Sorry to hear you had a bad experience, but I have to come firmly on the side of Ewen and Stuart.
Our recent experience in Brittany was nothing but positive, the weather was good for the most of our trip, the people we met were lovely and we certainly did not find it expensive.
Strangely the only B conversation we have had in France was also with some Dutch people.
Sadly, after some 15 trips, Ireland has become expensive, as Ewen said. I went this year and it cost a fortune.
------------- Not ALL Newts get p**sed.
“Semper Fidelis”
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We are currently in Germany and yes, food shopping is noticeably cheaper than France. However, campsites are noticeably more expensive, even with ACSI, especially if you go over the 4kw per day allowance. The pitches are also generally less spacious and the sites much busier - not an issue, just an observation - so it’s swings and roundabouts really.
Oh, and in both countries, for the most part we’ve come across pleasant, friendly helpful people.
Quote: Originally posted by Nellie72 on 17/6/2019
You could buy everything, I mean EVERYTHING, using a tesco credit card, then use the resultant club card points to pay for your channel tunnel crossings.
That's OK if not on a budget as the extra money spent in Tesco to do that could be used towards the crossing. Tesco are not cheap where we live there fuel is 2 to 3 pence more per litre and my shopping would cost more so for me to save with Tesco I would have to spend more in the first place. I used to use Tesco till they got expensive and have used the vouchers to cross.
Sennen
Sennen, you misunderstand me; you shop where you normally shop, you just pay for it using a tesco credit card which you pay off in full when you get the bills.
------------- Doing whatever the rice krispies tell me to.
Good post SG Thomas, totally agree with you.
We go to France every year, since retirement in low season using ACSI. Some things more expensive than UK, not savings on diesel now.
I have a reasonable command of french and did not notice any anti brotish behaviour. We were tourists spending our money and enjoying the more relaxed pace of life.
This year we plan to visit Germany and Holland as well as France, weather permitting. If its bad then off south we go!
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
op: i am guessing you are retired so can take advantage of off peak crossing times and dates outside of the school holidays? crossings with the tunnel are so cheap in these times it may not be worth going to the inconveneince of storing your MH in france?
david 8858
some of the supermarkets in france i find lack lustre, they are big but the fresh produce isnt great, casino for example, however when we holiday in the vendee we use Aldi and Lidl whos produce and variety seem to be on par with that of the uk. the price we dont find expensive. even in the Super U we dont find it expensive but often finding what you want is easier in Aldi because its smaller and layed out as it would be here.
i have just returned from working in Limousin, yesterday infact. fuel was cheap (at carrefour) hotels were cheap, the restuarants i ate in seemed inexpensive but on tuesday night i was a little frustrated because the hotels restaurant was closed at 9.30pm and i arrived at 9.25 i went to the nearby commercial park but only found such delights as KFC and Burger king. i drove to a pizza reastuatant who at 10pm would only serve me a take out, this was in Bordeux. i have come accross this in gronengen on holland also. no kitchens are working after 9pm except for mc donalds.
as for the 'B' word my customer seemed sympathetic but then i am as perplexed as they are as to why we find ourselves in the situation.
and i am possibly more angry that they are.
interestigly the hotel i stayed at in Limoiusin has a bar occupied by british Expats every night. they dont speak french and seem very insular. i was surprised that some of them still agree with 'the B situation' but they are older folks, but not all agree and they ended up arguing amongst themselves. one who did agree declared 'well i am legible for an irish passport so i will be alright' which is nice
i didnt find any hostility from anyone i met (since last friday) but the requirement for a visa has suddenly appeared on the automated check in system of air france. it wanted the visa number or to tick a box to confirm i had a visa. i had no coice but to tick the box saying i had a visa. no body asked me for it, obviously because they dont yet need it.
i do find road tolls expensive but if you are there for a long time and dont mind using the RN roads than you dont need to pay them. certainly on my trip this week i didnt pay any but when i take our caravan in the summer we usually pay about £100 i just road tolls.
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
I am trying to book a trip to Holland at the beginning of our summer school holidays. I want to use the tunnel but at that time it’s going to cost £300 return and that’s a “short stay” Ticket by comparison the last 2 weeks are £398. Still somewhat cheaper than our Portsmouth Caen ferry at the same time. In fact just over 1/2 the price. But it seems that the crossing at any time, with the caravan is not less than 340 if more than 7 days.
Just doing a price check on ferry savers against the trip at the start of the holidays (18th -24th) august the ferry with DFDS is £45 more expensive than the tunnel. If I were to go in June and in the early hours of the morning it would be £100 cheaper than the tunnel.
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara