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What is RV Trip Wizard? [2022 REVIEW]

By: Author The Drivin' & Vibin' Team

Posted on January 3, 2022

RV trip planning can feel overwhelming.

You’ll probably be traveling hundreds of miles across many state lines.

Figuring out where to stay and where to stop and how much your trip will cost can soon turn into a headache. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can bring the joy back to road tripping with RV Trip Wizard. 

What is RV Trip Wizard? 

RV Trip Wizard is an all-inclusive trip planning tool. The annual subscription service allows you to design fully customizable road trips down to the last detail. Unlike other RV trip planners, this one shows you all RV parks, not just campgrounds affiliated with a specific membership program. 

This unbiased inclusion means you can find the best and most affordable stops on your trip. If you have multiple memberships, you can rank them to find the best deals. RV Trip Wizard also shows you detailed information about all the campgrounds.

This includes cost, amenities, traveler ratings and tips, and more. 

The app also lets you search for and add overnight parking locations such as Walmart or other big box stores, Casinos, and rest stops. You’ll save money by free camping in areas you’re just passing through.  

Another useful feature is that you can add points of interest, gas station stops, and more for your entire trip.

It Knows Your RV, And Routes Accordingly

Before you plan, you will enter information about your RV, including height, weight, length, gas mileage, etc. The app then uses this information to help you plan the safest and most efficient route.

You can avoid low clearance routes and steep grades with just the click of a button. 

The planning feature also shows you a driving radius so you know exactly how far you can travel in a single day. The information for your trip radius is based on details you enter in the preferences section.

No more hunting for RV parks only to discover they are too far or not far enough for your trip needs. You will save time with this slick feature. 

One more feature worth mentioning is the cost estimator.

You can enter information regarding gas mileage and gas prices. The site then shows you a detailed estimate of what each leg of the trip will cost you.

It also includes the cost of your RV park stays, so you get an overall picture of what you can expect to spend. 

What Does RV Trip Wizard Cost? 

RV Trip Wizard is extremely affordable at only $49/year for the membership. You can also try it before buying with their 1-week free trial and free demo. 

Included in this cost is access to the complete RV Life Pro Suite tools. This includes the RV Safe GPS app and Maintain My RV. 

RV Trip Wizard User Review

RV Trip Wizard has received 4.9 stars from over 1,500 happy customers. Given all the hype, I tried it myself. It definitely lives up to all the great reviews. 

RV Trip Wizard is easy to use and extremely convenient, especially when planning a longer trip. If you aren’t tech-savvy, have no fear, they have a demo that walks you through every step of the process. 

Usually, planning a route for my RV trips is difficult and time-consuming. I end up wasting time looking up every individual RV park website. Not to mention trying to find a gas station that can accommodate our rig before we run out of gas while on the road. I no longer have these problems with RV Trip Wizard. 

The best part is that you can easily add points of interest to the trip. Adding these fun stops along the way can make a long-haul trip much more enjoyable. Plus, we don’t have to worry about missing out on anything along the way only to find out later how cool it would have been to stop. 

If you’re an RVer, you definitely need to add RV Trip Wizard to your trip planning arsenal. 

How to Use RV Trip Wizard

You can use RV Trip Wizard on almost any computer, tablet, or smartphone. With the interactive map, you can add points of interest to your trip and camping and gas station stops. 

Once you plan your trip, you can either print out detailed directions or send it to your GPS. The latter allows you to send your entire trip to Google Maps. This feature makes it easy to navigate on your smartphone. 

RV Trip Wizard is Definitely Worth It

RV Trip Wizard is a dream come true for summer adventurers and full-timers alike. All the features it offers make the small annual fee well worth the cost. Not only will you save time and plan a better trip, but also you will probably save money by finding the best parks or free camping spots around.

Discover the Best Free Camping Across the USA

To be honest with you,  we hate paying for camping . There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy).

You should give it a try!

As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours.  Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.

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I need a phone number . I paid but can’t get on

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• The 9 Best Must-Have RV Travel Apps for Planning Your Next Car or RV Road Trip

The 9 Best RV Travel Apps for Planning Your Next Car or RV Road Trip

When it comes to hitting the open road, having the best RV travel app at your fingertips can make all the difference. Enhancing your journey is just as important as finding the way from point A to B.  And if you’re a car driver rather than an RV driver, don’t worry!  These apps will work for you, too.

