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Topic: Not booking and best routes?

Argente4

20/5/2011 at 2:58pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Avondale Perle Orestes

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we've decided not to pre-book any sites this year, just go wherever the weather looks best in the shortest distance.
However, I'm now getting a bit concerned that we don't know France that well and since we are towing a caravan how can we be sure that any route we take will be ok? Obviously we'll follow any directions in guide books or on internet, but routes from one area of france to another would not be included on these.
Is there a map book that we could rely on to ensure we always take the most appropriate route?

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Opensauce

20/5/2011 at 3:27pm
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Any main route as on map will be ok for a caravan. The only exceptions might be mountain roads. In mountainous areas look on maps for roads that twist & turn sharply(ie 'switchback' roads)& avoid them although many of these are ok to tow a caravan up, you just ignore the irate tailback behind you.

Buy a large single sheet map of France & the roads as shown on there will be ok for travelling cross country. Have a Michelin road atlas as well but the large single sheet gives you a view of whole of France for route planning.

Kelper

20/5/2011 at 3:43pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480

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We've only ever pre-booked one site in ten years on the continent ... and that wouldn't have been necessary!
But the we do avoid the really big popular sites ...
Also, if you want specific siting, like riverside or lakeside pitches, then it's advisable to pre-book.
We just use a satnav ... I'm sure it doesn't always give you the very best route ... but it does get you there and no 'discussions' en route!!!
The Michelin Planner site is worth a visit ... also gives you toll charges and fuel costs etc.

Pauline49

20/5/2011 at 3:57pm
Location: Southern England
Outfit: Pennine Pullman

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So long as you're not going in high season - last two weeks of July and first two weeks of August, you definitely won't have to book anywhere, I don't think. We went to lakes in the last two weeks of August and got lakeside pitches without booking.

Definitely buy yourself a good map. Go and look at them in Smiths/other bookshops and choose the one that's good for you. We like the maps that have completely different colours for different types of roads, but other people on here prefer other maps. Sometimes having a big sheet map of France for the bigger picture can be good, too.

We usually have an area in mind as otherwise we wouldn't know what way to point the car, but do change our minds if the weather changes.

We have found looking at the back of the newspaper Aujourd'hui makes the weather forecast pretty clear as it's all in pictures!

-------------
Pauline

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Kelper

20/5/2011 at 4:04pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480

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We're always on the continent in July and August ... and not booked ...

erroutdoors

20/5/2011 at 5:15pm
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We use a Tom Tom and then back that up with a map book ('AA Easy Read France') and a sheet map.

We used to tow a caravan, and have found ourselves trundling along single lane tracks before now, when listening exclusively to the Tom Tom, so now we just do a quick double-check, even though we're no longer towing.

What time of year are you going, and which regions do you have in mind? We went to the South for three weeks last year, without booking, and some of it got a bit fraught when we couldn't get on the sites we'd hoped for (still, we ended up finding some nice ones because of it!).

If you have the time to look around, and don't get too stressed about it, then you'll always find a site, somewhere! At least with a caravan, you don't have to worry about pitching if it gets a bit late!

Argente4

20/5/2011 at 10:37pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Avondale Perle Orestes

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Thanks for the info. We're going for the last two and a half weeks of August. Went to Agde on the Med and Millau last year so we've travelled pretty far but we'd pre-booked and planned our route very carefully.
We had a sat-nav but in the end, never used it. It was no match for my navigation and map reading skills!
Our road atlas is pretty good but I think we could do with a larger scale one (particularly needed when near large towns) and a sheet map.
We're not too bothered about particular sites or pitch but would prefer a lake or river, good pool and quiet at night.
The areas we've shortlisted are Auvergne, Limousin, Dordogne, Burgundy, and possibly the Alps or Ardeche if we feel up to the drive and we have to go that far for the weather.
Still can't decide if we'll stay mainly on one site or try two or three. This is the most undecided I've ever been about a holiday and I think it's starting to unnerve me a bit!

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Kelper

22/5/2011 at 4:41pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480

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I know how you feel ... the more you go, the longer it takes to plan the following year ... because you become more and more aware of the potential pit-falls ... you don't want to make a mistake!

I can recommend Camping Le Clapas in the Ardeche; Municipal at Entraygues in the Auvergne and Camping du Port (Creysse) ... all very peaceful in beautiful surroundings and not expensive ... but depends what you're looking for.

Argente4

22/5/2011 at 7:46pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Avondale Perle Orestes

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Thanks Kelper. Have just had a look at Camping Du Port. It looks great and very reasonably priced. Was originally looking at only sites with bigger pools and water slides, but this looks great. Since it's right on the river I don't think the lack of slides would be a problem.
We could always stay there for a week then go to a slightly more commercialised site as things are quietening down.

paul+julie

23/5/2011 at 11:12am
Location: Otley W. Yorks N Yorks border
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If you are going the last 2 weeks in August ACSI Camping cheque and Touring cheques are all accepted from about August 21st and at 15 Euros a night maximum including Electricity you will have loads of sites to choose from, we are goung in June this year and have chosen 2 sites from the ACSI book, Annecy and Ardeche and 1 site in Switzerland from the Touring cheque book, will be just turning up and I am sure they will have space. Thats £218.00 for site fees for 3 weeks. J x

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