Finding campsites in Europe

[Pottsy]

Just interested how people go about finding a campsite when touring. Guide books, maps, tourist information, GPS, internet or just make it up as you go along?

Recommendations appreciated bearing in mind the cost and not wanting to carry a heavy guide book for every country.

Oh and a similar question about hostels.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Redmountduo]

We have always just picked them as we went along.
They are so numerous that we have not yet failed to find one when required.

 

[Pottsy]

Yes that's kind of how I was thinking. There's always the 'wild camping' option I suppose if you're really out in the sticks somewhere.

I would assume in countries like France and Germany there's going to be lots of sites but does anyone know what the Scandinavian countries are like in this respect?

 

[psmiffy]

Buy a map with campsite triangles - plan to be at one of the triangles at the end of day - find other campsite by accident - wild camp if all else fails

Scandinavia - campsites are sparser than in france or germany but enough to find one most of the time - same principle as above

not a clue about hostels

 

[CycleTourer]

Usually we find our campsites from maps. However from experience maps get quickly out of date and are not always that reliable. As soon as we arrive in the area we are touring in we pop into the local tourist information offices and ask if they have up to date brochures on the local campsites. It depends on the country but most TIO's usually have booklets on a local or national level and they are generally free. These booklets also usually tell you what facilities might be on offer at each site and the current prices.

I agree with psmiffy the campsites in the Scandanavian countries are not as numerous as in France but they are some of the best organised. They have national governing bodies for their campsites, you will find full lists of their sites on their websites:

Denmark http://www.dk-camp.dk/

Norway http://www.camping.no/

Finland http://www.camping.fi/template_page1.asp?lang=1&sua=2&s=528&q=y

Sweden http://www.camping.se/templates/start____4.aspx

For all Scandanavian campsites you will need to buy the 'Camping Card Scandinavia' which you can buy for 7 Euros at your first campsite or buy online before you go. It makes it easier to sign in and gives you a discount on your camp fee, which is usually 2 or 3 Euros off the price, so it will pay for itself in 3 nights.

In Denmark there are the 'Teldsplats' or basic bivouac sites, they are marked on the Danish tourist board cycling maps with a scout style tent icon rather than the wigwam style icon of the main campsites.

They are usually off the road in small woods and generally have a hand pump for water, a fire place and an earth closet. Some even have sleeping huts as well.

There are also some free bivouac sites around the country, there is a map at this google translated page here

These usually have very few or no facilities and you will find the rules for their use here and you can get a book with the locations of all the sites from the Dansk Cyklist Forbund.

You will also find free bivouac sites in Finland, although these do tend to be in the wilds well off the roads.

 

[andym]

I tend to research in advance using the Internet and guidebooks. Tourist information offices are the best source of information when you're on the road [cycletourer beat me to that one!].

For France the Guide Routard campsite guide is comprehensive and reliable.

If you have a GPS with the ability to store Points of Interest then this is quite a useful resource:

http://www.myfavouritecampsite.com/vB/local_links.php?catid=7

 

[psmiffy]

I would suggest that its about style - apart from how do i get to start/end point, basic geometry/length/doability I don't tend to plan that much in advance - if map indicates there is a bit of a gap in the campsites I might check out the internet to see if there is any options (not always easy because a lot of the time I don't buy map until or just after I get going)

of course if you are diametric to me then there are mega resources on internet

including

http://poi.gps-data-team.com/

(anyone-how do you convert the google krz to gpx?)

 

[Brains]

I tend to book the first site and know where I'm going. But after that you takes whatever you can find

 

[andym]

(anyone-how do you convert the google krz to gpx?)

kmz? - www.gpsvisualizer.com

 

[psmiffy]

andym -Merci Beucoup

 

[xilios]

Usually we find our campsites from maps. However from experience maps get quickly out of date and are not always that reliable. As soon as we arrive in the area we are touring in we pop into the local tourist information offices and ask if they have up to date brochures on the local campsites. It depends on the country but most TIO's usually have booklets on a local or national level and they are generally free. These booklets also usually tell you what facilities might be on offer at each site and the current prices.

X2
We always check to see where the campsites are along our planned route and make a list, also we stop at the local tourist office to check for cycling routes in the area and double check the campings.
There has been a few times where the camping we planed to stop for the night did not exist and were told by the tourist office that there was a great cycling path to another. This kind of information is difficult to find on the net

 

[andym]

Oh some more useful sites for anyone researching campsites/hostels in France.

http://www.bienvenue-a-la-ferme.com/en/ - camping on farms

http://www.laclefverte.org/english_version/e_index.html - the Green Key/Clef Verte a standard for more environmentally conscious sites. Unfortunately standard doesn't include discounts for cyclists.

http://www.campingqualite.com/gb.html - Camping Qualité.

The Gites de France site is also a useful resource as it covers campsites and gites d'étape as well:

http://www.gites-de-france.com/gites/uk/stopover_gites#

And for youth hostels there's FUAJ:

http://www.fuaj.org/

 

[snorri]

just make it up as you go along?

Yes!
As others have said, tourist info offices are good sources, and you can also gets tips on other things of interest there.
Wild camping is illegal in some European countries.

 

[raybo]

This site has camping information for countries all over Europe: http://www.camping.info/service/(e53j3zr0eqt03w5530naaw55)/main/Map0.aspx

I doubt they have all the sites but the database appears to be large and it is good place to start.

Ray

 

[andrew_s]

In Scandinavia responsible wild camping is allowed. It's probably a good idea to take a water filter if you think you may wild camp much.

Campsite POIs for GPS
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