La Rochelle, Advice...

[Pentland]

Hi all,

 

I am planning a trip to the above for some holiday enjoyment, has anyone been there and reccomend a nice motorhome friendly site with hook up near the beach and some bars etc, i'm only 32 so don't need peace and quiet just yet.

 

This will be my first trip abroad in the camper so any advice would be great, things to take etc do's and not to do's.

It's left hand drive already so thats a start.

 

thanks

Keith.

[Peter42]

Hi,

I once stayed at Camping de la Plage, La Lizatiere, 66 Route de la Plage,17440 Aytre, which is about 3km South of La Rochelle. It connects to the town by a coastal path and within easy walking or cycling distance. The site is very tidy, has entertainment a bar and covered pool ( I seem to remember). La Rochelle is a lively place, with plenty to do and see. Enjoy.

[Terrytraveller]

Hi Keith,

 

We always stay on the Conference Centre car park marked with a red X on the map. It's a free campingcar aires, with the fresh water and dump borne about a mile away.

 

Even if you don't stay on overnight, you can park your camper securely on the car park and take the water bus into Old La Rochelle, costs about 2 euros for the fare and takes about 20 mins.

 

There are at times exhibitions held on the car park and camping cars cannot park on site, but there are other carparks nearby, so you do need a plan B.

 

I don't think there is a time limit, we have stayed for 3 days at a time and others have stayed longer.

 

Have a good holiday - Regards Terry

[Beefy]

Never camped there but been 4 or 5 times, and having a night there again this September, so can't really help with a pitch. If I recall I've seen 'vans near the beach area which is the opposite side of the harbour to the railway. Use GoogleEarthor maps and the beach is west of the harbour and it'll also throw up loads of bars/restaurants.

Can't go wrong for bars and restaurants all around the harbour, they're great. Excellent for people watching too!!!

It's a little on the expensive side, the Parisians like to holiday there so I'm told. Careful if you take a wife/girlfriend/partner as some of the shops inside the walled old town bit are a bit smart.

You could camp over in Ile de re which is popular but I'm not sure what the night life is like, or whether you wantto pay £10 each way over the bridge too often (or something like that).

 

If you parlez vous a petit francais then log into something like Stade Rochelais(LaRochelle rugby) forum and ask them a few tips, they've always been helpful to me when I've needing guiding in the right direction :)

 

Hope that helps some.

 

[Bill Ord]

In the past I've stopped at the P&R 5 euros for 24 hours includes a return to town on the bus. You can sevice the van at the Aire on the parking; included in the price.

 

Bill Ord

[robin]

Keith,

There are many, many campsites on the Ile de Re, but I can't recommend any in particualr as we have only stayed there overnight once (on a car park). I would imagine that it is fairly easy bike ride into La Rochelle over the toll bridge.

 

The place to park in La Rochelle itself is the parking off the Chemin des Ramparts. The parking, fresh water and grey / black dump are free and it is only a 15 minute walk from the centre, and through the park to the beach (which is cyclable) . It is crowded, shared with cars and noisy but o.k for overnight (we have overnighted twice).

Chemin des Remparts

Parking du PARC CHARRUYER près de la RUE CHASSELOUP-LAUBAT

 

Coordonnées GPS vérifiées : Latitude : (N) 46.1662° Décimaux

ou 46° 9' 58.32''

Longitude : (W) -001.1544° Décimaux

ou -001° 9' 15.84

 

More info at

http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm

 

HTH

Robin

 

 

 

[mattamyg]

Hi I stayed at la tranche sur mer, campsite on the beach, great pool, lively in the evenings and 40 mins off la rochelle in the south vendee, it was called bai d aunie or sommething like, I will go there again. i also stayed at normutier on same trip, another great place.

 

I have the details for la tranche, web adress email etc etc if you want.

[gordonaldson]

 

Ah now Terry you've given an answer here as the last time we were in La Rochel we tried to find the "Aire" on the harbour but there was an Exhibition or somit on in the car parking area's and we couldn't find any indication of where to park up.

The only bit we saw was a gap between two yachts against the harbour wall but well probably somebody wouldn't like that.

We just carried on to Ile De Orleron where there's a nice resteraunt at Harbour car park that the wife likes at the place near the barracks(name of place doesn't come to mind at presant, well its just over the long bridge).

 

Gordon@gordonaldson.com

[BrianR]

The last time I visited La Rochelle, I used the aire on the Esplanade des Parcs, which is a giant car park just outside the walls of the old town. If yiuget a place backing on to the park it was OK -you could even sit outside your van in the park. There is a dump point there and it is all free. There is a theoretical 48 hour limit, but nobody seemed to be checking. Get the gps co-ordinates from http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm. You will also find pictues and reviews of aires on this site - in French!

[Tomo3090]

We too tried to get on the aire at La Rochelle at the beginning of May, it was closed for the powerboat GP, and again at the beginning of July and it was closed for the film festival! There is another one just near the railway station but we didn't fancy it, don't know why just a feeling. (As good a way as any to decide to stay on an aire!)

 

We did find a nice site at Chatelaillon-Plage not too far away. It was called "Camping Port Punay". It is in the Camping 1 Europe book and Alan Rogers France.

 

It is 20 mins from La Rochelle driving and about 30 mins on the bus which stops about 400 mtrs from the site. There was a shop and bar on site. You can hire bikes, t'internet access is available and there are little cafes/bars nearby. I realise this sounds like an advert(!) but it was very pleasant.

 

The town itself was about a km away and you could walk it along the "prom" if you were beyond driving!

 

Enjoy your trip!

[Pentland]

Thank you all for all your advice, its been most helpful.

We are going to buy a camping book for France several have been reccomended so far, is one better than another? and where can i purchase it from?

Keith

[BrianR]

The most comprehensive guide, which has virtually every campsite in France listed, is published by Les Guides Motor Presse and is called Le Guide Officiel 2007 Camping Caravaning(sic). it is produced in co-operation with the French Camping and Caravanning Federation and costs around 12€. This link takes you there http://www.amazon.fr/s/ref=nb_ss_b/402-2788878-8920140?__mk_fr_FR=%C5M%C5Z%D5%D1&initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Guide+Officiel+Camping&Go.x=7&Go.y=3 . As you will see, you can get the aires guide there at the same time.

 

Brian

[KD]

BrianR - 2007-08-12 7:43 PM

 

The most comprehensive guide, which has virtually every campsite in France listed, is published by Les Guides Motor Presse and is called Le Guide Officiel 2007 Camping Caravaning(sic). it is produced in co-operation with the French Camping and Caravanning Federation and costs around 12€. This link takes you there http://www.amazon.fr/s/ref=nb_ss_b/402-2788878-8920140?__mk_fr_FR=%C5M%C5Z%D5%D1&initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Guide+Officiel+Camping&Go.x=7&Go.y=3 . As you will see, you can get the aires guide there at the same time.

 

Brian

 

please excuse my ignorance but is it in english

[BrianR]

No, but I don't think this would be a problem as the essential information (price, electrics, facilities, etc.) is given using pictograms and the rest is very brief. It doesn't have long narrative descriptions of each site.

 

Brian