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To return to the point about whether or not one is qualified to comment on Dunclair's observations, I might add that in our camping days we spent much time driving through France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg and Germany. More recently, on "package" holidays we have hired cars to tour in Spain, Italy, Cyprus and each of the Canary Islands. So we do get around and see quite a lot of local life in all these varied areas.

As I understand it, David (and I do read your posts and those of others with interest), you spend many days driving 7+ hours on motorways to arrive at a location where you then stay for several weeks. (That's not a criticism, by the way, you clearly enjoy doing it and that's absolutely your choice).

But I do wonder if the contrast between your own and our experiences is as stark as you always imply.

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Just an aside but don't you think sometimes the beauty of a place is really in the eye of the beholder. We did a house exchange with a family who live in a village on the Vesle. The place that the OP is so keen to mention. We loved it there and mentioned all the petty villages and "petite" champagne château (of which they recommended some for good value local champagne.) Our exchange family were surprised, didn't we realise everything had been rebuilt after WW1!? Well no we didn't realise that but had noticed the many sad WW1 graveyards attached to so many places. Our exchange family longed to see the UK and its less disturbed villages and countryside. We've remained life long friends from that exchange, it was a special journey for both families. 

That's fine David. Glad you enjoy your touring. 

Our priorities for enjoying a tour probably differ somewhat. There are parts of Spain I have enjoyed, mainly away from the coastal areas such as Extramadura but I have to hold my hand up and disagree with Dunclairs assertion that the UK seems to be the only country with a litter problem. It's not. Spain is in my view worse.

Sure, there have been places that I have visited that have made efforts to clean up the area but having seen excessive litter from the South West (Isla Cristina) to the South East (Cabo de Gata) to the North West (Oviedo) to parts of Girona in the North East I felt I must redress the balance. And I am sure that there will be plenty of places that are excellent at litter control .

We'll still go to our favourite area to visit Aquamoll Nature Reserve but that will be it.

We have just arrived home after 7 weeks in France.  We hardly saw any Brits until our last stop at Neufchatel en Bray. 

This year it was mostly the French that we shared our sites with, hardly surprising you say as it was France we were in  but we have been going twice a year for the last 8 years and never seen as many. Usually it's been Dutch, German and Brits. This year we hardly saw any Dutch until we were at Blois, I would say 75% of the site was Dutch. The Brits and Germans probably made up 20%, the rest French, Belgium and Danish. 

Was it because this year we had a caravan rather than MH ? could be we used different sites, different areas, probably.

Sites were very busy in some places and almost empty in others. 

We do find France cleaner than the UK, by that I mean it looks tidier, prettier more loved and cared for. The villages have lovely flowers and nice tidy verges, most places seem to be litter free. 

The contrast today on the drive from Hull to Scotland with litter alongside the roads, service areas filthy and smelly. Verges like jungles with road signs that can't be seen due to trees blocking them. Really sad to see our country like this.

Would I choose to live elsewhere, yes, not for the reasons stated though. 

I do personally think that the UK is far better pace to live in, and while there are good views/places/cities all over the world there are many just as good over here, and that goes for campsites too.

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Trouble is the weather is so fickle.

peedee