Camper To France

rustynutz

I bought an old camper (96 Transit with Roller Body) last October and I am in the process of renovating (a lot of damage to walls from damp), anyway to keep me motivated I am hoping to book a trip to France for maybe a couple of weeks in the beginning of August. I have never traveled to France before and am open to any suggestions on where to stay etc.

I will be travelling with my partner and 2 young kids (4 & 5), I will probably be looking for campsites within a 3-5 hour drive of Roscoff or Cherbourg, so I suppose a few questions:

1. Am I mental to be considering this trip in a 19 year old camper?!
2. Is Irish ferries the only show in town for direct sailings, do you need to book cabin etc?
3. I am looking for a couple of nice campsites, can anyone recommend a couple within reasonable distance of Cherbourg, something with activities for kids etc.
4. I'd imaging these campsites would need to be booked in advance, what sort of per night cost would you be looking at?
5. Are there any parts of France that are particularly cycle friendly for kids so we could park camper and cycle wherever we needed to go?
6. Any other tips on what to pack, not to pack, things to do and not to do would be really appreciated, thanks in advance.

JonMac

Just a couple of answers.
Last Winter we spent 102 days and 6,100 km on a trip to Spain in our "new" 1999 camper. No problems but well serviced by Pat Horan Campers.
Stena sail Rosslare to Cherbourg.
Suggest you do several shake down trips close to home first.

Dexter Bip

Hi. If you search this forum you'll find loads of threads on travelling in France.
I'd imagine if your van is roadworthy enough for home it shouldn't be a problem especially if you're not travelling far from Normandy. You'll see plenty of venerable vans on the road while you're there.
Best of luck with it.

Nekarsulm

rustynutz wrote: »

1. Am I mental to be considering this trip in a 19 year old camper?!
2. Is Irish ferries the only show in town for direct sailings, do you need to book cabin etc?
3. I am looking for a couple of nice campsites, can anyone recommend a couple within reasonable distance of Cherbourg, something with activities for kids etc.
4. I'd imaging these campsites would need to be booked in advance, what sort of per night cost would you be looking at?
5. Are there any parts of France that are particularly cycle friendly for kids so we could park camper and cycle wherever we needed to go?
6. Any other tips on what to pack, not to pack, things to do and not to do would be really appreciated, thanks in advance.

Not one bit mental, just service the transit and you'll be grand. The French themselves are thankfully unaffected by the "Must Be New and Shiny' disease.

You must book a cabin. Even if you didn't need to, with kids its important to have somewhere to limit their range!

Loads of nice family run, and chain, campsites all along between Cherbourg and Mont St. Michel . You could book one for, say 4 days, and get your bearings. Never yet failed to get a pitch, on spec. Can cost between 16 and 25 per night, depending on facilities, entertainment. Do try village camp sites, the best way to meet native French. If I wanted to spend a week sandwiched between Dubs and Brits, I wouldn't have to travel to France.

Loads of reading here about what to bring, etc. Also, if you peruse www.club80-90.co.uk they have extensive reports from campers regarding sites visited etc.
Have a great holiday. Heading Roslare to Cherbourg ourselves on 10th August.

Start checking the Ferry sites, and comparing the effect sailing on different days makes to the overall price. Going for midweek sailings often saves a couple of hundred.

Nekarsulm

Or Rustynutz, how about this http://www.windy500.co.uk/ for next year?

rustynutz

Thanks for that, a lot of useful info there

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Not one bit mental, just service the transit and you'll be grand. The French themselves are thankfully unaffected by the "Must Be New and Shiny' disease.

You must book a cabin. Even if you didn't need to, with kids its important to have somewhere to limit their range!

Loads of nice family run, and chain, campsites all along between Cherbourg and Mont St. Michel . You could book one for, say 4 days, and get your bearings. Never yet failed to get a pitch, on spec. Can cost between 16 and 25 per night, depending on facilities, entertainment. Do try village camp sites, the best way to meet native French. If I wanted to spend a week sandwiched between Dubs and Brits, I wouldn't have to travel to France.

Loads of reading here about what to bring, etc. Also, if you peruse www.club80-90.co.uk they have extensive reports from campers regarding sites visited etc.
Have a great holiday. Heading Roslare to Cherbourg ourselves on 10th August.

Start checking the Ferry sites, and comparing the effect sailing on different days makes to the overall price. Going for midweek sailings often saves a couple of hundred.

moodrater

rustynutz wrote: »

1. Am I mental to be considering this trip in a 19 year old camper?!

To be honest I'd feel more confident in that than a new one as long as its been looked after. Any mechanic with a hammer and an adjustable spanner can fix those, parts are cheap and plentiful. Definitely worth signing up to ADAC for breakdown cover if you're nervous.

moodrater

moodrater wrote: »

To be honest I'd feel more confident in that than a new one as long as its been looked after. Any mechanic with a hammer and an adjustable spanner can fix those, parts are cheap and plentiful. .

:pac:
+1

T650

We stayed here when ours were similar in age to yours. Suited us down to the ground. Site has a gate at the back that leads to the beach by walking across a boardwalk. You can follow the boardwalk into the fishing village of Le Guilvinec.

http://www.yellohvillage.co.uk/camping/la_plage

Ooopps - just noticed you mentioned Cherbourg. Le Plage is 475km from there ! It's only 137km from Roscoff which we used.

rustynutz

T650 wrote: »

We stayed here when ours were similar in age to yours. Suited us down to the ground. Site has a gate at the back that leads to the beach by walking across a boardwalk. You can follow the boardwalk into the fishing village of Le Guilvinec.

http://www.yellohvillage.co.uk/camping/la_plage

Ooopps - just noticed you mentioned Cherbourg. Le Plage is 475km from there ! It's only 137km from Roscoff which we used.

Haven't booked yet so have the option of Roscoff, perfect I will look into that further

rustynutz

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Or Rustynutz, how about this http://www.windy500.co.uk/ for next year?

Probably a bit ambitious at the moment, looks like fun though