Camping in France

JQ.

Anyone an expert?

We were about to book a 2 week Siblu holiday in France where we'd be staying in a Static Caravan. However, after 10 years service my employer is giving me an extra 2 weeks holiday next year which I have to use in conjunction with 2 weeks of my normal holiday allocation to provide me with a whole month off :T

It will be me, Mrs JQ and our 2 boys, aged 3 and 5 at the time of travel. We can't really afford 4 weeks in a caravan in the middle of summer and so are investigating camping instead - we had planned to go on the 2 week break during the summer half term holiday when it's much cheaper.

We camp in the UK, so have all the gear but have never been to a French campsite.

Some questions :

In July can you just arrive at French campsites without booking and them have space for an 8 man tent - we'd want big family campsites with loads of facilities for the kids (Eurocamp, Siblu, Yelloh, etc)? We'd like to spend the 4 weeks travelling around and don't fancy having to pre-book.

Do French pitches all have electric hook-ups. I don't think we could last 4 weeks without a few electric creature comforts.

Are we mad, and should we travel without a tent and use the tents these places have already erected such as at Eurocamp? If so, would that mean we would definitely have to book?

Are we mad to want to camp - it will significantly reduce the amount of gear we can take as the car will be full of tent, sleeping bags, chairs, etc etc. So lots of the things we'd planned to take for the kids, such as their bikes, scooters, dinghy, sports equipment may no longer fit in the car.

Are there any good books or guides anyone can recommend that covers camping in France with all or most of the campsites - it's very confusing trawling all the different websites.

Anyone got any good hints or tips - I do intend to spend the next few months researching, as it's unlikely I'll get another month off anytime soon, so want to make the most of it.

Many thanks

squirrelchops

Hi

A fantastic book that we use for camping is 'le guide officiel' - see here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-officiel-camping-caravaning-campings/dp/2358390178/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352920404&sr=8-1

I hasten to add that I didn't pay this price as advertised for it - I think about £12 and there will be a 2013 edition out soon.

Although in French this has a huge amount of sites in there - if you want the freedom of travelling and trying a few sites then this book is good.

When you say 1/2 term do you mean the end of May holiday? if so then there should be good availability. Ohterwise if you are looking at going in the summer holidays, for they type of site you want then you would be best to book.

You can request electric hook up at any site like you do here in the UK.

Hint and tips - enjoy! Camping in France is sooooo much better in terms of facilities than in the UK. We have found that things such as sanitations are a better standard than in the Uk. The only thing is, is that the very busy sites, such as the ones you have mentioned can get busy and are utilised more.

You haven't mentioned what area of France you are looking at. Be warned that some areas won't let you have open BBQs due to fire risk. They will have communal bbqs or you need to get a gas bbq.

Moneybot

Hi

Have been camping in France and used the following book for campsites

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Camping-Guide-France-Michelin-Guides/dp/2067169343/ref=pd_cp_b_0

You can then see what each site has in terms of power, water, washing facilities and entertainment.

To get extra stuff in could you use a roof box on your car?

I would book if you are going to the more popular sites especially in the more touristy areas. Though if you are going outside French school holidays it will be less busy.

I would probably plan in advance but then I like to know where I'm going. You would want to think about how much time you want to spend loading and unloading the car and putting up and taking down the tent.

angchris

I love love love camping in France, we have been several times with the family, they are just so much nicer/friendlier/cleaner/better equipped/more for kids to do than UK campsites! We go to Les castels campsites which are 5 star as you stay in the grounds of chateau or hunting pavilion or castles, it really is stunning. We have stayed at le brevedent 4 times, just a quick drive off of the ferry to le harve and you are there. Make sure you have European breakdown cover on car as I had to be towed home when I cracked my sump and would of been stranded without it! Definitely book direct with campsite as it's cheaper than going through 3rd party, also very busy in school hols

JQ.

Brilliant. Cheers for the advice.

Yes, we do plan to go at the height of summer, hence the worries of costs as 4 weeks in a mobile home suddenly costs alot of money. I guess we'll have to book where we want to go. I'm thinking that in August we won't need go that far south to get good weather, so possibly looking at stays in Brittany, Vendee and then perhaps inland to the Loire or Dordgne. I'm thinking 3 locations over 4 weeks would provide a good variety.

