is close to the fort.
Oyster eating (Cancale)
The real oyster lover will have a great time in Cancale, this coastal town has been known for a large part of its history for its salty shellfish! Even the Romans seemed to have discovered the delicacies. At the harbour you can enjoy the oysters at the oyster market while watching the boats go in and out. It's less than an hour's drive to the famous Mont Saint-Michel, so be sure to visit it after eating the oysters! La Merveille Abbey is literally a highlight here, but you shouldn't skip the mudflats either!
Aire camping-car Ville Ballet is located just outside Cancale and is therefore perfect to spend the night after your visit.
Tips for spending the night in Brittany
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