European Holidays: Would You Like More for Less?

People have been exploring the Continent by caravan or motorhome for many years, tailoring holidays to their particular tastes. Do you fancy visiting French wine regions while en route to Southern Europe’s sandy beaches? How about exploring the Ardennes before heading for Switzerland’s many chocolate box towns and villages? A leisure vehicle allows route plotting that’s as individual as its owner instead of following a package tour timetable where each day bears a striking resemblance to the one before.

With the English Channel in the rear-view mirror, your options seem limitless. Previous Bailey trips ventured into Finland’s rugged north and the busy streets of Istanbul, both serving as the perfect menu from which to choose a family holiday. With the kids voting for Croatia, I compared a 14-night package deal with a caravan holiday to the same destination. A budget two-week break was £3500 for a family of four, but we opted for a 25-day, 10-country trip that wound its way to Croatia through Switzerland and Italy before coming home via Austria and Belgium. The cost of our caravan holiday was less than £2500, including crossings, sites, fuel, and a few trips to local supermarkets. Eleven extra days and a £1000 saving.

Both large UK clubs – The Caravan and Motorhome Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club – offer serious discounts on ferry and Eurotunnel crossings, plus an array of European sites. I’m not keen on spending money unnecessarily, and I’ll price-check most purchases, but I’ve yet to beat the cost of a club crossing.

Even on the continent, great weather is never guaranteed, although a caravan or motorhome allows you to chase the sun if your current destination is cloudy. Occasionally, I’ve contacted the club and asked about availability in sunnier destinations. Within a matter of hours, a drizzly Luxembourg was replaced with sun-kissed northern France, thanks to the travel team and a campsite search in a new location.

If you’re planning to visit the NEC Show in either February or October, one of the halls is home to European site operators who are more than happy to explain more about their particular area and what it has to offer. Their knowledge is unparalleled, and should you be looking for a specific backdrop, attraction, or experience, they will be more than happy to advise you. Or should you wish to explore sites and crossings from the comfort of your home, The Caravan and Motorhome Club, The Camping and Caravanning Club, and Alan Rogers are all great places to start. Thanks to the dot-to-dot nature of caravan and motorhome travel, a trip to the Pas de Calais can soon become an Italian extravaganza.

Imagination is the only limit to leisure vehicle travel, and it’s an easy way to plan the perfect holiday with little more than your heart and a rough idea in which to head. What’s more, you’ll get more holiday for your money while enjoying more things than you ever thought possible.