France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

Nekarsulm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Perhaps a wedding planner ....

When we got married we bought our wine from a well known transport company here in Cavan.
Owners wife would bring a mixed pallet of cases if they had a trailer coming back empty.

mikerd4

Getting close to our trip now, unfortunately the car has let me down and is currently being fixed.  This has given me a big dollop of doubt and made me reconsider the breakdown cover I have (first year I went I had to limp the car back from Nice with a power steering pump that was spilling fluid quicker than I could top it up... but as it was all motorways it was fine).
Who offers the best bang for buck motor breakdown policy? I had gone with the AA before but as my car is 9 years old the cost of cover is exhorbitant.

SusanC10

Effects wrote: »

For me it was for myself and family to drink. I didn't have massive amounts of the same wine. More like cases of different wines that I tried and liked and bibs that I intended to bottle myself as decent table wine. I didn't even have to explain it that much to them.

Personal use is up to 90 Litres per Adult travelling in the Vehicle.

SusanC10

mikerd4 wrote: »

Who offers the best bang for buck motor breakdown policy? I had gone with the AA before but as my car is 9 years old the cost of cover is exhorbitant.

We did it as an Add-on to our VHI Multi-trip Travel Ins. They said that they don't cover Cars more than 10 years old.

westgolf

SusanC10 wrote: »

We did it as an Add-on to our VHI Multi-trip Travel Ins. They said that they don't cover Cars more than 10 years old.

If you think it's expensive you should see the costs of breaking down in France with no cover. There are horror stories out there. You are paying for peace of mind as well as the recovery/repair assistance.

Peckham

westgolf wrote:

If you think it's expensive you should see the costs of breaking down in France with no cover. There are horror stories out there. You are paying for peace of mind as well as the recovery/repair assistance.

I am one of those horror stories. Buy breakdown cover!!

mirrorwall14

Who does everyone recommend for breakdown cover? I'm with the AA but thats Ireland/UK and we're going to France

darragh o meara

westgolf wrote: »

If you think it's expensive you should see the costs of breaking down in France with no cover. There are horror stories out there. You are paying for peace of mind as well as the recovery/repair assistance.

Agreed, when I worked in the motor industry dealing with trucks we would always ask if the truck could make it over the border and get breakdown assist from there, if not it meant a big bill for anyone unlucky enough to break down there.

Most insurance policies will have breakdown assist with the policy that usually covers for 30 days overseas, however it might be just as easy to get a dedicated policy to cover your trip.

First Up

SusanC10 wrote: »

Effects wrote: »

For me it was for myself and family to drink. I didn't have massive amounts of the same wine. More like cases of different wines that I tried and liked and bibs that I intended to bottle myself as decent table wine. I didn't even have to explain it that much to them.

Personal use is up to 90 Litres per Adult travelling in the Vehicle.

I have often brought considerably more than that - sometimes travelling on my own. Just waved through.

BlazingSaddler

If you have a Ford and get a service with a main dealer (cheap enough, approx €140) you get Ford Assist cover, this gives European breakdown cover. Came in very handy for me when I broke down about 10 miles outside Domaine Des Ormes 2 years ago. https://www.ford.ie/owner/service-and-maintenance/assistance

mikerd4

I have basic breakdown cover in France but Id rather pay the extra and be covered up to and including getting the car home.  Id rather the piece of mind to be honest

BailMeOut

mikerd4 wrote: »

I have basic breakdown cover in France but Id rather pay the extra and be covered up to and including getting the car home.  Id rather the piece of mind to be honest

Who do you use as called my insurance company and they only cover breakdown in Ireland and UK.

Peckham

BlazingSaddler wrote:

If you have a Ford and get a service with a main dealer (cheap enough, approx €140) you get Ford Assist cover, this gives European breakdown cover. Came in very handy for me when I broke down about 10 miles outside Domaine Des Ormes 2 years ago.

Coincidentally, that's where I broke down! Stopped for lunch in Dol de Bretagne on way to ferry, car didn't start afterwards. Got home two days later than planned, much poorer and more stressed out than when I left!

