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

browne_rob5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121742987#Comment_121742987

You could travel up the evening before and stay in a hotel in Cherbourg. Would take the stress out of it.

Jack0125

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121742987#Comment_121742987

You need to consider your Tuesday 12.30 sailing, you would be travelling through villages/towns and round cities (Nantes and Rennes depending on which campsite you coming from) around morning commuter traffic. So risk of delays in your journey is real. That leaves you leaving Vendee very early in morning to get to cherbourg

Would you consider swapping your last night on campsite for a hotel stay near cherbourg maybe.

munchkin_utd

>Would you consider swapping your last night on campsite for a hotel stay near cherbourg maybe.

With many campsites you can checkout but still use the facilities for the rest of the day, so it may be possible to hand back the keys but then let the kids splash about and burn off all that energy in the morning and afternoon and then head up the road

Ive even seen people with a long drive ahead of them pay for that last night in the campsite but just use the mobile as a base for that last day, cook dinner at 5 or 6, and then pack the last things and jump in the car and get a chunk of the journey over in the early evening when roads are quiet rather than sleep at the campsite and get up at the crack of dawn

When I first saw people checkout in the evening I thought it was a waste but theres a certain elegance to the plan, even if you end up double paying for accomodation both there and in a hotel 100s of km down the road.

CheerLouth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121742987#Comment_121742987

Would you consider Des Ormes in Brittany? It's only two hours from Cherbourg & has a large indoor pool complex which is great if the weather is not great.

ECO_Mental

Just booked Brittany Ferries out of Cork for the second week in September for just myself and the missus. First Holiday to France without the Kids (they will be 21 and 18😎) Really looking forward to it and only going for the one week and plan staying around Brittany visit a few of the islands etc nothing stressful. Had many a great holiday in France on the Ferry with the "kids" over the past 20 years but nearly looking forward to this more as well.

We live only about 15 minutes from Ringaskiddy so what I like is the stress-free process...throw as many bags and stuff into the boot of the car, saunter down to the Ferry, drive on and up into your room, no huss no fuss!! The Ferry is part of the holiday as well and for the first time we booked the Commodore cabin on the way out.....

Rock on September 

treascon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121742987#Comment_121742987

That's a big no from me. If you're caught up in the likes of an rta which does happen quite frequently you could be talking about serious delay. Evening sailing or else book a hotel closer to the port the night before as other posters have suggested.

corkgirl17

Booked La Litterol for end of June. Staying in a premium 3 bed cabin. Has anyone any experience of these cabins? Like where would be the best part of the premium area to book if we wanted to pick our exact cabin? Doesn't have named areas like Sequoia Park did so unsure of whether to book up closer to facilities or go towards to back. Any advice gratefully received!

tmabr

Was keeping this tip to myself the past few years but try it anyway.

when booking French campsites, especially eurocamp. Go to the German site. .de.

was looking to book des Ormes last year and a 2 bed mobile for 4 people from 1st - 8th July - one week. They didn’t have availability but alternative dates and same duration for €1500.

when I looked at eurocamp.de they had the exact dates I wanted @€1200 and a 3 bed mobile.

exact dates, cheaper and bigger accommodation. Win win win.

rex_turner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121742987#Comment_121742987

I've stayed at both of those sites and had children around the same age as yours at the time. Both lovely sites. One reason that I would choose Mane Guernehue is that it has a proper indoor swimming pool that also has a shallow pool suitable for small children. So if the weather isn't great or even slightly chilly for an outdoor pool then the pool will still be comfortable (we ended up with a heatwave and it was also handy to hide from the sun and not burn). As far as I recall the pool La Garangoire had a covered "adult" pool, but the toddler area was outdoors. Pool in Mane Guernehue better in general.

Also it is in a village so easy access to supermarket etc where as Garangoire is in the open.

However slightly better chance of better weather in Vendee.

Apologies for mangling spelling of both campsites!

Heiser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121742987#Comment_121742987

Thanks to everyone that replied. Am going to pay the extra for the later ferry and save myself the stress. Think ill go with Mane Gurenehue.

Will be my first holiday like this, went to a resort in Spain last year and wasn't keen on it. Think I'll much rather this being able to bring all the kids stuff without worrying about weight and having the car to explore the area.

Cheers

webpal

still have one of these visitor guides if someone wants it

suilegorma

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121742987#Comment_121742987

Unless your holiday is very short, I would always prefer the night before the ferry to be already in Cherbourg or close by. If eg you wanted to see Mont Saint Michel you could leave campsite v early, travel up to MSM for a couple of hours, then back to Cherbourg for the night. Stock up on any supplies to take home (wine, food etc) in the am and head up to ferry.

suilegorma

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121743663#Comment_121743663

In theory I guess you could do this without having the last night, just pack up and check out and use the facilities then leave in the evening for the hotel near the ferry.

