France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

lawrencesummers

Booked ferry and some campsites for July.

A week in Benodet and 2 weeks in St Jean des monts.

Anybody have recommendations for rainy days or poor weather to keep 3 kids under 7 happy?

Fr Tod Umptious

Took the plunge on this and we are going to De Leveno in Brittany at the beginning of June.

Ferry and drive.

We will spend a week there and then head to Paris, stay in another Eurocamp outside Paris for 4 nights.

Take the train into Paris for a day sightseeing and another day at Disneyland.

I know it's early season at the weather may not be great but we have never been on a foreign holiday as a family so everything will be new and different.

Dinkie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704787#Comment_121704787

We tend to bring home a couple tins of duck confit, and put some magret de canard seche into a cool box on the way home as you can't get this in Ireland and I love it.

We also try and bring home some French cider as its seriously good. Apart from that - there are some foods over there (like baking stuff) you can't get here easily - I tend to bring that home. Its just a matter of preference really. Most stuff these days you can get here easily enough.

Regarding wine, we tend to stop at an E leclerc or intermarche at some point on the drive back to Cherbourg and pick up some wine. Not sure if you go near Saumur on your way - but there is a neat place that makes sparkling red (another favourite!).

lee_baby_simms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704787#Comment_121704787

Personally we always go to Normandie Wine in Cherbourg. 9 boxes pack perfectly in the floor of our boot so it’s handy.

Last July I was in and out of there in 10 mins with 54 bottles in the boot. Met a couple inside that had a recommended list so got what they were getting and they were excellent. Around €4 a bottle average.

Ummagumma_78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121705370#Comment_121705370

Benodet is a lovely spot. There’s a zip line course on the main road in that caters for young kids. There’s also boat rides on the odet river. We went to the aquarium in Brest on a wet day last year and it was well worth the spin. If in Benodet check out the bakery near the supermarket- it’s top drawer

josip

If doing the wine stock, and don't have a list or something specific in mind, install the Vivino App on your phone. You can then scan the label of any bottle in the shop and it will tell you the average rating for that wine for that year. We usually take a few bottles of anything above a 3.9. Someone also advised me a few years ago that since wine is effectively half the price in France as here, the more expensive the bottle you buy, the more you're saving :)

Bummer1234

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121707187#Comment_121707187

Thanks Very much Dinkie and to all who has replied, What was your favourite French cider if you remember 😃

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121707231#Comment_121707231

Thanks a million Lee_baby_simms,Ill have a look about there €4 a bottle average is better than alot here anyway and sure when im passing it would be rude not to 😋

Bummer1234

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121708505#Comment_121708505

Great shout...Hopefully i have data on my phone come then 😂

lee_baby_simms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121709403#Comment_121709403

You can definitely get cheaper than €4 but you’re more likely to end up with something undrinkable.

Some of the wines I got in Cherbourg for around a fiver were excellent and would be of the standard that would be sold here for €12-15 here if not more.

The handy thing about Normandie Wine is that it’s literally right before you get to the ferry. You can literally see the boat from the shop. I have small kids and often dealing with tantrums after the long drive so it was really handy to get in and out of in 10 mins and also doesn’t risk you running late for the boat.

Bummer1234

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121709423#Comment_121709423

Haha Thats the fear...I don't wanna buy 12 bottles of toilet cleaner either 😋

Thanks for that, We have to be out of the campsite at 9am so will be on the road early and hope to be in Cherbourg early to browse and eat before the boat (Thats if the wee lad plays ball also).

tmabr

Done similar last year. Can recommend capfun fredland site near Paris. Booked as a base for Disneyland so wasn’t expecting much. But pleasantly surprised by pools, slides and entertainment. Mobiles were spotless too. Worth a look.

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121705370#Comment_121705370

benodet has a good indoor play area

Charliebull

Hi Guys

anyone used rentalcars for car hire in france before

rex_turner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121707187#Comment_121707187

We'll be in Saumur this year and I fancy the sound of a sparkling red. Do you happen to remember name/ location?

Thanks in advance.

spuddy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121705370#Comment_121705370

Check out Dino's Park SARL on Google Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/vucBajE4WtziNuJB7

Ours loved this place.

spuddy

Re: wine, most french people buy theirs in the supermarket & what's good enough for the French is good enough for us! We buy a few bottles when we first land, work our way through them during the holiday, then stock up on the ones we liked the best on the way home. Works a treat.

