booboo Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 Hi everybody ,was just looking for a little reinsurance from all you experienced french travellers ,is it in your opinion a must to pre book camp sites in france ,im arriving in calais 29th june for the first time ever with kids so will be looking for camp sites with pools ect,dont want to do too much mileage for my first time as advised on this forum and will obviously do stop overs in aires or even campsites on route and just take my time,going to travel to normandy and maybe as far as brittany ,but would rather not pre book so i can travel as far as i feel that day and not be committed to a camp,i was hopeing it might be a case of one full just move on to an other. Thanks alot .CHEERS KEITH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Its not essential to book and some of the municipals have access to the municipal swimming pools as well. However Brittany in high season can be very popular so if one campsite in particular is essential to the family holiday I would book that.The beaches in Normandy and Brittany are fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hi BooBoo You are probably aware that you are travelling the busiest times, we usually return to UK beginning of July after spending May & June in France. It would be advisable to find a pitch on an aire de service before 2pm each day, I always try to get parked up by midday, certainly by 4pm all parking on the aires will be taken. We only rarely stayed on a camp site, most of those we see at the end of June are very busy, my advise would be to book a site for a few days of your stay using the internet, before you go. Have a good trip and you will enjoy it I know. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I agree with what the others have said. In France, unlike here, you'll always find SOMEWHERE to stay overnight, even if it's just a supermarket carpark, and for adults that's often fine. For us, "where we spend the holiday" is about what we do in the daytimes, and the places we sleep are just that - places to sleep. But (at least this first time) your kids will want to feel they're "going somewhere," with all the facilties they look forward to, so in high season it'd be good to book a few days in one place, which they can think of as the "destination." Then enjoying the journey becomes a bonus - as does the "adventure" of finding out where you'll stay each night on the way! And maybe next time (or the time after) they'll want to make the whole holiday a totally unplanned voyage of discovery. I'm sure you'll all have a great time. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I know I am going to get shot down in flames for this BUT don't get too hooked up on this aires thing as in France the municipals are often a little, dearer, have good facilities and are very covenient. For example, we stayed in one last year, electric hookup, marked out emplacement,shower/toilet block, security,municipal sports facilities including swimming pool next door , large park, easy walking into town. 10 euros for the night for 2 adults, 1 dog and electricity.Theres loads of them. The caravan club european campsites guide 1 is invaluable but the mitchelin france guide is good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hi Poppy, Of course we wouldn't shoot you down in flames :'( I think you have a good point, some of the sites especially if you can pay 10e are very good value. The aires are now charging alot more than they use to, but the facilities are better, more hygenic etc and they are tending to charge for the services too. On Keiths intended Trail, Le Touquet is 6e + services 2e, Le Treport is 6.5e incl water and elec, Honfleur is 7e water and elec included. The only problem with touring using sites is the booking in times are wrong for the tourist, most small site receptions close between 12 noon and 5pm sometimes 7pm, as a tourist we usually want to be settled in and cooking a meal in the late afternoon. One extra bit of advice I would give Keith, is when using aires, dump all waste and fill up with fresh water whenever possible, use those 5 ltr collapsible water containers as a safeguard, just incase the next service borne is faulty and you cannot get water. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopesy Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Going to pre-booked sites in July as i was advised it would be very busy but going again in September and I've just booked the crossings and we'll follow the sun. Whats the difference between an Aire (i was thinking of using these as stopovers) and municipal camping and how do you find municipal sites, I've got the Aires map and book so are municipal sites advertised anywhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Good advice from Terry. I would add don't forget to empty the loo cassette too whenever you can, especially with a family. You don't want overflowing problems! Le Touquet is now 6.5€ and you will need cash as the card acceptance part of the machine is not working (or wasn't last weekend) even for French bank cards. I arrived 8pm on Sunday and found a good space no problem but by the end of June could be more problematic. French schools usually break up first week in July. There are some lovely sites with pools inland from Dieppe. You could search the Camping Cheque site and the ACSI sites on line as other sources of information. You can see pictures of the sites too but I agree the Caravan Club books are invaluable and give personal views of facilities etc. Most municipal sites keep pitches vacant but the big commercial sites (usually very expensive and often not very clean) are the ones that are fully booked. I went on one last year on the south west coast and it was horrendous - never again. You could just stand up in the pool if you were lucky! The noise was awful and there was continuous "traffic" through the pitch. Some people even moved the chairs to walk through - and these were reps for the big hire firms! The children will have more fun on a good municipal. Don't forget the bikes. There is nothing like the excitement of the first time arriving in France. Take care at the first roundabout, then have fun! Hope the weather is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hi Roger, The aire de service are jointly provided by the local councils and businesses. They are almost always on hardstandings or part of a car park, mostly in the towns near