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 Topic: 2 weeks in france - no bookings
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07/8/2013 at 1:06pm
Location: Solihull
Outfit: Bavaria I740g
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Hi All,
We're just back from 2 weeks in France with no plans and no bookings.
As we arrived in the heat wave there was little point in travelling so we saw parts of northern france we only normally drive through at night - Le - Touquet, Fort Mahon Plage and Le Crotoy - stayed on aires without problem ranging from 5 - 12 Euros (1 with EHU and WIFI). - Then on a cloudy day we drpped down to the Vendee staying a Longeville Sur Mer - 500m2 from a surfing beach for 12 Euros including Wi-fi and EHU then over to the Ile De Re which we expected to be very busy but got a oceanside pitch at Riverdoux Plage Aire with hook-up (16 Euro) and then we stayed on the motorhome Annex at Camping Interlude for 22 Euros with access to pools and showers (other families on pitches were paying nearer 70 Euro's. - then back up for another night and a day surfing at Longeville sur Mer, up to Beaumont Sur Sarthe near Le Mans where we stayed on a fantastic municipal with a riverside pitch and EHU for 23 Euros for five adults and on to Calais for a free night in cite europe carpark before heading home.
In all 16 nights in France for 5 people we spent less than 200 Euros on accommodation - Earlier in the year I nearly booked a pitch that with my 3 teenage children ( all now classed as adults on french sites) that would have cost 70 euros per night and the weather in that part was not as good.
In future I will never book a site again - The aires with wi-fi and hook-up were part of the camping-car-park.com network and were a hit with the kids for facetubing activities and the wifi was even fast enough to allow a skype call back to grandparents.camping-car-park.com
The weather helped but the freedom made this our best holiday in france ever!! and that is going some.
One final point - even on a busy Saturday I had booked a cheap tunnel crossing but rocked up early after cite europe shopping and Flunch and was allocated a spot on a much more expensive crossing 4 hours in advance of our booking for no extra cost - a perfect end to this years trip.
Guy.www.campingcarpark.co.uk
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It's only an expensive hobby when it's parked on your Drive....use it, love it , live it.
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07/8/2013 at 11:09pm
Location: roche cornwall
Outfit: lynton 5th wheel
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thats the way to do it . we have a plan !!!!
there is no plan .
makes a much better adventure .
no tolls , no motorways . avoid dual carriageways if there is a road running parallel.visi all villages on route . you will find toilets water etc usually .
as well as aires villages have nice sports centers .
thats the game we play . its good fun .
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vwalan
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08/8/2013 at 7:29am
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We never book and that is with a trailed unit, which doesn't have the luxury of the aires.
That is the advantage of camping in France, no booking, minimal expense and cheap wine.
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10/8/2013 at 3:49am
Location: Chateau du Wirral
Outfit: VW T4 and quechua base second
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It's only the second time we've used a euro tunnel as we tend to get the ferry. We arrived early and were given a slot two hours before our due time. From now on we're sticking with the tunnel.
In all the years we've been going to France the only time we've found sites full is peak season at coastal areas and some particularly popular family sites.. The pound being worth so much less than a few years ago has certainly reduced the number of Brits in France so its much easier to camp on the hoof.
We don't use aires but don't like all singing sites either. The municipals are fantastic and there are well ran smallish privately owned sites everywhere. Its so much less hassle than in the UK.
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John
May/June.....France
Aug.......somewhere else in France
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23/8/2013 at 7:26pm
Location: Cotswolds
Outfit: T25 1989 VW Westfalia campervan
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We went on 1 August for 16 nights and didn't book anywhere either. We use a French campsite book and know if it is busy in one area we move on to another village.
The only sticky time we had was when 1 site was full in the Loire (at gone 6pm) and the next 2 villages that were listed as having sites in the book, well we couldn't see them! 1 was definitely closed down and the other seemed to have vanished!
I came up with plans D,E,F and G but luckily plan D came up trumps and we stayed at a lovely site!
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27/8/2013 at 11:07pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Chausson Flash 03
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we've just got back from a 3 week trip, been to France, down to Italy, lido de Jesolo, Venice, Pisa, Florence, Lake Garda, Lake Constance, then back up through Annecy. Had a mishap on way, power steering packed up, but AA were fab, sorted within 2 days, and have only spent on campsites under £200. Agree that aires are fab!! we found a lovely site though near chunnel last night, and treated ourselves with a pool etc. Recommend going with a vague plan and being flexible!! worked with 2 teenagers a treat!!!
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Wilsoncampers!!
Life's too short to put things off!!!
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31/8/2013 at 10:43am
Location: Redditch Worcestershire
Outfit: Mooveo Motorhome F camper & Static
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We have used aires in our most recent holiday travelling to and from the south, have all been fantastic and definitely would use them again.
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Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
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31/8/2013 at 5:43pm
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We just travelled on the ACSI book last year (pre high season), and never paid more than 16 euros - often it was 12/14. Had to go in high sesaon this year, and paid double. Still didnt pre-book though - just rocked up and got in anywhere we fancied.
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