Road Trip - France, Switzerland 2025

[willwander]

We’re off on another European trip and thought I’d do some posts again…if I can be bothered.

Two reasons really.
1. It’s useful to log our trip
2. We got some great tips and advice from people on here last year.

Don’t expect much, we have no idea what we are doing or where we are going.

So far the plan is to take the tunnel and head in the direction of Epernay/ Hautvillers, followed by Colmar or Eguisheim, followed by Baume-les-Messieurs, then towards Annecy then I don’t really know.

At some point we have to do a Park-Run that begins with Z ??? According to the Mrs.

Day 1
Travel down the shitty M1 from Yorkshire to Chertsey. Camping at the Chertsey club site, which is really nice but the burger van is crap.

Day 2
Chertsey, visiting family and because every grand tour of Europe should begin in Chertsey right?

Day 3
Heading to Canterbury Park and Ride later tonight, tunnel tomorrow.

 

[Bongoloidfloyd]

If you like champagne then an afternoon on the avenue de champagne in epernay is time well spent.
If you start at the bottom on the right hand side it gets cheaper after the first couple of houses.
Can recommend Beaune if you enjoy the non fizzy too.
Depending how far south you intend going I’d also suggest Lourmarin, there’s a decent campsite there as well.

 

[willwander]

Day 4
Ah, France we love you.
Uneventful trip through tunnel.
Back on beautiful French roads after days of shitty M1 and M25 traffic chaos.
Arrived in Épernay, camp site in town was full, as half expected, so staying at Camping ‘Municipal sous le cloches’ just down the road in Dormans, which is ok actually, nice and quiet.
Glass of champagne, obviously, followed by walk around Chateau de Dormans which was lovely. Nice to be back in France.

 

[Vaughan]

Whilst in Epernay I recommend a trip to Hautvillers, the birthplace of champagne and a lovely little town. Follow the route de champagne into the hills north of Epernay.

 

[willwander]

Day 5
Breakfast at the Boulanger. Lovely drive through villages and vineyards. Didn’t reckon much to Hautvillers tbh.


Followed by lunch at the best restaurant in France which has Grape views haha

We then moved on a bit and have just arrived near Frignicourt at a campsite called Camping Nature where, much to our surprise, everyone is fully clothed. Anyway it’s really nice and peaceful.

 

[larrylamb]

Not Baume-les-Messieurs but fairly close, Beaune I can recommend the Chateau de Savigny-les-Beaune. Amazing. Campsite in Beaune is close to town and has a decent restaurant/wine menu.

 

[Betsycalifornia]

Not Baume-les-Messieurs but fairly close, Beaune I can recommend the Chateau de Savigny-les-Beaune. Amazing. Campsite in Beaune is close to town and has a decent restaurant/wine menu.

I can second this. Plus, if you’ve not been to Beaune, it’s quite stunning.

 

[willwander]

Not Baume-les-Messieurs but fairly close, Beaune I can recommend the Chateau de Savigny-les-Beaune. Amazing. Campsite in Beaune is close to town and has a decent restaurant/wine menu.

Ah nice, we might try it, we have no firm plans and are just wandering around really.

 

[willwander]

Day 6
Eguisheim. Timber houses, cobbled streets, tourist town. Nice enough. Had a beer and a laugh with a Dutch couple and their huge dog.
Campsites full but got the last spot at Eguisheim aire, at least it’s handy to walk in.

 

[sidepod]

I think that site is permanently full. The nesting storks on the chimneys are quite a sight.

 

[sidepod]

If you like champagne then an afternoon on the avenue de champagne in epernay is time well spent.
If you start at the bottom on the right hand side it gets cheaper after the first couple of houses.
Can recommend Beaune if you enjoy the non fizzy too.
Depending how far south you intend going I’d also suggest Lourmarin, there’s a decent campsite there as well.

If Lourmarin is your kinda thing then I’d suggest Vaison La Romaine and Buis Les Baronnies.
We’ve been to the Luberon countless times but I much prefer these two.

 

[Bongoloidfloyd]

If Lourmarin is your kinda thing then I’d suggest Vaison La Romaine and Buis Les Baronnies.
We’ve been to the Luberon countless times but I much prefer these two.

Thanks for the tip-off.

We love the area and have been to Lourmarin a few times so due a change of scenery.

 

[willwander]

Day 7
Day in Colmar. Lovely place, plenty going on, we liked it a lot.

Quick trip to the vets because R’Tilly dog got a tick, poor girl. We’d forgotten to bring our tick remover. Vet was lovely and removed it for free.

Just checked into a site called ‘Camping Des Peches’ on the banks of Lac-de-Neuchatel in Switzerland. Really nice campsite, bit pricey! Welcome to Switzerland ££ haha