ACSI Card in September

[Cliffy]

 

We had our first venture in to Europe earllier this year with four weeks in South West France and had a great time, so much so that we are returning in September to go to the Mediterean coast.

 

We used the ACSI card but reading the conditions it says it can only be used in low season but it does not say that September is included, only up the end of June.

 

What is the situation on the actual acceptance by sites of the card in September?

 

Also

 

We were talking to someone on a site last week who said that the last two weeks in August is a good time to go. I would have thought that August would be a busy time and more expensive for ferries and site fees.

 

Can anyone advise on this also please?

 

Any further advice on the best route down, places to visit on route and good Sites/Aires on the Med coast.

 

Thanks

[rupert123]

If you have a card I assume you have a book. The book lists all the dates for the cheap rates and yes most do the cheap rate from September onwards.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

As the above poster said, yes. But don't forget the municipal sites that in many cases are just as good or better, with a very reasonable price structure. There are literally thousands of sites in France, so recommendations are in some ways pointless, what some would term good others would say the opposite depending on what does it for you. We never plan a route,maybe 10 miles one day,100 the next depending what we find along the way, which is why we too love France. But I would avoid the main area's in August, it is usually very busy with folk travelling from all over Europe.

 

Go http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/ for journey planning with or without Toll routes.It's an excellent resource.

[Brian Kirby]

To cross the channel, try to travel Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. As a general rule, travel outbound after 14:00. and return to UK before 12:00. That should get you the cheapest crossings, but check alternative days/times as well, since price tends to follow demand.

 

Try to avoid travelling on the actual weekend of 13/14 August, and I suspect also that of 20/21 August. There is liable to be heavy traffic on the main routes. Many of the French go home mid-August, but if travelling to the South of France, depending which bit you are thinking of, you may find sites still very full as so many other nationalities (most of Europe! :-)) flock down there.

 

After mid August, and certainly into September, the coast north of the Spanish border around Argeles tends to get hit by quite spectacular, and sometimes very squally, thunderstorms, as summer cracks into autumn. Timing obviously depending on the actual year.

 

From the Rhone east, the prices tend to be higher than most areas even out of season, and the service can be a bit take-it-or-leave-it. The ACSI sites, for obvious reasons, are not the most popular, often because they are not so favourably located. Nothing wrong with them, but just not so handy for the shops etc, so something to be alert to.