Brittany

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Jan 3, 2012
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Don't overlook what I said - "CLs run by Brits." There is a book - albeit in French - called Camping a la Ferme which will tell you a lot about the French idea of CLs, whereas anything run by a Brit will be very similar to what we have over here. At least you can be sure of a correctly wired blue socket.
For clarification on that last comment, 2-pin Schuko is wired radially from the power box not in a ring as we have here, and each outlet has its own fuse or MCB. Since anything short of major white goods (which are often three-phase) in the EU is double-insulated with a double pole switch it makes no difference which way round the outlet is wired. Having become used to this electricians just put L & N wires into the relevant holes without looking at the socket to see the embossed L or N. Hence I have stayed on a site (just inland of Boulogne when en route ferry at Calais or Dunkirk) where there were three 2-pin sockets in a line on a board; the two outer were correctly wired (French plugs also have an earth pin so only fit one way) but the middle was reversed. If your caravan has 13A sockets with a double pole switch it isn't a problem, but if it is single pole or unswitched you could have something live when you though it was off under fault conditions. A good idea (which may be disputed) is to take a blue plug and socket with about a metre of cable between and with the live and neutral reversed AT ONE END ONLY. You should also carry a mains tester plug. (Having a metre of cable means you can put the link plug/socket under the van to keep it dry.)
I would also advise that for a first trip don't overdo it. The north coast of France and round the corner as far as Le Havre and Honfleur is very attractive. If you are not a 'coaster' the area around Rouen and SE along the Seine towards Paris has much to offer (such as Monet's Garden at Giverny,) and if you go a little SW of Rouen there are some nice towns (Brionne and Bernay) and you can easily get to Honfleur, arguably one of the most beautiful towns in France. Inland another place worth visiting is Bourges which is very close to the geographical centre of France. Finally I would recommend Alsace, particularly Southern Alsace. There is a small town called Obernai (if any of you know Yorkshire it is like a very old Otley) has an excellent municipal site only 10 mins or so walk from the town centre. You can easily get to such as Colmar, Riquwihr, and Ribeauville all of which are on the Alsace Wine Route, and you can get across into Germany to visit Offenburg and Freiburg and a bit of the Black Forest. Strasbourg is interesting. They have fantastic whole-village Vide Grenier (a bit like a Sunday market/combined street market) all day on Sundays which are always worth a visit.
Belgium is interesting if a bit dull. Ghent is a good base as a starter. In NL Utrecht is also a good base. (Visit Dordrecht - beautiful and near the UNESCO windmills.) I have covered Germany I think.

Good luck.
Woodentop Thanks for all of this information very interesting .
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Have never been to France or Germany but would be interested to read about others travel experiences and compare their campsites facilities with what we have here in UK.
It’s not an easy comparison as just like here you can have good or bad sites. You need to do your research or book via an organisation that dies some of the leg work. Ie the two clubs or Alan Rogers, Eurocamp Independent etc. French municipal sites are cheap but can be quite basic but good for stopovers. But what we like about the French and German sites we have used are the swimming pools, on site bar/restaurant etc. But pitch sizes can be smaller.

The CMHC do very good handbooks for European touring. Gives lots of sites, lots of useful technical information and most importantly the various country laws. Well worth buying even if you book independently.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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With it been my first Trip to France I would go with CMHC because they know there way to most sites and the roads .and how everything goes over there ,
 
Jul 18, 2017
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With it been my first Trip to France I would go with CMHC because they know there way to most sites and the roads .and how everything goes over there ,
They are very over priced for what you get and we would not even consider using them. We joined ACSI read many reviews and decided on sites and have never been let down. Instead of paying £30 a more a night the most we paid for a fully serviced pitch with dogs was £22.50 a night and almost right on the beach near La Rochelle.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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I would not feel comfortable on my first trip to France on my own , safety in numbers with the CMHC and the next trip try it solo
Hmm. Safety in numbers probably not the best idea at this time. We did our first booking of ferry, sites etc on our own all before we left the UK and managed okay. Most sites seem to have someone in reception that can speak English o no issue. We prefer to do our own thing rather than be led by an organisation.

When are you planning to go abroad and which countries or areas do you plan to visit as I am sure many of us can offer recommendations for sites?
 
Nov 16, 2015
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I would not feel comfortable on my first trip to France on my own , safety in numbers with the CMHC and the next trip try it solo
We never went with the club suggested sites, always just random. Except around the Anaccey area, which is very popular. There are so many sites during the French season, get to the next site just after lunch time and nearly every time you will get a pitch. If not just move on, to your next choice.
 
May 10, 2020
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Hmm. Safety in numbers probably not the best idea at this time. We did our first booking of ferry, sites etc on our own all before we left the UK and managed okay. Most sites seem to have someone in reception that can speak English o no issue. We prefer to do our own thing rather than be led by an organisation.

When are you planning to go abroad and which countries or areas do you plan to visit as I am sure many of us can offer recommendations for sites?
I much prefer caravaning in Brittany then the UK. Great roads, little traffic and excellent sites. Always found the locals very friendly and helpful. Not at all like Paris. We stay at a family run site some two hours from Roscoff right on the beach. Goggle Pors Peron. Relaxing holiday.
R
 
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Jan 3, 2012
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Actually that the place we want to go is Brittany and explore it more we have been to see the Eiffel Tower (my wife been right up to the top) on the Champs de Mars in Paris France
 
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Nov 11, 2009
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Hmm. Safety in numbers probably not the best idea at this time. We did our first booking of ferry, sites etc on our own all before we left the UK and managed okay. Most sites seem to have someone in reception that can speak English o no issue. We prefer to do our own thing rather than be led by an organisation.

