My hubby wants to take us all to Normandy this year in June. We have a tourer and are planning to go and see Pegasus Bridge, the Tapestry and other places (I can't remember what else he said).
As this will be our first time touring to France, I could do with a bit of help in choosing a park along with tips on which routes etc. We have also thought of travelling to the South Coast in the evening, staying over night and then travelling the rest of the ferry etc the next day... Ideas please any caravanning peeps. We are not in any clubs and also already have insurance cover etc.
I would be very grateful if anyone can send any recommendations whatever they are!
I look forward to reading any replies.
Lol's Mummy
------------- Joely, Martin & Baby LolBold
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
1. Have you decided on which ferry route yet? You might want to do costings of crossings for your planned dates, and then decide. The longer crossings are always the most expensive. Dover/Calais will be the cheapest, or if you have Tesco vouchers you could put them towards the cost of the tunnel. P and O crossings are quicker than DFDS and there are more sailings to Calais. However, for Pegasus Bridge then it would make sense to travel via Caen.
If you use a short crossing, then from Bedworth I think I'd have an early start and then stay overnight on the French side. That way you've a very short journey the following day. For overnight stays, should you choose the shorter crossings, then obviously where you will get to will depend on your arrival time in France, but there are so many sites where you can overnight, usually without booking, that once you've decided on the route and arrival time then someone will suggest an overnight site.
2. What sort of sites do you like? Do you want a real 'family park' with pools, slides, bar and restaurant, take-away etc or do you prefer a quiet site in an orchard with just a few other vans?
3. When are you planning to go? If you can go outside the main school holidays then you will find sites quieter and cheaper. French sites have a very short busy period between mid-July and mid-August and outside those periods you can get some real bargains. Our Spring Bank Holiday is a good time time to go with smaller children.
There are ACSI Card sites (see www.campingcard.co.uk) in the area you want to visit and some which will cost just 12 euros per night outside peak season. There are some which include free places for children under six.
For a short visit , a ferry from Portsmouth to Caen and one home again from Cherbourg to Poole is easy, although more expensive than going via Calais.
We would just hop without booking in June, from one small site to another, as it's a very quiet time of year, but on a first trip you may perhaps want more security than that and a single base.
Treat yourself to a in car dvd player and couple of age related films cartoons its amazing a couple of hours will fly Id also be with Val get up early with little guy in PJs and get to the ferry port and over that day you could even make your site You can change him at ferry port but again a few hours undisturbed traveling all adds up I say undisturbed as in wanting toilet wanting drink wanting toilet again it gets fun We leave Cheshire 4 am for Dover 'm there for 9 am 1 fuel stop and little else children sorted in caravan and onto the ferry ..Im then south of Paris on way to South coast before the first overnight
------------- Mark
Uttoxeter (Race days)
Le Serignan Plage (clothed one) August and Scheveningen on way back
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: 1st Time Touring with 4yr to Normandy
