Hi all,
After a significant life style change due to Long Covid, we are no longer tied to school holidays and looking to have a week in France in late June / early July
Having traditionally towed / driven well below the Loire, we are looking to fly and rent a tent or van and go a little further to guarantee ourselves warmer weather but are completely out of depth as we have only ever gone in school holidays.
Our current thinking is that we would fly to possibly Beziers and take a taxi to a site near to the Mediterranean but had also considered flying to La Rochelle or one of the Dordogne airports
We would be really grateful to hear about your experiences of going to France early in the season and any creative solutions to having a week in the warmth.
Many thanks in advance
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
In general, if you're flying, places that have great public transport are much easier, whether that is bus, train or boat. For example, Lake Garda or Interlaken or Lake Annecy or around Barcelona / Salou. Also it makes it more important that your chosen site is within a walk of transport, restaurants and a supermarket. I can personally recommend both Camping Cappuccini on lake Garda and Manor Farm in Interlaken, but I realise you want France.
Hi, There are a various ways to holiday, France or elsewhere, but if you only have a week and want to be several hundred miles away then flying might work.
A look at Eurocamp may help, but for one week in the sun a package may be a better idea.
Firstly, I think you'll find the weather will be warm enough in France in June/July, unless you are expecting nothing less than scorching. I wouldn't describe this as 'early in the season', many of us on here will have been there enjoying good weather in April and May as well as June.
I don't have any experience of the type of holiday you have in mind, though I did once drive to the Med and back for a week's tent camping.
That time of the year you should be able to find a site offering ACSI discount, if you buy the book.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Have a look at Port de Limeuil which is about 30 mins from Bergerac airport. They have statics and very nice safari tents right on the Dordogne river. It’s a gorgeous site with a pretty village within walking distance and they’ve even got a little car you can hire, plus there’s a kayak base next door. We’ve done a lot of camping in France and it’s one of my favourite sites.
For many years pre covid we always spent the last 2 weeks in June and the first 2 weeks in July in France and we have experienced every type of weather you can imagine. We have experienced rain and storms in the south as well as beautiful weather, and some of the best weather we ever had was one year when we spent the whole 4 weeks touring Brittany. South of the Loire will usually give you plenty of warmth in June/July but you can get great weather further north too. We gave up wondering about the weather and just chose the area of France we wanted to explore and we have always had a great time.
Many sites in France have their own mobile homes or chalets which can be really good value outside the main season. For example, the last year we were in Brittany, I checked out our favourite sites brand new very smart mobile homes with the thought of renting one for my parents in the future to coincide with us being there in our caravan. I was amazed that it was only around £200 for a week at the end of June but over £600 for a week in peak season!
------------- Pixie
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Hi,
There are plenty of sites close to Beziers airport; we spend a lot of time at Les Sablons, about 15 mins in a taxi from the airport, costing €15-20 for the journey & there are plenty of mobiles homes, varying in price. There are many restaurants within walking distance, bike hire is available & the bus going to Beziers stops right outside the site, plenty to do for a weeks holiday!
Quote: Originally posted by 5joga on 26/11/2022
Thanks all - some really interesting suggestions. I think we still want to go on a campsite but hadn't thought of other countries.
Some varied suggestions and see that you may now consider other places/options.
On the fly out and stay I have had a quick look at Les Sablons, a site we stayed at and would return to. Cheapest flights in late June 2023 from Luton are £480 ish and cheapest on site accommodation is £570.
So over £1000, and that doesn't include getting to and from site.
If you consider other places can recommend Camping Bella Italia at Peschiera del Garda.
Right on the lake, short level walk into town, loads of transport options, great on site supermarket & restaurants etc, etc.
We have stayed numerous times with or caravan but also flown out and stayed in their on site accommodation.
They are usually in the Eurocamp brochure but we booked direct and they have great deals, up to 7 nts for price of 3, in early season up to mid May ish-not June but lovely weather.
This is all beginning to sound really feasible. Thanks so much - we have camped / caravanned for thirty years and whilst I expect to be much stronger by next summer, I need to plan for rental rather than pitching.
This has all helped so much
Quote: Originally posted by 5joga on 27/11/2022
This is all beginning to sound really feasible. Thanks so much - we have camped / caravanned for thirty years and whilst I expect to be much stronger by next summer, I need to plan for rental rather than pitching.
This has all helped so much
Without wishing to presume, if mobility may be an issue they have they have bungalows and also apartments on the ground floor.
If going independent there are loads of transfer providers and car hire.
We have flown into Bergamo and Verona with Bergamo being the cheapest, but app 55 miles away-all motorway-and Verona the closest at app 15 miles.
I use Skyscanner to price flights, and it can be quite involved comparing times/prices/transfers etc, and have when flying been with friends and hired a car, which can be little more than paying for transfers.
There is a bus stop at the site entrance, ferries from the town to every stop on the lake and a main line station for Venice/Milan etc.
You may have got the idea now that we love the place!
------------- Allan
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Thanks so much Allan, we hadn't considered Italy and are having a look this afternoon.
I am hopeful that worst of the symptoms will have gone by the summer and today I managed a 5 mile walk but sustained driving wipes me out.
Hi,
Manchester to Beziers 29th June to 6th July £40 each way value flight, looking just now. I’d be happy with that but appreciate it’s a bit of a way from Grantham to Manchester!
We often go over in late March or early April for about 3months.One thing you will find is that many restaurants,cafes, swimming pools and attractions are not open until early to late May.
Our grandchildren often fly out to Montpelier in order to join us for a week or so. They stay in a "mobilhome" on the campsite in La Grande Motte, Carnon Plage or even Palavas les flots. They are all within a 30 min cab or bus ride from the airport
Early July is usually high season in France - eg on one of our favourite sites in the Dordogne a chalet (level access) is 380 euro a week 25 June - 3 July and 610 the following week (and 880 the week after). And that's on a 3 star site.
I'd seriously consider car hire - public transport is often sporadic to non existent once you get away from large towns and taxi fares can be very expensive in rural areas. Plus you can do a couple of shops, sightseeing etc.
OK - a bit of bias here - we moved to the Dordogne in 2018.
Fly to Bergerac - it takes all of ten mins to get through baggage / customs. At least 5 car hire firms straight outside arrivals. An hours drive will get you to the stretch between Beynac and Montfort which IMHO is the most beautiful part of the valley - and non too crowded late June, plus long days when you can sit outside of an evening in daylight until nigh on 10 lingering over a meal and a bottle of wine.
Quote: Originally posted by 5joga on 27/11/2022
Thanks so much Allan, we hadn't considered Italy and are having a look this afternoon.
I am hopeful that worst of the symptoms will have gone by the summer and today I managed a 5 mile walk but sustained driving wipes me out.
Hi, Having been hospitalised with Covid back in 2020 I consider myself extremely lucky to be pretty much back to full health.
One thing that we have decided upon though is that any trips by air will see us requesting assistance at the airport and this may be something that will make air travel a little more doable?
My wife has said that I enjoy the planning as much as the holiday and there is certainly much to consider even before you even choose a destination!
As said we love Italy but can second the opinion of the beauty in the Beynac area. There are some lovely towns, Sarlat for instance, and it is a beautiful area.
We stayed at Camping Soleil Plage with our van but there are lots of other accommodation options.
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: First time out of high season
via mobile 26/11/2022 at 7:54pm
