Hi, We are planning to take our caravan over to france this August and would welcome any advice anyone could give us.We don't really know where to start.I've read through some of these threads and have seen that we need special equiptment etc etc but I wonder if any other families could tell of their experience/givehelp? For example, we only have a fortnight to play with, how far can we reasonably get in order to have at least a week on site? Is it really worth going with only a fortnight to spare? Can anyone recommend a good site near the coast? Which ferry company is best? ooh, there so much to ask. Any gems of info would be gratefully appreciated!!! thanks.
First trip to France with small(ish) children, advice please!
- Thread starter Thanielle
- Start date
Hi Sharon,
We travel to France with 3 young children, and have been for 4 years. The best ferry I would say is Dover/Calais it is only 1 and 3/4 hours long and it always seems to be the cheapest to me. We usually stay at Black Horse Farm near Dover for the night before so that the travelling is broken up for the kids then we get a 7 to 8 o clock ferry the next morning. We have travelled all the way down to near Perpignon for the past 2 years but it is a long way down, we have also stayed near Milau 3/4 of a way down which is very nice, but this year we are trying the Loire valley and are looking forward to not that much travelling as we can be there the evening so we are booked on site for 16 nights. The site looks lovely and is called Puy Rond Camping and has English owners who have been very helpful there is a website for them.
We travel to France with 3 young children, and have been for 4 years. The best ferry I would say is Dover/Calais it is only 1 and 3/4 hours long and it always seems to be the cheapest to me. We usually stay at Black Horse Farm near Dover for the night before so that the travelling is broken up for the kids then we get a 7 to 8 o clock ferry the next morning. We have travelled all the way down to near Perpignon for the past 2 years but it is a long way down, we have also stayed near Milau 3/4 of a way down which is very nice, but this year we are trying the Loire valley and are looking forward to not that much travelling as we can be there the evening so we are booked on site for 16 nights. The site looks lovely and is called Puy Rond Camping and has English owners who have been very helpful there is a website for them.
Hi Michael
Out of interest, how long did it take you to get down to Perpignan? (its on the south coast?)Did you stop over on the way there? It seems an AWFUL long way on the map!
I think we will try somewhere like Loire valley too as its not too far, or maybe the coast at about that level. How long should it take you to get there from getting off the ferry?
The furthest weve been was from Livingston in scotland when we were living up there to Lands End - and we stopped-over twice on that journey!!
We are in South wales now so a BIT nearer the south coast and the continent!
thanks, sharon
Out of interest, how long did it take you to get down to Perpignan? (its on the south coast?)Did you stop over on the way there? It seems an AWFUL long way on the map!
I think we will try somewhere like Loire valley too as its not too far, or maybe the coast at about that level. How long should it take you to get there from getting off the ferry?
The furthest weve been was from Livingston in scotland when we were living up there to Lands End - and we stopped-over twice on that journey!!
We are in South wales now so a BIT nearer the south coast and the continent!
thanks, sharon
Hi Sharon,
It depends on your budget but driving from south wales it is probably easier for you to sail from Portsmouth, but this is more expensive than Dover to Calias. We used to drive down from Scotland and take the overnight ferry from Portsmouth which arrives in France around 7 in the morning - all set to drive to our destination. If you want more or less guaranteed sun you need to be south of Nantes - somewhere in the Vendee. Driving from Caen to the Vendee will take you around 6 hours and from St Malo around 3.5 - 4 hours. There are some cracking sites in the Vendee. Have a look at Eurocamp Independent for some ideas - or they can help you book your holiday. We've always found them very helpful and very competitively priced.
Good luck.
It depends on your budget but driving from south wales it is probably easier for you to sail from Portsmouth, but this is more expensive than Dover to Calias. We used to drive down from Scotland and take the overnight ferry from Portsmouth which arrives in France around 7 in the morning - all set to drive to our destination. If you want more or less guaranteed sun you need to be south of Nantes - somewhere in the Vendee. Driving from Caen to the Vendee will take you around 6 hours and from St Malo around 3.5 - 4 hours. There are some cracking sites in the Vendee. Have a look at Eurocamp Independent for some ideas - or they can help you book your holiday. We've always found them very helpful and very competitively priced.
