Guest Maria Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 New to motorhoming, holidaying in france this summer, Jul/aug.Planning to take coastal route Is it possible to turn up unbooked at sites and stay a few nights. Looked at eurocamp independent which seems expensive. Any advice appreciated Thanks in anticipation Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 Hi Maria, I first went Camping in europe over forty years ago and have been going fairly regularly ever since. I have never booked a camp site, and in all that time only on very few occasions were we not able to get onto a site, this has been with tents, Caravans and now Motorhome. There are so many sites you are really spoilt for choice, not like over here. Most large Towns have several around them even very small Villages have camp site. Usually the site are very good and cheap, there are a few poor ones but they are very much in the minority. There are lots of Books on the market listing sites. Why not try the web go for French Tourism, theres lots of links from them. Good luck. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 In general I echo David's advice. I'm not sure I would want to take pot-luck on finding a pitch on a hyper-facilities beach-overlooking campsite in the Vendee (or South Brittany) from mid-July through August. But, as this would be my idea of Hell, that would be no loss. Move inland a little and you should have no problems (and the campsites will be less expensive). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 I think it all depends on what you are looking for. My best advice would be to avoid going in July or August. But I presume you have chosen these months for a reason. If you have specific needs such as beachside location, a disco/club for the kids and bars and all the stuff many hate then my advice would be to book in advance. But if like me you want to tour around and require minimal facilities then you should have no difficulty in finding a combination of campsites and aires in peak months. You mention taking the coastal route. If this means the south or west coasts of France in particular then my advice would be to book for July and August - and be prepared to pay.It will be expensive. As an aside I remember when the kids were young when we caravanned it was necessary to book virtually a year in advance to secure a pitch on our then favourite site in Biarritz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest maria Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 Need to go jul/aug because have to go in school holidays. Have daughter aged 14 so hoped for occasional site with somthing to do for her. Britany and Vendee were the chosen areas sounds like we may need to book and pay the high prices. thanks for all advice any more also appreciated Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 Just book the ferry and follow your nose to wherever you want to go. France IS pro camping and motorhomes. Don,t let the UK experience put you off. We have never booked a camp site sinve 1973! Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ana Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Maria - as you are taking the coastal route, would be very interested in hearing about your proposed route as this is what we also plan to do in Jan but haven't gone into it at all yet. Wish you all the best - sure you'll have a great time! Ana x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kate Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Hi Maria I would definitely book the bigger sites at this time as they can be really busy and if you are hoping to keep your daughter happy then these are the sort of sites where she will meet other teens and find lots of entertainment. If she is happy then you will be too!! For overnight stops there is a scheme called France Passion where you can stay on farms,vineyards etc for free. I can give you more details if you want to e mail Gordon.McKenzie1@btinternet.com Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chris Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Maria, We travel to France July/August and do not book. Brittany has loads of aires, usually free but with a teenage daughter you need to be near a town/beach. The French holiday during August so if you arrive during July nearly all sites will have space and you will be able to settle in an area and check out the sites you want to use. From the first weekend in August (black weekend) the French start their holidays so wherever you are make sure you are pitched and set up before and during this weekend. The roads are crazy then and accidents are too frequent. I have stayed at Le Letty in Benodet with teenagers and this is a great site and it always has space. This site is right on the beach and just outside the town. No swimming pool but plenty of fun on the beach. My teenagers loved beach activity and hated organised activities. Your daughter may be similar or she may prefer more entertainment? Book ahead for the big, 4/5 star sites with activities as they are always full . (I never know why because they are so expensive and busy) Definately get hold of the "caravan club" eUROPEAN CAMPSITES BOOK FOR fRANCE. tHIS IS INVALUABLE AS MEMBERS WRITE IN ABOUT different sites they visit and the comments are very accurate eg riverside pitches attract the flies etc. We too have to travel in peak season but I hate booking as