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

Thanks all. Handy to know the experience is varied but a good idea to have a word at the kiosk.

Will report back on île De Ré and any questions just ask. First time getting a mobile home as we camped in a tent (before baba) the previous time. We stayed in Flower Camping Bel Air (beside La Flotte) that time and the place was basic but comfortable and well located with nice service. Very short walk to the village and had bike rental for the beach which is all you really want in Île De Ré.

I think it's the same on the Cork/Roscoff route. I've priority disembarkation, and we've been told to arrive earlier than usual. If we dont, there's no guarantee that we get our priority disembarkation

Personally, I wouldn't bother bringing a 5yo and a 3yo to see the Tapestry. They won't appreciate it and they certainly won't remember it so go another time when they're older.

Book somewhere to stay in Caen instead, try to get there early afternoon and view the castle. Have a nice dinner there that evening and spend a short while in the markets on the Sunday morning and then head to Cherbourg for the ferry.

Keys and Co in Caen was where we had breakfast last year and I'd highly recommend it

Alligator Bay is actually really good. Kids will have a ball at it. We did it least year and we all enjoyed it - kids were 12 and 9.

A few years ago, we stayed in a Novotel in Caen which was grand. Last year we stayed in a house rental in a place called Ponterson (I think) near Mont St Michel.

Anyone who has been to Pin Parasol, how are the roads in the campsite? We are going to be staying in the nature and sensations area and thought it might be a good idea to bring the kids scooters for getting between the 2 sites. Are the roads smooth or are they gravel and scooters would be a bad choice?? Thanks 👍

Heading to La Sirene tomorrow, been looking forward to going back since last year. Highly recommended if anyone is looking for a site in the south.

On retrospect, the paths in Nature and Sens would definitely be more rough than smooth. Hard to know if they'd be worth bringing. Others might be able to advise better?

While the campsite roads are scootable, I would say only for short times due to the vibrations. We will bring 1 scooter for our 5 year old who cant scoot this year to Pin Parasol, but we will get bike for the 2 older.

If your up in the new part, its a spin down to the shop in the morning for bread or to the old pool area, so I think you do need something more than walking with kids and even to run down for bread in morning for an adult on a bike is a nice spin.

If you dont know there is a "shuttle bus" between the old and new parts of campsite. Its an enlarge golf buggy. Thats handy for transfer between locations, but not sure of months of operation. And scooters and bikes are probably handier in ways. You can park you bike/scooter right outside shop or pool entrance,

i just add car assistance to our vhi multi trip every year.

Worth reading the fine print with the VHI one, it didn’t cover much last time I looked at it. AA version was far more comprehensive.

I actually got the AA a number of years ago. Absolute nightmare. On the west coast of France. Which is why I recommend an add on. AA contacted a regular tow truck to sort us, I presume franchised out, and we were hit with extras on the holiday which we had to pay there and then and recoup with great hassle when we got home. Cheap as chips the service we got anyway.