Overnight stop around Vierzon/Bourges A71

[tim5]

Can anyone recommend a stopover near Vierzon/Bourges A71. We are leaving Dover Fri 10th Aug 06:00 for Dunkirk then heading towards Rouen-Chartres-Orleans and then stopover. I am a bit concerned about booking in somewhere and then finding the gates are locked due to heavy traffic making us late. The following day we head down to Argeles.
Any suggestions would be appeciated from all you experts!, I will change the stopover to anything you recommend- the most mileage in one day I have done with caravan is 380 miles in UK.
Thanks in advance
Tim

 

[SteveW77]

I always stop at Salbris.
The municipal site there is on a lake and is a short walk to a supermarket or the town centre.

Steve W

 

[ValA.]

We've stopped at Salbris too, but sometimes just want to 'get a little further'. There are municipal sites at both Vierzon (two) and Bourges (Camping Municipal de Robinson) - both of which are fine for an overnight stop. If you get a bit further south there are also plenty of options near to the main roads.

 

[tim5]

Thanks Steve/Val- that sounds ideal if you think booking is not required as we can press on as far as possible. Val you mention other options- do you mean campsites?
Thanks
Tim

 

[ValA.]

Yes, campsites, just off the main routes south. I'll post a link in the morning.
We often 'press on' as far as we can. If the day is hot we stop earlier, if it's raining we might press on further south - but eventually we have to stop, so we've stayed at a variety of sites along that route.

 

[Woody3]

Although a few miles less there is a pleasant and inexpensive municipal in Mehun about 10m NW of Bourges. It is only open (or used to be) in July and August, has good free facilities, and EHU. Mehun is a small place but houses the Puillivuyt porcelein/pottery factory (ask SWMBO) with a superb (and against new prices VERY cheap) factory shop. The Allouis LW transmitting masts (the geographical centre of France) are a mile or so to the north.
Bourges municipal and the city are both very pleasant but expensive. The site has good clean facilites but the main central area is hardcore which can get a bit 'muddy' if wet. The camping area is separate from caravans/motorhomes and has had an intermittent history of theft. There is a food caravan - mainly pizza or burgers but quite good quailty and clean - late afternoon/evening in a parking area just outside the site gate (turn right.)
The city centre is about 10-15 mins walk but is well finished with quality shops (few chains) and many good eateries. There is a Carrefour out of town (McD adjacent) where car boot sales are often held on Sunday mornings. There's also a couple of smaller supermarkets outside the city centre. Bourges has the third largest Gothic cathedral in France and weddings there at weekends are a sight to behold.

 

[PaulRT]

Hi
We have also stopped at Salbris, which is an OK site.
However, if you are prepared to venture just a few km 'off track' in this area, there is an excellent Camp Municipal de la Varenne at Neung sur Beuvron about 10km NW of Salbris. If approaching from the north, you would exit the A71 at Junction 3 (Lamotte Beuvron). The site has an area of hedged pitches, mainly used by long-stayers, but at the end of the site, there are open areas and woodland glades where you can pitch. There are facilities local to this area. The facilities were up to the highest Camping Municipal standards in design and cleanliness and there was a warm welcome. The whole area, known as the La Sologne is worth a longer stay - with a network of small lakes, together with cycle/footpaths. It is also convenient for the southern side of the Loire Valley chateaux.
For readers of French, this is one of 30 less-visited areas of France featured in an excellent Michelin guide entitled 'France Sauvage - Sejours en pleine nature'.
Bonne Route.
Cheers
Paul

 

[tim5]

Thank you all for your replies.
We have mixed views on the overnight stop, we are a bit concerned about how you could just press on (10th Aug) and find somewhere to stop. The Municipal sites on the internet don't look to be geared to web booking and offer little info in English.
I can understand how people end up parked up sleeping in service areas!
Still unclear Tim!

 

[ValA.]

Municipal sites are used by people travelling, staying overnight, and then moving on. They aren't set up for bookings, or have websites, because they are operated by the Mairie at the local Town Hall, and often only have seasonal staff. It's very unlikely that you won't find a pitch, and on a lot of sites you may find very few pitches occupied.
You can find a commercial site, which will take bookings if you must, but we've been travelling through France with our caravan for almost twenty years, and never not found a pitch. Those who stay on service areas generally do so out of choice, not out of necessity.
Here's the link I mentioned in an earlier post!
http://users.telenet.be/leo.huybrechts/camp1.htm

 

[chrisbee1]

I too was a bit worried about not able to find an overnight stop when I first visited France some years ago and booked a commercial site for my stop. The trouble is you're committed to reaching that site before you stop. However, after reading a post from Val, I took the plunge the second year and just turned up at municipal sites at the time I wanted to stop and have done so ever since. I've never not been able to get onto a Municipal and even if I couldn't, I know there's likely to be another one in the next village.

 

[PaulRT]

Hi Tim,
Having camped, and then caravanned, in much of France once or twice a year for the past 30+ years, I agree with the previous posts - don't worry! It is very unlikely that you will find a Camping Municipal full away from the main tourist detination areas. Just turn up at the one that is most convenient for your stop on the day. My only note of warning is not to leave it too late to look for your site, preferably by 5pm (just in case!). In the last few years more and more French people speak some English, particularly the young, so don't worry about any language problems when booking into a municipal site.
The best listing of such sites, both for transit and longer stays is probably the Caravan Club 'Guide to sites and touring in France'. This includes descriptions of the sites as submitted by CC members. It is available from the CC to both members and non-members.
Cheers
Paul

 

[ValA.]

We found Le Guide Officiel de Camping Caravanning, which is available from Vicarious Books (on line) gives all 11,000 campsites in France, and is great for the smaller sites en-route. We have a Caravan Europe, but usually use this as a cross-reference to compare the quality of any sites we find in Le Guide!

 

[montras]

Empty post (likely not intentional - probably an Internet Explorer issue!)

 

[Ingin69]

The municipal in Bourges is very easy to find and get to. If coming from the A71 you have to pull into a layby opposite the site entrance and cross the main road. This is controlled by traffic lights, be careful when crossing as the road surface either dips or raises, can't quite remember which and you will ground the jockey wheel if going too quick. Agree with others in that it's quite expensive. For somewhere to eat you can head back towards the A71 to a retail park type place where there are a few 'buffalo grill' type eating places.
We stopped in Bourgse on the way south and stopped at the municipal in Saint Amand Montrond on the way north which is south of Bourges and 2-3 miles off the a71. A bit harder to find but a nice site in a nice little town and it was cheap too? No need to book for either but they both start to fill up quickly after 5ish pm.

 

[JoannaLesley]

We have always used the Caravan Europe guide to find municipals en-route. It's our bible. We particulalry like it for the clear directions. So far, we've never "lost" a site we were aiming for. Like the others, we have been just turning up for many years - in August for the past 3 - and never had a problem. Last year, there were only about 5 of us on a site at Limoges, so you shouldn't have a problem. It's quite exciting turning up at a new municipal, since they are all so very different!