Fred Swanson

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mikerd4

I took out thecover with Irish Ferries but having read the small print it doesnt cover that much to be honest.  The AA cover was muchmore comprehensive including repatriating us and the car seperately if needed.  I dont mind spending on a few ryanair flights if needed but getting a car back from France on a truck wouldnt be cheap

Peckham

Allianz is a bit cheaper than AA. €99 versus €160. Anyone know if the coverage is broadly the same? Seems to be.

The ever-knowledge Je Suis Jean here previously recommended ADAC, but website etc. is in German which makes me a little nervous if it came to ringing them looking for help. My German isn't particularly great!

westgolf

Peckham wrote: »

Allianz is a bit cheaper than AA. €99 versus €160. Anyone know if the coverage is broadly the same? Seems to be.

The ever-knowledge Je Suis Jean here previously recommended ADAC, but website etc. is in German which makes me a little nervous if it came to ringing them looking for help. My German isn't particularly great!

I'm open to correction but I seem to remember that you had to click some tab to change over to English. ??

BenEadir

Peckham wrote: »

Allianz is a bit cheaper than AA. €99 versus €160. Anyone know if the coverage is broadly the same? Seems to be.

The ever-knowledge Je Suis Jean here previously recommended ADAC, but website etc. is in German which makes me a little nervous if it came to ringing them looking for help. My German isn't particularly great!

I've uses ADAC for several years and they are peerless. In Ireland when you call they send out the AA and in all other countries where they don't have their own resource they send the local equivalent of the AA. ADAC are Europe's largest "AA" organisation. Don't be put off by ever fact they are German, their call centre staff speak English perfectly. You won't get better more reliable cover or better value for money than ADAC IMHO.

juneg

Anyone recommend accommodation in Paris area please? Have to consider where to park the car safely. More for sightseeing than Disney as kids are teens now. Thanks

mikerd4

We stayed in the [font=Avenir, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Hôtel l’Elysée Val d’Europe, its not a Disney Hotel but they are accredited and only 10 mins on the shuttle bus that goes into Disney every 15 mins.  They have a very sercure and spacious underground car park.  Another bonus is they are next door to a huge shopping centre if the wife and kids like that kind of thing.[/font]

mikerd4

Specifically looking at breakdown cover that will get the car home if needed (I dont think standard Adac cover will do that?)
The options seem to be
Allianz - https://www.allianz-assistance.ie/car/breakdown-assistance/european-breakdown-cover ; - €99 (yearly policy not just a1 trip)
TheAA - No idea as the website keeps giving an error when I try to get a quote.
Roadrescue.ie - https://www.roadrescue.ie/european-breakdown-cover.asp - €71 for the trip only

Allianz seem to offer much better cover than roadrescue.ie looking at the website

BenEadir

mikerd4 wrote: »

Specifically looking at breakdown cover that will get the car home if needed (I dont think standard Adac cover will do that?)
The options seem to be
Allianz - https://www.allianz-assistance.ie/car/breakdown-assistance/european-breakdown-cover - €99 (yearly policy not just a1 trip)
TheAA - No idea as the website keeps giving an error when I try to get a quote.
Roadrescue.ie - https://www.roadrescue.ie/european-breakdown-cover.asp - €71 for the trip only

Allianz seem to offer much better cover than roadrescue.ie looking at the website

Pay very close attention to the terms and conditions of each service offering you are considering. The norm is that the rescue service will either repair you on the spot (small stuff obviously) or take you to a the nearest "suitable" garage where a repair can be professionally undertaken which in my experience typically means the nearest approved dealership garage.

Most rescue services include a "get you home" option in their marketing literature which we tend to read as meaning it's a choice we can make if we'd prefer to have our car repaired at home in Ireland but each organisation or policy has it's own formula for working out how they decide what option applies to you. Just because you have a policy which includes or refers to an option to bring you to your destination or "home" doesn't mean it's a la carte and your choice. If a repair can be effected at a dealership garage 50km's away the breakdown service aren't necessarily going to transport you, your car and your family all the way to Roscoff/Cherbourg or wherever just so you can get your local Irish mechanic to repair the car.