Good luck.
Michael, you should love the loire vally, we staied there last year and the area is so lovely we stayed just north of Tours. It was late August and in the 90s for the whole 2 weeks
Kevin H
Hi Sharon,
It did take a long time with only about 6 stops we travelled from 7am till 11pm we was originally going to stop over night but got delayed due to a breakdown. Let me tell you the video screens for the back of the car were a god send they were worth every penny. We thought about going to the atlantic coast possible Sequoia Parc but have heard quite a few stories of mozzies and as they always get me and the kids I didn't want to take the risk so have gone inland slightly, the beaches are only a hour from the site we have booked which is ok for us and the kids. We especially like the Dover/Calais ferry as it is not to long for the kids as at the end of the day a happy kid is a happy parent (I think you will agree)
Hi Kevin H
Thanks for your views we are staying near Bressuire which is SE of Cholet not sure this may be the Vendee region but I still think it will be nice
I've just stoppped for breakfast at Monopoli down the coast from Bari on the Adriatic. Left UK Saturday and it's been an easy drive. You should generally find driving in France easier than the UK especially if tolls fit into your budget.
With young kids I wouild go via Dover, you can get better ferry deals and it is a short crossing. We did Portsmouth and Southampton crossings when kids were young and gave them up due to some rough crossings July and August. We were OK but travelling with the "results" of a rough crossing we got little sleep and we and friends with young kids found the Dover option better for kids especially as the driving is so easy the other side.
Also in the event of any problems it easy to turn up early or late and P&O or Sea France will put you on a ferry within an hour or so.
If your kids travel well and you have a good tow car, do not worry to much about distance as it's easy to cover 4-500 miles in a day via autoroute with plenty of places to stop and nice cooling open air " water Mist showers" to cool down in on motor way service stops.
We questioned why we wasted time entertaining our eldest in wet summer UK when we could have been on a warm French Beach years earlier! Vendee or Charente Maritime will be good with the kids.
Off to Brindisi now "Bon Route" .
With young kids I wouild go via Dover, you can get better ferry deals and it is a short crossing. We did Portsmouth and Southampton crossings when kids were young and gave them up due to some rough crossings July and August. We were OK but travelling with the "results" of a rough crossing we got little sleep and we and friends with young kids found the Dover option better for kids especially as the driving is so easy the other side.
Also in the event of any problems it easy to turn up early or late and P&O or Sea France will put you on a ferry within an hour or so.
If your kids travel well and you have a good tow car, do not worry to much about distance as it's easy to cover 4-500 miles in a day via autoroute with plenty of places to stop and nice cooling open air " water Mist showers" to cool down in on motor way service stops.
We questioned why we wasted time entertaining our eldest in wet summer UK when we could have been on a warm French Beach years earlier! Vendee or Charente Maritime will be good with the kids.
Off to Brindisi now "Bon Route" .
ps.Before I go, if you can handle night time crosssing you can save good money on P&O Dover late night crossings ;-)
Sharon
I take the van wife kids now to spain every July for three weeks. It only takes me one overnight stop from calais (ferry port) to the costa brava it generally takes about a day and a bit driving we only stop for the loo and for meals in the van. Kids watch dvd's or listen to personal stereo's and when they were younger we played games like spot the brittish cars etc. In the past we have caravaned all along the med coast of france prefering the languedoc roussillon around colliours its a bonnie wee town with lots of sites round and about and food drinnk is reasonably priced compared to the riveiera. As were travelling down from scotland we leave early and get the ferry from dover, sleep the first night about reimes or further depending how tired I am. We book the ferry thro the caravan club so get a good price and go generally with P+O altho have been with most of the companies doing that route they are much of a muchness we like P+O the best tho. if u want anymore info ask in the forum and i'll send u my email addy we found the caravan club invaluable for good advice when we were beginers but got more detailed advice talking to other caravaners on foreign sites. we have been down to the med now for about the last sixteen years for our main drag of the year and wouldnt go anywhere else Mmmm 40degree's C my favourite lol.