The top RV travel app will give you up-to-the-minute information on traffic and weather and data about nearby camping grounds, gas stations, and exciting places. But that’s not all!

This technology can help you plan each day of your trip in detail or even suggest spontaneous detours based on what’s around you. With an RV travel app in hand, exploring becomes a breeze. Whether you’re a seasoned RVer or planning your first adventure on wheels – choosing the right tool is key for effortless travel .

Table of Contents

Trip planning made simple, a friend to your wallet, your personal navigator on-the-go, maintenance – a breeze now, what is the best rv travel app, built-in value with rvlife, free features with togo, allstays has years of development.

•  The Gist: 

RVParky App

Tripadvisor, hotels dot com, roadside attractions, talking trail, identify your requirements, pore over user reviews and ratings, analyze features & usability, bonus tip: test drive before committing.

• FAQs in Relation to the Best Rv Travel App

Is there an app for RV routes?

Is rv trip wizard worth it, is there an app like airbnb for camping, how do i plan an rv trip around the us, wrapping it all up, benefits of using an rv travel app.

The joy and freedom of exploring the Midwest and beyond in your RV are much easier when using a travel app. These handy tools, specifically designed for full-time RVers or occasional road trip enthusiasts, offer numerous benefits to women over 40 who love adventure.  Heck – they are great for everyone on the open road!  You don’t need an RV to enjoy these apps.

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Imagine having your favorite RV navigation apps that offer suggested routes and help you find state and national parks and public campgrounds along the way. That’s precisely what RV trip-planning apps do. With campground reviews from fellow travelers at hand, every decision becomes more manageable as it is based on real experiences.

A road trip doesn’t need to burn a hole in your pocket. The beauty of these awesome apps lies in their ability to guide users towards free camping sites or cheaper alternatives like public campgrounds compared to private RV parks for RV Camping only. Plus, they keep tabs on gas stations en route, ensuring fuel stops don’t become financial nightmares.

No more worrying about unexpected detours or sudden weather changes affecting your journey. With live updates via GPS-based directions right within these simple yet practical applications, a smooth ride throughout is almost guaranteed, irrespective of where you’re headed next – an overnight parking spot or a new city exploration.  RV-specific GPS is a plus for travelers who must avoid low clearances on overpasses or tight turns.

Last but certainly not least are those mundane maintenance tasks that come part and parcel with the fun-filled RV life pro experience. RV Trip Wizard , among other great apps, provides checklists for routine RV maintenance checks so nothing gets missed while living this exciting lifestyle on wheels.

The best RV travel app for your needs can differ based on what you’re looking for in an application. However, a few applications have become popular for their broad selection of features and user-friendly interfaces.  I’ve checked out three of them and studied reviews for you, so you don’t have to!

We’ll compare three widely-used options that make traveling by RV or car a breeze: RV Life Pro , Togo RV , and RV Trip Wizard .

RV Life Trip Wizard – RV GPS and Campgrounds

A favorite among full-time RVers, RV Life , provides an all-in-one solution for planning your RV trip. It offers RV Safe GPS, which means the best route suggestions tailored to the size and weight of your vehicle, ensuring safe travels no matter where you go.  With this app, you won’t have to worry about your route or the time to arrive at your destination.

This handy app covers everything from finding RV parks and gas stations to locating nearby RV dump sites.  No more worrying about whether you fit under that highway overpass!  RV Life handles that!

RV Trip Wizard isn’t just an RV navigation map, either.  One of the reasons it is much loved among full-time RVers is that it has so many features beyond just the map.  One of the most popular features is the Points of Interest Map which includes over 57,000 points of interest for you to scope out before adding them to your route.

One of my favorite features of this app is that it even helps you keep track of maintenance schedules for your vehicle.  We can all use a little help with that fun chore!

And finally, you can find ideal RV parks and campgrounds as you travel.  With over 20,000 campgrounds in the app and the ability to rank your memberships in travel clubs, you’ll know which park will give you the best value after a quick look into the app.  In addition, it conveniently locates dump sites, gas stations, and prices en route.

RVLife comes with a 7-day trial to give you ample opportunity to decide if it’s the right fit for you.  After seven days, the cost is approximately $60 per year.  A few nights at a lower-cost camping sight will quickly take care of that $60, making this a great value if you travel often enough.

