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Topic: Critique please - France 2023

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Mrs. Bonce

06/8/2022 at 12:31pm
Location: Luton (no jokes plea
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Oh, ok.

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

dk168

08/8/2022 at 11:48am
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC

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I was at a meal recently and a friend of a friend who is a native German, and travels to Hamburg via the Tunnel on a regular basis, ever since she had a horrendous crossing that lasted over 28h some years ago.

She too prefers the Tunnel route and drive for longer once in Europe to other European destinations than to use the ferry routes, and understood my reluctance to travel by ferry.

DK

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Portia Hussey

08/8/2022 at 7:39pm
Location: EAST SUSSEX
Outfit: Outwell Vermont plus others.

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DK - you need to do what makes you happy and feel safe. As some-one who also likes planning in advance I can understand your need to get it right in advance although I am now also happy to wing it camping in France (well apart from ringing the site I want in the morning to see if they have spaces).
The thing that strikes me as a potential risk is the journey time in the UK and possible delays at Folkestone. If I believe the route planners I can get from home to Folkestone in about 90 minutes. We usually allow 2.5 hours plus the time they say to allow for check in plus 30 minutes. I'd rather arrive early and wait than be late. Generally we're early but if the traffic is bad/there is an accident it's been tight (and we were late because of bad signage in Tunbrige Wells for a ferry) and have on occasion been able to get on an earlier crossing. However at busy times/when they're disorganised (even before Brexit) there can be problems and we've left late. 3 hours late once. You'll need to take that possibility into account when booking your hotel. I'd be happy for us to book into one with an access code but it sounds as if perhaps you won't be.

As to the suggestion of sleeping in your van because of valuable electronics in it - you're valuable, I'm sure they can be taken into the hotel with you an the van can be insured and replaced - you can't.

Shopping wise - a lot of the motels are near to a supermarket as well as the motorway so even if you clamber out of bed at 10 you should be fine.

Another suggestion that might work for you would be to go for a hotel close to the chunnel as you've suggested and then book a suitable campsite for you for another night midway to Carnac that you wouldn't have to worry about getting to in time etc. Then you'd have experience of 2 or possibly 3 campsites in your time there which might be helpful for planning the next trip. Don't rule out municipal sites either -some are pretty good and I have stayed on one with a guard dog at night.

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dk168

10/8/2022 at 1:51am
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC

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Thanks Portia Hussey for that.

Not sure if I could spare another 2 nights splitting the drive from Calais to Carnac, as it would mean driving for a number of hours on weekdays, and I need to avoid that due to work.

However, it is worth the consideration.

As for planning for hiccups on the road, I aim to arrive at the tunnel terminals at least one hour before the scheduled departure time, and add two to three hours slack/buffer to the journey, avoiding rush hour traffic.

Hopefully, they will let me get on an earlier train if I arrive early, as they had done so in the past and at no extra cost.

I am likely to use Ibis or similar, and not Premiere Classe and what used to be Etap, as Ibis has 24/7 reception.

DK

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

franbee

10/8/2022 at 8:01am
Location: Lancashire
Outfit: Leisuredrive VW T6 campervan

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The latest Tunnel instruction is to arrive at least 1 hour and not more than 2 before your booked crossing. (Which has always been their advice). We always try to plan to arrive at the 2 hour before time, and almost always go on an earlier crossing. If our journey has been very speedy, we hole up at Maidstone services for a while, though there you have a limited time to park for free.
Last time we holed up at the Eureka leisure park at J9 M20, which was a much more pleasant experience than Maidstone services, there's a Dobbies Garden Centre there plus Burger King, McD, Nando's and Frankie and Benny, Subway, Beefeater and KFC if you like that sort of thing.

Portia Hussey

10/8/2022 at 9:22am
Location: EAST SUSSEX
Outfit: Outwell Vermont plus others.

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There is a large Tesco just off the 2nd junction for Ashford too. With a petrol station. Also the pub near there used to be quite nice back in the days when I worked at the hospital.

-------------
pork
Remember a good wife always helps her husband with the dishes.

dk168

10/8/2022 at 2:09pm
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC

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Notes taken where to hole up if I am more than 2h's early!

Not sure if I would want to eat before crossing the Channel, as I would love to visit a Flunch as soon as possible once in France.

DK

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

franbee

10/8/2022 at 2:19pm
Location: Lancashire
Outfit: Leisuredrive VW T6 campervan

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We always eat before the Tunnel, as we always cross late afternoon/early evening. Then we can go straight to our overnight stop and not have to worry about cooking something we've brought or finding somewhere to eat. Sometimes it's best to take the easy way. You will have 2 weeks to find a Flunch.

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