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

Can't wait to get back to France. It will have been 3 years by the time we get there. Heading back to the Vendée again - Le Pin Parasol this year.

Have done Les Ecureils and Sol a GoGo before. Sol a GoGo being our favourite - can't recommend it enough for younger kids.

Looking at doing a day to Puy du Fou this year. Anyone have any tips?

Has anyone ever taken surfing lessons at Labenne and any recommendations for a surf school?

We're staying a week at Yelloh Sylvamar and want to book our daughter (13) into surf school.

Thanks for bringing up the discussion about disembarkation times. It's timely as I was wondering what they are generally like for Brittany Ferries' Pont Aven on arrival into Roscoff. We're scheduled to arrive in for 7am and I have a long drive ahead. Is it generally quick to empty out?

We went over Easter. Ferry was due in 11, actual 11.15 ish. We cleared customs/immigration at 12.32. Most of delay was on the ship. I have to say we were pleased.....we have been stuck longer!

Eating on the WBY is not good. The fancy restaurant is 60 a head. Food was good the last time we tried it but 3 lunches in France are more enjoyable. Boylans is about 15 for a main and its cafeteria food.

Breakfast in the fancy is actually very good (20euro)and good value compared to Boylans.....juice/coffee and a full irish or eggs benedict .....refills of juice and coffee make the difference. Boylans is per item/cup/glass. The big breakfast means you can hit the road and a small top up in a motorway caf.

We are 3 adults.

Depends on your objective really, Jack0125. The motorway (N137) between Rennes and Nantes is very good at 1 hour and 5 mins between the two at 105km distance. The alternative is the D-roads, but these can be slow, especially if there is agricultural traffic on them.

If you're landing in Roscoff at 7am on a Sunday (as will I) you could take the Western road via Pontivy and Vannes which crosses the "Parc naturel régional d'Armorique". You can then cross the Loire at St Nazaire or go in-land to Nantes and join up with the route to Challans, etc. It's working out at a easy enough 5h50 for that route. If you are planning that route in Google Maps, just click "Avoid Highways" between Roscoff and Sol a Gogo. Frankly, you have more than enough time as most campsites only allow arrivals after 4pm.

I can recommend Saint Nazaire as a stop-off, there is a massive WWII submarine pen in the docks area and it's worth experiencing that just to marvel at the scale of it all.

For me as an adult, I'd much prefer to drive off-motorway in France and see the local regions and rubber neck the nuances. However when we need to cover distance, the motorways are a no-brainer. I suspect with 3 kids under 8, they're not going to be oohing and aahing French villages. Especially on a Sunday.

The submarine is fantastic, but awkward if you have very small children and they may not like the cramped, smell environs. Machine Des L'iles was excellent and with more space at your disposal, it's not as restrictive for little 'uns.

Worth noting that even if you arrive earlier than the check-in time the campsite will likely allow you access to the facilities (pool, playground, bar etc). You just won't be able to access your mobile home.

Hanging out at the pool probably more preferable to a longer drive with young kids.

Just pack the pool stuff into a separate bag that's easily accessible in the boot.

@Jack0125

We've done Sol A GoGo on our 2 most recent visits to France. It's a brilliant campsite especially for younger kids.

I see some other posts about disembarking in Roscoff at 7am - generally it's quick enough. One year we were last off the boat and it took ages - someone has to be. I think it may have been down to over enthusiastic French immigration checks though.

We normally hit the motorway to Rennes on to Nantes and then on to St Hilaire de Riez. We bring a few snacks to have in the car because there's no time for breakfast when the alarm goes off at 6:30. We normally stop in McDonalds in Rennes which ordinarily is a bit earlier than we'd like but everyone's happy. We head straight then. All going well, the kids will be in the pool by 3pm!

On the way back up we normally take scenic route. Found it difficult to kill a few hours in Roscoff with small kids so we plan our arrival to tie in with the ferry time - we stop for lunch in Carnac or Trinite Sur Mer and the head cross country through Brittany, which is a lovely drive.

Edit: subsequently saw you're on the mid week sailing. My experience is on Sunday arrivals so traffic could be very different on motorways at that time.

The one thing I really wish I knew for my first trip to JdM/SGCdV was the fact that the little SuperU in des Mouettes opens on Sundays. We raced into a supermarket in Nantes to get essential supplies thinking there would nowhere open.

I think it's open all day. You're right though, it's not that small!

It's a good warning though, many - if not most - French supermarkets don't open on a Sunday and arriving down on a Saturday evening, too jaded from the long drive to see a shop, leads to very hungry Sundays. It used to be worse, petrol stations often only opened on Sunday mornings, well after an Irish lie-in! Now a lot of them are automated. Google Maps really is a godsend in that respect.

I sent them a message on the web chat and they said "we can only insure UK registered vehicles". Irish ferries used to have it as an add on, but don't seem to do it anymore. Allianz don't do it anymore.

www.theaa.ie is quoting me 129 for a little over 2 weeks. I'm leaning towards it in case something happened wth kids and you need to get the car home.

Grand Metairie in Carnac is the same - great 4G in the town, just outside where the campsite is located is a total dead spot. It's almost like they're blocking the signal to get people to buy their WiFi service... 🤨

Does anyone have recent experience of travelling with a cat on the WB? In 2019, our last time on the ship, the cat kennel was very makeshift as they’d realised it’s location was too close to the dogs area & they’d moved it temporarily into a staff only corridor. It was fine as our cat was the only one travelling that trip but obviously not ideal. I understand it’s now located on deck 4 so I’m wondering what it’s like now.

It was available last year.

Yes. Seen at Easter back of the "pizza" lounge (Lafayette?)

Hard to know what the rules will be in July. France took Covid restrictions pretty seriously so I'd be inclined to think there'll be no change.

VHI Multitrip with breakdown is €189 for 2 adults and 1 child aged under 20. (The holiday insurance is 114 with 75e for breakdown) . Considering we need holiday insurance the 75e for breakdown isn't too bad.