A demo version comes with more limited capabilities for those who need more than seven days to decide if this is the right app.

Next up?   Togo RV !  This handy app receives high praise from fellow RVers.  It not only aids with trip planning but also includes maintenance reminders and checklists, ensuring that you are road ready at all times!

Togo also has an Overnight RV Parking app, so if you love the RV app, you may just love the Overnight Parking app as well.  Take note that Togo RV is not a free app, but it does offer a free 7-day trial, so if you don’t love it, it won’t cost you a penny!

I love that this app provides access to reviews from fellow travelers on various campgrounds, making it easier to choose the right campground for you when you’re busy living out the dream of being a full-time traveler or an “RV life pro.”

Some of the free features included with Togo are  Movile RV Repair Directory, which will help you find someone to repair your RV or car while you travel.  The Tire Finder lets you enter your tire specs and find the best replacements for your budget.  Pre-made RV checklists are available to get you safely on the road without forgetting any vital details!

You can also enter your vehicle specs and receive recall alerts, and maybe my favorite feature and the best part of this app is the Roadpass University, which is excellent for a new RV owner!

Togo RV is an excellent tool with high ratings among travelers.  Of course, besides the above options, it offers a campground search feature, which includes information about state parks and free camping sites throughout North America.

AllStays Camp & RV App

Last but certainly not least is AllStays Camp & RV , known for its comprehensive database covering everything from public campgrounds with RV sites to overnight parking lots for smaller vehicles.  This robust tool becomes indispensable whether one plans to stay at a state park or search out free camping sites and parking lots (Hello Cracker Barrel!) during road trips across the Midwest.

I feel safe in saying that AllStays is worth your time.  This app has been the #1 Selling, #1 Ranked, and #1 Reviewed Camping App for over 144 Months, with 4.5k reviews in the iOS app store and an overall ranking of 4.6 out of 5.

AllStays Camp & RV App is one of my favorite apps because, although it is simple, it is effective.  I love that it allows searches based on specific requirements like pet-friendly sites or overnight parking facilities.

Midwest State Park Adventures makes a great travel companion or gift. Some of the best travel writers in the Midwest collaborated to put this book together, which covers 12 Midwest States and hundreds of state parks.

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After 13 years of use and development, AllStays has the most campgrounds listed (37,000 in the United States and Canada) and includes FREE overnight parking options.  The filters on this app are excellent.  You can filter sites fairly easily by features such as pet-friendly sites, laundry availability, boat launch, toilet styles, swimming pool, and so on!

But my favorite feature of this app is that some of the data is stored on your phone, making it useable even when driving in and out of wifi or service areas.  Nothing is more frustrating than driving out of signal, losing your internet connection, and the ability to search as you travel.

Notice to Android users:  Allstays Camp and RV does not have an app for you.  However, you can open your browser and log in to use the same features, which is a bit of a drawback if you have your heart set on an app. However, it makes this app useable on any device, including your tablet, computer, or laptop!

Consider Your Cost

When considering cost, RV Life Trip Wizard offers a limited-feature free version and a premium subscription. Togo RV comes with an annual fee. Allstays Pro is the least expensive of the three we’ve discussed here at 34.99 per year or 4.99 per month.

Any way you look at it, the ease these apps bring into your car or RV traveling experience often justifies their price tag.

Remember, no single application will meet every need perfectly. So, please look at each app’s features and consider the most important features before purchasing your perfect companion app.

  The Gist: 

Awesome RV travel apps like RV Life Trip Wizard, Togo RV, and Allstays Camp & RV Road Maps offer unique features tailored to your road trip needs. From campground searches to maintenance reminders and route planning, these tools simplify the journey. Consider cost and personal preferences when choosing your perfect digital companion.

Add-on Popular RV Travel Apps

Now that we’ve talked about adding a GPS and Trip planning app, let’s talk about a few apps that don’t do it “all” but do their own thing really well! Here are my favorite stand-alone apps that I wouldn’t travel without!

The user-friendly RV Parky app assists in locating RV dump stations and potential roadside attractions.  It’s FREE, making it a great starter app!

Before I travel, and sometimes even after, you’ll find me cruising through TripAdvisor .  You’ll find places to go, things to do, and places to eat and stay in this handy free app.

