JayM Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hi, Help! Could you lovely people please help us? We are still novices only having been MHs for a year. We have used Mick (Motor home) more in 1 year than we ever did the Caravan in 3 years. We have just successfully toured a good part of Ireland starting at Rosslare, Youghal, Cobh, Kinsale, Bantry, Galway, Dublin home to Mum and Dad in Wicklow then back to Rosslare. Totally enjoyed it. Anyone wanting any info on this trip please ask. Now down to the scary bit! We are planning to go to France in September for 2 weeks. Starting at Calais, we hope to travel along the the coast to Normandy,Brittany, then hopefully to Il De Re. What I want to know is info on route ie: campsites, aires, parking or any thing else that might be of help. Hope you can help. John and Mary (aka: The Fockers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel wood Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hi, Welcome to motorhoming. I suggest you get a copy of the Caravan Club published book 'Caravan Europe 1'. Many of us find it invaluable for campsite information. All the entries are by CC members and are helpful at describing the sites. We have usually found it (and the accompanying book for the rest of Europe) very reliable apart from some people not knowing the difference between kilometres and miles! The book also has useful information about travelling abroad and specific details about the countries covered by the book. We are not very experienced at using aires but this year bought a useful book from Vicarious Books called 'All the Aires' You'll find details on their website. Happy travelling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hi John & Mary Please, please, please do not worry about travelling in France - they are so motorhome friendly, unlike this country, you get a good reception everywhere. The Aires, which you do not see in this country, are wonderful (please do not confuse these with the ones on motorway service stations which are no-go areas). The campsites in Europe are exceptionally good, the majority of which in Brittany will speak English, and the Ile de Re is just lovely, so just relax and enjoy yourselves! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duffers Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Please remember, for politeness sake, that you are in France they speak French from choice, it's a great counry and the people are wonderful, but do them the courtesy of learning a little french, they will help you out when your french is insufficient - quite often with excellent English. When you go into a shop or campsite reception or simply pass people on the street - say Bonjour .. .. .. .. the English don't as a rule do this and so we get a reputation for being rude and ignorant we've just come back from 4 weeks travelling around Brittany, weather was great campsites were great - baguettes, crepes, chocolat n cafe all excellent, just wish we were back there. Another point to bear in mind tho, September is a bit out of season escpecially in the north, so don't be surprised if some camp sites are running on less than full facilities have fun but I don't think that 2 weeks is enough time to cover the area you're talking about. :-> :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hi guys, You'll love France! From Calais travelling towards your stated destinations you can either take the toll motorway, (quick but expensive), or you can do what most vanners do and use the national routes, ( like our A roads). They usually run side by side with the motorways but you get to see more of France and the towns and villages. As someone has already said get the Caravan Club Europe 1 book and "All the Aires in France" and you will have all you need to have what will probably be the best time ever in your van! The aires along the coast are fairly busy places, as you will expect, so if you intend to use them be aware they start to fill up from mid afternoon, so get there just after lunch and it will give to time to get a good spec and have a walk round the area and explore what's on offer. The ones in the aires book in orange are classed as "pretty", so naturally they get used most. When you pull up at an aire just use your common sense and get the feel of it, (before you pay any fees!), then if it doesn't "feel" right you can move on. There are lots of them in that area so finding another should be no problem. We always have at least two others as a back up just in case, with a municipal site as an "if all else fails" destination. A good site I would recommend for your first night or two, and is a fairly easy drive from Calais, is the municipal site at Bayeaux. It is a nice well laid out site with all the usual facilities, plus a fresh bread van that calls in the morning. It is a 10 minute stroll into the city and the tapestry museum and of course all the D Day beaches and museums are just up the road a few minutes drive away. Further down the Atlantic Coast, Chatelaillon Plage has a very good site, Camping Port Punay. It is nicely laid out, the owners speak good English, you can hire bikes on site, it is a 10 minute bike ride to the town and has a fantastic seafood cafe just outside the gates! If you get far enough South, Mimizan Plage has a fantastic aire right on the beach and 5 minutes from the town centre. There's bags of room and electric available. You could easily spend a week there! Just take your time and you'll soon get the hang of France. As the others have said, it is so motorhome friendly. Bon Voyage! