Caravaning in France

[gs1]

Hello everyone,

My wife and I are considering a holiday to France but don't Know the best way about it.

We would like to book via an agent, who would be able to provide the complete package, of course price is an issue. We have looked at several sites and tried to price up the holiday but find that the cost out ways the effort in towing the caravan to france. By this I mean that it would work out that we could hire a static for around the same price. We haven't been caravaning long and yet to learn the best options available and we would be very greatful for any advise or link to an agent who could provide a resonable package.

Kind Regards,

gs

 

[GillC1]

gs

We travelled to france for the first time two years ago, we booked everything seperately, we booked our ferry direct with p&o. Then we chose a caravan site before booking this we did some research on the net, looking at reviews etc. Then booked insurance with red pennant. The whole package came to

 

[gs1]

Thanks for your reply,

We wanted to sail from plymouth to st malo & the crossing alone was around

 

[ValA.]

If you're members of the Caravan Club then their Travel Service can book you a complete package, at a very competitive cost. Their ferry prices can be way less than that quoted by competitors. The best time to book seems to be November/December when there are lots of special offers (such as Caravans go Free). However, the cost does depend upon the timing of your holiday. If you're taking children, and going during the school holidays, then like everything else the price goes up accordingly. Alan Rogers, too, can book a package, as can Select Sites at Abergavenny.

The one snag these days is that the western Channel crossings have become very expensive. If you live in the west country then it's obviously the best option, but there's no doubt that the Dover/Calais or Dover/Dunkerque routes are the cheapest. In May we had a return crossing for car/caravan/two people for just

 

[ValA.]

I've just done a trial quote for you, using the Caravan Club website, going on 14 August this year, and returning two weeks later, Portsmouth to St Malo, cabin on the outward route, including 14 Camping Cheques (just to get the system to quote) and the inclusive cost, ferry and 14 cheques at

 

[GillC1]

Thanks for your reply,

We wanted to sail from plymouth to st malo & the crossing alone was around

 

[AndyR]

A great way to save money is to shop at Tesco, and get a P&O crossing and pay for it with Tesco Clubcard deals. Our

 

[ThePlotter]

Over the years we have used the CC and Select Sites and found them both cheaper and less hassle than booking direct but mote importantly if you have a problem then Select Sites have been brilliant and that is very good for peace of mind when in a strange country many miles from home.

My holiday that was booked for this year was Portsmouth-Caen (both ways)+ 17nights with full travel insurance for us ,car and van with repatriation cover,less than

 

[RayS]

Unless you have to go in school holiday times, there is generally no need to pre-book french campsites. French holidays are July and August. We're just back from 5 weeks touring and have been before many times, but I still use the way i'm recommending to you. join the Caravan Club and get their Red Pennant assistance insurance package - absolutely first class and will take all the worry out. Use their website for ferry booking - the tunnel is cheap overnight and very very easy (much more so than the boats). Get the CC Camping Europe Volume 1 guide book which contains site information form other members and lots of really good advice on money, driving rules etc.

Get the Michelin road atlas - big scale, so you can see where the sites are in advance; better yet, do some pre-selection at home and put the site post code into the viamichelin.com website and print yourself off a map (or put it on your satnav, but this may not know about narrow roads.

Take at least two credit cards - chip and pin seems to work in france except at automatic petrol pumps.

If you have not towed there before, the autoroutes are very easy but a bit expensive in places, as is fuel at motorway services; the cheapest places are supermarkets. Note roads are being re-numbered, so what shows on the map as a "red" RN may now be a "yellow" D - usually with the old RN number prefixed by 9.

All the info you need on electrics etc. is in the CC book.

Although I can see the temptation I would think twice about an organised tour. Part of the joy is "go as you please" and if you don't get too ambitious it is easy and relaxing.

The usual procedure on site is to hand in your Camping Card (which comes as part of the insurance) on arrival and then pay up the night before you want to go. Many small site only take cash. Our average site fee per night this trip has been around 10 euro including EHU.

Hope this helps, we really enjoy touring rural France and hope you will feel the same once you've tried it.

 

[Anthony_5105557]

Hi Gs, we are going to France on 22 July we are having 12 nights for 2 adults and 2 children with ferry (P&O Dover to Calais) and site booked throught the caravan club it has cost us

 

[Paul_374308620]

I am not a member of the CC. But reading this i think I shoud be. We are going to France 19 July and it cost about

 

[ValA.]

It's definitely worth joining the Caravan Club if you're intending to go abroad. You'll save far more than the

 

[David56Bretagne]

Re ferry fares, when planning your trip (to France) try to avoid the "week end" tariffs, and especially on BF web site look very carefully, special deals are not always flagged very well, and they are not so likely to be mentioned if you make your booking by phone. Also worth checking out LD lines Portsmouth / Le Havre , never used it myself but understand the resto is not up to much ,(take your own picnic), and the general calibre of accommodation may not be up to BF standards, but the tariff should make you smile though.

David56 Bretagne

 

[Rioja]

When I booked my ferry (albeit from Hull to Zeebruge) via the CC it was cheaper at the weekend, probably as there is no freight traffic.

 

[MikeP]

We used to use C & CC Carefree service, but the last couple of years we've done it all ourselves. Since the internet appeared and became so widely adopted it seems to have removed the need for Carefree - at least for us. It also gives us access to sites that are not in the club brochures.