TripAdvisor is location-specific, so enter your destination and see lists of all of the great things a destination has to offer and honest, up-to-date user reviews from people who have been there!   TripAdvisor is a great way to get genuine reviews from real people before wasting your time and efforts.

When I need a place to stay, and the car or the RV just isn’t going to cut it, I use Hotels.com .  You can search along your route and see prices at a glance, discounted from the walk-in rate.  This app has come in incredibly handy when I need a room at the last minute.

Be aware, though, if you make a reservation through this app and, for some reason, change your mind on arrival, refunds are not easy.  The hotel will immediately tell you to take it up with Hotels.com, and you may wait more than a week for your refund.

This handy little app called Roadside Attractions is my personal favorite app for finding quirky roadside stops!  I have used it for everything from finding a spooky shoe tree on a back country road to finding the EPIC Headquarters, the most fantastic work campus that seems more like a theme park than a business.

I truly love this great app!  It can turn your RV road trip from meh to magnificent! There is a small one-time cost to use the app, but it has been more than worth it for me!

iExit is a nifty little app and just the thing to help you find a bite to eat, a gallon of gas, or a restroom as you travel.  Simply open the iExit app, which will use GPS to locate you on the Interstate, then give you a list of the upcoming exits and what you’ll find there, including fuel prices, truck stops, rest areas, and fast food restaurants!  I love this little app!

If you like to hear the story behind a story, this app is for you. Download the Talking Trail App , and when you are within a specified distance of a Talking Point, the app will notify you. A quick click on the map will give you a narrated story of the landmark you’re visiting. If you are a leisure traveler with time to learn and hear stories, you’ll LOVE Talking Trail.

Tips for Choosing an RV Travel App

Embarking on your next RV trip with the right app can transform your travel experience. Consider what you want when choosing the perfect app to accompany your RV journey.

The first step is recognizing what you need from an RV travel app. Are you seeking a straightforward navigation tool like Google Maps , or do you require more specific features such as finding RV parks, planning safe routes, locating gas stations, and even providing handy checklists? Knowing what’s essential will help streamline your choices.

User reviews and ratings provide invaluable insights into how well each option performs.  I certainly don’t know it all, and although I have used all of these apps, many others have also and may be able to answer your specific questions in a review.  Quickly browsing feedback on platforms like Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store will give you a balanced perspective.

RV apps come in different pricing models: free versions with optional paid upgrades (like Togo RV), full-featured premium ones (such as RV Trip Wizard), and freemiums that offer limited functionalities unless upgraded – select one that fits your budget constraints and ensures value for what you spend.

Of course, I recommend you try different options and compare their features whenever possible. Many of these apps offer free trial periods that will let you get a hands-on feel for their offerings firsthand and commitment-free. This practical exposure helps determine if a particular software ticks all of your boxes effectively, saving you time and effort.

 When choosing the best RV travel app, identify your needs first. Consider user reviews and ratings for insight into performance. Analyze features and usability to ensure it caters to all aspects of RV life within your budget. Don’t forget a test drive before committing.

FAQs in Relation to Best Rv Travel App

Absolutely! Apps like Roadtrippers and RV Trip Wizard are explicitly designed to help plan your RV route, including stops at campgrounds and attractions.

Yes, the comprehensive features of RV Trip Wizard, such as custom routing, campground information, and cost estimation, make it a valuable tool for any RVer.

Surely. Hipcamp is similar to Airbnb but focuses on unique camping experiences. It lists thousands of campsites across the US.

You can use travel planning apps like The Dyrt or AllStays that provide details about campgrounds, gas stations, and rest stops, along with user reviews to help you plan your journey efficiently.

Exploring the Midwest in an RV just got easier.  As a matter of fact, it just got easier if you travel in a car, too!  Whichever way you travel, the best RV travel app can transform your travels from stressful to effortless.

Comparing different apps helps you find the perfect match for your needs. And once you choose, mastering its use ensures smooth sailing (or driving).

Ready to hit the open road with confidence? Dive deeper into this topic and discover how these best apps can guide you through choosing and using the best RV travel app for unforgettable adventures on the road.

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Moscow is the biggest city in Russia as well as the Capital, and has over ten million people living here. Moscow sits right on the banks of the Moskva River. The weather here is kind of warm and a bit humid in the summers, but in the long winters it can get bitter cold because of its northern location.

