We have booked our main site near Saumur this year and have come to book tunnel tickets but they are sold out for the times we want to travel. We've now decided that we will leave a day earlier on a midday train and get an hour or so into france and set up for an overnight stop before heading to the main holiday site we have booked. As we're hoping to get a midday train I guess we'll arrive in France around 1.30ish, so around an hours drive would hopefully get us to Abbeville or just after. We do tow so that limits our speed. Ideally we want to arrive at a site no later than 4pm as even with a minimal set up it'll take us a good 30mins to get set up.
So really I'm looking for recommendations on some nice quiet sites in that area. Nothing fancy, doesn't need a pool, or a bar or any trapping, but a playarea would be nice so the kids can let off steam after a long day in the car and maybe close to somewhere to eat.
As this is extra, doing it cheaply would help, if we can find somewhere around €20 for the night that would help!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Reviewed on here, very open with massive pitches, good for steam release for kids. Shops etc not as accessible as St Claire, but you could drop off the A 16 jct 36 and call in at Intermarche Marquise. their fuel prices are usually as good as it gets.
Have stayed at both Ste Claire at Neufchatel and Clos Cacheleux near Abbeville.
For ease of shopping I'd vote for Ste Claire. There is a LeClerc, Lidl and Aldi, all within walking distance of the site. It is also cheaper than Clos Cacheleux. I don't know when you are going, but they do both take the ACSI discount card in the off-peak season. Ste Claire at 12 Euros per night, plus extra for the kids, Clos Cacheleux is 16 Euros plus kids.
Last year we ventured through this area on the way to Chartres.
We were making for just outside Rouen having driven from Zeebrugge via Lille......
We stopped a lovely campsite: Municipal Eure et Seine at Pont De L'Arche.
We have also visited Saumur whenh we have been going down to Lacanau (Bordeaux coast).
If you haven't already chosen your campsite, this is a lovely one affording fantastic views, and a good base to explore from: Le Chantepie, Saint Hilaire St Florent. Its only about 4k from Saumur centre.
------------- 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
Thanks for the recommendations so far. Our main site is booked and paid for from the 17th August, so it seems this extra night falls on the last day most sites charge "high season" so we'll be paying top wack unfortunately. Would municipal sites be cheaper or are they all going to be around 30 euros? We have car, folding camper, 2 adults, 9yo and 6yo.. Can forgo EHU to bring costs down as its only a stop off.
Municipals are as the name suggests, they are council funded, so they are much cheaper. The locations are a bit hit and miss, and the standard is only ever as good as the person they put in charge.
We have been quite lucky but over the years we have seen some that resemble POW camps.
Pont De L'arche is good, and lovely location and the facilities are good. You will never get water slides and pools, but we don't like them anyway !!!
Les Premier Pres in Savigny used to be municipal, we have been going there on and off for about 10yrs.
Chablis is hit and miss, this year was fab, but awful in 2010.
The municipal in Annecy is definately 'off the list'.
Municipal sites are often placed on 'cheap' land, next to railway lines, near the local Stadium....avoid these.
e.g. the one in Epernay is dreadful..
And Amiens is not very good...lovely name 'Cygnes' (swan something), but its in a dodgy area and surrouinded by high metal fencing naaah!.
Horses for courses.
Over the period of 17yrs, we know the region and route we want to take and tend to have a 1 night stop within an 8 hours drive of our starting point (4 hrs am, 4hrspm). We usually aim to be somehwre for about 16:30 to allow us time to sus out the place and move on if it doesn't suit.
This website is particularly good for recommendations, although be aware that what suits people in caravans may not suit people camping...we need facilities, caravans can use their own if they have to.
------------- 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 think Saints Claire is the cheapest option as their kids rates are cheaper, as well as the basic pitch price with 2 adults. Clos Cacheleux want to charge me adult price for kids over 7! My daughter will have only just turned 9 so I think thats a bit steep.
Only thing I'm not sure about is the charging of seasons, they only have one "per night" pricelist on ST. Claire, but further down they do list the times of low, middle, high season.
The other site recommended is just a wee bit to far I think, given timings and distance.
Quote: Originally posted by dubs1978 on 05/4/2013
Only thing I'm not sure about is the charging of seasons, they only have one "per night" pricelist on ST. Claire, but further down they do list the times of low, middle, high season.
I'm sure that the tariff on the website is what it is all year round. We use ACSI, and the charge for 2 adults per night with that is €12, including EHU, plus tourist tax. When we've been in August (before they accept the ACSI card), we've paid €12 without EHU, which is the same price, but obviously without the EHU.
So it doesn't look that expensive for the 4 of you, does it? And if you're not bothered about EHU it would be even less, about €17 with tourist tax.
Quote: Originally posted by dubs1978 on 05/4/2013I think Saints Claire is the cheapest option as their kids rates are cheaper, as well as the basic pitch price with 2 adults. Clos Cacheleux want to charge me adult price for kids over 7! My daughter will have only just turned 9 so I think thats a bit steep.
Depressing isn't it? Our kids are 13,11 and 8 and I have to book for 5 adults these days. Grrr.
A good site for transit is the one at Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, a municipal site, therefore not expensive.
Address: Avenue Victor Hugo CD 310 (Rue du Haut Ary), Fresnay-sur-sarthe, 72130, France Phone:+33 2 43 97 32 87
see reviews on Ukcamping
They have a free heated swimming pool and a play area, a shop and petanque pitch and ping pong table. Picnic tables by the river were a nice touch. Bread can be ordered for morning pick up from the office. The town nearby has restaurants and shops. We found it easy reach from the chunnel
Chateau Des Tilleuls is near Abbeville (about 5kms), with positive reviews on here. Easy to find and close to motorway.
Good sized pitches, small swimming pool and lots of space for games down near the entrance.
Very friendly staff in reception and excellent bread (to order) in the mornings. They have a small on-site restaurant but did not use so cannot comment on quality / choice of food.
Price would be 20,50 for pitch + unit + 2 adults, plus 3 euros each for children under 12, so 26,50 altogether.
Quote: Originally posted by bofs on 06/4/2013
Chateau Des Tilleuls is near Abbeville
Price would be 20,50 for pitch + unit + 2 adults, plus 3 euros each for children under 12, so 26,50 altogether.
Not as cheap as Ste Claire, and above the budget of around €20. My vote is still for Ste Claire, both for convenience and value for money.
We stayed at both St Claire and des Tilleuls, about three years ago en route and back from Parc de Fierbois.
I have to say whilst des Tilleuls had the pool, giving the children a chance to unwind after the journey, and was easy access off the autoroute, Camping St Claire had the upper hand on ease of access, pitches and thé local L"Eclerc (and their wash block didn't look like like a relic from WWII). Would consider St Claire again but not Chateau des Tilleuls.
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: A site between Abbeville and Rouen