I pay €109 a year by direct debit for myself, my wife and two U18 kids on the top ADAC Plus Membership category which covers us here in Ireland and across Europe and any passengers travelling with us. It also covers us in whatever car we are driving and in the most serious situations they will indeed repatriate us and our car back to our home address in Dublin but it's not an option we can choose, it would only apply if the circumstances required it i.e. a repair couldn't be made in a reasonable time frame at the nearest suitable garage.

Thankfully I've never had a serious breakdown but the couple of times I've had to call them (their global breakdown call centre number is +4989222222) I've had the call answered within 30 seconds by agents who spoke excellent English and I was very happy with the service I received.

CheerLouth

Does anyone know if Des Ormes have a policy about men's swimming shorts? Do they need proper swimming trunks or are shorts ok? Was only when I was buying our little fella a swimming costume this weekend that I thought about it! Mr. CL is not happy at the thoughts of trunks :P

BlazingSaddler

CheerLouth wrote: »

Does anyone know if Des Ormes have a policy about men's swimming shorts? Do they need proper swimming trunks or are shorts ok? Was only when I was buying our little fella a swimming costume this weekend that I thought about it! Mr. CL is not happy at the thoughts of trunks :P

Shorts were fine when I was there a couple of years ago. In fact over the last 5 years I've been to La Croix in Paris, Des Ormes, La Vallee in Houlgate, Les Mouettes in Carantec and La Baume in Frejus and never had an issue with swimming shorts in any of them! Maybe very long colourful Bermuda style shorts are a no no but fairly plain normal shorts should be grand.

loyatemu

this is what the Irish Ferries breakdown cover includes (cover is provided by Allianz):

josip

I see that breakdowncover.ie is provided by MAPFRE ASISTENCIA Compania Internacional de Seguros Y Reaseguros. S.A.

http://www.breakdowncover.ie/common/949_MotorBreakdown.ie_PolicyA4_Irl.pdf

I've no experience of them, but given the numerous complaints people have with car rental and insurance in Spain, I'd be wary.

Fred Swanson

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Stone Deaf 4evr

I'd unsubbed from the thread a while back with all the Ferry Breakdown stuff, but just catching up now.


To all the folks thinking of getting a roofbox - the one piece of advice I'd give you is to also buy one of these

https://www.amazon.com/Folding-Step-Stool-Lightweight-Bathroom/dp/B014WOXB6O

it makes loading and unloading infinitely easier and folds down small enough to fit under the passenger seat, and also some of these, very handy in the unlikely situation of having a hinge or lock malfunction on the box - I speak from experience!
https://www.eurocarparts.com/en_ie/ecpie/p/car-accessories/summer-essentials/travel-and-touring/bungee-strap-and-ratchet-straps/?549778711&0&cc5_127&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5-TXBRCHARIsANLixNxYRRPIl1CeKFnwTc1Z6KvhZAPj-f4A8eKA8rkli5iCdgbxt2jMh8gaAmXTEALw_wcB

josip

Also bring some of this in case your husband/wife drives under a low car park barrier.

loyatemu

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

I'd unsubbed from the thread a while back with all the Ferry Breakdown stuff, but just catching up now.


To all the folks thinking of getting a roofbox - the one piece of advice I'd give you is to also buy one of these

https://www.amazon.com/Folding-Step-Stool-Lightweight-Bathroom/dp/B014WOXB6O

it makes loading and unloading infinitely easier and folds down small enough to fit under the passenger seat,

Good idea, particularly if your car is an MPV or an SUV - I've used the mobilehome deck when in France to get up to load the box but it depends on being able to pull the car up alongside it which isn't alway possible.

Another tip is to mount the box so the opening side is closer to the side of the car. I'd always mounted our in the middle of the rack but offset it last year so I could mount a bike rack beside it, and was kicking myself I hadn't thought of doing that previously as it was so much easier to pack.