This huge city has an incredibly rich cultural history, a multitude of attractions, historical buildings and interesting landmarks. The renowned onion domes of Saint Basil’s Cathedral are the most recognized, however, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Seven Sisters are also magnificent. Here’s some of the most important attractions: Red Square, There are four wonderful Botanical Gardens, the Central Park of Culture and Rest, the Neskuchniy Garden, the Izmaylovsky Park, the Sokolnik Park, the Elk Park, and many, many more wonderful places to rest and relax.

We’ve been orchestrating Russia dream vacations for discriminating travelers for more than 20 years. It helps us help you, if you begin with our  vacation planner  we’ll make sure you have a lot of fun in Moscow, do everything for you; air, car, hotels and transfers; get you the best airfare rates, enjoy privileged access plus luxury amenities and special touches. You’ll travel confidently, save time and prevent costly mistakes.

Other must see attractions are: The Triumphal arch on Kutuzov Avenue, The Shukhov Tower, the Patriarshiye Ponds, Novodevichy Convent is one of the World Heritage Sites, the Tsaritsyno Park and palace, Ascension church in Kolomenskoye, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ostankino Palace, “Friendship of Nations” fountain in All-Russia Exhibition Center, Moscow International House of Music, The Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow State Historical Museum, The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Tretyakov Gallery, The Red Army theatre, the Central Moscow Hippodrome and that’s just a few exciting things to see.

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THIS TRIP IS NOT CURRENTLY SCHEDULED Over the years, Amy has developed and operated trips to a variety of destinations including this one, but not all trips are offered every year. If you are interested in joining a scheduled departure of this trip in the future, please send us an email and let us know. Click to send us an email or use the form at the bottom of this page.

We can organize and operate this trip as a private group departure with a minimum group size of 8 persons. Start organizing your private Russia art adventure here .

Best time to travel: June for the “White Nights” Best gateway city: Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia Moscow and St. Petersburg Slide Show

Experience the art treasures of Moscow and St. Petersburg with guide, Amy Osaki. Begin in Moscow, continental Europe’s largest city, the seat of the government of Russia, and now home to over twenty billionaires! View iconic sites such as the Kremlin (which began as a fortress in the eleventh century), Red Square, and the sixteenth century St. Basil’s Cathedral. Then explore the art masterpieces at the Tretyakov Gallery, the National Museum of Russian Fine Art encompassing works from the eleventh to the twentieth century. Visit the Armory at the Kremlin filled with Imperial treasures including Faberge eggs once exchanged by the tsar and tsarina at Easter. Conclude your Moscow experience at the quiet seventeenth century Novodevichy Convent, one of many World Heritage sites included in the trip.

After a short flight, continue the trip with five days in St. Petersburg where you’ll be immersed in the opulence of Imperial Russia. Established by Tsar Peter I in 1703, St. Petersburg (known as Petrograd and Leningrad for most of the twentieth century) was the capital of the Russian empire for over two hundred years until the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Hermitage—said to be the largest art museum in the world with a collection of over three million objects housed in four main buildings—rivals the Louvre in Paris for both the quantity and quality of its treasures. Founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great, and open to the pubic for over two hundred years the museum is so vast that we’ll spread our visit out over several days and organize it by different themes. Also on the schedule is a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress—the original citadel above the river founded in 1703—as well as some of the Imperial palaces in and around St. Petersburg such as Peterhof, a World Heritage Site. Peter I hired French architects to work on his many palaces, including Jean Baptiste Le Blond who worked with Andre Le Notre at Versailles. Consider enhancing your Russian experience by purchasing tickets to a performance—perhaps a ballet at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre (also known as the Kirov).

Day 1 Overnight in Moscow Arrive in Moscow and transfer to your centrally-located hotel, your base for the next two nights. Enjoy an afternoon and early evening walk through Red Square (Krasnaya Ploshchad) past St. Basil’s Cathedral, and GUM department store all of which are back-dropped by the walls of the Kremlin fortress. Remember that we are here during the fabled “White Nights” when the summer days linger with light-filled evenings.

