Europe 2023- Our biggest adventure yet!

The children and I are now home from our summer travels- our biggest adventure yet for many reasons. I have so much to share with you and I will do so in a series of blog posts, but for now this will act as a summary of our time.

Four weeks ago, Rosie and I left England without the boys, travelling on the DFDS ferry. We stayed in our first camping car park aire after stopping in Reims to see the cathedral. The next day we travelled for 6.5 hours across France, arriving in Lake Brienz, Switzerland. I was so proud of myself! I’d never driven abroad before, so learning to negotiate the roads and understand the signs whilst parenting on the move was a big challenge. One which is fretted over more than necessary.

The boys arrived two days later, flying into Zurich. Noah had been given two football opportunities which we just couldn’t say no to, so our trip began with an unexpected twist. Needless to say Noah loved it; a few days on his own with Daddy and an aeroplane ride- he has only flown once before and he doesn’t remember it.

Together we travelled along the west coast of Italy, making it all the way to Rome. We explored Cinque Terre, Pisa, Tuscany and our final destination as a four, Rome. After a day and an evening in the beautiful city, Jamie flew home for work and I continued our travels for another three weeks with the children on my own.

We drove back up the west coast, visiting Siena, Florence and Bergamo. We travelled into the cities, saw incredible architecture and even took a bus ride. After 5 days into our solo adventure, we left Italy and headed back into Switzerland.

We met some friends that I’d been chatting to on instagram who had been travelling Italy and Switzerland with their bell tent! The children instantly became friends and we enjoyed some time in the lido and a trip out on lake Brienz on the paddle boards and kayaks. We were sad to see them go, but their travels were coming to an end. We continued to explore Switzerland until some more friends joined us; it was a sociable week for us!

We enjoyed 5 days in Switzerland, staying in 3 different campsites and meeting with various friends. We didn’t see and experience as many things as I wanted to, but I also knew we needed some down time as our travels began to feel like hard work. We had a few days where the children’s behaviour was challenging and Noah began asking to go home.

We travelled from Brienz to Gruyères, heading in the direction of France. We stayed in our first paid park up- something I didn’t expect to feel brave enough for when we started our trip! We enjoying mooching around the medieval town and loved the fantastic sunset. We then woke up slowly the next day and set off for France.

I’m so glad that I had discovered Camping Car Park in preparation for our trip. These are Aires dotted around France that are prebook-able using the app, are situated near places of interest and have a variety of services available. These feel safe and well thought out- they are paid Aires, not the free, service station type aires that you find along the motorways through France. You can only access them with the membership card and you have to pay to exit.

We stayed in Seyssel, Aix-les-Bains, Lac du Der and Dunkerque. All fantastic spots with lakes and the seaside nearby. We had electric hook up at each one, topped up with water and emptied our waste. Each for a small fee of between 13€ and 19€ - an absolute bargain compared to some of the campsite prices we had been paying in Italy and Switzerland!

Between the Aires stays we had a wonderful two night stay in Le Lac Bleu on Lac d’Annecy with some precious friends and their family. The weather drastically turned, but we made the most of it and had a fabulous time. The children had so much fun with their friends, playing football and making loom band bracelets. I enjoyed a few evening catch ups with great company and Conad wine in a box!

I now write this first blog post on the sands of Dunkerque, watching Noah dig a moat and Rosie make a message from shells. My heart is more full than I can put into words. We are just so lucky to have had four weeks together in our amazing Dora Campervan. We have learnt so much and I return home with even greater desire to see the world, I hope the children do too.

Three countries, 2661 miles, four weeks and countless memories.

Thank you to all of my friends, family, loved ones and pocket pals for supporting us, giving us tips and guidance from afar and for lifting me when times were rough. I am so grateful for you.

Stay tuned for many more blogs to come with experiences and tips for your future travels- I hope it’s helpful!

Hollie x