We've already got a roofbox and a huge boot and they still get filled to the brim when camping, although we are very much comfort campers with big airbeds, huge tent, chairs, tables, bar-be-que, windbreaks and big gas cooker etc etc.

JQ.

angchris wrote: »

We go to Les castels campsites which are 5 star as you stay in the grounds of chateau or hunting pavilion or castles, it really is stunning.

Wow, I don't think we need any guidebooks, all the campsites on that website look perfect. :beer:

RedBern

If you're going for that long it may be worth investing in a trailer as well. We camped for years in France, their municipal sites are great and cheaper than commercial sites, but always beautifully clean. There's lots of lovely sites in southern Brittany, we used to go near the Carnac area and the sea was lovely and quite shallow for the kids to play in. We haven't been recently as the kids have grown up, but when we last visited, 3 years ago, the camp sites were, I thought quieter than previous years. Enjoy the next few months planning.

sunshinetours

Firstly last two weeks (roughly) of summer school holidays may be cheaper at some campsites as French return to school in advance of us (and start earlier). Avoid travelling if possible on first and and second weekends of August as this will likely be the weekend all French travel and roads can get very busy around resorts especially

If travelling in peak time I would book ahead if you have specific request ie large tent

DFDS had (maybe still have) some good ferry crossing deals and you can use Tesco rewards on Eurotunnel. If you take a trailer you will pay more especially on Eurotunnel. However fitting everything in will be tricky without one. As you camp here it will get well used so maybe look at it as an investment

Weather wise you are not guaranteed sunshine anywahere in France, it isn't Africa or Spain. your best chance of warm sunny weather is anywahere below a line across through Lyon in very simple terms.
Vendee and Charente on west coast does have a micro climate that gives more sunshine than other areas inland or firther east and north, but certainly not guaranteed wall to wall sunshine for two weeks.

As a guide this year we had temps between low/mid 20's and up to low/mid 30's in mid August in loire and then out on coast in Vendee. The coast feels fresher due to sea breezes etc and it is Atlantic coast so weather can obviously come in from there

Many french campsites will have 6A electric on at least some pitches, you may need a continental adapter plug. Do be more careful using EHU in France especially if you have to repair or work on any electric apliances as polarity can be reversed (unplug everything before you do anything and fine)

Check out the French rules for driving including ones around GPS speed warnings, breathalyser, a safety vest in drivers area of car

Most of all - enjoy!

check out ukcampsite.co.uk and teh camping abroad section of forum for loads and loads of advice and site recommendations

sungiggs1

great info thanks

alisonjean

We take our caravan to France and we always book through the Caravan Club. There is also the Camping and Caravan Club.

Last year we stayed at a good site called La Garangeoire, St Julien des Landes in the Vendee. It had Fantastic facilities and activities for young children and there were lots of families booking again for this year. Camping Pitches were a really good size and most, if not all, pitches have electric. We would go back again but like to try different places.

ukcampsite.co.uk has reviews of this and other sites in France.

Jaffa_cake

angchris wrote: »

I love love love camping in France, we have been several times with the family, they are just so much nicer/friendlier/cleaner/better equipped/more for kids to do than UK campsites! We go to Les castels campsites which are 5 star as you stay in the grounds of chateau or hunting pavilion or castles, it really is stunning. We have stayed at le brevedent 4 times, just a quick drive off of the ferry to le harve and you are there. Make sure you have European breakdown cover on car as I had to be towed home when I cracked my sump and would of been stranded without it! Definitely book direct with campsite as it's cheaper than going through 3rd party, also very busy in school hols

.
I would also like to say the French campsites are the best you will ever find.

I like the south coast of France, in the Adge to Perpignan area, but it's all nice along there.

Otherwise, pop along a bit further to Spain, just past Barcelona.
Shopping for food and wine is a bit cheaper there,
Now that's where the warm stays warm, the beaches are a paradise.
Look for some where between Casteldefles (sp) to Tarragona

For example in Vilanova i la Gultri, we go to a camp site, which is almost on the beach.
I think last year it was €14 a night, and about €3 per person, with electricity and free showers.
Look for El Raco Del Mar, bungalows also there for renting.
Lidl about 5km away.
Aldi about 8km away.


J.C.