Day 2 Overnight in Moscow Within the walls of the Kremlin fortress, visit the Armoury Museum, one of Moscow’s oldest museums established at the start of the nineteenth century. The Kremlin Armoury was the royal arsenal; it produced and stored the weapons, jewelry and other regalia of the tsars. The museum’s collection encompasses four thousand items of applied art from Russia and elsewhere dating from the early fourth century to the twentieth century. Later in the day, visit the collection of masterpieces of the renowned Tretyakov Gallery. The Tretyakov collections were begun by the philanthropist Tretyakov brothers in the early nineteenth century. The gallery is recognized by many as a key repository of Russian art spanning the nation’s artistic tradition from early Orthodox icons to art nouveau, impressionist, and avant-garde works.

Day 3 Overnight in St Petersburg Enjoy a morning visit to the sixteenth century Novodevichy Convent named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004. The convent’s name is sometimes translated as “New Maidens’ Monastery” to differentiate is from the convent within the walls of the Moscow Kremlin. Surrounded by white crenellated walls, this complex of churches has remained essentially intact since the seventeenth century. Here you’ll find the five-domed Cathedral of Our Lady of Smolensk with its spectacular iconostasis and the tall, red and white Gate Church of the Transfiguration which is often cited as a fine example of “Moscow Baroque” architecture. The neighboring Novodevichy Cemetery is the final resting place of the likes of Anton Chekhov, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Boris Yeltsin. This afternoon fly to St. Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city situated on the banks of the Neva River where it empties into the Gulf of Finland.

Day 4 Overnight in St Petersburg Start of your exploration of St. Petersburg with a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress, the original citadel of St. Petersburg. The fortress was built to the designs of the Swiss Italian architect Domenico Trezzini in the early eighteenth century. Trezzini’s Peter and Paul Cathedral dominates the fortress grounds and its iconic golden spire punctuates into the Baltic sky. Later visit the Yusupov Palace on the Moika, acclaimed as an “encyclopedia of St. Petersburg aristocratic interior design.” The palace was the home of the Yusupov family from 1830 and 1917 and was the place where Grigori Rasputin, a spiritual mentor to Tsar Nicholas II and the Royal Family in the early 20th century, was assassinated. A visit to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood built between 1883 and 1907 rounds out the day. The church was built in “Russian Revivalist” architectural style by Tsar Alexander III in commemoration of his father, Alexander II. The church occupies a conspicuous location on St. Petersburg’s Griboedov Canal and contains 7,500 square meters of mosaics; the interior walls and ceilings are completely covered by mosaics.

Day 5 Overnight in St Petersburg Seeing St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum in a day would be like trying to see the Smithsonian in a day! Rather than a forced march through the galleries at a rapid pace, we will slow down and savor the masterpieces. Remember, there are nearly seven miles worth of exhibitions! Today we focus on “Imperial Russia,” touring the rooms decorated for members of the Russian Imperial Family and viewing the art they commissioned and collected. This is the art that influenced the style of the grand palaces of the era. View the Grand Suite of rooms, Peter I’s collection of gold, and the jewelers art owned by the Russian Imperial Family (including Fabergé eggs, gold and diamonds). Here, too, are the rooms of Catherine II and her son Paul I with their fifteenth to eighteenth century French paintings and sculpture (Poussin, Watteau, Fragonard, Chardin, and Houdon).

Day 6 Overnight in St Petersburg Return for a second dose of the Hermitage! Today is dedicated to the famous European masterpieces exhibited at the Hermitage. Feast your eyes on memorable works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Tintoretto, Tiepolo, Velazquez, and El Greco. At the Hermitage, you can revel in Rembrandt; there are twenty of his works in the museum’s collection. After lunch, enjoy the eighteenth to twentieth century masterpieces of Monet, van Gogh, Gauguin, Rodin, Picasso, Matisse and Kandinsky. Digest the art and reflect on this unique collection of human creations. Consider an evening performance, possibly at the Mariinsky Theatre.

Day 7 Overnight in St Petersburg Journey by hydrofoil across the Gulf of Finland to experience Peter I’s palace at Peterhof, a series of palaces and gardens that evoke comparisons with Versailles which Peter visited in 1715. Begun in 1714 with the construction of the Monplaisir palace and expanded by later Imperial generations who added Rococo and Neo-classical elements, Peterhof is now a World Heritage Site. The creative mastery of architects, engineers, artists and craftsmen from throughout Europe is on display here and all is choreographed to celebrate water in homage to Peter, the maritime emperor.

