Hello,
I am after some general advice please. I hope to take the family away for 4 weeks in the school holidays to France and Spain, perhaps Portugal too but am unsure of time limitations. Spain is our fav place tho.
There will be 7 of us and we have a tunnel tent. I have no idea of what we want to do or see, I would like an itinerary or a plan in place but dont know where to start. I think we are happy to stay a few nights in each place and explore areas. The kids will want pools but I am up for keeping costs down,I like the beach tho so a mix would be good.
We all want to go to Normandy so perhaps that is a start?
Any advice would be fantastic. Thanks :-)
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The way we like to do things, is to head for the Sun, this for us usualy means the Med or Southern Ardeche, we are just North of Manchester, so it's a 1000 mile drive or more to our main campsite, we do two overnights each way in France using the budget hotels, "Premiere Classe" etc, and always do the short ferry crossing mostly NL with car+trailer Dover-Dunkerque (£58 return, we then use the main campsite (14 nights) as a base, and do lots of days out, but that is just our take, each to thier own, as they say.
I suppose you have to decide whether the sun or places of interests are top of your requirements. You have the advantage of having plenty of time but the further you go the more costly, in terms of fuel, tolls and perhaps site fees if you go to the Med in either France or Spain. Being a solo vehicle you can cover a lot of miles quite quickly. Why not decide on a two centre holiday as that could give you a bit more variety.
If it's your first time, then I'd definitely stick to one country. Yes, it would be possible to do all three, but why? If you like it then next year you can do another country, and the year after that yet another! There are so many lovely parts of France and Spain that it's absolutely possible to go every year for thirty years, and yet still find new places to see and new things to do. I know, because we've been every year for the last thirty years, and for about the last ten have been twice a year - and we still enjoy every minute.
Like acamper60 says, make a site your base, and stay there for a decent length of time, go out from the site, and then if you have four weeks move on to another site in another area. Believe it or not it's still possible to 'tour' in France without booking in advance. My friends are both teachers, and go each year during the summer holidays without booking a thing - and they always manage to get sites. They stay at municipal type sites, or smaller rural sites, usually inland. Big four star, family orientated sites may be more difficult, but even then it's sometimes possible to find a pitch without booking even in peak weeks and some smaller two star sites have lovely pools.
If you are absolutely set on four star facilities, with pool complex, kids clubs, and so on, then you may wish to book in advance - and perhaps more so if you decide to go to Spain as there are fewer sites and they do tend to book up in advance.
In Normandy you're very likely to find weather much as you would at home, and the further south you go, generally, the better the weather - but Spain with 7 of you in a car is a bit of a hike and you may be better looking at the Dordogne, the Ardeche, or any of the other beautiful areas of inland France.
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Quote: Originally posted by bulezuik on 28/12/2010
I think we are happy to stay a few nights in each place and explore areas. The kids will want pools but I am up for keeping costs down,I like the beach tho so a mix would be good.
My advice would be similar to the above - too ambitious dragging a large group all over 3 countries in one long go. Head for a sunny area depending on the forecast at the time and have a good sites book (search "le guide officiel" on here) or Michelin or Caravan Club Europe etc. Keep costs down using ACSI Card or Camping Cheques for discounted sites with pools or municipals for nice modest ones.
We've camped or caravanned in France three times now with our children. The first time we headed straight for a main campsite and stayed for the whole two weeks; the second we toured three different areas only staying a few nights at each site (should have been 4 but had to cut trip short); and last year we had a week on the Med coast and a week near Millau with several overnight stops there and back. We would definitely recommend staying at least a week in one place, and next year we'll probably stay at just one main site for two weeks (with overnight stops if necessary). We have always booked our main sites in the past but won't be booking next year. We will be going in the last two weeks of August so we won't have to book.
If there's a particular site you're set on then perhaps you could book one or two weeks there then see what you feel like doing after that. As for where to go, as has previously been said, weather in the north is like here and it gets much warmer and drier the further south you go. If we had four weeks we'd definitely be heading to the south, but you don't have to go as far as the coast to get the good weather and the sites look cheaper and less crowded inland.
We think of our holidays to France as more of an adventure than another holiday and all the researching and planning is part of the excitement. Good luck with your adventure!
Agree with the above - France is a huge country with so much to see and do. Striking camp and packing the car, driving half a day then doing it again can be exhausting especially in summer when it can often be over 90 degrees.
We're not a family that likes to flop out by a pool for a fortnight, we're generally up and about exploring. Looking back at all our camping trips however, we've never ventured beyond a half page of the 1:200,000 Michelin atlas - there's always been so much stuff to see and do.
Having said that. I'm totally stumped on what to do for this years summer holidays.
------------- Johnny Hamster
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Quote: Originally posted by johnnyhamster on 29/12/2010
Having said that. I'm totally stumped on what to do for this years summer holidays.
A suggestion then - How about France for a change?
To be more constructive, if you like cycling or walking there are dozens of french canals with flat traffic free towpaths - many well surfaced up to tarmac standard. Or the similar voie vert traffic free routes. In each case through wonderful scenery.
We had camped in England for a few years and having spent many childhood holidays camping in France I was working on dragging my OH over the water. I started off by breaking him in gently by a holiday in Normandy - Portmouth Cherbourg fast ferry. The weather was fantastic and everything we did in Normandy we enjoyed. Every year since I have been 'stretching' my OH - a little bit longer and a little bit further!
Normandy is definately a good place to start. However the weather can be a gamble.
Maybe an option would be to take the ferry to Spain, then work your way back up through France, ending your holiday in Normandy. The ferry does cost a lot though, but would be slightly offset by lower fuel costs.
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I'd sort of agree with most advice about not trying to spread yourself too thinly. If you're going to Portugal then do it as a one-off via northern Spain; if you're going to Eastern France then the journey there is enough. You could, however, combine French and Spanish Catalonia or French and Spanish Basque Country. The former would just mean going to Perpignan then along the coast or over the Pyrenees to Barcelona and the Costa Brava. It's a bit of a journey but can be done.
We've never, yet, done the wider Basque country but it should be fairly easy depending on where you start! () - you can make a good tour down from the Breton/Norman ports via the Vendee and Aquitaine and over the border to Bilbao &c.; or you could go to one of the Spanish ports and circle around the Basque Country, over the Pyrenees to France and back along the coast .... that sort of thing.
You really need to decide which port(s) you'll use and what is the furthest point you'd want to travel to .... have fun!
Oooohhh thank you everybody! I will print this thread off and have a good read. I think the idea about having a couple of main sites might be a good un and be better for ours kids especially as a couple of them dont like change very much.
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: Where to start?
) - you can make a good tour down from the Breton/Norman ports via the Vendee and Aquitaine and over the border to Bilbao &c.; or you could go to one of the Spanish ports and circle around the Basque Country, over the Pyrenees to France and back along the coast .... that sort of thing. 
