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Hi All,

Having decided against a Northern European holiday due to the abysmal weather, we are currently surveying the hundreds of wonderful campsites in Southern France.  We are going from 18-31 August and considering "flying by the seat of our pants" i.e. NOT booking ahead.  I am a real control freak, so this does not come naturally to me.  My question is, what is really considered "high season" in France.  We went to Spain at this time last year (L'Amfora - wonderful !) and there were plenty of pitches available.  Will it be like this in France - we are planning a route to take in Dijon, Lyons, maybe Lake Annecy and finally getting somewhere close to the Riviera - although probably not on the coast itself.  Would be really grateful for advice from you "well-seasoned" travellers.

Many thanks

p.s.  We'll be taking our vintage Motorhome abroad for our first trip with her, although she apparently managed 9,000km in Europe last year before we bought her, so she should feel at home !

You should be fine - the second weekend in August is when a lot of French go  home, and the remainder have almost all gone by the following weekend.  Obviously have a back up 'Plan B' for a second campsite if you're driving hundreds of miles to an area - don't pick an area with just one campsite in a fifty mile radius!

The campsite Lac de Panthier, at Vandenesse (near Dijon) takes Camping Cheques from that weekend, as do many others, suggesting it is moving into their 'low season'.

I would avoid the Riviera though, unless you must - stay well inland!  Traffic will still be manic down there, and campsites busier than elsewhere, right up until the first or second week in September.  Perhaps those who 'do' Lake Annecy will know what it's like then - but we've never been to that area so can't help.

With a motorhome you have a choice of 'Aires de Camping Car' too, so between them and campsites you should find somewhere everywhere you want to be.

Have a good holiday!

....hi Aligreen... i am not as well travelled as some on here but would say given the dates you are travelling you will have missed the  French high season- generally 15th july- 15th August ( approx!) although it can keep going to the following weekend, when you arrive. I would say you are fine to live dangerously.Do some research on here, read reviews, visit websites & local tourisme wesbites- get a short list of a few sites you would be happy to stay at, then that gives you the option should some still be busy.

Dont blame you re. the weather we are hoping to do the same, we usually do southern brittany but that is looking like home... so are thinking of finding sun too- just waiting for all clear from dr after my hysterectomy!!

Thanks everyone for your comments - the people on this site are SO helpful !  Think we will chance it - as you say, there are always the Aires if we get desperate !  August can't come soon enough for me though.  SO fed up of all this rain.  Hope you all have wonderful adventures yourselves.

AliGreen

April, Ashford, Kent

May, Devon

July, Oxford (adults only whilst kids are at Scout Camp !)

August - France - wherever the sun is !

xx

Never ever book.  Some sites will even charge you for the privilidge !

There are thousand of sites in France particularly for motor homes and I reckon that you are never more than half an hour from one

Go for it

DaveS1