Day 8 Overnight in St Petersburg Go behind the scenes with an excursion to the Hermitage Museum’s Staraya Derevnya Restoration and Storage Center on the right back of the Neva River north of Kamenny Island. This vast treasure house is only accessible by private tour. Later, travel to Vasilvesky Island across the river from the Hermitage to visit Menishkov Palace completed in 1721 and now the oldest stone building in St. Petersburg. Enjoy a farewell dinner this evening.

About your guide : Amy Osaki holds a master’s degree from the Winterthur Museum. She studied art at the Louvre Museum in Paris and worked as a museum curator for over a decade including six years at the Portland Art Museum. She is an award-winning art educator who has led art trips around the world for the last fifteen years with Walking Softly Adventures. Many of these trips were offered for graduate credit from Portland State University where she is an Adjunct Professor.

Resources for Further Learning

• Preview part of the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery at its website.
• Learn more about the Moscow Kremlin .
• Prepare yourself to experience the Hermitage . You can even shop on-line at the museum’s on-line museum store!

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MIA   >  Archive   >  Mandel

Ernest Mandel

De gaulle’s trip to moscow.

Source: From World Outlook , 29 July, 1966, Volume 4, No. 24, Paris and New York City Written: July, 1966 Translated: by World Outlook Transcrition & Marked-up: by David Walters for the Marxists’ Internet Archive 2009. Public Domain: Creative Commons Common Deed . You can freely copy, distribute and display this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet Archive” as your source, include the url to this work, and note any of the transcribers, editors & proofreaders above.

[The following article has been translated from the July 9 issue of the Belgian left socialist weekly La Gauche.]

“As to alliances, we would think that they ought to be constructed ‘in three stages’: a Franco-Russian treaty procuring a first degree of security; the Anglo-Soviet pact and an agreement to be concluded between France and Great Britain constituting a second degree; the future pact of the United Nations, in which America would be a capital element, crowning the whole and serving as the ultimate recourse.” It was in these terms that Charles de Gaulle in December 1944, at the time of his first trip to Moscow, defined his concepts concerning European security, according to his Memoirs. (Volume III, p. 83, “Livre de Foche” edition.) Many things indicate that he has not changed his mind twenty-two years later. Wasn’t his second trip to Moscow designed to advance this concept?

Those with a more dour outlook will immediately object. The head of the Fifth Republic had something much more Machiavellian in mind. What he is aiming at is the predominance of France in Europe, or at least Western Europe if he is unable to extend it “from the Atlantic to the Urals.”

Since France doesn’t have the necessary economic weight, it must neutralize the drive of German industry through military superiority and diplomatic ruses. Hence it has two interests in common with the Kremlin—to block the Bundeswehr from getting nuclear arms and to break the American grip on “little Europe.” Thus the trip to Moscow was a power play against Washington and Bonn.

No doubt these analysts are right on the long-range aims of the general. But the nature of things is such that the designs of men—no Tatter how imbued with their own “grandeur”—are not at all sufficient to shape the destiny of the world. This is determined by the relationship among the big social forces. More than once in history, the diplomatic maneuvers of a power that was too weak have ended in serving the ‘big ones” despite the best intentions in the world. Didn’t this happen once again with the trip to Moscow?

Thus in the United States, the most cunning, like the servile tools of the (Johnson administration, carefully refrained from denouncing the general. “De Gaulle in Moscow served the United States despite the United States,” said some. ‘He worked for the whole West,’ others said approvingly. In Bonn, after weeks of glacial chill, the barometer of Franco-German relations again points to “fair weather.”

The truth is that de Gaulle, contrary to the groundless fears of some, did not betray his West German class brothers any more than he did his Polish class brothers at the time of his first trip.

In December 1944, Stalin dangled a “good, firm alliance,” real support against the Anglo-Saxons, in return for immediate recognition of the Lublin committee. But de Gaulle was not deceived. This would moan betraying a perhaps ‘democratic’ but certainly bourgeois Poland in behalf of a perhaps despotic but certainly noncapitalist Poland. And he did not want to take responsibility for an act contrary to “honor and honesty.” (Memoirs, Volume III, p sa.)

In June 1966, Brezhnev and Kosygin dangled an offer of just as real support against the United States, even genuine political leadership in Europe. In exchange they asked for recognition of the German Democratic Republic; that is, “of the two German states.” Be Gaulle brusquely replied that there could be no question of recognizing this “artificial construction. And with that rejoinder the serious conversation came to an end. The balance was nothing but decorations and fine talk.

