Taking the van to Europe / Croatia this year.

[Ayjay]

We’re toying with the idea of a road trip to Croatia next month – there’s no real hurry and the aim would be to spend maybe 7 (or 8) days (in total) travelling with a couple of weeks in-country. We know Croatia well and the route is likely to be our usual from Calais via Belgium, Germany, Austria and Slovenia (but we might avoid Belgium). If we go ahead, it will be the first trip out of the UK since Covid hit. I was just wondering if any other T6F members had been to Europe in their vans recently and how things went (including the return from Calais along with the compulsory return to UK covid test business both in France and UK - we’re both double-jabbed). If you’ve been to Europe and went as far as Croatia even better. Alternatively, am I being mad and should we just put the trip off for another year?
Croatia

 

[Bluesman]

Sorry that I can't contribute anything constructive but personally I would be quite jealous if you go as I'm a bit fed up with congested GB at the moment and would love some better weather as autumn approaches! However, SWMBO would not agree as she seems to think that Europe is some Covid 19 filled fetid swamp that is best avoided for a year or 2. I've heard mixed reports on the situation over there but I'm also surprised that there is nobody else on T6Forum that has not travelled to at least France this summer and can offer some advice. Good luck whatever you do.

 

[Ayjay]

@Bluesman. Thanks for that. As it's been 24 hours now, I'm also a little surprised that I haven't had any responses as they're usually such a helpful lot here on T6F. I'm now beginning to conclude that no has done a cross-channel trip this summer and they all think I'm mad even considering it. Hopefully somebody will pop up soon with advice but I also need to get my 4rse in gear making a decision which I have to confess that I'm dithering over ( and which is unusual for me).

 

[Oldrat]

Again, sorry that I can’t answer your Q, but having just got back from 5 nights bimbling around the Southwest of England, I would say that you don’t have too much to fear as everywhere we’ve been, folks are acting as if Covid has disappeared and doesn’t now exist. Rarely see a mask being used and social distancing almost doesn’t exist.
Europe can’t be much worse.


If (big if I know) but if things stay the same we think we’ll tootle over there sometime about March onwards as the weather improves after winter.

Have a great trip, just make sure that your health insurance covers you well.

 

[DXX]

Before Covid I was loosely planning a trip taking in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and possibly Albania / Greece and a ferry across to south Italy and back north.
I was surprised to find that Croatia is now very strict on off site camping with big fines being issued. Has anybody got first hand recent experience of Croatia by van?

 

[Alied]

We’re toying with the idea of a road trip to Croatia next month – there’s no real hurry and the aim would be to spend maybe 7 (or 8) days (in total) travelling with a couple of weeks in-country. We know Croatia well and the route is likely to be our usual from Calais via Belgium, Germany, Austria and Slovenia (but we might avoid Belgium). If we go ahead, it will be the first trip out of the UK since Covid hit. I was just wondering if any other T6F members had been to Europe in their vans recently and how things went (including the return from Calais along with the compulsory return to UK covid test business both in France and UK - we’re both double-jabbed). If you’ve been to Europe and went as far as Croatia even better. Alternatively, am I being mad and should we just put the trip off for another year?
Croatia

I've just come back from three weeks in France. Everything went smoothly. On the way back I stayed at this campsite which is around two hours from Calais Camping du Vivier aux Carpes

I had my antigen test done by the local village nurse for €20 cash which was arranged by the campsite owner. Before you fill out the passenger locator form you need to book your day two test for when you return to the UK as the test provider will give you a code which has to be entered into the passenger locator form. As I travelled via Eurotunnel I uploaded the antigen test result and the passenger locator form to the Eurotunnel website which has to be verified. When I arrived at Calais I went straight through with no problems.

 

[keith baker]

We caught the Portsmouth Caen ferry on Monday. Stopped overnight near le mans and then millau. Just arrived at Argeles sur mer, near Perpignan. No problems with showing the printed vaccination docs from the NHS app at the campsites. The sworn statement wasn't looked at on arrival in France. Campsites are fairly empty, but would expect that in France during September. Have tests ready for coming home and day 2 tests ready when we arrive.
Checkout Dashboard Départements - CovidTracker for the covid situation in France. Glad we came here rather than Scotland.

 

[Ayjay]

@keith baker, Have a good trip. I've driven through but never stayed in that area - assume it's nice? My wife has now developed cold feet over driving all the way through to Croatia in the current Covid climate (I don't necessarily agree but after nearly 34 years of marriage I know better than to argue with her!) BUT we have compromised on a trip to The Camargue (or thereabouts). We're therefore booked into the CCC Folkestone site for this Sunday night and an early train over to Calais on Monday morning. We will probably take our time with 3 days travelling down to the coast and I quite fancy a diversion over the Milau Viaduct. If you see an Acapulco Blue T6 camper on an 18 UK plate give a wave as , it might be us.

 

[Nigel W]

@keith baker, Have a good trip. I've driven through but never stayed in that area - assume it's nice? My wife has now developed cold feet over driving all the way through to Croatia in the current Covid climate (I don't necessarily agree but after nearly 34 years of marriage I know better than to argue with her!) BUT we have compromised on a trip to The Camargue (or thereabouts). We're therefore booked into the CCC Folkestone site for this Sunday night and an early train over to Calais on Monday morning. We will probably take our time with 3 days travelling down to the coast and I quite fancy a diversion over the Milau Viaduct. If you see an Acapulco Blue T6 camper on an 18 UK plate give a wave as , it might be us.

Have a great trip, we are very jealous but just not brave enough. If you have internet please do let us know how you get on as I am still working on her!

