Stuart202 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Hi We are about to head to France for a couple of weeks in October and I'm struggling to find campsites that are open then. Most search engines like Outandabout and ACSI don't allow me to filter by date, so I have to look at each individual site to find the opening times.....this is frustrating especially as most of the seem to close at the end of September :'( Can anyone help me please..... Thanks Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter lambert Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 It seems to be the way the French sites are run. Most seem to close at the end of Sept, or early Oct. All you can do, is as you have been......Check individual sites opening dates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 France is a mighty big country, and you give no indication where you are headed, but ditto the above most close as the poster above says, but why make it a problem, camping car Aires are plentiful, and you're likely to have many of them all to yourself, we are right now parked up on one right outside a municipal site, the only real difference being a fence between the aire and the site, lovely parklands to boot for a stroll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Stuart202 - 2014-09-22 4:39 PM Hi We are about to head to France for a couple of weeks in October and I'm struggling to find campsites that are open then. Most search engines like Outandabout and ACSI don't allow me to filter by date, so I have to look at each individual site to find the opening times.....this is frustrating especially as most of the seem to close at the end of September :'( Can anyone help me please..... Thanks Stuart Sorry, as this won't be much help, just an observation from a UK touring motorhomer, HOW do they survive with such a short season ?? I am sitting in the sunshine, at the Sandringham Caravan Club Site, and IT IS FULL, a Monday, the 22nd of September !! Don't the French use their Motorhomes/Caravans out of the height of the Summer season ?? ( When we are safely at home, until the 'Kids' go back to school.) Don't they have any 'Silver Travellers' like we have in the UK ? don't think there is anyone under 55 on the site today ? What do the French 'Older Generation' do ? seems such a waste of good sites. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madge Gentle Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Go to - www.ukcampsite.co.uk – click on France, the area you are going and then select 'Open all Year' from the left hand column options. Not a full list of campsites open all year - but it's a start. We use Aires! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minicamper Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Using the ACSI card website, you can search by holiday period. Shows 323 campsites open in France on 16-17 October. Www.campingcard.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minicamper Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Sorry, that should read 323which will offer the ACSI discount! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Rayjsj - 2014-09-22 5:25 PM Stuart202 - 2014-09-22 4:39 PM Hi We are about to head to France for a couple of weeks in October and I'm struggling to find campsites that are open then. Most search engines like Outandabout and ACSI don't allow me to filter by date, so I have to look at each individual site to find the opening times.....this is frustrating especially as most of the seem to close at the end of September :'( Can anyone help me please..... Thanks Stuart Sorry, as this won't be much help, just an observation from a UK touring motorhomer, HOW do they survive with such a short season ?? I am sitting in the sunshine, at the Sandringham Caravan Club Site, and IT IS FULL, a Monday, the 22nd of September !! Don't the French use their Motorhomes/Caravans out of the height of the Summer season ?? ( When we are safely at home, until the 'Kids' go back to school.) Don't they have any 'Silver Travellers' like we have in the UK ? don't think there is anyone under 55 on the site today ? What do the French 'Older Generation' do ? seems such a waste of good sites. Ray There are simply hoards of older motorhome folk roaming right now around France, it is simply a different mindset to UK motorhome users, just wandering around at will knowing with absolute certainty they'll find a peaceful spot tonight to lay their heads. A vastly different attitude prevails, for example just a few days ago we stopped at what is in the height of their season a conventional site, now it is a self service pay on entry camping car aire, this was right on the sea front at Port Louis, Brittany, cost included electric 5 Euros per night. One also has to remember there thousands of sites, as well as Aires, so once the European children return to school there would be huge over capacity, simple economics means to keep them staffed and open would be impossible,but as I said all us oldies of every nationality are out and about in any event, and enjoying the peace now that the little kiddies have gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod_vw Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 We are at Chavannes-sur-l'Étang now http://goo.gl/maps/XR5rH or 47.63301,7.01843 tonight. There are spaces for about 16 camping cars now 17 on site and some turned away! It's a good spot although the money collector is now back on duty so it has cost us €7 that's with EHU and wi-fi there are toilets on site as part of the tourist office. As others have said just wander like the French do there will always be an aire somewhere close to where you end up for the night. Carry the All the Aires France book and download as many aires POI you can find. We use Autoroute with a Bluetooth GPS receiver and have the POIs downloaded to that. Suplimented by the All the Aires France book. Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 If you really must have sites do phone or email and check they are open some areas they closed at the end of August. Sometimes the book says they are open out of season but in realality only to residents. If you are in a Motorhome you don't really need sites in France, plenty of Aires and wilding tolerated in most places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 If you really must have sites do phone or email and check they are open some areas they closed at the end of August. Sometimes the book says they are open out of season but in realality only to residents. If you are in a Motorhome you don't really need sites in France, plenty of Aires and wilding tolerated in most places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart202 Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 Hi All A big thanks to everyone who has responded - amazing! Lot's of good points which we will take on board, thanks again. