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I've spent the last couple of days with my nose in the ACSI book (cross-referencing to reviews on this website and the Caravan Europe book) and have a good idea now of where in France we hope to be heading in the summer and some of the sites we want to stay at. We have previously been tied to July/August time and so have always booked sites well in advance, even small Municipal sites. However, this time we are going for 3 weeks from 22nd August to 11th September and wonder whether to book in advance or just take a chance - we both find this idea quite scary, usually liking the reassurance of a booking! Also, is it possible to book sites when you want to use the ACSI discount card and if so, do you need to tell the sites you are claiming the discount?

Take a chance - we always go at the same time as you and never book anywhere!  We've been using Camping Cheques, some Touring Cheques, and an ACSI card for about fourteen or more years, and never had a problem either in August/September, or May/June.  We've never booked a single site, and never had a problem finding a pitch anywhere.  This year, even on 17th August, our first ACSI site had about thirty free pitches out of just over 100!

When using the ACSI card you need to tell them when you arrive that you'll be using the ACSI card in order to qualify for the discounted rate.  You may be able to book, but if you do then it's likely that the site will charge you the normal rate - the whole idea of the ACSI card is to fill pitches which otherwise would not be occupied! 

There really is absolutely no problem in not booking, although it's a very 'foreign' concept to most Brits that you can still use your caravan for 'touring' - staying as long, or as little as you like, and moving on when the weather or boredom dictate!  Do it - you may even get to enjoy the freedom again!

Hi bofs

Like above, have been going to France and Spain for many years and have never found the need to book.

That is completely alien to UK site operators who seem unable to cope with someone just turning up on the off chance.

The other big difference is that although you must tell the French site that you will be paying using ASCI or Camping Cheques when you book in, you don't actually pay until you leave --  again, unheard of in UK.  If you don't like the site, then leave.

If you are at all worried. then why not start looking for a site around 4/5 in the afternoon and if you do find one that is full ( I would eat my hat ! ), then you have still got plenty of time to find another.

Enjoy yourselves.  Dave

I honestly do think you are all wrong!

From my personal experience, if you find a very good site that you really want to go to then why not book it in advance?

Around here where I live close to Montignac in the Dordogne, I know of 2 British owned sites that are either full or very nearly full from the middle of August right through until early October and the same goes for some Dutch owned sites as well.

So why not book in advance?

Sites run by British people in France often have to be booked, but these are (in general) quite small sites and sometimes Adult only.  Often they have a large 'repeat' clientele, perhaps mainly British - and are perhaps not the sort of sites that some of us would choose - preferring something a little more French or 'international'.   To us half the fun of a French holiday is that your neighbours may be from any country in Europe and even beyond - and exchanging chat and experiences with others with completely different lifestyles is an important part of our holiday.  One of the sites you mention, on another website, has posted that the clientele is 99.5% British - which wouldn't sell the site to me at all.

BUT - for those that do prefer smaller British owned sites then dillonsamben's post is a reminder that if you want to stay on such a site, then you are likely to have to book in advance.

I expect the same applies to smaller Dutch-owned sites -  they may have a largely Dutch repeat clientele - and so will book with repeat visitors.

Quote: Originally posted by dillonsamben on 30/12/2010

I honestly do think you are all wrong!

From my personal experience, if you find a very good site that you really want to go to then why not book it in advance?

Around here where I live close to Montignac in the Dordogne, I know of 2 British owned sites that are either full or very nearly full from the middle of August right through until early October and the same goes for some Dutch owned sites as well.

So why not book in advance?

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Sometimes find we are one of a few peas in a drum with empty pitches all around. Come September some sites start to close.  Our best experience was being allowed to stay on after a municipal site closed in mid-September.  One loo and a shower left on/open for us to use - freebie for as long as we wanted to stay. (Nice warden)

Apart from the site where we store our caravan which is small and can be busy off peak, we have not, in the past 20+ years, booked from mid August onwards (or May - end June), and never found a site remotely near full.

We are trying the ACSI card for the first time this year (Thanks Val A) but if sites are giving good discounts you can bet it's because they can't fill their pitches at the time of the offer.

We only book sites, taking ACSI CC, when we know the site and want a certain pitch.  But we have never had to pay a deposit, but this is not in France, as we go to Germany and Austria + other European Countries.

When touring I usually email a couple of days ahead to enquire if there are pitches available and whether the site is ok for a 8 metre, twin axle van.