Peckham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121745292#Comment_121745292

We stayed there in 2021 in a 3 bed premium. It's lovely - very nice accommodation on a great site. Site isn't particularly large, so not much extra walking to stay over at the very edge. We were on the very far left of the site as you look at the map.

PM me if you want any more detail.

Colm82

I'm considering our options for holidays this year, we did des Ormes for 10 days last July and had a great time but a 20h ferry and overall ferry and eurocamps expense - which has increased by about another 1k this year!! ) means it might be skipped this year. Has anyone ever done similar holiday type to the UK? I did Prestatyn sands with parents when I was inearly teen and loved it. Would love to know others thoughts on good sites and entertainment or if there's a dedicated forum? Kids are 10, 5 and 4.

webpal

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Padraig Mor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121748787#Comment_121748787

Note the detail of the offer is that it's an additional 5% discount on top of whatever discount Eurocamp already have listed. Still worthwhile obviously, but that partner link discount used be much better.

Heiser

I've booked my ferry for end of May. Am planning to go to Mane Guernehue in Brittney but I'm not going to book our accommodation until the day before I leave so I can see what the weather will be like. Then if it's going to rain, I'll go further south or to wherever it's not going to rain.

Hopefully our accommodation doesn't book out but I'm hoping in late May it won't

Bummer1234

More a mobile forum question perhaps but with people here in the scenario more often I said i would put it in here,

How did everyone get on using there phones as sat navs and getting about for the week in France(And for translating), Did your data last the week?

I have a fear of been out of data leaving st jean de monts to Cherbourg so debating about getting a french sim/esim for the week?If so what you recommend?

(Ill be downloading stuff to watch for the little lad on the tablet and im on Gomo so don't have much EU Roaming like Three or Vodafone do).

loyatemu

for sat-nav you can download google maps areas in advance to save on data (it only downloads the roads though, not things like restaurants etc).

a tip if your on a campsite that offers (say) 30 mins free wifi a day before you have to start paying - turn on "randomise MAC address" in your phone wifi settings, this will make your phone look like a new device every time it connects. Works on the ferry as well.

Tommiekly84

I had an issue with my48 last year. My phone wouldn't connect to the Internet. I had to change apb settings on my Internet settings on phone. I pulled into a garage used their wifi to figure it out. It took a while and alot of panicking before I figured out how to fix it. I was using it for a satnav also. Id imagine gomo could be similar.

Bummer1234

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121756654#Comment_121756654

Yea the other half has 48 and thats another issue, Even got the new simcard thinking it would fix it awhile back but seems to be an ongoing issue with 48. Thanks for the heads up...Ill be best to look at her phone just before we take of in france or ill have to pull in and fix it for her 😂

loyatemu

48's roaming is a disaster - 2 of my kids use them and it's never worked seamlessly.

chases0102

Can anyone recommend a hotel to stay with kids near Bordeaux Airport, before heading to La Rive campsite next day? Will have car rented.

Dinkie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121756912#Comment_121756912

We stayed in the B&B beside the airport for about E50. It was a very dark (as in no sunlight and everywhere was painted beige) - but it was perfect. It was spotless, breakfast was included, free parking and there was a nice but tiny pizza joint about a 5 minute drive away. I'd absolutely stay there again for that price

The next morning we went to a trampoline place about 5mins away from the B&B to pass time before heading to the campsite (we were heading to Sarlat). We also called in to the largest Decathlon I've ever been in right beside the trampolining place!

chases0102

Brilliant, thanks for that recommendation- can you recall the name by any chance?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121757216#Comment_121757216

kindalen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121759116#Comment_121759116

Probaly this chain hotel?

https://www.hotel-bb.com/en/hotel/bordeaux-merignac-aeroport

yiddo59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121756654#Comment_121756654

Dont know anything about my48 but have used Gomo all over Europe and have had no issues at all.

munchkin_utd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121756649#Comment_121756649

apple maps is also downloadable but my current roadtrip favourite is the TomTom app where you download regions in advance as you would do with a real satnav.

The best feature for roadtrips is that it has a sidebar with nr of km to the next petrol station/ rest stop (i,e, toilet) and on a trip thats just a godsend. It costs a tenner for a few months which is barely the price of a few km of tolls, and a tiny amount compared to the overall cost of a family holiday.

Feidhlim

Has anyone stayed at Pomport Beach? Anything of note, recommedations, quality of site?

I'm booked in already, but just curious!