When are you planning to go abroad and which countries or areas do you plan to visit as I am sure many of us can offer recommendations for sites?

Neither of the Clubs lead you unless you go on an organised tour/rally. You select your sites and then book via the clubs travel service. You can opt for the clubs’ insurance or recovery or select your own. So what’s different?
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Neither of the Clubs lead you unless you go on an organised tour/rally. You select your sites and then book via the clubs travel service. You can opt for the clubs’ insurance or recovery or select your own. So what’s different?
I was referring to the organised trips. We have only once booked the ferry through CAMC and the once was more than enough. It was for our first trip to the continent.
They totally messed up our booking and we were only able to get our cabin at about 10.30 that evening for the St Malo crossing.
We joined then Brittany Voyager for discounted trips and ACSI for discounted caravan sites. Easy to book and even change bookings at no extra cost and overall ferry price cheaper than CAMC even taken into account the subscription fee to Brittany ferries. Worked for us as the CAMC organised trips worked out to be very expensive for us to use. :D
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I was referring to the organised trips. We have only once booked the ferry through CAMC and the once was more than enough. It was for our first trip to the continent.
They totally messed up our booking and we were only able to get our cabin at about 10.30 that evening for the St Malo crossing.
We joined then Brittany Voyager for discounted trips and ACSI for discounted caravan sites. Easy to book and even change bookings at no extra cost and overall ferry price cheaper than CAMC even taken into account the subscription fee to Brittany ferries. Worked for us as the CAMC organised trips worked out to be very expensive for us to use. :D
We have used both clubs services for booking our overseas trips and never had the slightest problem at all You must be unlucky.
In June 2018 we were due to go the France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. Sites had been booked using both clubs and some independent ones too. Ferry’s and insurance was via CMHC. Three days before departure my father became ill and was hospitalised. The departure had to be cancelled and the clubs both offered to arrange rebooking. But it wasn’t to be.
So they arranged all of the various refunds except one site where we were within the 7 day window. I even received a full refund on the CMHC travel and breakdown insurance. It’s when things go wrong that you appreciate the support from the clubs.

Individuals have to make their own decisions on what’s best for them.
 
Jun 16, 2020
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We have used the train for years now. (Tesco). But for many years we used the CMHC booking service. Always went smoothly. But the best discount is achieved when booking 5 (I think) site nights at the same time.

We had a great deal one year, Just for the cost of a cup of coffee each. We had access to the private lounge, free coffee and biscuits included. The ferry was crowded with no seats spare. But we had our very own. That was a CMHC bargin.



John
 
Jan 3, 2012
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We have used the train for years now. (Tesco). But for many years we used the CMHC booking service. Always went smoothly. But the best discount is achieved when booking 5 (I think) site nights at the same time.

We had a great deal one year, Just for the cost of a cup of coffee each. We had access to the private lounge, free coffee and biscuits included. The ferry was crowded with no seats spare. But we had our very own. That was a CMHC bargin.



John
Impressed, you must know your way round all he ways to gain value for money.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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We have used the train for years now. (Tesco). But for many years we used the CMHC booking service. Always went smoothly. But the best discount is achieved when booking 5 (I think) site nights at the same time.

We had a great deal one year, Just for the cost of a cup of coffee each. We had access to the private lounge, free coffee and biscuits included. The ferry was crowded with no seats spare. But we had our very own. That was a CMHC bargin.



John
Yes the deals for the VIP lounge on the Dover to Dunkirk route were really good and made for a relaxing start to the holiday.
 
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Nov 16, 2015
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Like John and OC we always booked the lounge for our crossings, we would normally have a Dover Dunkirk as it was the cheapest, and always booked direct. An 04.30 crossing 2 hours of drowsing sleep, drive for two hours then sleep in an Aire, for two hours and up and away again. Done that for almost 6 years every 12 weeks for a month at a time. Then on the way home stop in Montreuil sur Mer for a few days to get the dogs wormed.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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Like John and OC we always booked the lounge for our crossings, we would normally have a Dover Dunkirk as it was the cheapest, and always booked direct. An 04.30 crossing 2 hours of drowsing sleep, drive for two hours then sleep in an Aire, for two hours and up and away again. Done that for almost 6 years every 12 weeks for a month at a time. Then on the way home stop in Montreuil sur Mer for a few days to get the dogs wormed.
if we go to Brittany in 2022 it might have to be the quickest route getting there and park my car near a lift and a overnight cabin ,or lounge is better .on the ferry
 
Jul 18, 2017
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if we go to Brittany in 2022 it might have to be the quickest route getting there and park my car near a lift and a overnight cabin ,or lounge is better .on the ferry
Does not work that way. You need to contact Brittany ferries and inform them that you have mobility issues. You are then allocated a place in the queue and have to switch on your hazard lights as boarding. They then site you as near as possible to the lift. Sometimes we have been in the second row, but in line with a lift.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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Does not work that way. You need to contact Brittany ferries and inform them that you have mobility issues. You are then allocated a place in the queue and have to switch on your hazard lights as boarding. They then site you as near as possible to the lift. Sometimes we have been in the second row, but in line with a lift.
i have been on a ferry when we went to isle of wight showed them my blue badge and they put me right at the lift then it easy access with my wheelchair but i think things have changed since then thanks for the advice Buckman i appreciate all the information and made a note of it (y)
 

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