Thanks minicamper - I've edited my post a bit to change the emphasis! I just thought they must offer something as a benefit - otherwise why would people still continue their membership.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Thanks to you Val, we will be changing to the Caravan Club when our current membership expires. Hearing that even the rallies are being marketed at rip off prices is the last straw. You always seem to get a good deal on BF too, which would be worth looking at for us now we are in the West Country. The savings with the C&CC have not been worth worrying about on the Western crossings, 5% on LD lines when you are only paying £100 or so for a short break, we would rather book direct and be able to do our own amendments if necessary. No deals at all with DFDS.
There are some advantages to being in the C&CC - for us it was being able to use their CL's (or CS's as I think they call them) in the UK. They often had them in areas the CC didn't, and vice versa of course.
There was a very useful one in West Moors, Dorset and we used it a lot when my mother-in-law lived there. Now she's moved elsewhere we no longer need it and have cancelled membership, but it served its purpose at the time. But for foreign travel we always make our own arrangements.
------------- Il vaut mieux vivre ses reves que rever sa vie
For ferry crossings it pays to trawl the web, looking at the ferry company sites then checking the C and CC prices. Except for using Tesco points for the tunnel or DFDS caravan show discounts we invariably find that as members of the club we can get a cheaper price through them, typically 5% below the published price on the ferr company website. It just takes a bit of patience. The one that they cannot compete with though is Newhaven Dieppe if you are over 60 and book by phone 20% discount.
Peter
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Well I'm going to start trying to book something this evening, but I'll definitely be booking direct! Given we live 15 miles outside of Plymouth it remains the most sensible way for us to cross the channel.
I shall go back to looking at campsites. We've decided we'd like to be near Concarneau this year. If anyone has any recommendations I'm all ears.
------------- Dartmoor Camper
Managed to persuade husband that we can go back to a caravan!
Booked 2014
Feb in Looe
Aug Camping Du Vieux Verger
Just a thought - does the CCC ferry and sites package include travel insurance at all, which may account for the price difference? Otherwise, I guess you're just paying for the convenience of the package and someone else sorting things for you. We used to book with them before we knew there was another way and that other campsites did exist!
No C&CC do not provide insurance as part of the package - there's an additional charge for that!
I've just book Vieux Verger near Nevez. I cannot find any reviews on here for it, so I'm hoping for the best. It's in the area we fancy and is small which is what appeals to us. I will try and remember to post a review once we've been. We will pay fractionally over £1000 for the fortnight which given that yesterday I was looking at paying £1300 yesterday. That's a few meals for 4!
If anyone knows about Vieux Verger please let me know if I've made a mistake,I'd rather lose my deposit than have a miserable holiday.
------------- Dartmoor Camper
Managed to persuade husband that we can go back to a caravan!
Booked 2014
Feb in Looe
Aug Camping Du Vieux Verger
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We have been travelling to France now for a number of years and have always "found our own way" without any problems.
Most French sites appear to have someone who speaks/writes English, if not do as I do use a translation site.
Last year we re-joined the C&CC and used a couple of their sites, given the prices charged £29/night I cannot see any advantage in being a member and will definitely not be renewing my membership.
------------- DAWATH
Roll on:-
April Somerset
June Durham
August Loire Valley
November Ypres