newbie saying hello and help please

[elaine54]

hello just found this forum and it seems ace. my husband, myself and our two friends. ( all in our sixties) travel to France every year, but not speaking french or knowing where we can park, we just stay on the campsite. I would love to travel further afield than Brittany, Have tried to learn french with out success, and we are all fairly none mobile. any ideas would be more than welcome.

[Caddies104]

Hi and welcome..

When you travel to France do you use Acsi sites or Camping Cheques as these give you huge reductions if out of season, I.e. Upto July 7th and after September 7th roughly..

 

There are thousands of sites to choose from all over Europe and nearly all sites speak English...

 

[Brian Kirby]

elaine54 - 2015-11-03 6:22 PM

 

hello just found this forum and it seems ace. my husband, myself and our two friends. ( all in our sixties) travel to France every year, but not speaking french or knowing where we can park, we just stay on the campsite. I would love to travel further afield than Brittany, Have tried to learn french with out success, and we are all fairly none mobile. any ideas would be more than welcome.

Elaine, what is the actual problem that keeps you in Brittany? I don't think the Bretons are any better at English than those in other parts of France.

[elaine54]

we just use a couple of sites that our friends have used before. but its getting boring now..we stop in the aires as and when we come to one. (i m thinking maybe there is somewhere we can find out where they are before we set off. )

[Guest pelmetman]

Head for Dordogneshire ;-) ............

 

 

[elaine54]

Caddies104 - 2015-11-03 6:29 PM

 

Hi and welcome..

When you travel to France do you use Acsi sites or Camping Cheques as these give you huge reductions if out of season, I.e. Upto July 7th and after September 7th roughly..

 

There are thousands of sites to choose from all over Europe and nearly all sites speak English...

Hi. in short I have no idea. lol

 

[elaine54]

pelmetman - 2015-11-03 6:47 PM

 

Head for Dordogneshire ;-) ............

 

hello, you hail from my neck of the woods. we live in Beverley. will go look up sites in dordogneshire. thanks

 

[Agaric]

This web site is what I use to park for the night, http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm

 

I have it downloaded on my laptop or you can put the app on your phone.

 

There are over 11,000 places to park in France overnight on here.

 

On the main screen hit 'Cliquez pour entrer' next page under 'Les aires camping-car' click 'Chercher/ajouter une aire' scroll down to 'France' this brings up a map just click away from here on.

 

 

[elaine54]

Agaric - 2015-11-03 6:55 PM

 

 

This web site is what I use to park for the night, http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm.

 

I have it downloaded on my laptop or you can put the app on your phone.

 

There are over 11,000 places to park in France overnight on here.

 

On the main screen hit 'Cliquez pour entrer' next page under 'Les aires camping-car' click 'Chercher/ajouter une aire' scroll down to 'France' this brings up a map just click away from here on.

 

Thank you just tried the site is down at the moment.

 

 

[Guest pelmetman]

elaine54 - 2015-11-03 6:52 PM

 

pelmetman - 2015-11-03 6:47 PM

 

Head for Dordogneshire ;-) ............

 

hello, you hail from my neck of the woods. we live in Beverley. will go look up sites in dordogneshire. thanks

 

I should leave the Shire bit off ;-) ............Try this one for a start B-) ..........

 

http://www.eymetcamping.fr/MainFR.html

 

Less than 5 minutes walk from a lovely French town, and where you'll struggle to find someone who doesn't speak English :D ..........

 

 

[Agaric]

elaine54 - 2015-11-03 7:04 PM

 

Agaric - 2015-11-03 6:55 PM

 

 

This web site is what I use to park for the night, http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm.

 

I have it downloaded on my laptop or you can put the app on your phone.

 

There are over 11,000 places to park in France overnight on here.

 

On the main screen hit 'Cliquez pour entrer' next page under 'Les aires camping-car' click 'Chercher/ajouter une aire' scroll down to 'France' this brings up a map just click away from here on.

 

Thank you just tried the site is down at the moment.

 

 

Ive just tried it and link doesn't work, try this, http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm

 

I have now corrected the link in my previous post

[Tracker]

We've been visiting France for over ten years and whilst Brittany is one of our favourite areas there is so much more to see beyond Brittany.

 

Particular favourites of ours are The Alpes, The Loire Valley, The Dordogne and The Pyrenees and we have not stayed on a camp site in France since 2007 preferring to use the fabulous network of literally thousands of 'Aires de Camping Car'.

