France on the cheap?

mandragora_2

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Need not be, site here is just over very quite road from beach, with big pitches and wonderful location.


http://www.audetourisme.com/diffusio/fr/ou-dormir/campings/leucate/camping-municipal-cap-leucate_TFOHPALAR011FS001WW.php

Fab, thanks so much for this - we're off on Weds for a month - we go to Les Landes, because we know a great little site there, and usually get enough good weather to make it worth our while, but if the weather's suss (and it can be, thanks to the Pyrenees and the Atlantic!), we leave the caravan at the 'la ferme' where it costs us a euro a night, and then whizz off with a tent to wherever the sun is shining - Perpignan was specifically mentioned as a possible 'Plan B' destination by Himself last night, so I'll be taking these details with me.:T

Bob_the_Saver

sunshinetours wrote: »

limited to 90kph on autoroutes and other lower limits on roads

My old Landy only just does that when it's not towing,
unless I drive off a cliff.

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mst/lowres/mstn186l.jpg

Speeding tickets are something I don't lose sleep about (only dream about).

DatabaseError

Thanks for all the advice. I think that site might be a little too far South for us - I'm gonna be getting around 25mpg towing and that's a lot of miles

mandragora_2

We spent many a happy holiday in Normandy. If you cross from Poole to Cherbourg (or take a crossing from Portsmouth or Southampton) the 'contenin' peninsula is lovely - weather won't necessarily be better than the UK (Devon/Cornwall) but it can be, and the advantage is that you're straight off the boat and there, with the choice of three coasts to head for each morning - locals check the church weather-vane, then head for the side that's sheltered from the wind! Again, lots of nice Camping Municipals here, and a lot of Brits drive straight past, heading for the Vendee, so it can, ironically, be a bit quieter in August/September. You have the granite coast of Brittany within striking distance, as well as Bayeux, Caen and Mont St Michel to explore. If you want to see a remote(r) set of island, go to Granville and one of catch the local boats that sail every morning to the Isle Chosey (sp?) - take everything you need for the day, as there is nothing much provided over there, but a fabulous day trip and a bit off the beaten track. They call this island group the 'French' Channel islands.

Bob_the_Saver

DatabaseError wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice. I think that site might be a little too far South for us - I'm gonna be getting around 25mpg towing and that's a lot of miles

Convert to LPG for well under half price fuel. I'm paying 59.7p litre.

DollyDabbler

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/county.asp?region=France

there are lots of reviews of campsites in France on the above link.

I can't recommend a site in the south of France, but if you wanted to visit Euro Disney or Parc Asterix with the children, Camping Jablines get my thumbs up.

sunshinetours

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Convert to LPG for well under half price fuel. I'm paying 59.7p litre.

Although you won't be able to use the Eurotunnel if an issue..... and obviously you need to plan your journeys knowing where lpg is available........, and fuel economy won't be as good,...... and you need to keep your car for a while to get payback on the expensive conversion

Bob_the_Saver

sunshinetours wrote: »

Although you won't be able to use the Eurotunnel if an issue..... and obviously you need to plan your journeys knowing where lpg is available........, and fuel economy won't be as good,...... and you need to keep your car for a while to get payback on the expensive conversion

Using tunnel not an issue to me. LPG (GPL in France) very widely available 10% less MPG but at less than half the price no problem. Conversion cost me £650 obviously more for a modern car but if you spend £35 a week in a modern car on petrol payback within 2 years. One little downside can't use underground car parks and the odd tunnel but neither has ever been a problem for me.
I just love putting 10 gallon in for under £28

sunshinetours

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Using tunnel not an issue to me. LPG (GPL in France) very widely available 10% less MPG but at less than half the price no problem. Conversion cost me £650 obviously more for a modern car but if you spend £35 a week in a modern car on petrol payback within 2 years. One little downside can't use underground car parks and the odd tunnel but neither has ever been a problem for me.
I just love putting 10 gallon in for under £28

Long term can't argue, especially if you can live with the smallish downsides

DatabaseError

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Convert to LPG for well under half price fuel. I'm paying 59.7p litre.

I have a diesel car, so that's not an option.
I do, however, run mine on clean vegetable oil, currently paying 90p/litre for that and don't lose and performance or mpg (though my emissions are ridiculously low come MOT time)