europe in april

carico694

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hi all .been really busy getting ready for our 6 month trip around europe in april , just wondering about CCI and ACSI cards ? are they needed ? which is best ? help! or any other good advice,cheers:)
 
what are they camping cards if so why the hell do you need them just live on aires and wild we do for 4 weeks in aug/sept every yr its the best time you will ever have free elec/water/toilet its so cool even with 2 kids on board they love it
 
carico694 said:
hi all .been really busy getting ready for our 6 month trip around europe in april , just wondering about CCI and ACSI cards ? are they needed ? which is best ? help! or any other good advice,cheers:)
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As I understand it (I've been asking this week) The ACSI is best and it will save you about 50% on campsites out of peak season.

If you don't intend to use campsites then its not needed, we expect to be on a campsite about once a week perhaps only for 1 day. Even so in france campsites can be expensive so it should pay for itself quite easily by the end of our trip.


Some good info here
Vicarious Books
 
CCI card (Camping Card International) does give you a discount on some sites but personally we never found any near where we wanted. Also you can use it instead of leaving your passport at reception. I have since done copies of our passport (credit card size) & laminated them. Found these to be accepted as all they are interested in is having a copy of your passport details.
Don't bother with any of them now, occasionally buy a book of aires/stellplatz in the country we are in. After all if they are good enough for the locals then they are good enough for us. Have lots of them on my sat nav.

Met a lot of people who only ever seem to use campsites, I don't really understand why they don't get a car & caravan. We have done quite a few 3 month trips & rarely if ever use campsites. 3 months we find is about long enough & also the insurance coverage is a bit easier than if we go longer. I am ok with the van & house insurance but I found it more expensive on the motorbike once i got over 3 months :confused:

Back on topic wher are you planning on going, as this might give people an idea on what to advise. At the time you are going & the length of your stay you will be running into the 'holiday' season so you need to be aware that some places can get expensive.
 
biggirafe said:
As I understand it (I've been asking this week) The ACSI is best and it will save you about 50% on campsites out of peak season.

If you don't intend to use campsites then its not needed, we expect to be on a campsite about once a week perhaps only for 1 day. Even so in france campsites can be expensive so it should pay for itself quite easily by the end of our trip.


Some good info here
Vicarious Books
Click to expand...

we found the cards were of no use after mid April last year but were used as proof when we did stop on a site ,used the aires most days ,cannot beet them. found most sites that you use the cards were the big sites with clubs and swiming pools ,
 
l77 tuf said:
what are they camping cards if so why the hell do you need them just live on aires and wild we do for 4 weeks in aug/sept every yr its the best time you will ever have free elec/water/toilet its so cool even with 2 kids on board they love it
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Agreed! Not needed. In three months we went on one ACSI campsite in the Loire just to see what it was like.

The ACSI card will get you on a site for 11, 13 or 15 Euros max plus a little tax and you can use them till around the end of June Early July and then September.
 
dshague said:
we found the cards were of no use after mid April last year but were used as proof when we did stop on a site ,used the aires most days ,cannot beet them. found most sites that you use the cards were the big sites with clubs and swiming pools ,
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I would agree, it does appear only the larger sites are part of the system.

The site I worked on accepted them, and in peak season were charging 27 euros anight for the pitch with EHU, Before discounts.

I personally wouldn't bother. Perhpas others want onsite restaurants , swimming pools, sanitary blocks etc. But you can be paying for facilities you dont use.

Also because of the amount of aires, a lot of reasons for visiting campsites are negated with water,vidange and EHU's normally available.

For laundry when I left the site a I used a laundrette at a local supermarket.

Other than the 'ambience' of larger sites which some people prefer, there really is no need to stop on one.

Channa
 
And for anyone worrying about laundry on a long summer trip dont. Buy yourself one of those thingys you hang outside the window to dry stuff on (or a washing line if you want to really get the gypsy look), find a crap aire in a side street that nobody bothers staying on, hook your water up, get your laundry woman out and let her do it all by hand in the sink. Dont forget you wont have loads of heavy stuff as its summer (remember to open grey tap). Walk off for a beer while washer woman does her thing. Come back and drive to your fav wild spot (which you will have GPS'd while your pants are getting done), get deck chair out, dry washing in the sun. Piece of cake!

Not sure about winter as we have only been away 3 weeks and havent run out of stuff yet but the above might not work in -4 temp or rain, I dont know.

Ill get me coat

Cheers
BD
 
barryd said:
And for anyone worrying about laundry on a long summer trip dont. Buy yourself one of those thingys you hang outside the window to dry stuff on (or a washing line if you want to really get the gypsy look), find a crap aire in a side street that nobody bothers staying on, hook your water up, get your laundry woman out and let her do it all by hand in the sink. Dont forget you wont have loads of heavy stuff as its summer (remember to open grey tap). Walk off for a beer while washer woman does her thing. Come back and drive to your fav wild spot (which you will have GPS'd while your pants are getting done), get deck chair out, dry washing in the sun. Piece of cake!

Not sure about winter as we have only been away 3 weeks and havent run out of stuff yet but the above might not work in -4 temp or rain, I dont know.

Ill get me coat

Cheers
BD
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Be careful mate you have to sleep at somepoint :D
 
Place laundry in laundrette, and both go to the pub:D
For 10-15euros for a weekly wash, save a lot of energy for other things:D
Camping cards are not really needed, too many free aires.

Happy Camping:)
 
hi,
the acsi is handy as a back up, £11.00, especially in spain , aires and wild camping a bit naff and risky. france you dont need a site, just do as the french do, dont pay anywhere, see a charge req and they just drive on.

we will be sampling it again in april for 3 months.

tom
 
coolasluck said:
LOL i have also been assigned that task from mrs c. The crapper is also my job:mad:
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Toooo right. I plan the trip, aim the van and the bike, navigate and empty the crapper and fill the water. Sometimes I even get my own beer out of the fridge if Im feeling kind. Why would I want to part with 15 euros at a laundrette? Might let her use one in Winter though but its coming out of her allowance!

Cheers
BD
 
I empty the crapper nearly all the time while he lazes indoors!!!! he does get the water though so he's useful for something lol and he always makes the cofee except for first thing in the morning whe he gets me to do it so the chores are well divided
 
triciamcpartlin said:
I empty the crapper nearly all the time while he lazes indoors!!!! he does get the water though so he's useful for something lol and he always makes the cofee except for first thing in the morning whe he gets me to do it so the chores are well divided
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You must be a big strong girl then!

Mrs D probably couldnt carry ours and certainly wouldnt have this morning. Oh dear I can see the way this is going. I have better things to do than talk sh!te
 
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