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Driving in France is much easier and more pleasant than in the UK.  Generally the road surfaces are better, there is less traffic, and more user-friendly places to stop.  If there are only two of you, and you're going in low season, then you won't even need to book.  You could get a short crossing, and try Chateau du Gandspette, which is only about half an hour from the port at Dunkerque.  It's quite a 'French' site, though with a good mix of nationalities, good sanitary facilities, and a nice (but not 'gourmet') restaurant.  There are two pools, and quite a few interesting places around for trips ut - the Blockhaus at Gandspette,St Omer on market day, the canals and marshes of the area, the beaches in Calais itself and you're only about an hour away from Bruges and Ypres for the Memorial Service each evening at 8.00 pm.  The site takes Camping Cheques from 01/04/2012 to 06/07/2012 and from 01/09/2012 to 30/09/2012.  That means a pitch, two adults, car and trailer tent (or caravan), awning, and electricity will be just £13..95 per night.

If you want 'Adult only' sites, then generally outside school holidays, you'll find mostly adult company on most French sites.  If you can only go in school holidays then you may struggle to find an 'adult only' site, as it's not a concept which has been adopted by the French.  Those few sites which do exist are generally British owned.

You need to have a look at the Camping Cheques website, www.campingcheque.co.uk.  There are plenty of other sites near to the other ferry ports, so probably best to check out the prices of the crossings, and decide on a general area, then look for recommendations in the area around the crossing you choose.

There is another post on a different forum from someone who has just come back from their first trip and they wondered what it what they'd been worrying about so much - they had a great time.

If you were to via Brittany ferries from Portsmouth to Caen you could probably travel down during the day and take the overnight ferry.  Their are some nice sites in brittany and Normandy.  Personally I think its a bit far out for you to travel via Plymouth.

Regards Bob.

Can't help with sites near the ports but can confirm towing your FC in France will be a pleasure compared to driving here in UK. We have been to France many times previously and always enjoyed driving out there but this year was first time towing our FC- really no different!

I would seriously recommend taking two weeks and travelling a bit further down into France. If you do an overnight ferry to St Malo for instance the Vendee and Charente Maritime areas along the Atlantic coast are pretty much all within half a days reach or travel inland and stay around the Loire area

From the UK you also have Hull to Zeebrugge as an option which pretty much halves your Uk drive distance. You could then look at Hollland and Germany maybe (Black Forest?) as alternatives to France?

Quote: Originally posted by sunshinetours on 20/9/2012

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You may be able to tow at 130kph depedning on what car you have (and whetehr you feel comfortable towing at that speed as well I guess which is another point) - nothing to do with what you are towing     

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