My 17yr old son has decided he wants to come with us when we go to The Vendee next month which I'm really pleased about...but I don't know how we're going to fit him in the car?!! When we went away last weekend the car was jam packed full (we had a roofbox too)
We'll be able to free up a little bit of space as we won't be taking the igloo (we have a fridge included with the pitch) although we'll need to take some sort of cool box for the journey
Will we need blankets at the end of May/beginning of June in the Vendee? We've all got 2 season sleeping bags - they should be warm enough shouldn't they? That would free up a fair bit of room (we took 3 with us to Yedmandale) Also I'm thinking we could leave the picnic rugs behind too (we took 3) as we won't need the extra insulation under our air beds?
I can't think of anything else we can leave behind...
Post last edited on 28/04/2011 17:56:20
------------- Bev :o)
2013
March - Pooley Bridge (Pod booked!)
May - Spiers House, Pickering
June - La Garangeoire, Vendee, France
Aug - The Cotswolds?
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I would think you would still need a bit or warmth, it really depends on the weather when you get there. You could put your son on the roof!
Could he fly over, there are fairly reasonable flights to Nantes?
Bedding can take up loads of room. Have you thought about either laying it across the back seat, and getting him to sit on it, or using vacuum bags to reduce the volume. Plus I'm sure he won't mind having pillows in the back on the journey!
Problem solved, he's not coming now! It turns out he's got exams on the last 2 days of college, which is when we're going. So we're back to plan A - he either stays at home with our 19 yr old or goes to his dad's
Thanks for the advice though, it will come in handy for when we go to the New Forest
------------- Bev :o)
2013
March - Pooley Bridge (Pod booked!)
May - Spiers House, Pickering
June - La Garangeoire, Vendee, France
Aug - The Cotswolds?
Could be worth adding a Trailer to your camping kit, me thinks?.
Hubby refuses point blank to get a trailer I'm afraid! Also, we've already booked the ferry and tunnel (we're going via ferry and coming back via tunnel) so it would mean changing our booking?
But it really would be the answer to all our problems, if only I could persuade him!
------------- Bev :o)
2013
March - Pooley Bridge (Pod booked!)
May - Spiers House, Pickering
June - La Garangeoire, Vendee, France
Aug - The Cotswolds?
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by minicamper2001 on 28/4/2011
But that adds a fair bit to the ferry or tunnel costs.
Having said that, we used a trailer for 5 years before changing to a TT.
Hi, not sure if you have booked your ferry yet, but we just got a great deal with cheapferrytickets.com - Dover to Calais via SeaFrance ferries - £91 return (and that is at the end of July - kids holidays)! This price included dimensions to add a roofbox & trailer as well.
Have you thought about him using a Eurolines coach service or the train? When our son was the same age one of his friends caught the Eurolines coach to the nearest big town, arriving just one day after us, and we picked him up from the coach terminal. The train can be very cheap for young people under 26 - and might be worth looking at, too.
Quote: Originally posted by Val A on 28/4/2011
Have you thought about him using a Eurolines coach service or the train? When our son was the same age one of his friends caught the Eurolines coach to the nearest big town, arriving just one day after us, and we picked him up from the coach terminal. The train can be very cheap for young people under 26 - and might be worth looking at, too.
That's something we may well conmsider actually Val...he could come on the Saturday after college has brokenup for half term. I'll look into it - thanks!
------------- Bev :o)
2013
March - Pooley Bridge (Pod booked!)
May - Spiers House, Pickering
June - La Garangeoire, Vendee, France
Aug - The Cotswolds?
That holiday was the last time our eldest son came with us - and eventually we had my younger son, his friend, older son, his friend, another friend who was working In France nearby, one who hitch-hiked from somewhere else in France, and the one who came by coach - all in pup tents around the back of our caravan! It was a magnetic place for all the local girls - and they all had a great time but it cost us a fortune cooking for them all! Each salad took two whole lettuces! It was actually a very enjoyable holiday, though, for us all.
Funnily enough, we met most of them a couple of weekends ago, when it was the thirtieth birthday of another of their friends!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We used to go without a trailer, but now that we have a smaller car, it would be a real struggle without, in fact we have recently added a roofbox to the trailer, photo in my gallery.
Towing a small trailer in France is a breeze, you are still legal to do 81mph on the Autoroute, and there is no additional Toll charge.
Also for the last couple of years NolfoLine have been doing the return Dover-Dunkerque crossing for £58 which is quite a bargain, I recently found an old booking form for a 2003 Dover crossing that we did, for car only which was with SeaFrance £157!.
We sorted the crossing out the other week - I like the tunnel, hubby likes the ferry so we've compromised - we're going via ferry and coming back via the tunnel! We've paid £91 in total for the 2 crossings, I think the ferry was £30 and the tunnel was £61. That's the ferry we're getting, Dover - Dunkirk
------------- Bev :o)
2013
March - Pooley Bridge (Pod booked!)
May - Spiers House, Pickering
June - La Garangeoire, Vendee, France
Aug - The Cotswolds?
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: Advice needed re France
