Hi,
I would say take a book every time, unless you are prepared to download a lot of stuff.
I would have thought it better to have something handy to refer to in case things dont work out the way you had planned.
There are a few good guides, Alan Rogers is one we use frequently.
By all means research on the internet before you go. Also look at some of the holiday company sites, eg Eurocamp, Keycamp these will give you some idea of what is on offer. A lot of the sites featured in their websites, take independent bookings.
By the way my Husband is very jealous.
As you're going in May you can benefit from the discounts offered by some schemes such as the ACSI guide www.campingcard.com - sites cost just 11, 13, or 15 euros for pitch, two people, tent and hook-up - and you'd pay a supplement for the extra people (but it may be cheaper to book two pitches!!). Also the Camping Cheque www.campingcheque.co.uk network of sites costs just £13.40 per night for the same deal, and Touring Cheques www.touringcheque.co.uk cost just £11.95 per night for the same package.
We always use the Michelin guide. This used to be great, matching the Michelin road atlas - so any town with a site in the guide had a tent symbol. The book was also sensibly laid out by town name, so you could easily find a site. The new version is not so easy to 'operate' but still a useful source of information as it offers a whole range of sites from the smallest municipal to the largest all-singing type sites.
Post last edited on 05/03/2009 08:33:57
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
My son does this regularly, he has campsites on his sat nav as a point of interest. Just be careful about fuelling up as it is difficult to find a petrol station which is open at night, unless on the autoroute.
I think it might depend on how many sites you intend to stay on, you might find that your internet research might be enough, especially as you are only going for a week. Although it might be belt and braces to have an alternative up your sleeve just incase the original site is either full or does not come up to expectations.
David
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
At various times weve used the Michelin guide, Alan Rogers and the web. The books are fine but I find this site as good as anything and would rely on it every bit as much as any of the available books, mainly because your getting feedback from a good cross section. The reviews are invaluable and where reviews dont exist you can start a thread and people will always be forthcoming with their views, and they do get down to details too. Both sites we're going to this year came via comments and discussion on this board and weve never been dissapointed previously. If there is a particular style of site or an area you like then take the time to describe what you want and people will always help.
------------- John
May....Le Port De Limeuil, Dordogne Aug....Trinite sur Mer, Sth Brittany
Just another thing, if this is the first time you've toured, you may not realise that quite unlike British sites, in May you'll have absolutely no problem in getting pitches on any site except those, perhaps, beachside on the Mediterranean! You won't need to book at all - and could almost tour without any sort of guide because there are so many sites around. Almost every French town and village of any size has a municipal site, which is usually well signposted, and near enough to the centre to encourage you to use the shops and restaurants.
This is great because it allows you impromptu stops in places along your route that you find attractive, rather than just flogging on until your 'destination' if you've pre-booked a site, and then realising it's not half as nice as some of the places you've gone through on the way there!
We take a caravan to France twice a year, in May/June and again in August/September and never book - we head for the sun - and find sites as and when we decide we want to stop. This way we've found some lovely unexpected places over the years, but now have our favourites that we tend to go back to.
Val ...my experience of this is a bit different. Ive tried to book particular sites and found them to be full. For example this year I looked at Camping Les Druids in Brittany and they couldnt do the dates I wanted, and the same thing happened two yrs ago in Burgundy. Maybe its just bad luck or they didnt like the cut of my jib. I think your point it valid in the vast majority of cases but there may be the odd issue during July/August.
------------- John
May....Le Port De Limeuil, Dordogne Aug....Trinite sur Mer, Sth Brittany
I agree John, but the original poster states that he's touring in May - which is a different kettle of fish - particularly if you have a small tent. I don't imagine bikers will be carrying anything other than a backpacker type tent which will fit into a very small space.
If you mean you've had problems in May, then I'm very surprised. We never have, even on very popular sites in popular areas we've always been able to find a caravan pitch on the site we wanted, at that time of year. And most sites, even the busiest, will probably find room for an extra tent or two somewhere. I know my sons went to a very popular site on the Atlantic coast in mid-August - and although the site stated it was 'Complet' they were found an idyllic pitch for their two tents tucked out of the way somewhere near the bar, showers and swimming pool (ideal for four twenty-somethings)!
Possibly the 'booking' is the problem. If we turn up and there's an empty pitch then we're given it but it may be that the pitch had been booked, someone didn't turn up, or left early, or any number of other scenarios, leaving it empty and the site only too glad to fill it on that day. To be honest we've never found sites anything like full, though - so we've always had a choice of several pitches, and this year in May/June at Bastide en Ardeche we were one of very few occupied pitches out of two hundred and odd. Most of the time we had the site to ourselves as everyone but us was out sight-seeing and we just had relaxing swims in 'our own' pool! (See gallery photo for the crowds monopolising the sunbeds!!)
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Toured France and Europe pretty extensively on motorcycles with a group. Alan Rogers book well recommended, get the Camping Card. You`ll find that once abroad you`ll be treated as a first-class citizen when arriving on motorcycles, the Europeans have figured out that if you can afford a motorcycle, and can then afford to tour Europe on it you`re not some toe-rag, unlike the way you can be treated back here in the UK.
Do`nt try and do to many miles each day, use the scenic roads, plan where you are wanting to go, and try and book those sites if you can. It all makes it much less hassle if you know you have got definite pitches when arriving somewhere late in the afternoon. I always do this, make sit a bit more regimented, but much better managed if you are arranging the tour for a group. Nothing worse than being turned away and having to try and find somewhere else which could be an hours ride away.
------------- Life is one big holiday, only broken up by as little work as possible
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