I take the van wife kids now to spain every July for three weeks. It only takes me one overnight stop from calais (ferry port) to the costa brava it generally takes about a day and a bit driving we only stop for the loo and for meals in the van. Kids watch dvd's or listen to personal stereo's and when they were younger we played games like spot the brittish cars etc. In the past we have caravaned all along the med coast of france prefering the languedoc roussillon around colliours its a bonnie wee town with lots of sites round and about and food drinnk is reasonably priced compared to the riveiera. As were travelling down from scotland we leave early and get the ferry from dover, sleep the first night about reimes or further depending how tired I am. We book the ferry thro the caravan club so get a good price and go generally with P+O altho have been with most of the companies doing that route they are much of a muchness we like P+O the best tho. if u want anymore info ask in the forum and i'll send u my email addy we found the caravan club invaluable for good advice when we were beginers but got more detailed advice talking to other caravaners on foreign sites. we have been down to the med now for about the last sixteen years for our main drag of the year and wouldnt go anywhere else Mmmm 40degree's C my favourite lol.
I would be wary of attempting to drive too far in a day, particularly with young children and as you are first-timers. I reckon not much over 300 miles in a day is quite enough. Dover-Calais would be my first choice too, but don't ignore the drive down there when calculating how far to drive in a day: if you have a 200 mile drive to Dover, possibly setting off in the early hours after not a great deal of sleep, you are not going to be up to driving 300 miles on the other side after only a 90 minute break on the ferry.
Even taking this into account, you could easily reach one of the areas suggested - the Loire Valley or the Vend
Even taking this into account, you could easily reach one of the areas suggested - the Loire Valley or the Vend
Sharon,
We also live in south wales, last year we travelled via dover/calais down the loire. We did a stopover at Hawthorn farm in dover and then got the early ferry and did the rest in one day. Having looked at it dover/calais is much cheaper than portsmouth. This year we are going from wales straight over and stopping just outside calais, for the night and then down to the loire the next morning, it just breaks it up really
We also live in south wales, last year we travelled via dover/calais down the loire. We did a stopover at Hawthorn farm in dover and then got the early ferry and did the rest in one day. Having looked at it dover/calais is much cheaper than portsmouth. This year we are going from wales straight over and stopping just outside calais, for the night and then down to the loire the next morning, it just breaks it up really
Thank you all very much for your advice, all points noted, it gives us much more info to start planning our first trip abroad with the van. thanks again!
Sharon xx
Sharon xx
Hi Sharon
If you want a stop fairly close to Calais - Les Bien Assise in Guines is a four star site well recommended, one of les castels.
Have a great time!
Helen
If you want a stop fairly close to Calais - Les Bien Assise in Guines is a four star site well recommended, one of les castels.
Have a great time!
Helen
Thanks Helen, i'd better dust off those schoolgirl French books now then, and maybe enjoy a glass of French wine meanwhile to get in the mood!!
Sharon, I find my French improves in direct proportion to the amount of wine consumed. The amazing thing is, it doesn't even have to be French wine to have this effect!
Cheers! Sant
Cheers! Sant
We have been to France for the last 3 years and travel down from Cheshire. Things worth knowing:
Generally the longer crossings are a lot more expensive than the extra fuel to the SE. Our favourite is the Tunnel this year costing
Generally the longer crossings are a lot more expensive than the extra fuel to the SE. Our favourite is the Tunnel this year costing
Hi Sharon, We have been to France lots of times without caravan and love the Vendee. Plymouth-Roscoff is a 6 hr crossing but you can do it overnight and then the vendee is 3 hr drive from there, or if you don't want to venture too far from the port there are some gorgeous places in southern brittany - la baule is one of them. Dover is such a long way from us in cornwall and its nice not having a long drive on the way home. Denise. PS weather is looking good for the weekend here in cornwall.
Hi Denise, yes, fingers crossed about weather, most of my packing done now (raincoats etc included just in case), can't wait to set off.!! 
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