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| Sunset on Lake Garda |
We have recently returned from an amazing trip down to Lake Garda. Our route took us down through the Somme and Burgundy regions of France, before spending a night nestled under the majestic Mont Blanc. It was then a trip through the famous tunnel and into the rain in Italy. Bizarrely, it was sunny one side and then chucking it down when we drove out the other side.
Thankfully this soon passed as we got closer to our destination of Peschiera Del Garda on the southern shore of Lake Garda, where the sun was out and the temperature was in the high 20s. As the week progress, it actually got hotter!
If you just wanted a lazy week in the Autumn sun then this would be a good place to pitch up. Many of our fellow motorhomers and caravanners on the site were clearly staying up for a considerable period.
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| Rush hour in Venice |
Our site provided direct access to the lake and within a short distance we could be in the town itself, catching a boat to any one of about 10 destinations on the lake, or picking up a train to any of Italy's famous northern towns and cities.
The highlights for us had to be a bike ride across to Sirmione, just around the south shore of the lake, with the impressive Scaligera Castle. The town is also accessible by boat from Peschiera as is Garda, Bardolino, Riva del Garda and malcesine (with the cable car).
Also, Venice, Verona, Venecia, Padua and Mantua and not far away by train. In fact, you could get almost anywhere in Italy from the train station!
We have just returned from a short trip to Northern France with our Dog-Friendly France tour. We were interested to find out what the implications of travelling with pets were. We were pleasantly surprised to find that there were very few restrictions placed on pets, particularly in France, where they really are a nation of dog-lovers.
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| Bertangles chateau |
Obviously there are some places that dogs are not allowed, such as in the Bayeux Tapestry, but we did find that they were accepted in most other places including cathedrals, restaurants and campsite bars. Campsites in general are vets welcoming of dogs and there were locals motorhoming and caravanning with dogs.
The main things to be aware of when travelling with dogs are:
1. They must have an up-to-date pet passport.
2. They must be treated for tapeworm not less than 1 day and not more than 5 days before they re-enter the UK.
3. The pet passport must be date and time-stamped when the treatment is given.
4. You must take your pet to the pet reception centre at the dock or tunnel before you take the return crossing.
Finding a vet was not difficult and the tapeworm procedure only takes a few minutes and costs around 40 euros per dog. You also have to pay around £15-£17 each way extra on your crossing, which covers the cost of checking the dogs on the return leg of the journey.
Overall, we had a great time in France and the camaraderie among the dog-owners was excellent. We look forward to welcoming dogs on our France tous next year.