 

We use only this book, it is not cheap but it is written in English by people who visit the Aires regularly to verify and update them and most importantly it is accurate and reliable which is very helpful if, like us, you use the Lat and Long coordinates to navigate to them.

 

https://www.vicarious-shop.com/All-the-Aires-France-North-and-South-5th-edition.html

 

Many are free but more and more are starting to charge about 5 to 8 Euros a night but that said we recently spent three weeks in the Pyrenees and Dordogne at a total cost for Aires of about 10 Euros - and most of that was for water!

 

Some are less than attractive and others, especially coastal, scenic and polular towns can be busy which is why we try to get sited earlier rather than later in popular locations.

 

Aires do not suit everyone as many people still prefer what they see as the security and maybe the ambience of a site but if nothing else Aires can give you flexibilty of travel to, from and between sites.

 

If you like to use mains electricity then maybe Aires are not for you as few have it and it can be a struggle to get hooked up on those that do. That does not bother us as everything in our van works on gas or 12 volts - so much so that we don't even carry an umbilical cord - sorry electric hook up cable!

[Charles]

if you're not very mobile try Benidorm there's a mobility scooter hire place just down from La Torreta camp site (which is excellent by the way), lovely weather, lovely beaches and cheap to eat out. Downside is its a longer drive but diesel is cheap in Spain.

The first Time we went abroad with the motorhome we went straight there lol

[Derek Uzzell]

Elaine

 

If you wanted to use French campsites for longer stays, these guides might be helpful

 

https://alanrogers.com/guides/the-best-campsites-in-france-2015

 

The related website

 

https://alanrogers.com/camping/france

 

allows information to be obtained on the campsites shown on the map, but there are many other smaller sites not mentioned.

 

The most comprehensive guide to French campsites is probably this French publication

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Le-guide-officiel-camping-caravaning/dp/2358390380/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

[PJay]

elaine54 - 2015-11-03 6:22 PM

 

hello just found this forum and it seems ace. my husband, myself and our two friends. ( all in our sixties) travel to France every year, but not speaking french or knowing where we can park, we just stay on the campsite. I would love to travel further afield than Brittany, Have tried to learn french with out success, and we are all fairly none mobile. any ideas would be more than welcome.

 

Why worry about not speaking French? If UK can employ Doctors/Nurses who hardly speak English??

Seriously though, you can always get by, most sites speak English. Do get ACSI from Vicarious Books, and if you like aires they also do a good aires book in English. You say all fairly NON mobile?? and in sixties, well lots of us on here are 70 plus, and even 80 plus, so you all youngsters! We have found over 10 years of motorhoming that you find sites that suit your needs, and some don't , so just move on. We never book sites , and have only once had a problem in France (It turned out to be a holiday weekend)

Just go and enjoy the freedom, of having your "home" with you

PJay

[Brian Kirby]

Derek Uzzell - 2015-11-04 9:02 AM

 

Elaine

 

If you wanted to use French campsites for longer stays, these guides might be helpful

 

https://alanrogers.com/guides/the-best-campsites-in-france-2015

 

The related website

 

https://alanrogers.com/camping/france

 

allows information to be obtained on the campsites shown on the map, but there are many other smaller sites not mentioned.

 

The most comprehensive guide to French campsites is probably this French publication

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Le-guide-officiel-camping-caravaning/dp/2358390380/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

 

One small caution regarding the Guide Officiel above: it lists the lot, the good, the bad, and the ugly - with little to aid you in sorting the wheat from the chaff. It is also in French.

 

I would add to the list the Caravan Club's publication "Caravan Europe", available to non-members, which is now in three volumes, each available separately, covering France and Andorra, Spain and Portugal, and broadly, the rest of Europe. The reports are not submitted by inspectors, but by members who have visited and used the sites. They do tend to be caravan oriented, and sometimes the mention of facilities for motorhomers is from a caravanner's slightly uncomprehending viewpoint, but still, IMO, the most reliable of the campsites guides overall.

 

My other additions would be the Camping Card ACSI guides, which list all the sites that accept the ACSI discount card (not usable in the high season: you need to check the dates when it can be used) and, if you take a laptop with you, the ACSI DVD of sites, which is a superb resource and includes 8,500 sites across Europe, including all those that accept the ACSI Card. Both these include GPS co-ordinates for the sites (not 100% reliable!) which can (usually! :-)) make finding them with a sat-nav that bit easier.

