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Just in case it's not been read elsewhere:

When we've been 'hard-up' and taken lots of frozen stuff, we've packed a cubic cool bag (silver insulated) with frozen stuff, then put it back in the freezer to really get cold - and then packed that inside a slightly larger cool bag.  In the space at the top between the two bags we've packed home-made frozen meals, such as a chilli, or casserole, to use on our journey - and on the journey we don't unpack the inner bag at all.  When the meals in the top space have been used we fill the space with a folded towel to ensure that it is as well-insulated as possible. 

When we arrive on site we find the stuff in the two bags defrosts over the course of three or four days, each layer defrosting in turn so the stuff at the bottom remains frozen for longer.   In the 'olden days' we managed for quite a long time without having to buy meat!!  Things can be taken out of the inner bag and put into the fridge part of the freezer, or into our outside camping fridge so that they'll keep for an extra day or two!

We may resort to this again this year.  A British sausage, on a barbecue of French charcoal (bag still in front locker of caravan) on a French campsite, in a French baguette, with a French salad,  tastes even better than it does at home.

Bumping this thread back up in the hope it becomes the one and only on this subject,

Liz

Can the mods combine this one with the other about cutting costs in Europe in 2009?  This would make sense as both are about the same subject.  It would be a very useful resource.  Perhaps we should ask for it to be 'pinned'.

I've added to and updated my previous list of Camping Cheque sites which accept Camping Cheques in the school holidays (July/August) - and this could potentially save some money for families, even if they have to combine dates when they pay full price with dates when Camping Cheques are accepted.  So many families think that low season in France is completely outside the school holidays, where for many sites it starts in mid-August!   There are even two sites I've found that take Camping Cheques all season, and lots of sites have special offers of 3 cheques for 4 nights, or 6 cheques for 7 nights, 11 cheques for 14 nights.  All these are potential money savers - particularly if you're off to those sites anyway, and don't realise the potential savings with Camping Cheques.

As I'm 'confined to barracks' at the moment with an eye problem which means I can't go into the bright sunshine or cold, then I may spend a little more time updating the lists, and perhaps adding Touring Cheques, and ACSI sites to the list, too.  I know families pay a supplement for children on some sites - but this applies whether or not the 'base price' is the site's normal tariff, or a lesser tariff with a Camping Cheque/other discount scheme.

Quote: Originally posted by Val A on 07/1/2009

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 I know families pay a supplement for children on some sites -

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I thought it was *all* sites. Does this mean that thee are some sites where you don' get charged a supplement for children when using Camping Cheques? With three children we are finding that even with camping cheques, once you've added on the child supplements, sites are still quite pricey. Especially as most French sites only consider  child as an under 7, so all children from 7 up pay full adult price.

Yes, there are a few sites - La Dragonniere at Vias and La Belle Etoile in the Ile de France doesn't charge for two of the children - and it's always worth checking directly with a site to find what the supplement is.   Cambrils Park is under 12s free.  I don't think Camping Neptune at Agde charges for children - though I may be proved wrong. The offers are so variable, though - some under 7s are free, some under 12s, some are only free with a Gold Card, that it's difficult to list as a separate list those which have some sort of offer.  I'll have a play and see what I come up with!

If anyone knows sites which accept Camping Cheques, and don't charge for children perhaps they could let me know.

These are the ones which come up as having some child offers:

I take packets of ice pops and 'jubblies' from ASDA with me instead of the children buying from the site shop. They freeze fine in the caravan fridge (freezer section obviouly) as long as you put a few in at a time. They cost pennies each.