Of course, the differences between Paris and Washington, between Fans and Bonn, are real in relation to the political future of our continent, its relations with the United States and the best strategy to follow to block the rise of the anti-imperialist and anticapitalist forces in the world.

Be Gaulle seeks a Europe freed largely from American supremacy. He seeks an Atlantic alliance on the basis of equality between North America and a Western Europe combined under his guidance. He favors a more supple policy, with regard to the USSR, which in his opinion should be definitively separated from China and the “extremists” among the revolutionists of the Third World, through some indispensable concessions.

He holds that it is necessary to “relax” the tensions to be able to resolve the questions in dispute, such as the reunification of Germany, while the Americans and the Germans of Bonn maintain that without this reunification no real relaxation is possible in Europe. But at bottom, they all defend a common cause—the cause of Big Capital. They all seek to hold back the enemy—socialism and the peoples of the Third World who are rising and seeking to break out of the capitalist world market. They all seek refuge under the “nuclear umbrella” of the Pentagon, without which they cannot counterbalance Soviet military power on the European continent (if anything confirms this, it is the explosion of the ridiculous French nuclear device in Polynesia which amounts to nothing in face of the power of the USSR). The means may differ, the aim is the same.

In this respect the Soviet Union represents something else again. The means are perhaps the same, but the aim is entirely different. Thus treaties on mutual consultation can be concluded—even by means of a direct telephone line!—treaties on technical cooperation, or whatever cultural and commercial exchanges are desired; the fundamental opposition between the interests of the French bourgeoisie and the Soviet leaders will by no means make it possible to form a genuine alliance in the present world context.

The Soviet leaders are aware of the weakness of the present Communist parties in Western Europe (for which they are in part responsible). They are aware of the temporary stabilization of caitalism in this part of the world (which they largely contributed to). From this they draw the conclusion that it is necessary to return to a policy that seeks to ‘exploit the interimperialist contradictions,” as before the second world war. They commit an error in believing that de Gaulle is ready to follow them into a têtei-tête, when he seeks in reality only to increase his power and prestige within the Atlantic Alliance

The French Communist leaders would obviously make a still greater error in concluding that the time has come for an ‘agonizing revision” of their political orientation in France, as in 1935 or 1944.

It is true that the policy of the USSR places them before a cruel dilemma; they no longer know if they should applaud or complain when the Soviet crowds cheer the person who remains, until proved otherwise, the fiercest and most dangerous class enemy of the French workers. If they oppose him, they are tempted to make an alliance with de Gaulle’s pro-American adversaries like Nollet and Nitterrand—and then the capitals of Eastern Europe are not very contented. And if they approve, what remains of their role as an opposition in France? There remains the socialist perspective which stands in complete opposition to the politics of de Gaulle; but the leaders of the French Communist party do not think this is any more “realistic’ than do the Social Democratic leaders of the SF10, or even the technocratic ideologists of neocapitalism.

That will the practical results of the trip amount to? The American Newsweek summarized the situation as follows: “At least he will have succeeded in engaging the Russians in a new diplomatic dialogue with the West.” That puts it in a nutshell. At a time when the intensification of the American aggression against the Vietnamese people makes a public dialogue between Moscow and Washington more difficult, de Gaulle is playing, objectively, the role of go-between for the Atlantic Alliance as a whole Thanks to him, the head of one of the capitalist states in this alliance has been acclaimed by crowds in the Soviet Union. For the first time in many years they have been shown a face of capitalism which their own leaders now say is benevolent, attractive, peaceful, full of good intentions toward the peoples of the world.

Pravda in connection with this trip, talks about an ‘irreversible process.” Let them beware of certain processes, which while still reversible, bode nothing good for the USSR. By attending mass in Leningrad, de Gaulle, like a good politician, was already prepa:ing for his coming trip to Poland. Rumania, ceaselessly increasing its trade with the West, already told the Russians in Bucharest that it would like to see the Warsaw pact modified just as de Gaulle wants to modify NATO. Decidely, if things are in movement, thanks not a little to the general, not everything is stirring in favor of socialism and not everything is stirring against the interests of American imperialism.

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Last updated on 7 February 2009