you are tied to an itinery. We find that the smaller sites allow you to pitch and not commit to how long you want to stay as long as they retain your camping carnet card (proof of being a camping club member in UK)or passport. We usually settle our bill the night before we are due to leave as we can make an early start the next day. If you arrive before dinner at a site or midday on an aire there is more chance of getting a space. At the aires the French vacate their pitch and head off for the day and usually arrive back late afternoon so you can park up early. Will gladly answer any questions Maria as we towed a caravan for years before getting our motorhome and have stayed on Vendee and Brittany sites and aires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamworthkamper Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 we took our two girls last year staying at euro camp it was very good but next year when the girls are off to ibezia or where ever flying the flag for teenage youth the wife and i will just drive and find you know good site one night bad one every now and then in . This year we trying siblu HEAVEN europe .So we can keep an eye on the girls .Well hope you have a good holiday we always do its easy over there just put a note on your dash reminding you to drive on the wrong side of the road .rember your lenth and width and keep to the speed limits TAMWORTHKAMPER And wave to other motorcaravans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldie Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Been to France , all over, regularly for the last 30 years. Never booked. 15 camp sites this year, no problem. The West coast peak season, you,d be wise to book if you can, but there's always another site near at hand. simply don't leave it till late in the day to try and book in......Happy holiday mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevandali Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Hi Chris (and anyone else that may help) Wasn't sure how to contact you? We are off to Southern Britany in August and was wondering if you could email any details of kid friendly campsites that you have visiited as we have to cater for the needs of a 13 and 15 year old. we plan to tour around Aires in brittany but also book a decent campsite for a few days as well. cheers Kevandali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g4oip Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 V. busy on west coast July/Aug. due to that being the region that most of the French seem to visit so possibly do what I am doing and using farm type sites such as Le petit marrioniere run by Gaston Naud in the Vendee close to St. Hilaire-de-Riez.You can find him and loads of others on the web. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 [QUOTE]Chris - 2005-02-07 11:24 PM Maria, We travel to France July/August and do not book. Brittany has loads of aires, usually free but with a teenage daughter you need to be near a town/beach. The French holiday during August so if you arrive during July nearly all sites will have space and you will be able to settle in an area and check out the sites you want to use. From the first weekend in August (black weekend) the French start their holidays so wherever you are make sure you are pitched and set up before and during this weekend. The roads are crazy then and accidents are too frequent. I have stayed at Le Letty in Benodet with teenagers and this is a great site and it always has space. This site is right on the beach and just outside the town. No swimming pool but plenty of fun on the beach. My teenagers loved beach activity and hated organised activities. Your daughter may be similar or she may prefer more entertainment? Book ahead for the big, 4/5 star sites with activities as they are always full . (I never know why because they are so expensive and busy) Definately get hold of the "caravan club" eUROPEAN CAMPSITES BOOK FOR fRANCE. tHIS IS INVALUABLE AS MEMBERS WRITE IN ABOUT different sites they visit and the comments are very accurate eg riverside pitches attract the flies etc. We too have to travel in peak season but I hate booking as you are tied to an itinery. We find that the smaller sites allow you to pitch and not commit to how long you want to stay as long as they retain your camping carnet card (proof of being a camping club member in UK)or passport. We usually settle our bill the night before we are due to leave as we can make an early start the next day. If you arrive before dinner at a site or midday on an aire there is more chance of getting a space. At the aires the French vacate their pitch and head off for the day and usually arrive back late afternoon so you can park up early. Will gladly answer any questions Maria as we towed a caravan for years before getting our motorhome and have stayed on Vendee and Brittany sites and aires. [/QUOTE] Can't argue with Chris' experience in finding sites, but the statement re when the French go on holiday is not quite correct. French school holidays, as do many others in Europe, commence on or about 1 July and run till the end of August. Our schools usually break one to two weeks later. The exact dates for the main school holidays are broken up around France to try to spread the mass North - South exodus, but not by that much. There were always those who took their holidays in July and those who went in August. Famously, the