why don't you just get out of bed earlier ! the stress of getting up early ? surely its exciting to get up early to go on holiday, meaning more time travelling more chance to pull over for toilet coffee and croissants so less stress more enjoyable
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I can't see anyone has mentioned the stress if getting up early? Unless I've missed it completely!
We are usually up and away early, but have booked a later tunnel this yr for the very reason of having a more chilled relaxed journey down o Folkestone.
The problem with asking questions is that you'll get a million suggestions, and a million different reasons why they are good/better/best. Personally I think the Chartes site is convenient, acceptable, and easy to access from the route south if you're using the Abbeville/Rouen/Evreux/Dreux/Chartes/Orleans route.
There are other lovely sites around if you don't mind a bit more of a diversion. If you're going to 'divert' from the route as far as Bonneval, then you might want to look at Huttopia at Senonches - great site with good toilet blocks, huge amounts of space, especially in the 'meadow' area rather than the forest, and it's slightly to the north-west of Chartres.
However, to me all these 'diversions' on to side roads add quite a lot of extra time to a journey and you have to weigh up convenience against perfection sometimes. If we're on a schedule, with an end destination, then we always try to find sites as near as possible to the route we're using. If we are 'meandering' then we don't mind diversions.
The site at St Remy sur Avre (Nonancourt) is about as convenient as you'd get, is north of Chartres, and as Berriow says, used by a lot of people on that route.
The problem is that the more sites you look at the more difficult it is to make a choice. At the end of the day you'll have to make your own mind up which is best for your requirements, and hope that you get it right 'on the night'!
Thank you Val!! The only thing putting me off Chartres was the inability to secure a booking which I seem to have managed at the one a Bonneval. As its only a little further on than he Chartres one we will risk it! Fingers crossed, and as always thank yu for your guidance. I do feel more comfortable following your advice if I'm honest, but I'm happier knowing this site has taken our booking.
------------- Nat
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Nitnat - we've just come back, having stayed at Chartres overnight - and I don't think I would now recommend it. When we were last there it was OK - but this time we thought everything had deteriorated. It looked badly neglected, the grass was long everywhere, the roads muddy, and the toilet blocks lacked care and cleanliness.
We were also given a sheet warning of thefts from the site, and suggesting precautions to take - which is a bit off putting.
I'm going to add a review - but I'll definitely cross it off my list of sites to stop-over.
Thanks Val for thinking of me and letting me know. I was right to have my reservations then!!
We did change our plans and book at Bonneval in the end as they took a booking from me which seemed more solid than the Chartres 'yeah that's fine' response.
Nitnat - we've just come back, having stayed at Chartres overnight - and I don't think I would now recommend it. When we were last there it was OK - but this time we thought everything had deteriorated. It looked badly neglected, the grass was long everywhere, the roads muddy, and the toilet blocks lacked care and cleanliness.
We were also given a sheet warning of thefts from the site, and suggesting precautions to take - which is a bit off putting.
I'm going to add a review - but I'll definitely cross it off my list of sites to stop-over.
Not surprised at what you say Val. Did you read Oliver Day's 2010 review? Yet ACSI approve it ! No wonder the site is having to offer cheap rates these days. It's been poor for some time.
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Hi nitnat - you could go to Courvill sur eure - its not far from Chartres, very quiet and has never been full - its huge and has loads of pitches, town is just over the bridge and up the road. Nice for kids, has a stream to look at / paddle in. Big play area for the kids. See my review here
Well if you want to go into Chartres its about 19km according to my map book, but its probably only about 15km from the N123 which takes you round Chartres. So probably about 15 minutes driving from the City bypass road to the site.
I personally would not go back to Chartres municipal - we tried it this year for the first time and I really was NOT impressed at all. Courville is much nicer and the warden is much friendlier.
The municipal campsite in Chartres has a poor reputation. We decided NOT to stay in the end and kept driving.... it took us 4 hours to find a site!!!!!
We ended up in Limousin, then on the Puy De Dome. We spent the last week in Burgundy
------------- CAT
Favourite site:
Camping Nanzel, Limone, Lake
Garda..perfect for MTB, Kayak, SUP and fell running training.
Favourite areas: Provence, French Alps, Savigny (as a stop over for Southern France: Rhein valley as a stop over for Italy. 78
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I see that Val's review of the nasty Chartres site is here now on Campsite Search. I wonder whether she would like to submit it to the ACSI website too. Their own description begins with the words "A lovely campsite in the centre of town with plenty of trees and greenery all around..." and they grade it with three stars. They already have a few scathing reviews but Val's might serve to help warn others off.
Good idea Berriow - will do now! And on Zoover as well!
I see both websites give the site 7.6 out of 10 - and I thought my 4 out of 10 was generous and would have been less apart from the location of the site! Interesting the ACSI website gives a rather odd message - "In order to guarantee the quality of our camp site reviews, reviews will only be shown if there is a minimum number of 5" - now does that mean there must be 5 reviews of a site before ANY appear ?? or you must score the site at least 5 out of 10 or we won't show your review???
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Booking at Chartres
Just turn right at Chartres on the D923.
