Hi,

I'm really excited as I've got 3 months off, so I going to buy a van and paddle round Europe. I'm trying to figure out a good route, and when the best times to visit different places is.

I like to visit/paddle in the France, Austria, Italy and slovenia. Can anyone help me out by giving me a vague idea of when the best times to visit these places is? Also I'd love you to share with me any favourite rivers you've paddled in these areas.

A little more about me.. I more of a creekboater than a playboater and I like paddling a class IV, easy V runs. As I have friends travelling with me who aren't as good kayakers, I'll also need to find some good class III runs. I'm also on my own (when it comes to the harder rivers), so it's important that there'll be people there to meet up with and paddle with.

Finally if anyone else is on a similar mission and wants to paddle together please get in touch. I can't offer you much but my crazy kiwi humour and a great smile.

See you on the river,
Clare
http://claremclennan.blogspot.com

From the UK I went through into Germany stopped off in Augsburg one night played on the slalom course, moved into Austria then over the border into italy (didnt paddle) for Slovenia few days back into Austria paddled in landeck before driving back to the UK a great week at the end of May.

Other areas to check out Upper BAvaria in Germany, Swizterland all not too far from Austria all have sections of all grades including some meaty 5s

French alps works around end of may june july depending on snow packs and how quick it melts but you can still paddle later

Italy is similar to Slovenia, early may onwards!

How about driving up to Norway Adrian will be out there this summer lucky Bugger (not jelous at all buddy)

Sounds like your going to have an awesome summer. On the van front if your getting a old vw transporter i would go for the water cooled i you spring a leak just keep filling it with water happy days

Check out www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk for an excellent guide to Slovenia/ Soca river. They have also some guides to the alps. You should also think about heading north to Norway in the late summer.

From 21 June to 15 July I'm going to be mostly between Norway and Sweden with a couple of guys from Finland. From the pictures and videos I've seen from Tuomas of these areas it is unreal. Big volume runs in Sweden during the spring run-off with awesome waves and holes and then Norway with it's classic steep, clean runs. You should head up there and just join up with some other people. I'm sure if you went to a festival, you could hook up with some like minded folk and go and have a great time. That would be a good starting point I reckon. Enjoy...

Looks like the Sjoa river in Norway and the area around it just what the doctor ordered for your group. It's mostly very nice class III with some bits of class IV.

edit. Oh you've already been to Sjoa as I read from your blog Well then you know what to expect I've heard french alps is a sunny and nice paddling destination too.

Hi!

For Slovenia you can check also http://www.mokr.si/Vodnik2005/index.htm. There are descriptions for other rivers as well, not just Soca.

I would suggest you to come as soon as possible, because now the water levels are quite good due to snow melting in the Alps. Not sure for the summer, though! Since the winter wasn't sth special and there's hardly any snow left in the mountains, I expect big problems with water in the summer in this area, not only in Slovenia!

Hope it helps a bit.

The best site for discriptions of the french rivers is : http://www.eauxvives.org/

BAS