Black Forest in a campervan
Discussion
This summer we're planning on driving via the Ardennes to the Black Forest. Probably spending a week exploring in a roughly North -South direction before coming back via Alsace and Champagne.
We're OK with the French part but this will be our first time crossing the Rhine so any useful tips about the Black Forest would be much appreciated - must sees, avoid etc. We're not big into cities but love a quaint old small town with a nice restaurant or two, quite outdoorsy and happy to get our hiking gear on. Any recommendations for campsites would also be great. We'll be in a VW T4 so will need to avoid all the ULEZ areas.
We're OK with the French part but this will be our first time crossing the Rhine so any useful tips about the Black Forest would be much appreciated - must sees, avoid etc. We're not big into cities but love a quaint old small town with a nice restaurant or two, quite outdoorsy and happy to get our hiking gear on. Any recommendations for campsites would also be great. We'll be in a VW T4 so will need to avoid all the ULEZ areas.
Fellow VW camper (T6.1 Beach) here, living not far from the Black Forest. Can't recommend any campsites as its too close to us to make camping worthwhile.
I wouldn't write off visiting Freiburg im Breisgau. Whilst it is the biggest place (the only city) in the Black Forest it has a really nice feel, a university town that is very environmentally friendly. It has a good tram system so you can park well outside the city and ride into it. A ten minute drive from there is a cable car up to the mountains, perfect for a bit of a hike around, see https://www.schauinslandbahn.de/en for details.
Another possible hiking place is Bad Wildbad. The town has seen better days (old spa town that needs some love) this place - https://treetop-walks.com/schwarzwald/en - is close by. Enjoyable treetop walk and there is also a really high suspension bridge further on in the forest.
Another good place to hike from would be https://www.sbp.de/en/project/national-park-center...
Baden-Baden has the biggest spa/swimming pool complex to relax in after all that walking, but I personally don't like the feel of the town (might be nicer now less Russians are holidaying there).
I wouldn't write off visiting Freiburg im Breisgau. Whilst it is the biggest place (the only city) in the Black Forest it has a really nice feel, a university town that is very environmentally friendly. It has a good tram system so you can park well outside the city and ride into it. A ten minute drive from there is a cable car up to the mountains, perfect for a bit of a hike around, see https://www.schauinslandbahn.de/en for details.
Another possible hiking place is Bad Wildbad. The town has seen better days (old spa town that needs some love) this place - https://treetop-walks.com/schwarzwald/en - is close by. Enjoyable treetop walk and there is also a really high suspension bridge further on in the forest.
Another good place to hike from would be https://www.sbp.de/en/project/national-park-center...
Baden-Baden has the biggest spa/swimming pool complex to relax in after all that walking, but I personally don't like the feel of the town (might be nicer now less Russians are holidaying there).
[
I wouldn't write off visiting Freiburg im Breisgau. Whilst it is the biggest place (the only city) in the Black Forest it has a really nice feel, a university town that is very environmentally friendly. It has a good tram system so you can park well outside the city and ride into it. A ten minute drive from there is a cable car up to the mountains, perfect for a bit of a hike around, see https://www.schauinslandbahn.de/en for details.
[/quote]
^ It was years ago, but I stayed in a static caravan in some campsite at Kirchzarten. Town was quaint and clean (area is famous for the Black Forest Gateau if you wish to revisit your youth
) with easy access to the Black Forest for MTB and hiking, and Frieburg was only a short train ride away.
I wouldn't write off visiting Freiburg im Breisgau. Whilst it is the biggest place (the only city) in the Black Forest it has a really nice feel, a university town that is very environmentally friendly. It has a good tram system so you can park well outside the city and ride into it. A ten minute drive from there is a cable car up to the mountains, perfect for a bit of a hike around, see https://www.schauinslandbahn.de/en for details.
[/quote]
^ It was years ago, but I stayed in a static caravan in some campsite at Kirchzarten. Town was quaint and clean (area is famous for the Black Forest Gateau if you wish to revisit your youth
) with easy access to the Black Forest for MTB and hiking, and Frieburg was only a short train ride away. Ussrcossack said:
Are you talking ULEZ in Germany and france
Can you get the necessary stickers or is a camper consider a commercial vehicle?
Sadly a 1998 diesel is considered too old and dirty so doesn't qualify for any of the stickers that would allow me access to French/German Clean Air Zones Can you get the necessary stickers or is a camper consider a commercial vehicle?
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff