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We are going to France next year, leaving UK on 21.8.11 and returning 2.9.11.

I cannot decide whether to prebook a pitch or whether just to follow the sun!!

We are thinking of going either to the Ardeche or back to the dordogne and are looking at 4 star sites, however I would rather go to Normandy in the sun than the Ardeche in the rain!

So do you think sites would be full on those dates and therefore I would need to prebook or can we just follow the sun and would there be pitches likely to be available wherever we decide to go?    

You're trip next year is exactly the same time of year as we go - and have been doing the last two weeks in August/first in September for years.  We've never booked anywhere - and follow the sun every year!  This usually means going south - we've found consistent sun in the Languedoc at that time of year, and have managed to avoid bad weather elsewhere!  This August (15th outwards) we had a week in the Dordogne, a week in the hills of the Haute Languedoc, and a week on the coast near Narbonne - and found plenty of free pitches on all the sites.  We had three weeks of almost constant sunshine, by following the sun south.  I think we had one half day of dull weather, and one afternoon when we had a shower of rain but nothing to worry about!

Don't book - it's much more fun - you have no stressing about booking sites, and you can use your caravan for what it was designed for - touring! 

We use Camping Cheques, or an ACSI card, and find between them there is a great range of sites, including a lot of four star sites, but at great rates of between 11 euros and 15 euros per night, inclusive of electric hook up, two people, car, caravan and awning (or tent or motorhome)!

Two years ago (our first driving in France) I booked all the sites.  This year I booked only the first and last site.  I do find this restricting though so from now on I won't be booking anywhere - will go with the flow(ish)!  I do have a rough idea of places I want to go, planA, planB and planC for areas! Followed by a planA, planB and planC for sites in those areas  LOL

Quote: Originally posted by savanne1 on 24/10/2010

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lol feeblecat, you'll be worse than me at this rate.

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Quote: Originally posted by savanne1 on 24/10/2010

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Unless you have you heart set on certain sites I wouldnt book at that time of year, we go the last two weeks of August and sites are never full.

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Quote: Originally posted by feeblecat on 24/10/2010

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Two years ago (our first driving in France) I booked all the sites.  This year I booked only the first and last site.  I do find this restricting though so from now on I won't be booking anywhere - will go with the flow(ish)!  I do have a rough idea of places I want to go, planA, planB and planC for areas! Followed by a planA, planB and planC for sites in those areas  LOL

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Yes indeed, it seems to create more work than had you planned in advance! What you describe is what we're going to do - land at Caen at the end of May, check the weather forecast, and then peruse our prepared shortlist of sites at Normandy and the Atlantique coast. Hopefully we'll find some decent sun between the two!

 leaving the campsite to chance is a definite no no!!