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121717421#Comment_121717421

Ye it is quite good for smallies.

Vendée is gorgeous but there really isn't a whole lot to do if it rains. We used to head to Decathlon on Challans for a wander and then grab a McDonalds. That was before Decathlon opened here!

rameire

Any good suggestions for Hotels at Bordeaux.

I'm flying in this August and have 2 days at the start of the holiday where we will be around the City/Airport of Bordeaux and not at the camp site which is Le Rive.

We do intend to book a car but thinking we may not need it for the first couple of nights depending on location of the hotel.

We need 2 rooms as 2 adults and 2 childers.

Baybay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121717445#Comment_121717445

Where we spend quite a bit of time in France, the biggest local supermarket is a SuperU. It tends to stock a lot of locally produced wines both in bottles or boxes. Sometimes they’re an either a little bit cheaper or slightly more expensive than going to the local producer themselves. There is generally a large champagne / sparkling section & then wines from other French regions. I actually don’t know if there are many wines from other countries as we’re still trying to get round the French offerings!

RobAMerc

Folks, I am thinking about booking a Ferry crossing to France - Is there a definitive answer for 'Which is the nicest Ferry' for a couple to cruise across to France ? Not really worried of its Dublin, Rosslare, Cork or Cherbourg etc ( didnt get answer in search )

Thanks

Baybay

There are some very nice double cabins on the WB Yeats including some with balconies. Nice tvs, mini bar, sizeable bathroom, concierge service. Pricey too. The Lady Gregory restaurant is nicely styled also.

Dinkie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121716958#Comment_121716958

I think its this one - we have finished off last years one so can't see the label. Normally its the label I recognise.

This one is sold in all the main supermarkets (where we go anyway) - so you could try a couple types (they also do a sparkling rose) and see if you like it first!

Deeman83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121725184#Comment_121725184

The WB Yeats out of Dublin is the newest and best ferry for crossing to france. It is geared towards families in summer months.

Decent restaurant, nice bars, good rooms, clean and new etc. Its a step up from the more traditional older ferries.

RobAMerc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121732882#Comment_121732882

Thank you. I see all sorts of reviews online, I see the Brittany Ferries Galicia / Santona getting both a 1 and a 5 star ! Hard to know whats real

kevin306

We're searching for a family-friendly campsite that accommodates our kids aged 8, 5, and 2. We've previously stayed at La Siesta in Salou, and while my wife loves its proximity to the town, it lacks extensive kids' facilities. Therefore, we're looking for a place that offers the best of both worlds: plenty of activities for the children at the campsite and convenient(walking) access to a nearby town, preferably with a beach, nice shops, and restaurants, for evening outings.

yiddo59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121725184#Comment_121725184

I've sailed to France on Brittany Ferries ships Pont Aven and Armorique and on Irish Ferries WB Yeats. Pont Aven would be my favourite but I wouldn't hesitate to travel on either of the other 2. All 3 are fine comfortable ships.

Heroditas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121734241#Comment_121734241

Some people do tend to have unrealistic expectations about what to expect from a ferry bringing you from A to B as quickly as possible.

Heiser

We're considering taking the ferry with the kids (1 and 2 years old) and going to a campsite in France at the end of May.

The day I want to go home there is a ferry from Cherbourg at 12.30pm on a Tuesday morning, would I be mad to make the trip up from Vendee that morning? There's another later ferry but it's more than twice the price.

The two sites we're are La Garangeoire in Vendee and Le Mané Guernehué in Brittany, which is in a region of Brittney that I read gets decent weather (for Brittney). I think I'd personally prefer Brittney as it's supposed to be more picturesque and has nicer towns and villages around.

Also looking at renting a cabin, is there any difference between the different providers (Keycamp etc). Should I just go with the cheapest?

Heroditas

It's 5-6hrs from La Garangeoire to Cherbourg so you'd be dragging the kids out of bed in the middle of the night to make it.

The Brittney site would be a shorter spin but the weather at that time of year there can be really unpredictable.

Salvadoor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121735432#Comment_121735432

I'd recommend using the search filters on the Eurocamps website, it allows you to filter for sites with direct beach access or also near a beach