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Hi, we have just come back from a week away in Weymouth. Brilliant apart from the british weather!!! We were hoping to camp in South of France next year. Is it cheaper to take our own tent and book own ferry or go with Eurocamp/keycamp???

We have 3 children and are looking at June (can't afford school hols), or will we save enough money taking our own tent to be able to go in the hols??

Any advice/tips gratefully received.

Deb

definetly much cheaper to book and take your own tent. French high season is mid July to mid August, this is when prices are at their highest. We always go the last 2 weeks of France when it is cheaper, still good weather and less crowded.

What sort of budget were you thinking of then we might be able to better advise you? How long are you thinking of going for? If its the south of France then you really need 2 weeks to allow for the getting there and back.

We are going to Spain, staying at Eldelfin verde we have paid £433 for 10 nights booked with the caravan club and this is good value for 5 of us on a site that has everything. Travel on the eurrotunnel with tesco voucher.

Going in total for 2 1/2 weeks stopping off at Disney going down and on the way back and an overnight stop near Clermont Ferand.  We like to take our time and enjoy the journy.

Use Eurocamp/keycamp book to find info, then do a search on the internet for the site to find the prices.   Could save a bit that way.

Hope you find what you are looking for

We have just returned from Narbonne - 4 of us in a caravan.  It was 50 euros a night in the shool holidays.  The site ( la nautique ) had individual shower/toilet/handbasin facilities on each pitch (which is luxurious) as well as water and ehu.  The pool was nice with a waterslide and there was entertainment and clubs for the kids.

We used clubcard vouchers on eurotunnel, picked routes which for the most part avoided tolls and used large superstores for cheap groceries.  Weather was hot and dry - perhaps too hot in the hols (30 degrees in the shade).

Brian

June is low season in France - and so will be cheaper than in the school holidays, but the last two weeks in August are also low season on some French sites, and prices will be reduced then too. 

It will be cheaper to take your own equipment and book your own ferry, rather than Eurocamp or Keycamp - and it's also so easy with the internet.  You can have a look at sites, compare and contract, and work out costings so much more easily than in the bad old days of libraries and travel agents!

You could think about Camping Cheques - www.campingcheque.co.uk.  They cost just £11.70 per night and pay for your pitch, two adults, and electricity - and then you pay a small supplement to the site for the children (so always less than the site's own tariffs).  They are intended for 'low-season' campers, but most sites take Camping Cheques until the end of June, and  I have a list of sites which take Camping Cheques again after the 15th August (this year's dates) but I'm sure most sites will be offering similar dates next year.  This means you can still get two weeks holiday before the children return to school in early September.  You can choose to stay on one site, or move around as you please, and also use Camping Cheque sites for your overnight stops if you're doing a longer journey.

We live in Newport, South Wales and have been looking at the ferry crossings.  As there are 5 of us if we do a longer crossing, we will need to cabins.  We are thinking of maybe not going to the South of France, but the Vendee.  I'm really only looking for Sunshine.  Thank you for all the advice, its brilliant. 

How far in advance can you book the ferries?

We went in June (South Brittany) booked our ferry last Dec, we got a brill deal, Condor Ferry to Cherbourgh, only runs on a Sunday, 3 people, car and folding camper cost about £150 return

You wont need a cabin, crossing takes about 5 hrs, we booked reclining seats, but didn't really need them, out of season, the ferry was empty!

Quote: Originally posted by Debw on 06/8/2008

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Hi, we have just come back from a week away in Weymouth. Brilliant apart from the british weather!!! We were hoping to camp in South of France next year. Is it cheaper to take our own tent and book own ferry or go with Eurocamp/keycamp???

We have 3 children and are looking at June (can't afford school hols), or will we save enough money taking our own tent to be able to go in the hols??

Any advice/tips gratefully received.

Deb

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Hi Deb

We have offers up until June 6th at our place in Frejus if your interested,its £350 pw or 2 weeks for £600 and that includes 1 week of the school hols (May)in a luxury 3 bed mobile home.Have a look and see what you think

Mandy

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