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Has anyone been here? if so can you recomend this site. Ive tentatively booked a chalet but the Invoice we have been sent asks for payment in cash to their bank-account. Has anyone ever paid by this method before. Im assuming they want a bankers transfer this is very expensive and I cannot understand why they are asking for payment this way. If anyone can help please reply.

Thanks

Most french campsites expect payment from foreign campers to be made by bank transfer which can be done  via your online banking. It is free of charge with my bank if you do it yourself online and its not a difficult process as long as you have their international banking number and other details. Not many sites in France are geared up to debit/credit card payments, although this getting more common, and they cant accept English cheques so bank transfer is the norm. The only other answer is to send Euros via registered post which I wouldnt consider very safe. Hope this helps.

Carol

Thanks Carol

Very helpful

Hello Ann,

can see that you have posted a few replies about the Ardeche, and le pommier, and i can assure you this is a really wonderful site, the staff are great, english and dutch is the language, so dont worry about the French Lessons. the swimming pool setup is really good, the only thing to beware of is the steep climb down to the site, but as you are staying in a chalet, dont suppose you will have any worries.

whilst there i would suggest you visit the Pont D Arc, and do a canoe trip which is really worthwhile and fun.

also on the note of paying for the holiday, we did pay as they state but only for a deposit, i suspect that all chalets are paid upfront. they do accept credit and debit cards

have fun and enjoy, as we did in 2005

David- Cambridge

Thanks for that David. Ive phoned the campsite and thankfully was able to pay the deposit.

Ive not seen any reviews about Le Pommier so that was very good to read. You may be able to help regarding the route we plan to take someone else has said that going via A26 & Riems is as good as taking the outer peripherie around paris and onto the A6 would you agree with that?

I also have 2 children 8 & 11 years,  we have been canoeing on the Dordogne earlier this year which was fantastic & we all really enjoyed this - would you say that the Ardeche river would be safe to take the children? the Dordogne was deep and wide but very calm. My children can swim but are not strong swimmers have you any recommendations.

Thanks again

Ann

Hi Ann - we've been to the Ardeche lots of times.  The river itself has many very different areas - but there's a beach by the Pont d'Arc where lots of small children play in the river.  At this point it's fairly slow flowing, and there is quite a big shallow area.  There's a car parking area nearby (with plenty of places to park, but not much shade - can't remember the name of the restaurant nearby.  Drive down the gorge from Vallon, and it's a couple of miles, parking on the left (and some parking on the right, in the shade of the trees but you have to be quick to get a place).

However, in some areas the river is very fast flowing, with lots of rapids, and the number of caneoists can make swimming difficult.  If you stick to the bit by the Pont d'Arc you should be OK.