 

Just a final thought, although Benidorm is popular, and has the disabled facilities mentioned above, there is so much more to Spain than Benidorm which, when all is said and done, (in common with many Spanish coastal towns) is just a high-rise hotel resort town with a small, touristy, original core.

[elaine54]

Thank you all so much, for your help, plenty to look up and read up on. looking forward to next years holiday. Is anyone else worried about the situation with the refugee,s. last year it took us two days to travel about four miles due to the strikes. hopefully we wont encounter any of that this year.

 

[Will H]

elaine54 - 2015-11-03 6:22 PM

 

hello just found this forum and it seems ace. my husband, myself and our two friends. ( all in our sixties) travel to France every year, but not speaking french or knowing where we can park, we just stay on the campsite. I would love to travel further afield than Brittany, Have tried to learn french with out success, and we are all fairly none mobile. any ideas would be more than welcome.

 

Elaine, age is not a problem to learning French, learn a few phrases such as asking for bread, a cup of coffee large or small the hello and goodbye and thank you. A smile and be pleasant. Supermarkets are ok small shops with older assistants are good some young girls are rude but some are excellent.

 

Listen to how sayings are expressed. In a queue for bread listen to how others ask its really quite easy and being older I find helps.

[PJay]

elaine54 - 2015-11-04 3:25 PM

 

Thank you all so much, for your help, plenty to look up and read up on. looking forward to next years holiday. Is anyone else worried about the situation with the refugee,s. last year it took us two days to travel about four miles due to the strikes. hopefully we wont encounter any of that this year.

 

Avoid Calais

As you live in Yorkshire, you have a choice of Ports to cross from. You will get to Portsmouth as fast as you will get to Dover. We can drive from Portsmouth to North Yorkshire (Dales) in five and half hours, in car.Did it in the fog on Sunday It cost more , but it gets you to the west side of France quicker Caen/Cherburg

Enjoy your planning. We never plan a trip just go over and take it from there

PJay

[malc d]

elaine54 - 2015-11-04 3:25 PM

 

Thank you all so much, for your help, plenty to look up and read up on. looking forward to next years holiday. Is anyone else worried about the situation with the refugee,s. last year it took us two days to travel about four miles due to the strikes. hopefully we wont encounter any of that this year.

 

 

 

We've been crossing to France quite often for some years now and I've never yet seen a " refugee " - ( although why these people risk their lives to escape from France I will never understand ).

 

But then we don't use Dover - Calais - at least half a dozen other crossings are available.

 

 

As for speaking French - well it's not essential - especially now most shopping is self service - but you could learn a few phrases by using translation websites.

 

 

....... and as you are still in your late youth - once you cross the channel there is no reason to to stop when you get to Brittany - the whole continent is open to you.

 

Happy travelling !

 

;-)

[Two-Six]

Hi Elaine,

Firstly I would say, don't worry, just go. I know it can be a bit of an anxiety not knowing where exactly you are going to end up for the night sometimes but there are plenty of ways to get a couple of sites lined up in the area you might find yourself in later in the day. These days with smart phones you can do this en route.

 

I do find that it is a good idea to try to have a rough idea as to what area you are heading for before you set of but its not essential lol.

 

I have found that by simply using the rough guide, Lonely planet, or the lets go guide books often gave us all the information we needed to find a nice spot to stay in many European countries. Of course there are many more specialist publications and web resources to use too.

 

France in general is really well equipped with camp sites. They are everywhere, almost every town has a municipal camp site, most of them are brilliant.

 

The Aires, well, basically, don't get too "hung-up" or overly focussed on them. Talking to some people you might start to think they are the be-all-and-end-all of a French motorhome holiday.

 

If you happen to find one that looks and feels nice, lucky you.

 

I know some people love them, sure there are nice ones but they are at the end of the day free or really cheap. Read into that what you will.

 

All I am saying is I don't understand why some people spend tens of thousands of pounds on their motor homes and then try to save a few Euros by staying in a car park with no facilities.

 

I just don't understand that.

 

Re speaking French, don't worry about that too much a lot of French people speak English really well, especially younger people (under 40?) and people involved in the tourist trade.

 

France is not quite like Germany or even more so Holland where almost everybody Speaks English really really well but it is catching up.

 

Like another poster said, try to get into it, it's the only way, dive in and Commencez à parler français!

 

Start with the basics and build on it, perhaps try French lessons at a college near you. Everybody has to start somewhere. You will find it sort of grows on you with practice, you will be able to string increasingly complex sentences together in no time and start to understand what people are saying to you.

