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

Back from France at last… Just to note for anyone looking Siblu site in le conguel quiberon loverly very nice, great to go late in September as not that busy. Pool was loverly and quite indoor one open only.. The restaurant on site was fairly bad alright so would not bother but town is close.. The other site Pont Aven dont even look at it, such an odd place even the kids did not want to go swimming there just weird…

Will you be hiring a car? I haven't been to that site myself but over the past few years I have been to Lourdes. It's okay for a day trip or if you want to knock it off the bucket list, but in fairness it's pretty morbid and rundown in my opinion. Full of tacky shops selling holy water, rosary beads and nuns and priests garments. Look at it as Knock on 'speed'.

The general areas surrounding Lourdes are actually very scenic and within 45 minutes you could be on the Col de Tourmalet or Luz Ardiden and other famous cols associated with the Tour de France. Or head towards Givarney and see beautiful villages within a stunning national park.

If you are set on flying into Lourdes and are considering hiring a car, I fully recommend using Luz Saint Saveur as a base. Plenty of fine sites within the towns limits and a very international feel to it with all of the different nationalities basing themselves there.

Depending on what time of year you go you could avail of cycling, moto cross , paragliding, hiking etc and in the winter skiing and other winter sports.

Myself and my wife stayed at Camping Airotel de Pyrenees and it has a two pools indoors and outdoor plus a small sauna/steam room and a small shop. Being just ten minutes walk from the main Square there's a large choice of bars, restaurants, boulangeries etc.

Enjoy your holiday.

One of the best camp sites we've been to. Great water slides even if the pool is a few degrees cooler than the west coast. Bathrooms are amazing and more like a hotel than a camp site. And then there are the wild rabbits, that aren't wild at all and are so tame you can even get close enough to rub them. And they're everywhere on the site. Head south to the mountains for some day trips, Pic du midi and another great glacial valley thay had a waterfall at the end of it. Lourdes is worth as few hours some evening if you want.

Thanks for the replies on les 3 valleys, ye have convinced us to book. I emailed them but bookings not open until November.. car hire very reasonable as well. Cheers.

It's part of the yelloh group. I book thru their app when using their parks..

Bit of a general travel question, does anyone know if any ferry companies or campsites accept prepaid debit cards?

I've got the offer of one in work as a tax free gift so thinking it might be useful for booking holidays

In theory it should work, but I think some companies can tell if it's a prepaid card and block it. So want to double check if possible

EDIT: I suppose I should ask if airlines accept them too

Has anyone dont a fly-and-drive trip to France.

Looking at flying into Paris Beauvais, renting a car and finding a camp site or two, around June/July.

Any recommendations for a first-timer with young children?

done it a few times. Best imo is fly to Bordeaux (choice of AL or Ryanair) handy 1-2 hour drive south to the Landes area. Not too hot, less crowded than the Med and beaches are fab.

Are you dead set on Paris? Distance from beach, seaside wouldn’t appeal to me.

I understand Ryanair will no longer be flying in or out of Bordeaux from the end of the month

We've sailed on it a few times, our car has always been inside but there is one deck where there are cars in the open at the front of the boat - can't remember exactly how many but possibly 4 or 5 rows of 3-4 cars, so maybe 20 in total.

We stayed there this year. Really liked it, ticks all of the boxes you mentioned above but it's a nice and relaxed campsite at the same time.

Only caveat is that some of the beaches look amazing but are probably a bit wild for swimming so get advice on which one to go to.

problem with going in August is the campsites are more expensive. UK schools get their holidays around the 20th July and from then on campsites are dearer; First 2 weeks in July defo cheaper

Anyone with Le Littoral experience - we need a three bed mobile. Would you go with the Cottage Colours (32sqm) or the Cottage (36sqm)? There's a €200 price difference & am trying to see if it's worth it for four extra metres…

did you go right up until 30th August? we have to be back by 20th August for secondary schools. First fortnight in August tends to be very dear

yes leaving 29th. We will miss first two or three days of primary but the price difference is so worth it.