Still trying to plan our first camping trip to France.. in our camper.. the misses, 2 children (12 & 4) and the dogs..
Summer next year. Sounds a long way off but wanting to get things sorted now.
Having to drive down from here in the North East, then using the tunnel, I wouldn't want to drive too far into France for our first trip... maybe 2 to 3 hours..
Kids would want lots to do (beaches, pools), the Mrs wants lots of shops!
Berny-Riviere, La Croix du Vieux Pont should fit the bill. Loads of shopping at Soissons and Compiegne, WW1 stuff for history, conoeing and fishing, pool complex, Disney and Paris trips if that's your thing.
I'm sure La Croix do Vieux Pont is a fine camp site, but if the getleman's children want beaches wouldn't they be better to stay on the coast rather than a hundred miles inland ?
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Sometimes you have to compromise. The only seaside you're going to get is the north coast of France, so maybe split, and finish the holiday with a few days at the coast?
Why not have an overnight family room in one of the many budget hotel chains and head further down. A few more hours will get you to the Vendee on the coast or the Loire inland. Family sites with everything your kids need. Lovely beaches, even in the Loire where they are man made along the rivers and lakes. Nice towns for shopping and, best of all, sunshine and warmth for the duration of your holiday.
My take is, having botherd to get accross the channel, and having amost driven the length of the UK, then you might as well head for the Sun, from my experiance, anywhere South of Lyon, will do the business.
I know its a long drive, bUt break it up with a couple of overnights enroute, and the job is done.
Like the OP, we are up North, so it's a 1000 mile drive to the campsite from home, it used to be 1200 miles when we used to do the Cote d' Azur.
The climate in the North of France, is of course much the same as Southern UK, so to get a real difference you have to head South.
Summer 2012 will soon come round, we are already booked on a campsite in the Southern Ardeche for 16 nights in July next year!.
Top tip on saving money, especialy if your Mrs want's plenty of shops, go in the afternoon, as most shops close at mid-day, and often don't bother oening again untill the next day, most markets pack up at lunchtime for the day also.
Even sandwich shops close a lunchtime, how French is that.
My Mrs has got wise to this, and often gets me down to the shops in France for 8:30am in the morning!.
Post last edited on 11/06/2011 12:41:12
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Hi, we are thinking of something similar for next summer. We are a 5.5 hour drive from Dover which puts hubby off but I know he would be persuaded by the chance of some nice weather.
I would like to know how far in advance do you need to book a good campsite for the school holidays next year?
Hi Angedaws.
We are just north of Manchester, we set of for Dover at 07:30 having booked a 16:00 crossing, we always get on an earliar sailing, but it's good to know we have 8 hours to do the 300 mile journey, it probably takes us the best of six hours to get down to Dover, especialy now that we tow a half ton trailer.
It is the worst part of the holiday, driving through UK, and is one of the reasons we do our first and last overnight stops in Northern France, the reamaning 600 mile drive to our campsite is a breeze compared to UK drivng, along with the fact that it is legal on the French Autoroutes, for me to do 81mph in France whilst towing a trailer.
umm, we live north of Manchester too, and the driving to Dover isn't the worst part of the journey, the worst is driving back at the end of the holiday! We allow 6+ hours too, allowing for stops.
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: 1st trip to France! But where to go?
