malc d Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 It seems there is only one ACSI site on the island - " Indigo Noirmoutier ". Has anyone been there - and if so - would you recommend it ? I see from the ACSI book that the ACSI card is only valid for " standard pitches " - ( whatever that means ) - presumably it means that some of their other pitches are fully serviced. I'd go to the island mainly for cycling so I'd be interested to hear of any other sites on the island which others have found acceptable. Cheers ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 malc d - 2014-05-30 3:31 PM It seems there is only one ACSI site on the island - " Indigo Noirmoutier ". Has anyone been there - and if so - would you recommend it ? I see from the ACSI book that the ACSI card is only valid for " standard pitches " - ( whatever that means ) - presumably it means that some of their other pitches are fully serviced. I'd go to the island mainly for cycling so I'd be interested to hear of any other sites on the island which others have found acceptable. Cheers ;-) We've just been there and are currently on the Ile de Re. We stayed on a very nice municipal called Le Clair Matin. I can recommend it. Simple like most municipals but well kept and reasonably priced. Last week it was €13 without EHU. Electricity was another €3.60 but we don't need it. It's a lovely little island and great if you like cycling. It's a ten minute bike ride from the main town and there's a super cycle path right along the sea wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 We stayed for a week at Camping Midi half way up the west coast of the island. It is built in to the dunes and has much going for it large grass pitches, indoor and outdoor pool. Bar and gym facilities plus a fantastic beach with sports available. Being central means you can cycle along the old road and cycle paths from one end of the island to the other. We cycled to Indigo and was not impressed. The best pitches are actually on the beach, which was a bit wind swept when we visited, these pitches are not available on ACSI. Camping Midi was around 18Euros but they had a parking area outside the gate which was available to use as an Aire. There is also a good Aire with Wifi about 2 miles along the road from the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted May 30, 2014 Author Share Posted May 30, 2014 Thanks for those HE and Cliffy - very useful. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 If you have some French, this website may be useful as it lists the Noirmoutier campsites. Clicking on the "Plus d'infos" box will allow the campsite's website (assuming it has one) to be identified from which the tarifs can be downloaded. http://www.ile-noirmoutier.com/mon-sejour/ou-dormir/campings There are several 'aires' on Noirmoutier http://www.ile-noirmoutier.com/mon-sejour/ou-dormir/aires-daccueil-des-campings-car but the one Cliffy mentions is likely to be this one http://www.caravanile.com/lescale-de-lile/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 Malc d.I have just thought, if you are approaching the island from the north dont rely on your sat nav as it will probably take you over the causeway which is only passable 90 minutes either side of low tide. Use the bridge from the mainland at the south end of the island, or check the tide time before hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 Cliffy - 2014-05-31 9:47 PM Malc d.I have just thought, if you are approaching the island from the north dont rely on your sat nav as it will probably take you over the causeway which is only passable 90 minutes either side of low tide. Use the bridge from the mainland at the south end of the island, or check the tide time before hand. Thanks Cliffy - I haven't found a need for a sat-nav yet as my wife is a good navigator. I investigated the causeway by bike a year or so ago. Don't think I would take the van across the causeway as it is narrow, gets a bit congested, and there's a good bit of seawater lying around which wouldn't be good for the underside of the van. It was worth a visit a visit though just to see all the locals parked out on the seabed digging up shellfish. From some of the photos displayed there it seems they don't always get back ' on shore ' in time. Derek : Thanks for the link to the list of sites - saves me some research. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I've just remembered which site Indigo is. It's a couple of hundred metres from Le Clair Matin where we stayed and we passed it on our rides into town. One evening we walked through the site and it was incredibly tatty and unkempt in places. I would concur with Cliffy that it's best avoided. We have ACSI but there are sites, such as the municipal we used, that are as cheap as ACSI sites or even cheaper if you don't need EHU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyS Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 We visited both Le Clair Martin and Indigo last Sept 2013 Le Clair Martin is wonderful for a municipal but was rather full and regimented. Indigo, south side, was 'unkempt' but rather like camping among the pines just back from the beach - rather romantic so we preferred it. Good clean facilities; but expensive and poor wifi. Probably very different in season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyS Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 As has been said the cycle path to the main town alongside the reserve and the port is superb - but dont cycle it; walk it with binoculars. There is so much to see that you will miss when cycling. Ditto the walk along the east coast to the north coast; but the inland walk back is boring - get a taxi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymerVan Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 We stayed at Indigo in June 2012 and thought it was great it is right on the beach. Noirmoutier itself is not to be missed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 featured in the Telegraph today: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/9316948/Beaches-of-Noirmoutier-France-Secret-Seaside.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mthomson Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Don't book into a campsite until you've explored the car parks, as you might find one filling up with over-nighting motorhomes - and think how much you could have saved! