What is the best campsite guide(s) to get for France and Spain this summer. Last year we used a 1year old Michellin book for France, our map book is 10 years old too so we need to update both. We want something that covers the smaller and lower grade sites as well as some more up-market as we like to be clean and quiet for the most part.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Something that i found useful (and cheap!!) is if you pick up Eupocamp or Keycamp brochures from the travel agents. These give a good idea as to the size and atmosphere of each campsite large and small, and rates the amount of shade and pitch size as well as regional temp etc. Though i suppose if its a comprehensive list you are after its going to be a trip to Waterstones or Amazon!!
------------- Take only pictures, Leave only footprints
I think Michelin is pretty comprehensive, but if you want a bit more information, the Caravan Club's Europe guide is pretty good. Alan Roger's guides give lots of information, but include fewer sites (still quite a wide coverage, though). There are two problems with using Eurocamp etc brochures: firstly, you will only get a few hundred (maximum) sites, and secondly, you will only get the very highly developed sites which have lots of 'tour operators' and often. a largely British and perhaps Dutch clinentele. Nor will they give you precise directions to finding the sites, as you have to book with them to receive this. So you will still have to do research to pipoint where you are going. This is not necessarily bad, but it may not be quite what you are looking for!
We had the caravan Club site guide,Eurocamp etc.brochures and the Alan Rogers.Alan Rogers by far was the best in our opinion,we found directions good,prices accurate and honest opinions on all the sites in the 7 countries visited.to keep weight down this year we shall be taking Alan Rogers.
Try the ACSI guide (ACSI is a continental caravan club) - you can 'join' this organisation, and outside peak season you get a discounted rate at all sites featured in the book. I think they come into one of three price ranges, something like 9 euros, 11 euros and 13.50 (car/caravan/motorhome/pitch/2persons/electricity). There is a huge number of sites to choose from. You pay £2 (I think) for the guide, and get a card which you show at the site on arrival, to benefit from the discount rate.
We use a combination of ACSI, Michelin, and Alan Rogers (for more detail) - and all are honest and accurate in their opinions.
We use Michelin and the Caravan Club book - volume 1 covers France, Spain and Portugal. You do not have to be a member of the Caravan Club to buy the book - we bought ours from Amazon.co.uk. We find it invaluable and the members comments are really useful even if they sometimes only apply to caravans.
Certainly get a new road atlas as they are improving roads all the time and last years minor road could be this years motorway!
Although a Dutch site, it is all about French campsites, (1000's), really easy to use with quick links to the Campsites own website. (Most have them, and then you can get a really good idea what you are likely to find there, and current prices). I've booked a two star site in the Ardeche for 14.30 euros per night - caravan, two adults and electricity in high season. I'll be taking Alan Rodgers for transit stops.