Camping Cheques

[stewartAyling]

Hello all.
I am looking to go to Britanny at Easter and trying to understand how camping cheques work. Firstly when i contact a site about availability do i have to use the camping cheque web site to book it or can i go direct to a site and tell them i want to book it using camping cheques. Secondly i think i understand that the camping cheque covers 1 pitch and 2 people for 1 night, does it cover EHU and when it comes to my daughter do i have to pay the site directly for her stay.Is there any date limitations when camping cheques can be used Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[LesleyP]

First, if you book your ferry through camping cheques you will get 3 cheques in with the price. Also try Caravan Club and ask for the sailings where caravans go free. The actual cost of the sailing comes out slightly cheaper than Camping Cheques but to get that price you have to purchase a minimum of 7 cheques. Check on the Camping Cheques website which sites are open for Easter and, as a matter of courtesy, perhaps email and let them know you will be going. However, most sites will be pretty empty at that time so you can just turn up. The beuty of it is that if you do not like that site you can just move on to another. Go to the site's website direct to check their tarifs so you can see what you will have to pay in addition for your daughter per night. EHU to 6 amp is included. If you wish to increase your ampage (it is sometimes offered) you can do so at an additional charge. We go with camping cheques every Easter but stay in Normandy. The reason being is that the site we stay on has a heated covered pool. A lot of open pools are not in use until May / June.

 

[stewartAyling]

Hello Lesley
Thanks for the info. Just a bit slow on the up take but the 7 cheques you have to purchase is that from the caravan club or from camping cheques when i book the ferry. Also probably having 2 kids with us at Easter can you tell me which site you use just to have a look at.

 

[DianneT]

Stewart, Had you thought of having the ACSI Card instead of Camping Cheques, which we find much better. You do not have to pay out for anything ahead only the Card and Book £11.99p from www.vicarious-shop.com/home Sites are 11, 13 or 15 euro's per pitch, 2 adults, electric, caravan and car and some are including young children in the price this year. depending on the time of year you are going you will not need to book ahead and you will have 2,109 campsites to choose from this year, 1500 more than Camping Cheques. We have only used CC once and never again.

 

[DavidKlyne]

Hello Lesley
Thanks for the info. Just a bit slow on the up take but the 7 cheques you have to purchase is that from the caravan club or from camping cheques when i book the ferry. Also probably having 2 kids with us at Easter can you tell me which site you use just to have a look at.

You can only buy Camping Cheques from the Caravan Club if you also book the crossing with them. If you buy the Cheques direct from Camping Cheques on their own I understand that there is a 7 cheque minimum purchase. If you are interested in particular campsites just Google them as they should bring up the campsite website as well as various reviews.

David

 

[ValA.]

Hello all.
I am looking to go to Britanny at Easter and trying to understand how camping cheques work. Firstly when i contact a site about availability do i have to use the camping cheque web site to book it or can i go direct to a site and tell them i want to book it using camping cheques. Secondly i think i understand that the camping cheque covers 1 pitch and 2 people for 1 night, does it cover EHU and when it comes to my daughter do i have to pay the site directly for her stay.Is there any date limitations when camping cheques can be used Thanks in advance for your advice.

Hi Stewart
I presume you have looked at the Camping Cheque website (http://www.campingcheque.co.uk) - you'll find a lot of information there. Each campsite in the scheme sets out dates when it will accept Camping Cheques, and those are posted on the information page about each site. Click on the interactive map and 16 sites are shown in Brittany. Double click on the map and you will see individual push-pins. Click on each one of these and it will take you to a pop-up where you can then link to an information page about the site. The dates when Camping Cheques will be accepted are right at the top of the page.
You REALLY REALLY don't need to book - especially at Easter. Sites will always have free pitches. It's not at all like this country where bank holiday weekends are booked up months in advance. You just turn up at the site, let them know you'll be paying with Camping Cheques, and then pay with the required number when you leave the site. Supplements will be charged for children, on top of the Camping Cheque, and you pay these directly to the site.
Le Cormoran, mentioned by Lesley in the post below, is a Camping Cheque site, which takes them at Easter.
We've been using Camping Cheques for fourteen years, and never had a problem or a bad site, but recently we've also started to use the ACSI card which DianneT mentions, above. This gives us an additional choice of sites - again you don't need to book, and pay at the end of your stay, but again you must let them know when you arrive that you'll be using an ACSI Card.

