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 Topic: Dover/ France Holiday
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30/11/2008 at 3:06pm
Location: Derbyshire
Outfit: Bailey Ranger GT60
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Hi there,
I am lokking for a bit of advice.
We are planning our first trip to France next Jul/August and have a few queiries, we are going to be travelling from Calais to Biarritz in the south of France.
Is there anywhere in Dover you can recommend for an overnight stop, our Ferry leaves at 8am.
Any tips for travelling in France, we were thinking of a stop over on the way down for a couple of nights too about half way down.
Thanks Shouby
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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
30/11/2008 at 3:17pm
Location: North Essex
Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400
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If you are travelling from Derbyshire the day before your easiest bet is to leave in good time & stop at a campsite nr Dover, there are local ones that cater for early ferry departures. You would probaley be wanting to leave the campsite 06.30ish.
If you are leaving to arrive Dover late evening nobody appears to object to caravan parking along the seafront nr the dock entrance. There will always be plenty of caravans/motorhomes parked along there at night but obviously there might be noise from drunks etc, its your choice.
For going thru France, plot your route then google the names of any towns where you might want an overnight stop, summat like 'Chartes camping municipal' this will lead you to the cheap(ish)camping municipal for the town, should be a map you can print off.
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Every day should be a holiday!
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30/11/2008 at 3:48pm
Location: Milton Keynes
Outfit: Bailey Alliance 66-2 Motorhome
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Quote: Originally posted by shouby on 30/11/2008
Hi there,
I am lokking for a bit of advice.
We are planning our first trip to France next Jul/August and have a few queiries, we are going to be travelling from Calais to Biarritz in the south of France.
Is there anywhere in Dover you can recommend for an overnight stop, our Ferry leaves at 8am.
Any tips for travelling in France, we were thinking of a stop over on the way down for a couple of nights too about half way down.
Thanks Shouby
If you are a member of the Caravan Club there is either Blackhorse Farm which is the nearest club site to Dover and geared up for 24 hour departure. Further out near junction 8 of the M20 there is Bearsted but that means getting up an hour earlier. Otherwise there are a few CL's near to dover. If you are not a member of the Club then Hawthorn Farm is close to Dover and again geared up for early departures.
David
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30/11/2008 at 7:07pm
Location: nr Derby
Outfit: Phoenix 440+
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AS above we used Blackhorse Farm last year - very convenient. Other years we've used a CL - lots inthe area.
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01/12/2008 at 7:56pm
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd
Outfit: Buccaneer Commodore
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Hi Shouby
We have travelled Dover to Dunkerque for the last 4 summers. As we live on Merseyside we, like you, have quite a distance to travel to get to Dover in the first place.
We have tried various combinations over the years as we tend to get quite early boats to give us a good long day travelling on the Continent. I would warn you that we find getting round the M25 takes longer than one would expect. That's the reason we twice ended-up overnighting at Maidstone Services.
This year, for the first time, we went round clockwise from the bottom of the M1 and overnighted at the services at Potter's Bar. We then found the clockwise route better but we did recommence our journey just before 6.00 am to avoid the rush hour. In the past we've tended to use the anti-clockwise M25 as my Father in Law lives near the bottom of the M40 and we, also, find that a pleasanter tow than the M6.
Site options we have used include;
Maidstone Motorwary services on M20. This services has about a dozen caravan-only parking spaces and overnight parking is about £16.00 per night. The spaces are well away from the lorry park so no noise from refrigerator lorries, etc. They are quite narrow spaces, however. Still we've stayed there twice.
Little Satmar Caravan Park, Capel Le Ferne. Last year we went a day earlier and overnighted at this park. It is close to Folkestone and near to the main A20 road. The staff were very friendly and gave us, some other ferry-bound folk, a pitch on a large grassy area which meant that had the option of staying hooked up. The site does not have any sort of barrier and we left at about 5.00 for the half hour drive to Dover.
Little Switzerland, Folkestone. This year we were very organised and manage 2 nights at this site. We were very impressed it is on the cliffs with lovely views from site cafe/bar across the Channel. The are no views from the actual pitches. The sanitary facilities are a bit tired and inconveniently placed but we use our own anyway. Only about 30 mins drive to Dover ferries and again no access restrictions so one can leave when one needs to.
I notice that you mention Calais. If you have not already booked your ferry I would strongly recommend the Norfolk Line from Dover to Dunkerque. Lovely newish boats and excellent prices. We paid £128 a few weeks back (via Caravan Club) for our 7.2 metre 'van, 4x4 and us 2 adults. This is LESS than we paid last year. It is peak time crossings (out end July, end August) and not in the middle of the night either. Sorry I just read your initial post again and noticed that you've already booked your ferry.
Very best wishes for your first trip to France. I'm sure you'll love it and you can get any advice you need on UKC - it has taught me loads.
Best wishes
Tim
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Tim and Cary
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01/12/2008 at 8:13pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Challenger Sport 524 + Volvo V90 D5
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Good place for mid France stopover is just about anywhere in the Loire Valley.
But look at Ste Catherine de Fierbois. Need to ask for a sunny site though, lots are in woods and very shady. You'd be able to pitch then dine out at the very good restaurant on site.
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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
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. How about Saumur on the Loire - reasonable half-way post.
