municipal sites required in normandy and france please!!!!!

[rocco]

hi all,

iam very new to caravanning and this forum and iam planning a trip to france from the 16th july to 1st august.

iam a little shocked to see how expensive campsites are generally in the uk and france, especially when you have to pay for children seperately on top of everything else.

i have been advised that municipal sites are better value for money and hence may be more appropriate for me, however, i have tried to search for such sites using google(ie municipal caravan sites in normandy/brittany france)but nothing really has come up.

i would appreciate it if anyone could tell me how i can find these sites, or recommend any cheap sites to me please in normandy and brittany? i would also be nice to know how a municipal site differs from a normal site please?

thanks for your time.

 

[ValA.]

http://www.campingfrance.com/index.jsp?lg=fr- use this page to seach in the 'Department' (like our counties) you want - and type *municipal* using the asterixes into the 'name' box.

Municipal sites are run by the local council, via the Town Hall or Mairie, and are often non-profit making, designed solely to bring visitors into the towns and villages to use the shops, cafes, etc. Sometimes they have a warden, and sometimes just a villager who wanders around and collects the fees. They are often near the town or village sportsground, often with an adjacent municipal pool - usually you pay extra for this. You'll probably still pay extra for the children.

Can I just ask what you consider expensive? Someone on here may know of sites which offer better value. The dates you're going are the busiest time of the year - is there any chance you can change the dates, as you can get much better value during the last two weeks in August?

 

[ValA.]

http://www.campingfrance.com/recherche_liste.jsp?regLib=Picardie&region=17&nat_rec=2&entree=municipal&ch=nom&lg=fr
Copy this to search for municipals in 'Picardie', then do same seach for 'Basse Normandie', Haute Normandie, and then Bretagne - there appear to be loads of sites available. Hope you find somewhere!

 

[ValA.]

Rocco - not a lot to do this morning, so just tried a search on the website 'Camping Chateau le Brevedent' in Normandy - they have a pitch free from 16 July until 28 July - at a total cost for pitch, caravan and awning, two adults, two children, and electricity for 405 euros or just over

 

[ValA.]

Here's another one - at a cost of 312 euros, plus children. http://www.campingetangdeshaizes.com/gb2.html

 

[Val & Frank]

Valerie,

Thanks for all the information, I am following this threaad and saving the links, once again thanks for your time.

Val & Frank

 

[rocco]

http://www.campingfrance.com/index.jsp?lg=fr - use this page to seach in the 'Department' (like our counties) you want - and type *municipal* using the asterixes into the 'name' box.

Municipal sites are run by the local council, via the Town Hall or Mairie, and are often non-profit making, designed solely to bring visitors into the towns and villages to use the shops, cafes, etc. Sometimes they have a warden, and sometimes just a villager who wanders around and collects the fees. They are often near the town or village sportsground, often with an adjacent municipal pool - usually you pay extra for this. You'll probably still pay extra for the children.

Can I just ask what you consider expensive? Someone on here may know of sites which offer better value. The dates you're going are the busiest time of the year - is there any chance you can change the dates, as you can get much better value during the last two weeks in August?

hi valerie

what can i say apart from thank you so much for using you time in helping me

regards rocco.

 

[rocco]

http://www.campingfrance.com/index.jsp?lg=fr - use this page to seach in the 'Department' (like our counties) you want - and type *municipal* using the asterixes into the 'name' box.

Municipal sites are run by the local council, via the Town Hall or Mairie, and are often non-profit making, designed solely to bring visitors into the towns and villages to use the shops, cafes, etc. Sometimes they have a warden, and sometimes just a villager who wanders around and collects the fees. They are often near the town or village sportsground, often with an adjacent municipal pool - usually you pay extra for this. You'll probably still pay extra for the children.

Can I just ask what you consider expensive? Someone on here may know of sites which offer better value. The dates you're going are the busiest time of the year - is there any chance you can change the dates, as you can get much better value during the last two weeks in August?

thank you so very much for your advise.