 

[LesleyP]

Hi Stewart,

The min 7 camping cheques are purchased from the Caravan Club when you book a sailing with them. If you were to have a price for sailing only it would work out a lot more than if you combine it with either 7 cheques or 7 nights on a site. This gives you their special ITX fare. Every Easter we go to Le Cormoran which is near St Mere Eglise / Utah Beach. There is a road between the site and the beach. The site is ideal for children as there are various play areas to suit all ages, trampoline, bouncy castles (free of charge), go-karts for a couple of euros, goats to feed, tennis and a lot more. In 2009 they covered one of their pools which makes it ideal when the weather is cooler. We have had some lovely weather at Easter time in fact some better than Whitsun and August. The pitches are large and grassy. You will have a good choice of pitches as the site will be quite empty at Easter unlike home where you are packed like lemins and pay high season rates. Sometimes we have found, if we go on the Dover / Calais sailing, we can have a cheaper holiday in France than at home.

 

[Willi-Wonti]

Buying "Camping cheques" from this country is not fair.
The difference in price between paying in Euros and Pounds does not reflect the difference in the current rate of exchange.
Last year I bought my cheques for my silver card on the French web site, paid in Euros and got an exchange rate of 1.20 euros to the pound.
This is the same as going to a French camp site and topping up.

 

[TD42]

another choice is vacancsoleil cheques At £9 per night inc EHU http://www.vacansoleil.co.uk/soleil-cheques/

 

[blacko]

I am also thinking of using cc for the first time and am looking at using them on a site in the Poitou Charentene on 21/8/11, on the web it says this is the first day that they will take them. Would i need to book this site before travelling or can i just turn up? also if i book how would i make a payment as, if i book online they usually want a deposit and payment 2 weeks before arrival?

 

[LesleyP]

Blacko - I would definitely book for that time of year. We went to the Champagne region at a similar time last year using camping cheques and the site was full. We had booked via email to the site direct and they did not require a deposit.

 

[ValA.]

I know people who've paid any 'deposit' by sending the appropriate number of Camping Cheques. I don't think you would normally need to book, but on the first day of the season perhaps it's a bit risky not to.

 

[Suzac]

Blacko - If the site you are considering is the Bois Soleil Site at St Georges De Didonne then I would definately book as this is a very popular site and you might finish up having to settle for a "pokey" pitch otherwise which might spoil your holiday.It is in a good situation right on the beach and within walking distance of the town.They will probably ask you for a deposit of two Camping Cheques in advance as they have had problems with no-shows but these are knocked off your total bill.

 

[blacko]

was originally thinking of going to Bois Soleil but am now looking at l Ocree du bois because of the CC coming into effect on 21/8, been able to extend our holiday so going to start in the Dordogne and move up to the coast

 

[LesleyP]

I would stick with your original choice of Bois Soliel and pay cash until oit takes camping cheques. We called at Loree du Bois intending to stay for a week and left after one night. Had trouble finding a pitch without dog mess on and that was in low season! Also everyone will have the same idea as you i.e. to go to the site where c are taken earlier. You may have a better choice of pitch at Bois Soliel and it may not be full.

 

[Suzac]

If by any chance you do settle for Bois Soleil have a look on their website as they have an Interactive Plan of the site wherby you can click on any plot and up comes a photo of that actual plot. I am fairly familiar with the layout of pitches on the Parc Les Pins section of the site and would avoid pitches 75, 74(tree in middle),60(tree in middle) 61 & 62 72, 71, 49 (too shady) 22(narrow) otherwise most of the pitches are fine. Never been on the Parc La Mer section there are a few tight pitches there but generally the section is more open than Les Pins.

 

[Willi-Wonti]

We intended to stay a week at Bois Soleil in June 3 years ago using CCs
When we arrived they were fully booked up but they told us it changed every day, & that we should try them every day for spaces.
We stayed just down the road on a nightly basis for two nights waiting for a space.
So to be certain of getting a pitch I feel that you should book in advance