 

I did French at school for about 3 or 4 years, went skiing there with school. Then I just went there a lot on holidays and then later on to Morocco too. My grammer is quite shady but my vocabulary is good.

 

I can read it pretty well, with a dictionary I can understand a newspaper. I can just about write it, I can convey pretty much anything I want to in French, people say my accent is superb Parisian French :-) Sometimes French speakers don't know I am not French. But that is rare! I can pretty much understand most of a French film or a TV program or News or a French radio program if I really listen.

 

I am way out of practice these days but I find after a 3 week holiday in France my French muscles are well exercised and I start to find it quite natural to listen to and speak French and it gets a lot better every time I go there. If reckon if I lived there for a year I would be almost fluent.

 

So what I am trying to say is, just get stuck in! Its fun! They enjoy seeing you try to speak French and offer you lots of help and encouragement. Its a great ice breaker, most people will modify their French so you understand them quite naturally.

 

Oh yeah and draw a 150 mile circle around Paris and don't go in it, they all hate English people in that circle, the closer you get to Paris the more they hate us...Honest ;-)

[Agaric]

 

What baffles me Two Six is what after buying a motorhome what facilities are missing.

 

As for aires some are just like car parks but they still on the whole come with a water point and emptying facilities.

 

The beauty of most of them is that they are in or outside villages where often or not there isn't a camp site.

 

They are often run by the Maire to support the village and it's shops, all good things in my book.

[Tracker]

Two-Six - 2015-11-04 5:33 PM

 

I know some people love aires, sure there are nice ones but they are at the end of the day free or really cheap. Read into that what you will.

 

All I am saying is I don't understand why some people spend tens of thousands of pounds on their motor homes and then try to save a few Euros by staying in a car park with no facilities.

 

I just don't understand that.

 

Oh yeah and draw a 150 mile circle around Paris and don't go in it, they all hate English people in that circle, the closer you get to Paris the more they hate us...Honest ;-)

 

When you make sweeping statements like that you should expect to get taken to task.

 

As I very clearly said in my initial email regarding Aires, they are not for everyone, but then again neither are camp sites.

 

We go to France to spend our time seeing France, not to stay on a campsite. No doubt camp sites have their various attractions but they are not for everyone.

 

So, as I am able to understand why some people prefer campsites why can you not accept and understand that some people - particularly many French Camping Carists - prefer Aires? We can't all be wrong all the time can we? By the way many French campers hate paying with a vengeance, even for an Aire, even more than we do!

 

Your 150 mile Paris exclusion zone is simply incorrect but maybe it was said tongue in cheek?

 

We find that French people are as likely to be as friendly or as unfriendly pretty much anywhere in Europe, but in general, like the Brits, much more reserved than say German, Dutch or Scandinavian campers. Maybe that can be mistaken as hostility, not helped by the greater reluctance in general of people of both nations to use a foreign tongue than many other Euro nations.

 

I cannot speak for city folk as we avoid cities whenever possible so maybe city folk are less friendly than country folk - I don't know!

 

It is not all about saving a few Euros, although that too can be rather satisfying and addictive, but why would I want all the faff of booking in etc when all I need is a quiet convenient overnight stopover where I just drive in and park up ready explore or move on from where we left off the previous night - often close enough to a town or village for mobilty challenged folk to explore on foot?

 

I have again tried to respond to your points and not attack you personally and if you feel that I am wrong in any of the above you are of course free to respond to the points.

[Two-Six]

Meh whatever.

 

Yeah Aires are great. *-)

 

I can't be bothered with this forum.

 

Sorry I have pretty much lost all my enthusiasm completely.

 

That didn't take long at all, well done!

 

All I get is pedantic blaaaaa

 

I wasn't typing to you Tracker, I was typing for the benefit of the OP. Look at how much work I put into that post, all that positivity and humour, let her take from each post what she will, does she really have to "benefit" from your critique of my posting? How is that helping her in any way? How is you interjection going to encourage me to post freely here? What if anything at all was positive in your post?

 

Why even bother posting just to have another go at me?

 

Yeah, I was serious about the Paris thing. Pretty much.

[Barney123]

(>>>>All I am saying is I don't understand why some people spend tens of thousands of pounds on their motor homes and then try to save a few Euros by staying in a car park with no facilities.<<<<)

 

Now look at it the other way...... why spend thousands of pounds on the motor home and go into camp sites to use the toilet, shower, wash dishes etc when you have already purchased the motorhome with all the facilities on board ??