EUROPE TOUR 2009 |
We
planned to cover fewer miles this year due to the increased fuel and
other costs but actually didn't do much less in the end.
2009
campsites and aires list >>
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Photo
features and trip details: |
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Across France to the Swiss border
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Lakes
Neuchatel to Geneva |
Around
the Alps - Valais
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Some Italian Lakes |
Lake Luzern and Bernese Oberland |
France - Alps to Ardeche
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Around the Auvergne
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North
to the Channel |
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Itinerary
We crossed the channel from Newhaven to Dieppe and headed south to
Chartres then east across France to the Doubs region and into Switzerland
at lake Neuchatel. We then headed for Bern the capital and south to
Gruyeres and Lake Geneva. From there we continued via the motorway to the
Valais and the Alps travelling up some of the valleys to Evolene, Zermatt
and Saas Fee before crossing into Italy via the Simplon Pass and to
Verbania on Lake Maggiore. A tour around the lakes Locarno and Lugano
followed ending up at our favourite, Lake Como. We then turned north over
the St Gotthard Pass and up to Lake Lucerne before heading south again to
Lake Brienz and Grindlelwald. After visiting Thun we left Switzerland via
the southern side of Lake Geneva and stopped for a couple of days in the
French Alps near Samoëns.
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We then headed towards the Chartreuse and Grenoble but due to the wet
weather turned west across the Rhône and into the northern Ardeche, a
quite remote hilly and wooded region. From there we drove across to the
Cantal and Auvergne where in places the hills were a mass of wild flowers. Our route
took us north east to Vichy and further east to the Saône at Tournus. Heading
north and homewards we drove through the Côte-d'Or wine growing region and
on to Troyes
with its magnificent cathedral. We skirted west of Reims and up to St
Quentin then through the Somme to Amiens and the ferry at Calais.
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>>
2009 campsites and aires lists
Costs
Ferry : booked through Camping & Caravanning Club
outbound: Newhaven - Dieppe Transmanche £105 single
return: Calais - Dover P& O £29
single
Fuel : £590 for 3964 miles about 28mpg
Gas: Gaslow 6Kg cylinder £6 initial fill in UK and three refills in France
28.5L €18
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