As far as you're willing to drive. We never book anywhere, except a ferry. We sleep the first night in an Aire and buy a newspaper the following morning. We look at the four day weather forecast - and head in the direction with the most promise of some sunshine. We have been known to be heading towards Italy, and end up in Spain when the Italian forecast was for thunderstorms for five days!
After that we keep buying the paper and move around (usually the south of France, the Languedoc or just inland) making sure the sun is shining!
Generally the saying is 'Get south of the Loire' for the best sunshine - but it doesn't always work.
Aquitaine Can be good, Can be bad. If its good its better than UK - If its bad its the same.
We have travelled all over France and had good and bad in every area. The best bet is the Med, but even there you can be unlucky and get the Mistral, so at the end of the day just pick an area and keep your fingers crossed.
Take for example this summer, we have had better weather here in the South than Italy, and some areas of Spain and France.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Aquitaine area varies, we've had some cracking hot weather and also cool and rainy weather. Saying that, it is quite long way south, so does get more good weather than, say north of Paris for example, but it's not guaranteed unfortunately!
We've been on the Med, at Agde, Vias Plage and Marseillan Plage, and had the Tramontane blowing for days on end too. It was very hot, but after a while the wind drives you mad! Same with the Mistral.
I look at the teletext when we're in France, and do the same as ValA basically, head towards where the forecast is best for the next 4 days or so!
mcw1965 - what dates are you planning for? If you're hoping to go outside the peak season (which in France is mid-July to mid-August) then you probably won't have to book anywhere, and can just 'head for the sun'. Last year in May we had torrential rain all the way through France, but found the sun at Grau du Roi, and it stayed sunny for fourteen days, which included a move up to the Ardeche. The Dordogne, though, where we'd thought we might go, had such heavy rain that caravanners were stranded in a campsite and unable to leave the site for three days because of flooding. We met them when they upped sticks and came down to the Ardeche! In August we had sun in the Gorges du Tarn area, then in the Dordogne, again for fourteen days. Friends in Central France had rain for ten days!
In May this year we were down near Agde - again sunshine, half a day of light rain only, and then in the Ardeche area - again hot sunshine. However, some areas of France had bad weather all the time we were away in May.
It really can pay off to just head for the best weather, but it does help if you don't actually have to book anywhere first.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: wanting sunshine