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 You will have a great time in France :-D we have just come back from traveling along the Mosel in Germany and back down the Rhyne into Belguim and back into France. We have the Aire,s book which we bought from Vicarious Books but before we go back again we want to buy the French Aires book which comes with a map that shows all the Aires that are in the book, it is in French (which we dont speak)!! but Im sure we can understand place names and the map :-) we were shown it by a Brit in Calais where we stayed the night before we came back, and it had a lot more sites than the one we have. As already been said DONT use the Aires on the Motorways they arent safe but the others that you find in the towns are great providing water and emptying fac; also the Municipal sites are good and very reasonable, also take a look at the Les Erables site at Escalles its near Cap Blanc Nez we stay there on the way back and go to the Vet at Marquis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayM Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hi, Thank-you for your re-ply, found it very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayM Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 I will be noting down all your comments they are very helpful....planning starts now!! Thankyou J&M (The Fockers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Momma Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 just a quick addendum to all the excellent advice that you have already received. I have stayed on many 'Municipal' sites and as a rule have generally found them to be superb, good value for money, very clean and reasonable facilities but not luxurious and always very close to Villages, Towns and very near public transport. You will love it, more relaxed driving experience than over here. Motorways are great for getting from A-B quickly but stick to 'N' roads or 'D' roads and you will pass through some really beautiful villages and towns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadjo Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Hi Jay& M Went to France for the first time last year in our first ever MH and a bit like yourselves was nervous and did not know what to expect. But it was fine in fact, as has been said, in some ways a lot easier than touring over here. We used some aires the one at Mont St Michelle is nice and is about 8E for 2 nights and we used some camp sites. Just go for it and enjoy yourselves it'll be fine (lol) Cheers Ho yes forgot to mention we used the aires book and the caravan club 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strathspey Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Jay&M - 2009-06-24 8:06 PM What I want to know is info on route ie: campsites, You'll have a great time - we've been doing it for the past 35 years. If you don't feel like driving too far on the first stage, there is an excellent site at Wacquinghen, just off junction 34 on the A16 motorway south from Calais. It is just 500 meters from the junction, and has a front, overnighting section with easy access. They serve food, and you get an easy set-off the following morning. Take all the advice from the good folks on this forum - and enjoy yourselves. We'll be heading for Provence soon strathspey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Depending when you arrive in France There is small but very useful site just outside calais (10 mins from the ferry) where you can stop o/night and gain composure ;-) Just add it is off the autoroute to Abbeville. Camping Les Erables, It is not fancy but has the best showers I have come across in France, http://www.eurocampings.fr/fr/europe/france/nord-pas-de-calais/pas-de-calais/camping-les-erables-113093/ But dont tell everyone !! Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Congratulations, in going to France for the first time you're embarking on a lifelong love affair! As you've already seen, we're all crackers about the place, and I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. Two things I'd add: First, take seriously Ray's ("duffers") comment about how much you're trying to do in two weeks. You could have a very enjoyable and varied fortnight in either one of the areas you mentioned, and visit the other one next year - or the year after - or the year after that. There's no hurry, France will be there for a while yet! Second, consider joining France Passion. You can do that by ordering the book from Vicarious, or directly here: https://www.france-passion.com/index.php It's not only a source of free overnight stops, but a wonderful way to meet real French people who are interested in you and your trip - as well as willing to offer you tastings of their produce with no obligation. Have a great time - I know you will! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 tonyishuk - 2009-06-26 10:50 AM Depending when you arrive in France There is small but very useful site just outside calais (10 mins from the ferry) where you can stop o/night and gain composure ;-) Just add it is off the autoroute to Abbeville. Camping Les Erables, It is not fancy but has the best showers I have come across in France, http://www.eurocampings.fr/fr/europe/france/nord-pas-de-calais/pas-de-calais/camping-les-erables-113093/ But dont tell everyone !! Rgds Too late tony Ive just given that one away :-D me and my big mouth!! I agree it is a good and very friendly site we have used it twice now and will be back again later in the year. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmcclin Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 We have just returned from France on the 26th June it was the best holiday we have had. We took the advice given by helpful forum members and purchased the " All the aires" publication. This was the most useful piece of travel information i could have purchased. We travelled throughout Brittany and stopped on some wonderful Aires which generally were free apart from using the fresh water and waste facilities which generally cost 2 euro. They were located in villages and beach locations and we had no problems on any of them. The publication includes Sat Nav co-ordinates and we found these to be accurate. I would say if you are going in September then it will be very quiet as August seems to be the French holiday month. I was also given advice not to attempt to much and we altered are planned itinerary and this lent to us having a very stress free holiday. Hope you have a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Nice to see someone thanking all the people who give information & help on here . Well done you ,and glad you enjoyed your holiday . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Glad you had a good time :-D isnt it a relief when you find out how easy it is, next time will be even better now you know the ropes. After just over two weeks back I cant wait to go again. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Glad you had a good time :-D isnt it a relief when you find out how easy it is, next time will be even better now you know the ropes. After just over two weeks back I cant wait to go again. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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