French decamped for one month, with the returning July mob meeting the departing August mob in huge traffic jams (and numerous accidents) all over France. Many French now take winter skiing breaks as well, so the more recent tendency has been for the month long seaside breaks to have shortened to two/three weeks spread more evenly, and the return to begin around mid-August. However, there is still a pronounced traffic surge on the end of July/beginning of August weekends, which are not good travelling days.If you get a Michelin campsite guide, you'll find the school holidays tabled at the back. If you hit the family seaside holiday areas, which means most of Brittany, a lot of the Atlantic coast, and all of the Med coast, in July or August you will be in competetion for space with a lot of the French and half the rest of Europe! If you're content to stay on sites away from the coast you'll find getting on easier, but the coastal sites do get booked and many impose a minimum 7 days stay in the peak season. If you prefer to travel and not book, especially as you're visiting areas that are unknown to you, aim to stop travelling at around 14:00, when most of the site offices re-open after lunch, and start pitch hunting. You may get lucky first time, but be prepared to spend time going from site to site. If you choose aires, the same advice would apply. France is probably the biggest summer holiday magnet in Europe and everyone wants some of the fun. If necessary, plan to arrive at sites before 12:00, to see if you can pick up pitches vacated as others leave, even if you don't drive in immediately. At some sites, you may have to queue even for this.For total peace of mind, book, don't go near the coast, or don't go in July or August! Re booking, despite the above, the French don't book camp sites much before May, so you've got plenty of time for some research before you commit. Either get the 2007 Michelin "Camping France" guide or the Caravan Club "Caravan Europe 1" guide. Both give a fairly accurate idea of what to expect before you arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 A lot of you quote many years' experience of notbooking ahead, even in July/August. At inland and provincial sites, my recent experience agrees with this. But coastal or popular, tourist region inland sites, are rapidly becoming much more crowded, and it's worth booking ahead. But you probably only need to ring up a couple or three days before. Think about it: burgeoning sales of both motohomes and caravans coupled with few new large sites mean demand can (and does) exceed supply in the busy periods. This year will be worse than last and so it will go on. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A W Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 There have been several threads running on Brittany recently. Yes July/August are the busiest months but by Cornish standards the roads are not too busy. I personally have never booked a site but if you want an all singing/dancing site on a beach yes you will need to book and pay a lot of money. Any sites/aires away from the coast will be fine.You can always spend the day on the coast and then come 5 miles or so inland to spend a night. Be aware that PROVIDING you park with consideration you can stop 1 night pretty well anywhere.An example of parking with consideration is not blocking a sea view from a house on a seafront. As has been said before France is very motorhome friendly so just relax and go with the flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Wow, just realised that the Chris above is me and that posting was 2 years ago? Well I stand by most of what everyone says but unfortunately some of us still have to travel in July/August in school holidays. Teaching for a living. Well we are still not booking but we have no children with us now. My cousins both book ahead as they have young children but we always travel every 2-5days and move on. When we were in Mimizan we arrived in August without booking but stayed 4 miles inland and in the Arcachon Basin we managed ok being about a mile inland there too. My teenagers at the time hated commercial sites but loved a creperie and a pool was absolutely essential. wITH CHILDREN i THINK i WOULD BOOK BUT LEAVE SOME DATES OPEN SO YOU CAN MOVE AROUND to different areas. As I have seen you have posted elsewhere Kevandali I can see you have booked Le Letty which will be fine so don't worry. For anyone planning July and August I have found that campsites are emptier right up to the end of July and then the French go on holiday en masse. After 15th August (their bank holiday) they start to pack up. Traditions don't change much in France and on our travels there are plenty of campsites. Definately buy the European 1 campsite book from Caravan Club as this is the best for good advice. The rest of the time we use municipal sites, aires and France Passion and as Brian says, turn up by 12 as this is the best time as the French don't seem to look for a pitch until teatime. Enjoy your hols and glad that 2 year old information is still relevant. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevandali Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Thanks for all the help, now booked into two campsites with plenty of days in between for wandering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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