 

[rocco]

Rocco - not a lot to do this morning, so just tried a search on the website 'Camping Chateau le Brevedent' in Normandy - they have a pitch free from 16 July until 28 July - at a total cost for pitch, caravan and awning, two adults, two children, and electricity for 405 euros or just over

 

[Maria_374233830]

THERE IS VERY LITTLE PROBLEM IN FINDING CHEAP SITES. IN OVER TWENTY YEARS WE HAVE NEVER PRE-BOOKED & NEVER PAID "SILLY" MONEY. ON ENTERING MOST TOWNS THERE WILL BE SIGNS TO CAMPSIGHTS,USUALLY THE SMALLER THE SIGNS THE MORE BASIC THE SIGHT (CHEAPER).IF YOU DO NOT WANT SWIMMING POOL,ETC. WHY PAY? YOU ARE SURE TO FIND A SIGHT WITHIN TWO OR THREE TOWNS,SO DO NOT PANIC & GOOD HUNTING.

 

[emmitdb]

Dear Rocco,

Just got back from five weeks in France.

By and large, the Chief Fairy and me prefer Municipals however,having just spent five nights on a site in Normandy, it brought home to us the following after similar experiences on previous trips .

When touring in caravan in France you are a second class citizen when compared to a motorcaravan. By and large, the french do not tour in a caravan. They tend to use a caravan as a roof over their heads and use caravans that they own on seasonal pitches that they hire from April to Sept. This is especially so in the northern part of France from Normandy all the way up to Calais and beyond.

Inevitably that results in municipals, especially near to the coast being occupied by the locals in sometimes rather ancient vans. British holidaymakers are very much the minority. I recall visiting a site and it seemed that the whole camp turned out to watch us unhitch.

Now I'm not saying that I have ever met with anything other than bonhomme (to quote George W,'The french don't have a word for that'?) but you will not be surrounded by your own countrymen or even other touring holidaymakers.As a result, on occasions, you may feel like Billy no mates.

The above comment is not universal. Away from the coast there are less seasonally occupied pitches but be aware should wish to join the bucket and spade brigade.

 

[rocco]

THERE IS VERY LITTLE PROBLEM IN FINDING CHEAP SITES. IN OVER TWENTY YEARS WE HAVE NEVER PRE-BOOKED & NEVER PAID "SILLY" MONEY. ON ENTERING MOST TOWNS THERE WILL BE SIGNS TO CAMPSIGHTS,USUALLY THE SMALLER THE SIGNS THE MORE BASIC THE SIGHT (CHEAPER).IF YOU DO NOT WANT SWIMMING POOL,ETC. WHY PAY? YOU ARE SURE TO FIND A SIGHT WITHIN TWO OR THREE TOWNS,SO DO NOT PANIC & GOOD HUNTING.

hi maria

thak you so much for finding the time for your reply and advise.

i feel a bit more relaxed now, thanks.

 

[rocco]

Dear Rocco,

Just got back from five weeks in France.

By and large, the Chief Fairy and me prefer Municipals however,having just spent five nights on a site in Normandy, it brought home to us the following after similar experiences on previous trips .

When touring in caravan in France you are a second class citizen when compared to a motorcaravan. By and large, the french do not tour in a caravan. They tend to use a caravan as a roof over their heads and use caravans that they own on seasonal pitches that they hire from April to Sept. This is especially so in the northern part of France from Normandy all the way up to Calais and beyond.

Inevitably that results in municipals, especially near to the coast being occupied by the locals in sometimes rather ancient vans. British holidaymakers are very much the minority. I recall visiting a site and it seemed that the whole camp turned out to watch us unhitch.

Now I'm not saying that I have ever met with anything other than bonhomme (to quote George W,'The french don't have a word for that'?) but you will not be surrounded by your own countrymen or even other touring holidaymakers.As a result, on occasions, you may feel like Billy no mates.

The above comment is not universal. Away from the coast there are less seasonally occupied pitches but be aware should wish to join the bucket and spade brigade.

hi del, thanks for taking the time to reply and your advise is greatly received and appreciated.

thanks.