the town centres, or if you are lucky on the side of rivers in or out of towns, they usually have a time limit from one to three days, but sometimes no time limit. They are usually free to use but sometimes there is a small charge, and are supplied with either a fresh water tap and a place to dispose of your grey and black waste, or a purpose build pedestal (borne) which houses a freshwater tap, a flap and grate to dispose of both waste types, and is usually charged at a couple of euros, some are now operated by credit card. Municiples camp sites are those run by the local council and are generally quite cheap (under 14 euros), most medium size towns have a municple camp site, some of the municiples also have a Borne Relay attached outside the camp site barriers, for motorhomes to service the vehicle. You should find a selection of municiple camp sites in most aire de service site books, in any case they will be listed in the French Camp Site books available in their supermarkets. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Boy you must be getting nervous! lol Been here before haven't we with this inquiry, not so long ago:-D with 6 in a van and 4 of them children Aires are OK for traveling/touring but a decent holiday will be better remembered by staying at a quality site. Top sites book up early, so I would try and book one in advance for at least a period of your holiday. and for the sake of everyones sanity, get the two teenagers outside in a tent lol .....I seem to remember saying this before :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booboo Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Thanks alot everybody for your advice ,its an invaluable forum for people like myself ,i did think judge would think i was panicking now (lol) ,but i just hadnt asked the last time about the pre booking camp site question mate ,but thanks again judge ive took your advice and bought a small pop up tent ,for the older two ,now trying to persuade my 15yr old daughter that she doesnt need 6 pairs off shoes for france :-D .once again thanks for all the replies.CHEERS KEITH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 booboo - 2008-06-09 6:41 PM Thanks alot everybody for your advice ,its an invaluable forum for people like myself ,i did think judge would think i was panicking now (lol) ,but i just hadnt asked the last time about the pre booking camp site question mate ,but thanks again judge ive took your advice and bought a small pop up tent ,for the older two ,now trying to persuade my 15yr old daughter that she doesnt need 6 pairs off shoes for france :-D .once again thanks for all the replies.CHEERS KEITH. Keith I would just mention that if you are on motorways in France you will come across' Aires' that are just rest areas with or without filling stations and restaurants. These should not be confused with the aires that exist in towns and villages. When you hear about people having security problems they usually involve the aires on motorways. Have a good trip. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booboo Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Thanks for that warning malc .cheers keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Nothing worse then going from site to site trying to find somewhere in high season in popular resorts with tired and fractious kids wondering, how on earth there dad considers this some kind of holiday *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopesy Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Terry thanks for the explaination on the difference between Aires and Municipals. A bit more planning to be done over a map and a beer. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 booboo - 2008-06-09 6:41 PM now trying to persuade my 15yr old daughter that she doesnt need 6 pairs off shoes for france :-D .once again thanks for all the replies.CHEERS KEITH. We've done teenagers - persuasion won't get you anywhere. You have two options: 1) Hard, cruel "NO! We haven't got room." (Initial sulks, but she'll forgive you for MOST of the time if the holiday is otherwise good. However, she'll still bring it up each time she gets changed and hasn't got the "right" shoes!) 2) Give in and find room for them (trailer??) Although some would add a third: 3) PRETEND to give in, get her to pack her shoes in a box or bag, and inadvertently leave it behind. (Likely result as (1) above). Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopesy Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Teenagers, we've two girls , who after 2006, said "you're too old and boring to go on holiday with".......................heaven. Since then 3 criuses 2 holidays in France and a purchase of a motorhome which has been used non-stop. I haven't stopped smilling. No more trying to persuade them out of bed, no more "I know I've had my money but...........",no more " Theres nothing to do here" on the most active of campsites......... perhaps I'm just remembering the happier times :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Just wait until you're the grandparents of teenage girls then they want to come with you and you don't get the sulks etc. Wonderful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Hopesy - 2008-06-10 10:12 AM Teenagers, we've two girls , who after 2006, said "you're too old and boring to go on holiday with".......................heaven. Since then 3 criuses 2 holidays in France and a purchase of a motorhome which has been used non-stop. I haven't stopped smilling. No more trying to persuade them out of bed, no more "I know I've had my money but...........",no more " Theres nothing to do here" on the most active of campsites......... perhaps I'm just remembering the happier times :-D We've been at that stage for about 9 years now now Roger. As soon as ours told us they'd rather sort out their own holidays, I said "Are you sure? Is that your final answer?" and within a couple of weeks we'd bought an old battered TWO-BERTH camper. Defying cries of "Dad, you've not gone and bought THAT??? My parents have turned into ageing hippies!!" - we went on to enjoy over 8 years of (mostly) continental trips in old "Hannibal," before blowing a legacy on our shiny new Cavarno - STILL A 2-BERTH. (No prospect of grandchildren for the foreseeable future Patricia - neither of our kids has the required extra person, and anyway they don't much like kids themselves!) Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.