Quote: Originally posted by Val A on 07/7/2017
I could be persuaded for a small beer! I don't want to spil1 the beans on here, but if anyone is seriously interested then email me at valdaathome at gmail.com.
Incidentally, the dusty layby where the motorhome was parked over last night is absolutely full of rubbish this morning - a bin liner, several plastic bottles, a beer carton and other bits and pieces. He's gone but obviously forgotten to take his rubbish with him!
I wonder whether the caravan site owner made a note of his registration plate?
Decent MH owners must be furious with that type of behaviour.
Post last edited on 07/07/2017 20:57:16
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We have just got home from a month in France and it was very noticeable to us that there were less British cars/motor homes/ caravans on the road than last year and also less Dutch. We had fabulous weather with a heatwave in the third week, though cooler at the end of June. Is it the exchange rate or the prospect of Brexit ?
We are now in our 4th week and have travelled right down the west coast and are now on the Med near Beziers, on our first really busy site.
Maybe it's just where we have been, but we still feel the sites we visit regularly, mostly being naturist campsites, have been much much quieter.
The main thing we've noticed is the price of drinks in bars. Even allowing for the exchange rate difference this year they really have been steep in some places - e.g 4 euros for a small beer in Montalivet, but are cheaper here on the Med so it seems to be hit and miss.
We're still enjoying France but think we'll give it a miss next year.
Off up the Pyrenees on Sunday to find a place to watch the Tour de France on one of the Cols, so we're expecting that to be very, very busy.
Growth in camping car ownership is down to French pensioners being able to borrow money against their pension for sometimes up to 12 years.They can't borrow for a holiday or long weekend away.Add to that,most banks have loans specifically tailored for camping car purchases.
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Busy enough here in Haliotis, though it seems to me that there are more Germans and less Dutch and British than we're used to seeing. I don't think we're spending radically more than we've done in the last year or two, though we may be unconsciously eating out less and cutting down in other ways. We have other things to cut out before our French holiday. It'll be a sad day when we finally can't afford it ....
Quote: Originally posted by Val A on 07/7/2017
Absolutely - and around here they are parked on odd spaces at the side of main roads, in the heat, no shade, with the dust and noise............... just can't understand it. One even tried to park outside the campsite on the layby area for visitors' cars, but the manager went out and asked him politely to move on. I think he's now parked on the layby nearby! It's just 11 euros per night to stay on a lovely shady pitch, with good showers, pool, bar and restaurant.
We have been in the Charante region and now at Camping Columbier in St Martin Lars in the Vendee.We travelled out on Brittany Ferries St Malo route and for early July was lightly loaded.Havent seen many Brits on the road at all, other than at Ouradour.The present campsite has plenty of space and funnily enough a lot of motor homes, but then it is a bit specialist 😀..
After the start of the French school holidays I thought it might pick up, but not so yet, maybe the French are waiting for Bastille weekend...still a 3 way split here between Brits/Dutch/French and some Belgians..
Food price wise we reckon it's similar to doing all your shopping at Sainsbury's prices.Havent seen any Aldi or Lidl since we landed.Bar prices here are e2.50 for a small beer and chicken and chips with an ice cream to finish and a half litre of good wine is E11 pp..
Must go the sun has appeared, massive rain and thunderstorms during the night and as chilly as UK this morning...that'll cheer you up no????😂😂
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We have beeen home for a week, the first thing we notice is the crawling traffic on M27 pulling out of Portsmouth! Oh to be back in France's quiet highways.
This was our first trip since 2014, health problems causing 2015 & 16 to be staycation years.
We noticed the increase to French prices, but having recently paying UK campsite rates, €13 a night for a good clean site is so refreshing and supermarket shopping is still comparable to UK shopping.
However, we were surprised at the lack of Brits and Dutch this year, although the night before our ferry home from a Ouistreham, camping Riva Bella was full of Brit outfits! So they must have been somewhere?
While we were driving north on Saturday, there was easily 4 x as much traffic headed the other way. Judging by bikes on roofs and carriers, roof boxes, non-French cars, RVs etc a lot was holiday traffic.
Slow moving too so be prepared and have drinks and games for kids.
Really don't understand what the big secret is about telling members where a campsite is.
Le Clapas this year had the most Germans we have ever seen there, and the roads in the Ardeche were teaming with German vehicles. Also noticed a lot more Swiss on the road this year.
Val De Vesle in Champagne was full both nights we were there, as was Tournus on the way South.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Quote: Originally posted by blueexpo97 on 11/7/2017
Really don't understand what the big secret is about telling members where a campsite is.
Le Clapas this year had the most Germans we have ever seen there, and the roads in the Ardeche were teaming with German vehicles. Also noticed a lot more Swiss on the road this year.
Val De Vesle in Champagne was full both nights we were there, as was Tournus on the way South.
It's not a secret at all but whilst we're actually staying on site I would prefer not to make it public. I prefer to keep my whereabouts just a bit more to myself. Today we're somewhere else, so I'm quite happy to say that the site is Camping Le Chassezac at Sampzon in the Ardeche. I shan't say where I am now either, if you don't mind! Some of us prefer to keep our holiday details just a bit more private. I would say, though, that the site is now revving up to 'full-on-French-holiday-mode' and this isn't our cup of tea in the four weeks of peak season which is why we've left. However, when we were there only approximately 20% of the pitches were occupied.
As I said, if anyone was seriously interested then I was happy to email them details of the site, and have done to a couple of people who enquired. Others may realise why I do this - I've mentioned it before on here.
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Like we're all going to jump in a plane, buy some tents and pitch up near you. Not!
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Not anti-social at all, but I don't like the sites that are a bit "little Britain", so I'm somewhat like ValA, and prefer mainly French neighbours - it encourages us to maintain our French.
We are not averse to chatting with Brit neighbours either.
I always review sites we've stayed on but wouldn't publicise a great one on a forum while there.
If there's a UKCS sticker on à caravan or car, etc. I make a point of saying hello.
This evening I was talking to the owner of the Vendée site we are presently on.She said how surprised she was at the large number of bookings from Brits she has received this year..More in fact than normal.She had expected the opposite..The welcome for the Brits here is warm from everyone..and we certainly will return, but good to hear.