Booked for 2011 - First Time Abroad with Caravan

[Adria542Chick]

Hi
"Happy New Year" to you all !!!
Well after alot of research and planning, we have finally booked our holiday to the Southern Vendee in France for August this year. It is the first time we have taken the caravan across to France, so we are really excited. Our itinerary begins with one nights stay at CC Black Horse Farm and then we will get the Norfolkline Dover to Calais ferry. As we have an early morning crossing we have decided to do most of the driving on our first day. We are stopping overnight at Camping Haliotis in Pontorson, and then we will do the remainder of the journey down to Camping Les Brunelles in Longeville Sur Mer the following day. Overall we will be in France for 19 days, and we are all really looking forward to our big adventure. Any advice or tips that you could give us would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Sam

 

[DianneT]

We do not visit France but many other countries in the EU but generally get an ACSI Card and get cheap site fees at excellent sites for 11, 13 or 15 euro's a night. For ore info on this look on my website as address in signature below. Good Luck and Happy New Year..

 

[ascsbe]

Hi.

Not 100% sure but dont think you can use the ACSI card in August. I thought like Camping Cheques it was only for use in low season.

Andrew

 

[anotherDavid]

I dont think you will do any better than France for a first trip abroad, I have visited most countries in europe with a caravan and still find France much the easiest place for caravanning, thousands of sites, caravan friendly road system and wonderful food shopping. It seems you have pre booked sites which may be sensible in August but I would still advise taking a good site guide such as the Caravan Club's just in case you find yourself unable to make your night halt or decide to change your itinery once you get there.
Have a good trip
David

 

[DianneT]

Some sites take the ACSI card in the later half of August,

 

[Alimac1]

Hi

re your planned trip, Pontorson is a nice easy drive from Dunkirk/Calais, have done it from both ports, somehere between 5 and 6 hours using autoroutes and taking a couple of short breaks, so will be an easy drive for you, on quiet roads,even if you take a little longer.
The french motorway website, ASFA or viamichelin both give very good route plans, allowing for type of car, towing etc and will provide full breakdown of toll costs and where due, handy for your passenger to have the right money ready! View over the bridge at Le Havre is spectacular! However, it is possible to plan route avoiding toll roads but will take longer but is a nice drive.

Haliotis is a good site but very popular now so will be busy, so hope you have booked your overnight stay. Good restauarnts and supermarket in the town so need to worry about food when you arrive.

regards

Al

 

[RayS]

I'm sure you've done your homework with maps, routes etc. but you may also find it helpful to find the various sites on Google Earth and perhaps print off the immediate locality. Also to look at any complicated junctions en-route. For several years coming south down the west coast of France I have been worried about a particular junction at La Rochelle, where you turn south to get to Rochfort. The signed route involves one 'leaf ' of a cloverleaf junction where you join the road south (signed Bordeaux) with fast traffic coming in from your left to a slip road exit about 100m. further on. Due to road geometry and angle, it is very difficult indeed to get any vision down the near side of the van and it can be (and has been) pretty hairy pulling out. Google earth showed that if you keep left instead of right approaching this junction there is a left trun which goes onto the southbound road further on with an excellent run-in and visibility.
This route, from Fontenay via Marans to La Rochelle and Rochefort avoids Niort or the expesnive autoroute which runs inland around Niort.
You do need to remember that some google Earth images are quite old - up to 8 years - and things may have changed

I guess your route may involve going through or round Rouen. This city is a bogey to some - including me - although seemingly easy for others. I would search previous posting and I would try to avoid Rouen around lunchtime.

 

[Alimac1]

Hi

re route round Rouen, the viamichelin route avoids Rouen completely so need to worry on that point if using toll roads otherwise yes routeplanners circle round Rouen.

Al

 

[Adria542Chick]

Thank you for all of your very valuable comments which I will bear in mind.
You have all been extremely helpful, thank you.
Sam

 

[Carwyn]

I stayed at camping Haliotosis two summers ago, we were happy enough as it was a tidy site - make sure you pop up the five miles up the road to visit Mont St Michel.
Two points to remember about campsites in France which was the biggest surprise for us - they are often tighter in terms of access than what we're used to in this country and toilet blocks are predominantly mixed gender.
Carwyn

 

[jaffasdad]

Another tip worth passing on is that it is often difficult to find somewhere to dispose of 'grey' water, and it sometimes involves lifting the waste container up to a gully or trap. We don't bother with our wastmaster and just use a bucket, often watering the surrounding shrubs provided the water isn't too dirty. Some sites encourage you to do this.
France is a superb country for caravanning - I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

[Merlin53]

Looking at your post, and please don't take this the wrong way, you are going out of your way to stop for one night at Camping Haliotis, especially landing at Dunkirk.
I would advise that you use the Google search engine and start at Dunkirk, finish at Longville sur Mer to see the best route. This facility gives you several options viz, motorways or non toll roads. Beware, the French auto route system can be very expensive when towing a caravan and fuel costs are more expensive on the auto routes than from a supermarket on a non toll road.
We have been going to the vendee for the last 12 years and always use the A16, A28 to Rouen, (not a problem now as the road modifications have all been completed thru Rouen), then pick up the N 438/338 to Le Mans.We stop overnight at Beaumont sur Sarthe, just above Le Mans a lovely municipal site and close to the local Super U, supermarket.
From Le Mans you can easily make Longville in 4 to 5 hours without using the autoroute.

 

[Aberdarian]

Hi everyone,
Perhaps I'm a bit later than some of you early birds but looking for a good site around La Rochelle/Royan arriving second week in July for two weeks.Our criteria is simple, must have a pool for the grand children,Near the sea and within walking distance of village/town.I have looked at a few sites but I feel word of mouth is far better than looking at glossy brochures and web pages. So come on your knowledgeable people what do you suggest....waiting in anticipation.

 

[FionaandJohn]

Hi,
We have been to La tranche sur Mer for the last 2 years. The first year we crossed to Calais and stopped overnight at Beaumont sur Sarthe as did one of the other posts. The second year we had a week in Houlgate first so did not need to stop. Or so we thought until the car broke down. We did an overnight stop on the way back near Rouen at Pont de L'Arche, a few miles sout east of Rouen. Handy for the motorway back to Calais.

Fiona and John