68 September 2019 Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine http://www.camc.com
SPECIAL ACCESSIBILITY
Karla Baker and partner Stephen cross the Channel for
the first time with their adapted caravan
O
ne of the biggest benefits of
owning a caravan or motorhome
is the ability to take your
accommodation – and many home
comforts – anywhere you want.
So why limit yourself to the
United Kingdom when there’s
a whole continent out there just
waiting to be explored? It’s more
accessible than you might think!
Earlier this year we took our
specially adapted Bailey Unicorn on its
first European adventure and, due to
the added challenges that come with
having a disability, there were a few
extra things we needed to consider
during the planning stage.
Staff at the Caravan and
Motorhome Club’s Overseas Travel
Service helped. They were able to
organise special assistance on theferry crossings (making sure we
were parked near the lifts for
example) and helped us choose from
the network of overseas sites,
ensuring they had suitable facilities.
I use a ventilator overnight, so it’s vital
that we have a good source of
electricity, and with continental sites
i t ’s c o m m o n to h a ve l o w e r a m p e r a g e
than here in the UK.
This was a concern for us initially,
but the Club contacted the site
directly and was able to ensure that
we were on a pitch with 10 amps.
It also provided copious amounts of
information about towing abroad,
and as soon as we were off the
phone we received links to even
more valuable resources, based on
what we had discussed. It couldn’t
have been more straightforward.EARLY START
With all of the important things taken
care of, the real fun could begin!
W a nt i n g to t a ke a n e a r l y, 9 0 - m i n u te
Dover-to-Calais crossing, we spent the
night before at the Black Horse Farm
Club site, which is conveniently just
over 10 miles from the ferry terminal.
The excitement was building
quickly and before long we were
cruising down the quiet, smooth
French motorways. Despite it being
my partner Stephen’s first time
towing abroad, surprisingly he found
i t e a s i e r t h a n to w i n g i n t h e U K , a n d
we soon arrived at our campsite- Caravaning Des 4 Vents.
Situated on the edge of the quaint
village of Crèvecoeur-en-Brie, the
campsite’s location is perfect – it
avoids the hustle and bustle yet is
NO BOU N DA R I E S
Main pic: the Champs de Mars
from the Eiffel TowerI n s e t s ( t o p t o b o t t o m ) : p o s i n g
for a selfie; the Tower’s lift;
second-floor viewing platformPA RT 2