We're just back from 2 weeks in France with no plans and no bookings.
As we arrived in the heat wave there was little point in travelling so we saw parts of northern france we only normally drive through at night - Le - Touquet, Fort Mahon Plage and Le Crotoy - stayed on aires without problem ranging from 5 - 12 Euros (1 with EHU and WIFI). - Then on a cloudy day we drpped down to the Vendee staying a Longeville Sur Mer - 500m2 from a surfing beach for 12 Euros including Wi-fi and EHU then over to the Ile De Re which we expected to be very busy but got a oceanside pitch at Riverdoux Plage Aire with hook-up (16 Euro) and then we stayed on the motorhome Annex at Camping Interlude for 22 Euros with access to pools and showers (other families on pitches were paying nearer 70 Euro's. - then back up for another night and a day surfing at Longeville sur Mer, up to Beaumont Sur Sarthe near Le Mans where we stayed on a fantastic municipal with a riverside pitch and EHU for 23 Euros for five adults and on to Calais for a free night in cite europe carpark before heading home.
In all 16 nights in France for 5 people we spent less than 200 Euros on accommodation - Earlier in the year I nearly booked a pitch that with my 3 teenage children ( all now classed as adults on french sites) that would have cost 70 euros per night and the weather in that part was not as good.
In future I will never book a site again - The aires with wi-fi and hook-up were part of the camping-car-park.com network and were a hit with the kids for facetubing activities and the wifi was even fast enough to allow a skype call back to grandparents.camping-car-park.com
The weather helped but the freedom made this our best holiday in france ever!! and that is going some.
One final point - even on a busy Saturday I had booked a cheap tunnel crossing but rocked up early after cite europe shopping and Flunch and was allocated a spot on a much more expensive crossing 4 hours in advance of our booking for no extra cost - a perfect end to this years trip.
We are off tomorrow for a big three week trip, having booked nothing but the Chunnel! Thanks for your post.. I feel really encouraged that we are doing the right thing now!!
------------- Wilsoncampers!!
Life's too short to put things off!!!
thats the way to do it . we have a plan !!!!
there is no plan .
makes a much better adventure .
no tolls , no motorways . avoid dual carriageways if there is a road running parallel.visi all villages on route . you will find toilets water etc usually .
as well as aires villages have nice sports centers .
thats the game we play . its good fun .
We have been to France, Germany and Belgium many times and have never booked a site yet the only thing we book is the tunnel, but we do not even usual turn up at the right time for that either but we always get on a train without any bother. Love Europe so easy and relaxing, unlike UK where if you do not book, especially at busy times, then you end up having to visit a few sites to get a pitch, hate to have our holiday mapped out for us, just like to go where the weather and feeling takes us.
It's only the second time we've used a euro tunnel as we tend to get the ferry. We arrived early and were given a slot two hours before our due time. From now on we're sticking with the tunnel.
In all the years we've been going to France the only time we've found sites full is peak season at coastal areas and some particularly popular family sites.. The pound being worth so much less than a few years ago has certainly reduced the number of Brits in France so its much easier to camp on the hoof.
We don't use aires but don't like all singing sites either. The municipals are fantastic and there are well ran smallish privately owned sites everywhere. Its so much less hassle than in the UK.
------------- John
May/June.....France
Aug.......somewhere else in France
Had 4 months in (mainly) France and Spain - Only used camp sites when we wanted to do some washing rather than search for a launderette. Travelled some 6000 miles and enjoyed every minute of it.
Mostly we stayed on Motorhome Aires (Aire du Camping Car), but also some municipal, private and commercial sites. Another recommendation would be 'France Passion' - Vineyards, Farms, etc. Free of charge, but we usually bought some produce.
Met many like minded people mainly on the Aires and looking forward to doing it again!
Vicarious Books are a good place to get the various directories from - and no, I don't work for them! :) Just offering the information as we made good use of he books we bought.
We went to Le Mans this year for 24hr race. It was our first visit in our American motorhome. 31ft of home from home and we both loved it. France caters for motorhomes like the UK don't. We can't wait to get on that ferry and go again for a lot longer through France and on to who knows where. Never tried the tunnel yet, but ferry Dover/Calais and Caen / Portsmouth a piece of cake.
We went on 1 August for 16 nights and didn't book anywhere either. We use a French campsite book and know if it is busy in one area we move on to another village.
The only sticky time we had was when 1 site was full in the Loire (at gone 6pm) and the next 2 villages that were listed as having sites in the book, well we couldn't see them! 1 was definitely closed down and the other seemed to have vanished!
I came up with plans D,E,F and G but luckily plan D came up trumps and we stayed at a lovely site!
we've just got back from a 3 week trip, been to France, down to Italy, lido de Jesolo, Venice, Pisa, Florence, Lake Garda, Lake Constance, then back up through Annecy. Had a mishap on way, power steering packed up, but AA were fab, sorted within 2 days, and have only spent on campsites under £200. Agree that aires are fab!! we found a lovely site though near chunnel last night, and treated ourselves with a pool etc. Recommend going with a vague plan and being flexible!! worked with 2 teenagers a treat!!!
------------- Wilsoncampers!!
Life's too short to put things off!!!
We just travelled on the ACSI book last year (pre high season), and never paid more than 16 euros - often it was 12/14. Had to go in high sesaon this year, and paid double. Still didnt pre-book though - just rocked up and got in anywhere we fancied.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: 2 weeks in france - no bookings
