OK! Finally we have an itinerary and two holidays "on hold" with the the operators until 5pm tomorrow - so its decision time.
Both options are using the same ferries - Poole - Cherbourg (12.30pm), and Roscoff Plymouth (12pm) return
Canvas itinerary would be Chateau Des Ormes (5 nights) Ty Nadan (7 nights), Atlantique (9 nights)
Eurocamp is same sites but in the order Des Ormes (5), Altantique(9), Ty Nadan(7)
The price difference is £115 more with Canvas.... but they say their tents are better because they are full-height throughout and have a patented layout which no-one else has that works better with smaller kids and tehy give you two 'proper' chairs.
So... its not a great deal of money difference - but it is a difference (its a lot of wine!)
Would you pay the extra?
Anyone been with both companies who can comment?
Anyone know if one company vs the other gets better emplacements for example?
Christine
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I would have guessed that with Eurocamp your neighbours are more likely to be a mixture of German, Dutch & British and perhaps with Canvas holidays they would be more likely to be British.
On our French campsite last year, the Canvas static caravans & tents looked way superior to the Keycamp & Eurocamp ones, but were generally placed further away from the heart of the site (which in the case of our site was probably a bonus because of lower levels of disturbance). Tricky with tents though because you want to be near to facilities but away from noise!
This probably doesn't help you at all - but was well meant!! Sandra.
We started using Canvas in 1991 as they were the cheapest in the market. Then they moved the 'goalposts' by stopping loyalty bonus, discount for second families etc.
Can't comment on Eurocamp but I believe Keycamp are very similar but cheaper (wouldn't surprise me if they were connected).
The Canvas tents certainly are bigger and to be honest, much better.
I can't speak for Eurocamp but we have been with Canvas before in mobile homes. Their service was superb and we couldn't fault them in any way. We have had a good look around Canvas tents and they seem to be far superior to any that the other companies have on site.
If I was go you I would stump up the extra cash and go for Canvas.
Thanks for your responses guys... on the grounds that 4 out of 4 replies have agreed with our 'gut feel' we are going to go with Canvas.
My experience on the phone is that the Canvas staff seem much more personable and experienced of their 'product' - they were able to find me someone who had been to the particular sites I was enquiring about and seemed in no rush to "process" my booking - Eurocamp seemed much more 'big company' in feel and I got deep sighs when I asked if a slightly different itinerary might be available (although reading between the lines I think that is because their computer system makes it difficult for them to do this - having battled with their online system if its the same as they use and it sounded like it is then I don't blame them)
However, if this difference in corporate culture is mirrored by the on-site service then we feel the smaller-feel Canvas approach will suit us better.
Wish me luck getting through to book it tomorrow though - we had to visit relatives today so I couldn't do it - and tomorrow is the last day they do their early-booking discount!
We're booked! We cut the number of days down to 19 to save the extra and so DH can have a day to recover from driving back from Plymouth before he has to work... so we are going Thursday - Tuesday 19 days... we will be 4 days at Des Ormes, 7 and Ty Nadan and 8 at Atlantique
We've measured the car and the bikes - and hope we are within the 2.6M height we have booked - we think its probably about .1M either way - so I hope they aren't too pernickity. We'll take a spanner just in case so we can lower the handlebars if need be!
Off to worry about something else now for the next 8 months! ;-)
Well! Just shows you...you never know who is reading! - Hi Canvas!
Got a phone call yesterday from Canvas - saying they had seen my postings here and wanted to thank me for choosing them, and hoping I have a great holiday!
Unfortunately though I still didn't get a discount to make it match the Eurocamp price - which I thought I deserved for the excellent publicity they've had here!
Anyway - I was impressed - if a little disconcerted that I was so easily 'track downable' to a phone number... but I guess it didn't take rocket science to tie up my itenary dates and our booking - very proactive! Bodes well I hope!
I expect the case of wine will arrive any day ;-)!
Anyway, I guess I must be Eurocamps worst customer. We went with them once in 02 to berny Riviere. Since then, we have gone it alone and saved about £850. we book direct with the campsite (having flicked through Eurocamp and Canvas brochures!!). With £88 for Speed ferries next year, we reckon the cost all in for 13 nights will be about £500 in peak season.
On the subject of Eurocamp, I found them appalling. They talked about sprung beds and what did we get? No springs but beds with iron bars that kept digging into my back. Would never go with these co's again - although I happily review their brochures!
I was so dissappointed with the Eurocamp tent - ours was dirty when we arrived and really quite tatty. I spent a lot of time just wishing I was in my own nice tent!
------------- I'd rather be camping
Deborah
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We went with Canvas last year and it was great - the couriers were older and very helpful. The tent was great - there is a stair gate you can put across the kitchen area which was invaluable (good place to dry the tea-towels too). The tent was extremely clean when we got there and all in all it was a fantastic holiday.
we have also been with keycamp, and found that their couriers were much younger and more interested in having parties themselves than helping anyone (one night they kept us awake until 3 am) and also, the tents did not seem as spacious.
We also went with Canvas this summer and couldn't find fault with them at all. Right from the first phone call when we couldn't decide where to go. Through to our flight being a little delayed and arriving late on site, the courier was still waiting for us smiling and helpful, then on our check out date our flight didn't leave until late afternoon and they let us stay in the tent until lunchtime. I also had a nose around the other company's tents whilst we were there and found the canvas tents to be much bigger and better laid out. We cant wait to book up again with canvas for next year, just waiting for my other halves holiday dates and we will be booking again. Cant decide on either France or Spain this time. Worried that Spain might be a little hot in a tent??
Glad I read all that. I tried to book with Eurocamp earlier this year (for summer 2004), but asked for a slight variance to the brochure.gave em my phone number and e-address. That was back in April. Do you think perhaps they have forgotten to get in touch?
I'm very sad to note from this discussion that Eurocamp do rather seem to have lost the plot. Our first ever camping holiday was in 1985, when we took the family in Eurocamp tents to La Yole, at St Jean de Monts and Ty Naden at Arzano. We had a wonderful holiday and loved it so much that the next year we bought our own trailer tent. Since then we have never been without an outfit of some sort. We did use Eurocamp Independent a few times and found them very efficient, if a little expensive. It does rather sound as if they have simply got too big and lost touch with their customers. What a shame!
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: Eurocamp vs Canvas Holidays