 

[lambo]

I think it's safer and better managed in Europe than here. I spent 2 weeks in France followed by 1 week in Italy from end of July to mid August.
Most places in france and Italy want you to show double vax or recent test. NHS app now plays with the French health app (didn't at start of holiday, fixed by the end). If you carry print outs of vax status from PDF download from NHS site it won't do any harm.
Got a lateral flow at a French chemist morning we left (got a 2300 sailing from Caen). This was 25 euros and you get a printout and a QR code for French app.
Obviously test on the UK side was much more expensive £99!

I say go for it. 3 weeks touring in the sun, away from here for a bit, has kept me sane. It's no problem at all if you do your homework.

 

[keith baker]

Hello ladies who are worried about travelling abroad. I was equally worried it seems crazy to travel in the middle of a pandemic. But our alternative destination was Scotland- over 4 times the number of cases than France. The campsites we have been to were really quiet. Masks are mandatory in all shops and this is observed. There is more space here and I feel safe. My biggest worry was going into a supermarket having not been in one in the UK since March 2020. We look at the apps and choose quiet times - it's Ok. I'm glad my husband persuaded me to come. We are now at Argeles sur mer on the Mediterranean. The warmth of the sun is lovely. We've not seen many Brits but plenty of Dutch. We've had to show our NHS vaccination record at every campsite but not in shops. Be brave if you can. Amanda

 

[Ayjay]

@Nigel W. Wilco on the reports. If nothing else, I'll do something on return. In the meantime, keep at her!
@keith baker / Amanda. How's the night time temperatures? We've spent a lot of time living overseas in hot climates and my wife therefore doesn't like things too cool (at least not on her holidays).

 

[keith baker]

@Nigel W. Wilco on the reports. If nothing else, I'll do something on return. In the meantime, keep at her!
@keith baker / Amanda. How's the night time temperatures? We've spent a lot of time living overseas in hot climates and my wife therefore doesn't like things too cool (at least not on her holidays).

23°C at the moment. Just cooked and ate outside, supping wine with shorts and tee shirt. Mind you, last night was 11°C near millau. But that is at 1000m altitude.

 

[Dannyb6467]

We’re toying with the idea of a road trip to Croatia next month – there’s no real hurry and the aim would be to spend maybe 7 (or 8) days (in total) travelling with a couple of weeks in-country. We know Croatia well and the route is likely to be our usual from Calais via Belgium, Germany, Austria and Slovenia (but we might avoid Belgium). If we go ahead, it will be the first trip out of the UK since Covid hit. I was just wondering if any other T6F members had been to Europe in their vans recently and how things went (including the return from Calais along with the compulsory return to UK covid test business both in France and UK - we’re both double-jabbed). If you’ve been to Europe and went as far as Croatia even better. Alternatively, am I being mad and should we just put the trip off for another year?
Croatia

Evening pal, I'm going to Portugal tomorrow via France and Spain...I'll let you know our experiences day by day...albeit we will be there on Saturday.

 

[Dannyb6467]

Well, got to the English passport control and handed over the passports...all fine no questions regards Covid.
French passport control asked us what country we had travelled from.
Arrived at the chateau and still all ok.
Walked into a restaurant and was told that we couldn't eat there unless we could prove we were double jabbed...gave them a copy of our certs and all was well.
From here to valladolid tomorrow.
Once we are in Portugal I'll give you details of what happens on the road so to speak I'll ask the wife to go through what she's had to do online before we set off....that way you'll get the full story.

 

[Ayjay]

Out of interest, has anybody been asked about any whether they are carrying potentially hazardous substances when they go through French passport control / customs into France. Just to be clear, I'm not talking about stuff like guns or anthrax here, my interest is more in the really dangerous stuff like canned soup with 'meat products' in it or maybe even a really dangerous bottle of milk or a bit of cheddar? I'm not joking about the meat and dairy!

 

[Dannyb6467]

We wasnt asked yesterday.....only if we were carrying gas.
Interestingly, the tunnel terminal was literally empty of passengers. There were no more than 10 cars on the train. This did give the French police plenty of time to swab the car for drugs though. Worryingly they swabbed the Italian can in front then used the same swab for ours.....they nearly always do. Perhaps theres a logical explaination or they are just lazy and cant be bothered with the results anyway......What i hear you say...a lazy Frenchman!

 

[Nigel W]

Probably a bit late but I purchased an ACSI discount camping card for this year which I won’t be using, if anyone wants it I would be very happy to stick it in first class post to you.
It gives very good discounts at most campsites.

 

[Oldrat]

We wasnt asked yesterday.....only if we were carrying gas.
Interestingly, the tunnel terminal was literally empty of passengers. There were no more than 10 cars on the train. This did give the French police plenty of time to swab the car for drugs though. Worryingly they swabbed the Italian can in front then used the same swab for ours.....they nearly always do. Perhaps theres a logical explaination or they are just lazy and cant be bothered with the results anyway......What i hear you say...a lazy Frenchman!

The logic being, it’s quicker if the swabbed vehicles all turn out negative.
Say if ten (I doubt this many though!) vehicles were sampled with the same swab only one test is needed if they all give a clear result, as the kit is so sensitive.
If it’s positive then they resort to individual vehicles being tested.

 

[Ayjay]

@Nigel W. Nigel, I'll willingly take it off your hands if I can pick it up in person (we go on Sunday) - as you know we're fairly close to you down in Frampton on Severn. I'll PM my mobile if that's acceptable (or PM me yours) - cheers.