france 2011

kat2171 wrote: »

We planning to head to France in camper with 3 children ( 6,4,2). We've gone to Spain the last two years by air and instead of heading to the beach, would like to try eastern France, around the alpes possibly?
Has anyone done this? Would we be better off going across the UK? We going for about 2 1/2 weeks from early July. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Hi Kat, sorry OP bit off topic but not really
I'm from Lyon myself, an absolutely gorgeous town. The whole Rhone-Alpes area is gorgeous, lots of beautiful little villages, and the weather in the summer is usually hot and sunny. For fresher air it's easy to climb up a bit, either on the South side, on the Ardeche or Drome sides, or East of Lyon, in the pre-Alps near Annecy, Aix-Les-Bains... The Beaujolais is full of fabulous little villages too.

We're planning on discovering more of Le Bugey ourselves this year. Last year we stayed at this campsite : http://www.ile-de-la-comtesse.com/ , this was nice and very quiet even in July !
Access is a bit hairy to this campsite near Roanne (down a long windy, steep and narrow road), but it's worth it, fabulous scenery and nice site with private beach and swimming pool to ourselves. Fisherman's heaven I'd say
http://www.camping-arpheuilles.com/index_fr.php

TrailerBob wrote: »

Enjoy the trip Joe, heading over myself with the OH the 1st of August, staying around Cap d'Agde in Rousillon. We're tenting it on a pitch, packing up the jeep. Might pass ye on the way! Don't think 02 thing will work, the charges would be colossal even if it did. I checked Google maps on my phone in Paris in April, cost 11euro for tiny map streaming.

Trailer Bob
Enjoy Cap d'Agde, it is a wonderful place. Be sure to go to Gru d'Adge & La Tramissiries a short distance from Adge.

joed571 wrote: »

Cant believe its over 7 months since i started this thread.We are leaving on Thursday evening.
Just got the oven fitted and fridge fixed ( thanks to donagheys in letterkenny). Really looking forward to our trip, my first stop in france will be the le mans race track and museum:D.... i have a 02 dongle will it work over there or should i go for the 3 offer of all you can eat data on a i phone 4

Hi OP, 02 won't work here. I bought a local dongle with no ties subscription last year (you top up as you need), but this year the sim didn't work anymore, so I didn't bother buying a new one (it's 59.99 in supermarkets for the dongle, supposedly you get 30 E back if you send back a slip and register, but I think I looked into it last year and you'd need a French address...).

So this year I chanced aiming for campsites with wi-fi, and it hasn't gone too badly. I'm typing this from a nice quiet campsite outside Le Mans actually Camping du Lac de Varenne http://www.camp-in-ouest.com/ .

Most campsites have wifi at least at their bar/reception, and if you have the ACSI guide (and others) they will usually tell you if you can get it from the pitch too. Some are expensive, others very reasonable, can't really give you a price range, but I think 8 euros a day is the most I have paid this year (not in the touristy South though !).

A tip I can share : we've only this year started to stop in camping municipal, this would be a campsite owned by the town, or "intercommunal" would be owned and run by several villages. Usually in these campsites, if wifi is available, it will be free (since they're run by the town !). All townhalls in France also offer free wifi by the way, and Quick and McDonald's. Some of these campsites have great facilities and lots are situated by lakes or rivers, if near a town swimming pool, it should also be free to campers. But they tend not to have their own shop and restaurant, since they are usually in town and they want you to get out and spend in the town/village.

Enjoy the trip JoeD. It really is a fantastic holiday.

We are not long back and are probably going back the 1st week of September, we loved it that much.

Roll on retirement and the kids growing up

Glad to hear its warm Joe, on the boat out of Rosslare as we speak, will hit the Med tomorrow afternoon via A75. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Le Mans would be a nice stop up north, but not very westerly!

Request to mods for TrailerBob and JoeD to be banned !!!

Reason - for making me extremely jealous

Wish I was there this very minute. Nothing but cloudy skies and showers here for the last few days. Add in overpriced wine and gloopy cuisine de france sh**e bread.

And our poor camper wishes she was there to. I still haven't taken the boarding card off the rear view mirror yet.

Enjoy lads.

Right bought our first van in June and have had a few trips (4) away already to get used to this new way of life.

We were gonna wait till next year for France but have decided just to go ahead and are booked for September.

Roslare to Cherbourg - €480 return - 4 Adults & Infant with inner cabin.

Planning to stay the night in Granville and then make our way around the North East coast to the following places - Quimper (Douarnenez), Vannes, & onto La Rochelle. Is this too far for 10 days ? Whats there to see along this route. Have been told that Quimper and La Rochelle are beautiful.

Its not set in stone where we are going to stay so does anyone have any recommendations for this route? We have the Asci card and would like to stay in some Aires - heard of one in a forest park that gets busy but can't remember name of it right now.

Any tips regarding what to bring? Bring or leave the awning tent, wind breakers etc...

Cheers

Stephen (Can't wait)

HereAndThere wrote: »

Oh its showing up as 13 hours on google maps aswell - is that realistic in 10 days? 5 days down 5 days back?

Cherbourg, Granville, Lannion, Moriax, Quimper and down the coast to La Rochelle. 879KM

Trying to avoid tolls aswell and leisurely driving

Opinions welcomed.

Thanks

Granville Is a lovely spot to stay..2 hours fr Cherbourg. Tolls down to la rochelle are only 15 euro in a camper so maybe head down the rout you suggested and come back up the motorway in one day

joed571 wrote: »

I would spend more time going down and enjoy it. then as martyc5674 said come back up the motorway or spend a day in le mont st michel on the way up. I ended up staying there for three nights, went to le mont then alligator bay for the boys, then relaxed for a day before heading to the boat.

if you go there the place is usually packed and the streets are narrow so forget the buggy!

HereAndThere wrote: »

Cheers for the info lads.

What can you expect to pay on tolls from La Rochelle to Cherbourg ?

The michelin link says 54 euro is this accurate?

Cheers

Ste

There are 3 options. If you go from La Rochelle on n 137/a84, it won't be that much, as there are no tolls from Nantes to the ferry. Routes thought angers cost a lot more in tolls and are longer and slower. I just came back from saint jean de montes and the nantes routes is not too bad.

Safe driving.

Cheers

Where do you pay the €5 ? It looks like its beside a saw mill?

I can see a van parked in behind trees on google street view.

Thanks for the info.

Ste

Didn't get to go last year,but definitely thinking of mid July this year for maybe 10 days.
I've priced Motorhome with 2 Adults and 2 Teens on Celtic Link Ferries,with a 4 Berth Cabin each way and it quotes €930.
Can anyone reccomend some good Campsites down the West Coast.
I'd be thinking of somewhere near Cherbourg for the first night or two and then moving South,spending maybe 2-3 nights in various Campsites that would have good facilities to keep Teens happy.