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Left " Le Clair Matin " municipal site this morning. Agree with others it's a good site Don't try to get in at weekends as it fills up with ' locals' who bring all their shellfishing gear and spend all the time the tide is out raking up shellfish. Site was full this weekend Site seems unknown to Brits - 270 pitches - 1 Belgian - 2 German - 1 Brit (me) all the rest appear to be French. Nice island for cycling but not as good as the bigger islands in my view. . ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 malc d - 2014-06-16 6:56 PM Left " Le Clair Matin " municipal site this morning. Agree with others it's a good site Don't try to get in at weekends as it fills up with ' locals' who bring all their shellfishing gear and spend all the time the tide is out raking up shellfish. Site was full this weekend Site seems unknown to Brits - 270 pitches - 1 Belgian - 2 German - 1 Brit (me) all the rest appear to be French. Nice island for cycling but not as good as the bigger islands in my view. . ;-) Yahoo Malc :D..............Nice to see your keeping up to date with us unfortunate people stuck at home working :'( ..............Don't feel too guilty ;-).............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Iam feeling a bit guilty Dave - that's why I didn't mention that the weather is hot and sunny with almost clear blue skies here on the west coast of France - AND it's forecast to stay like that all week. I think you will understand why I haven't mentioned that. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 The town of Noirmoutier is indeed well worth a few days, really nice atmosphere, good restaurants etc. We were there around three years ago and stayed on the very large aire easy walk right into town, much more convenient than any of the sites mentioned. It was Bastille day when we were there and must have been 300 vans on the aire! (No that can not be right because sure read some where that most motorhomes in France stay on sites; hang on a minute now on that aire at Pont a Mousson full every night, over 40 vans, so maybe not wrong after all hey Frank!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 robertandjean - 2014-06-18 10:26 AM The town of Noirmoutier is indeed well worth a few days, really nice atmosphere, good restaurants etc. We were there around three years ago and stayed on the very large aire easy walk right into town, much more convenient than any of the sites mentioned. It was Bastille day when we were there and must have been 300 vans on the aire! (No that can not be right because sure read some where that most motorhomes in France stay on sites; hang on a minute now on that aire at Pont a Mousson full every night, over 40 vans, so maybe not wrong after all hey Frank!). La Roque Gageac - two nights ago five vans. Last night eleven vans, most four feet from each other. Two campsites within a short bike ride including the one at La Roque, over thirty motorhomes and there are many more campsites within a few minutes. Anyway, my man on Ile Noirmoutier, Fred with the baggy shorts and sandals with black socks, tells me that the reason that the aire was full on Bastide Day is that all the campsites were booked up. So there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Well my contact on Ile de Noirmoutier at the time, snooty lady booked on site through caravan club, told me site she was on was half empty with only motorhomes Brits booked through the club, so there. Look in over 30 years of motorhoming we have been on many sites and of course there are motorhomes on them, for many reasons. Many former tugggers just can not break the habit, others want all singing all dancing holidays with disco, fun pools etc, whilst it may just be there are no alternatives in a particular area. We will for example be going on the municipal site at Banylus sur mere in October so can attend the excellent wine festival. Most French vanners however either stay overnight on the Intermarche car park opposite or on local streets. Which comes back to my first point that if at all possible French vanners stay on Aires or failing that wild camp. (Aire here at Pont a Mousson full today by 3.00pm, with over 40 vans, passed site on way here 2 vans at most) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 robertandjean - 2014-06-18 5:38 PM ........... if at all possible French vanners stay on Aires or failing that wild camp. Really ? Even those with awnings - pup tents - tents for dogs - boats - etc ? Plenty of French vans on sites at the moment - and haven't seen any aires that are full. ( .... your'e not a Daily Mail journalist by any chance are you ? ) :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Frank do not know where you are looking if you do not see any full Aires. Enough of this already, it is a waste of time to debate with someone who will not admit when they are clearly wrong. Regarding the mail then would not wrap fish and chips in it.: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 robertandjean - 2014-06-19 12:26 PM Frank do not know where you are looking if you do not see any full Aires. Enough of this already, it is a waste of time to debate with someone who will not admit when they are clearly wrong. Regarding the mail then would not wrap fish and chips in it.: Before you reply to me, do you not think it would be a good idea to make sure that I wrote the post to which you're replying? And if I'm clearly wrong that suggests that you believe you're clearly right. Mmmmmm! ;-) What I do know is that I use sites and aires and as a consequence of using sites as well as aires I see just how many motorhomes are parked on them, which you clearly can't. Also for your interest I attach a link to a very intelligent discourse on aires in Britain, something you thought was very easy to achieve, although I'm now pleased that you accept that you were very wrong in that conclusion. http://www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/aires.htm Finally, I have always said that I use aires and the tight wads I referred to are the kind of people who would not even pay for an aire, and you know very well that these are the ones to which I referred. I made it absolutely clear that you were not included in that description and it is devious of you to suggest that I did. It is my opinion that many more people use sites than aires. The vast number of sites, many of which have hundreds of pitches should be a clue. There are some big aires but on the whole most of them cater for small numbers. On Ile de Noirmoutier, which you mentioned there are ten camp sites with just one having more than four hundred pitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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