August in France

[lulubelle]

I am thinking of touring in France from 19th Aug to Approx mid Sept. We have had no difficulty find a pitch in Sept, but wonder how difficult it might be to go "on spec" in Aug. We would be using "Camping Cheques" and Acsi as well as the CC Caravan Europe site book. The idea is to follow the sun so the idea of booking sites is not very appealing. Your feedback would be very much appreciated.

thank you
lulubelle

 

[emmerson]

From experience, August in France should be avoided whenever possible. As for winging it for sites, that is a big no-no.
All of France seems to take its holidays in August, and of course it's British scholl holidays too, so I certainly wouldn't risk it again.

 

[ValA.]

Our experience is completely different to Emmerson's. We have ALWAYS holidayed during the last two weeks in August, and in around twenty years of caravannng have never not found a pitch in the areas we want to be. However, we choose inland sites, usually part of the ACSI Card scheme (www.campingcard.co.uk) or Camping Cheques (www.campingcheque.co.uk) and for overnight stays use municipal sites. We don't try to find pitches on busy beachside sites in the Vendee, the Riviera, or around attractions such as Disneyland Paris, we're happy with our riverside sites in the Ceze, the quieter parts of the Dordogne, the Massif Central, an even (certainly after the end of the third week in August) along the Languedoc coast. We have paid as little as 10 euros per night in the last two weeks in August!
If it's in the ACSI or Camping Cheques book, and offers dates from the middle of August, then you shouldn't have a problem - BUT if you're heading for the only ACSI or Camping Cheque site in a 100 mile radius, then ring up as you travel, to make sure they have pitches available!

 

[JoannaLesley]

Like Val, we have never had a problem and we also stay inland. However, we have only ever gone "on spec" for short stays on any one site at this time of year. I suggest that if you want to spend, say, a week or 10 days in the same place in August, then it might be wise to ring ahead to check. By late August there shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Outside of August, we have never booked ahead.
Jo

 

[lulubelle]

Thank you for replying to my query. This will be our first time in France at this time of year and your answers are more or less as I expected. We are of an age where the pull of the beach and theme parks are not our scene so we will be staying inland. As suspected staying for a week during mid part of August may throw up some problems I think we will stick to our normal routine of staying as long as possible if the sight is acceptable and available ,if not we shall up sticks and move on. As Val as stated we can always use the phone to establish if a site is available. Thank you once again for your input

Lulubelle

 

[lulubelle]

Thank you for replying to my query. This will be our first time in France at this time of year and your answers are more or less as I expected. We are of an age where the pull of the beach and theme parks are not our scene so we will be staying inland. As suspected staying for a week during mid part of August may throw up some problems I think we will stick to our normal routine of staying as long as possible if the sight is acceptable and available ,if not we shall up sticks and move on. As Val as stated we can always use the phone to establish if a site is available. Thank you once again for your input

Lulubelle

 

[emmerson]

Ah but Val and Joanne will always get pitches when I can't. They're better looking than me!

I do agree though, that inland will be better. We only tried August once, then reverted to April/May/June.

 

[PaulRT]

Hi Lulubelle,
We have been touring in France between mid-August and mid-September for quite a few years now. Our expereince is that the peak holiday period for the French tends now to be the period between the two 'jours de fete' of 14 July and 15 August and that sites start to empty out between 16 August and the end of the month. We have never had any problems getting on to sites anywhere away from the peak seaside areas, which we leave until September. However, we do take the usual precaution of planning to arrive at our selected site by mid-afternoon so we can always move on if it is overcrowded or unsuitable, but this had happened only very rarely.
Do check traffic forecasts before using any of the radial routes to/from Paris at weekends in the latter part of August.
Bonnes Vacances
Cheers
Paul R T