Message Forums

Helen & Captain...it won't hurt to give them a ring, they speak english there.  I'm surprised you haven't heard anything yet.  I do know they start sifting through booking during December, late July and August being the busiest time.  They normally receive your request and send a booking form to you with a plan of the site.  Your not always lucky if you try to pick certain pitches but no harm in trying.

Mike

I'm told (through an email dialogue with the site) that La Garangoire is already fully booked for next summer!

JayGee.

Yes, it is fully booked up.  We emailed them in September ... they said contact them again around Oct 16th when booking offically opens ...... nothing left!  So how do you get in?  Do you think if we're in the area this year staying elsewhere we can pop in and pre-book, or is it a closed shop?

Craeglea

Give them a call on +33 2 51 46 65 39 - I just did and we're now booked in for the the last 2 weeks of our planned 3 week holiday.

I understand from the very helpful Eva (who speaks excellent English BTW) that they do still have some availablity for the period starting 20/08/04.

JayGee

PS this is the earliest I've ever booked a holiday - we now have the ferries and 2 of the 3 weeks sorted, roll on the summer!

The first time I stayed at this site was a few years ago now.  this particular year I hadn't booked anywhere, we just went knowing that sites in France are supposed to keep a certain amount of pitches for "travelers" one or two night stopovers.  We were going to another site in the area and when we got there were told we could stay for our duration (12 nights) but every 3 or 4 nights we would have to change pitches.  This did not suit us so we stayed just one night and then went to La Garangoire, we were lucky, they had 3 pitches available, we took one, the other 2 were also taken the same day.  This was the last week of July.  There is always hope on this site, they keep pitches for there regulars, sometimes they decide not to go.  Don't give up on it, keep trying until your sure there's no hope.

Mike

I would keep trying.  We have just declined our provisional booking for next July.  There must be others like us.  In fact, when we went this summer, we didn't book until May.

Janet

Thank you so much for all the extra information.

In the end we decided to book at camping pong.  I realise that we could keep trying, but I need to book as my other half has limited holidays and we are tied to the peak of peak season. So I don't feel comfortable leaving things late.

Thanks again for all the help.

Helen...I'm sure you will have a good time.  While your in the area have a look at La Garangeoire....maybe book for the year after.  With your children so young go to the Gande Plage at St Gilles, its a good beach.  some of them in the area can be a bit rough with breakers so be careful, especially Les Dunes.  Also have a run up to St Jean de Mont...there's a great beach there for young children, very flat and on a sunny day the water is warm because its so shallow but watch out for the incoming tide, because its flat it moves quite quickly.  Have a good time.

Mike

I will drop in and see what we can sort out for next year.

We have gone to the Vendee the last two summer holidays.  We went with Canvas and stayed in a caravan.  This year I have finaly persuaded my other half that it is a good idea for us to get our own tent.  The kids will love it and the will save a vast amount of cash that can then be spent on fine living  

Trouble is he doesn't like camping that much, so I am keen that the site should be appropriate to our needs, don't want anything too loud and busy as the kids are small and we are boring old farts!

Pong sounds just what we need!  Now all I need is fine weather for the two weeks we can be there.  Any idea of the rain god I have to chat with about this???

I hate to say this but weather is this region is so unpredictable you wouldn't believe it.  I've been on the site in the rain and driven 100 yards off site and its been fine.  Saying this I've only been there once when we had 3 days rain on the trot, but I wasn't there last year so I don't know.

Mike