Ok,now its my turn,been going to france every year for the past 14,with caravan,never stayed at the same place twice.holidays are very difficult to plan,mainly due to work,france is easily accessible at anytime at short notice,it very often can be cheaper than holidays in uk,especially out of season,its called "freedom". long live this "french" forum !
------------- steve
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I'm liking all the old ferry pics, takes me back to me truck driving days. Any trucker will say that Holland is actually the best country in Europe, pity about the weather tho.
Oliverday and Bigtoe - thank you so much for the photo and the link to such an interesting website - am printing it all off my parents - just makes you think how sleek looking the ferries are now compared to what they were.
------------- Julie
Summer 2016 Camping las Dunas, Spain
Woop Woop I won £50 of Halfords vouchers for one of my camp site reviews - make sure you do yours!
I think this is a good / valid question, and no one should be defensive (it's a forum). Funny enough, people seem easily offended. Anyway, you only have to look at this web site and the dedicated folder on French site reviews which is great considering i've been to France god knows how many times. I live in Kent and try and seek a little sun without 3 days of driving, so France is usually ideal.
Moving forward, try and look elsewhere for site reviews in say Germany etc then this site isn't so rewarding IMHO.
------------- atko
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I forgot to mention I intend to take my Hypercamp Escala 4 to Holland and camp amongst other Dutch pyramid tents.
If finance allows, I may even get myself a new tent (a De Waard or Esvo) while I am out there.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I grew up just outside of Dover so witnessed the changing shape of ferries from the 60s to the 2000s and the rise and fall of the hovercraft, hydrofoil and vomit comet, sorry the SeaCat!
France is the closest bit of the continent - people swim to it - so it's the easiest foreign part to get to for many people. Maybe more people who travel further afield in Europe - and who have the time to do so - would like to post their experiences?
Time for a 'Camping and Caravanning in France' sub-forum?
------------- Camping - emotional resilience in action, a triumph of hope over adversity and antidote to virtual reality.
I'm the wife of Manchestercamper. My first camping experiance was in Guernsey aged 14. I went with my school to a campsite near St Sampson. We camped in ex army tents (could have been 1st world war tents) I remeember having a great time but have never been back. I'd love to go can anybody recommend any campsites there.
Quote: Originally posted by manchestercamp on 12/2/2012
I'm the wife of Manchestercamper. My first camping experiance was in Guernsey aged 14. I went with my school to a campsite near St Sampson. We camped in ex army tents (could have been 1st world war tents) I remeember having a great time but have never been back. I'd love to go can anybody recommend any campsites there.
Three here to look at (possibly including the one you visited?) plus another one on Herm you could consider if travelling very light (no car ferry) or are prepared to hire a ready-pitched tent.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Hi
Sorry, my wife found the link to this web site on my e mail. She did not realize that she was posting onto a French camping thread and was therefore of subject,
Which as we all know is a capital offence.
I remember the old ferries from my RAF service in Germany. The old Townsend Thoresson ( now P and O) was favourite for trips back to UK, Been on the ill fated Herald of Free Enterprise a few times.
Also used to use Sally Line out of Ramsgate-they used to roll a bit in rough seas.
Least favourite was Sealink/Belgian Marine known as "Spewlink" ships were a bit tatty! I seem to recall-used once-never again!
Liked North Sea Ferries out of Hull to Rotterdam, been several times on duty trips. Good buffet, few beers and to a cabin! Up for breakfast and a reasonable run from Rotterdam to Germany-(in military Land Rovers!) Noisy slow and draughty!
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
I think that the OP has posed a valid question. We live in Belgium and have done so for about 7 years now, we regularly camp around Europe and really enjoy camping in France where we find the range of camp-sites to be wide-ranging enough to meet most people's needs. We also have enjoyed camping trips in recent years to: Scandinavia; Switzerland; Austria; Slovenia; Jersey/Guernsey and Germany we have found the variety to be very welcome but this would in no way persuade us to forgo camping in France as there are still many many areas of France that we have not yet visited. I believe that what most of us want is to simply enjoy a camping holiday in a pleasant location wherever that happens to be.
Speaking purely on a personal basis, here are our reasons for choosing France
1) Distance - we're going in the June 1/2 term holiday - we went the same time last year and the weather was glorious so we're going again in the hope that we get the same. Our little lad is at school now so we're tied to school holidays. So we've only got 10 nights to play with, we're travelling over night on the first night, then have 8 nights in the tent and 1 further night in a hotel coming back. We simply can't go any further afield in the 'window' we've got.
2) I love France, the food, wine, cheese, salted butter caramel ice cream, croissants, French bread...bring it on!
3) I can speak fairly good French, enough to get by and I enjoy doing so...I can't speak any other languages
4) The campsite we go to is a 5* one and charges far less than comparable UK ones, I don't know if that's the same elsewhere in Europe, I've never looked
5) By the time we've paid road tolls, the channel crossing, diesel etc we can't afford to go much further afield - it would be cheaper flying somewhere on a last minute holiday (which I'm loathe to do, I love camping and hate flying!)
6) Our son is 5 - The Vendee is plenty long enough a journey for him
------------- 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: What is it with this forum and France?