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Currently travelling home from Spain..we are in Argeles sur mer today.most campsites here closed already.people coming down the coast tell us same story most sites closed so Aires full up.same as we came out through Escalle Spain most sites closed.those that are open very busy mostly Dutch, can ther be any once left in Holland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motorhomefolk Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Hi i am new to this forum only joined today. My husband and i have bought a motor-home after having a caravan for 20yrs. We would like to go to France in October our dates are flexible we will be taking 3 Chihuahuas with us we were wondering if anyone had any tips we could as first time abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitches Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Yes, use the tunnel and visit Aires near where you want to explore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 France shuts at the end of September! Wild camping is the way to go. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 mikejkay - 2014-09-26 3:14 PM France shuts at the end of September! Wild camping is the way to go. :-D Nonsense. While it is true if you are one of the thousands 0f Brits who never venture away from the Atlantic coast you will find a lot closed however plenty of sites open all year in most of France. The ones that are open also tend to be the best with heated toilet/shower facilities etc. Plenty open in the alps for example all year, you just need to look. If your preference is sleeping in laybys then plenty of those of course, you can even glorify the practice by calling it a daft name such as 'wilding'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Never overnighted in a layby in my life although I have to confess my preference in France is for coastal Brittany. People have some weird ideas about wild camping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 The site in Duras is open all year..............English owned............and currently managed by a couple of Brits.............The shower block has radiators 8-) ................and the water is red hot ;-)........there is a restaurant on site and the food looked nice................although when we booked the chef went sick :-S..............Its a bit of a hike up hill to the town...............so we spent two nights on the Aire in the grounds of the Chateau which is in spitting distance of the town B-)................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Currently on site north of Royan. Yes the sites are closing , This one due to close 30th but staying open until 3rd d Oct Th aries are all pretty full with French , as the weather is good still. If new to France I would look for all year sites, but they are few and far between, Go to Spain !! Cheaper and better weather than France France is a law unto it self and is missing out by closing in September, especially as the cost of food has gone up a lot in the super markets, Also don,t arrive at lunch time as they close , another loss of revenue as vans go elsewhere, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Tres bon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 PJay - 2014-09-26 10:06 PM Currently on site north of Royan. Yes the sites are closing , This one due to close 30th but staying open until 3rd d Oct Th aries are all pretty full with French , as the weather is good still. If new to France I would look for all year sites, but they are few and far between, Go to Spain !! Cheaper and better weather than France France is a law unto it self and is missing out by closing in September, especially as the cost of food has gone up a lot in the super markets, Also don,t arrive at lunch time as they close , another loss of revenue as vans go elsewhere, With respect you're missing the point, its France, they do things differently end of. If you want a "full English breakfast" and supermarkets open round the clock you are in the wrong place, if you are unable to organize your day to obtain your supplies during their opening hours then perhaps staying in the UK is a better option, quite why they all speak French is another irritation no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Hi Stuart, If you check on Camping Cheque website you should find sites open all year round, I know they are pointed out on the c.c. site location map. cheers and have a nice time derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Joe90 - 2014-09-27 8:23 AM PJay - 2014-09-26 10:06 PM Currently on site north of Royan. Yes the sites are closing , This one due to close 30th but staying open until 3rd d Oct Th aries are all pretty full with French , as the weather is good still. If new to France I would look for all year sites, but they are few and far between, Go to Spain !! Cheaper and better weather than France France is a law unto it self and is missing out by closing in September, especially as the cost of food has gone up a lot in the super markets, Also don,t arrive at lunch time as they close , another loss of revenue as vans go elsewhere, With respect you're missing the point, its France, they do things differently end of. If you want a "full English breakfast" and supermarkets open round the clock you are in the wrong place, if you are unable to organize your day to obtain your supplies during their opening hours then perhaps staying in the UK is a better option, quite why they all speak French is another irritation no doubt. I Think you are missing the point. I do not want shops open all hours, nor do I want Full English or Fish and Chips (sorry FRITES) I and many others have found it difficult to find sites open in October. I said that I thought the site owners are missing out on additional revenue. The weather is great here and the site is still closing on Friday, and there are lots of Brits, Dutch, and Germans Motor homes and caravans still touring around down here The aries are nearly all full with FRENCH, which is why the sites close , as the FRENCH are not prepared to pay , and we even have one parked out side the site all night. Yes this is FRANCE , and we now only pass through to Spain, much prefer it to France PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 We're going to Annecy next week and all the ACSI CC sites are closed. We were last there October 2011and it was packed with MH's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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