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

average_runner

loyatemu wrote: »

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.

I just open the car door and stand on the entrance there. Easy enough for as 6ft.

juneg

average_runner wrote: »

I just open the car door and stand on the entrance there. Easy enough for as 6ft.

We do that too. Both well under the six foot. Himself finds it helpful to pack things in loosely. Used these last year and they were a great job for keeping the roofbox organised. Cheap and cheerful in Argos.

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/8755412/Trail/searchtext%3ESTORAGE+BAGS.htm

juneg

juneg wrote: »

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

To those who have stayed in Croix de vieux pont campsite, would you recommend it? Can you advise if it is too far from Paris ? Googling gives me about one and a half hours journey time. Would you be using the trains, are they expensive? Thanks

fdevine

juneg wrote: »

To those who have stayed in Croix de vieux pont campsite, would you recommend it? Can you advise if it is too far from Paris ? Googling gives me about one and a half hours journey time. Would you be using the trains, are they expensive? Thanks

La Croix de Vieux Pont is a great site. Highly recommend it. It's not well located for buses or trains though so a car IMHO is essential. Trains do run from Compiegne and take around an hour but Compiegne is 30 minutes or so from the campsite.

Depending on what part of Paris you might be going to it's between 60 & 90 minutes journey time. The advice we got was to drive to the outskirts and park close to a Metro/train station so you can use public transport in to the heart of Paris. Driving into the city centre could be a nightmare.

Alternatively, to avoid all stress, the campsite run coach trips to Paris. We were dropped near the Arc de Triomphe in the morning & collected at 5.30/6pm

BlazingSaddler

fdevine wrote: »

La Croix de Vieux Pont is a great site. Highly recommend it. It's not well located for buses or trains though so a car IMHO is essential. Trains do run from Compiegne and take around an hour but Compiegne is 30 minutes or so from the campsite.

Depending on what part of Paris you might be going to it's between 60 & 90 minutes journey time. The advice we got was to drive to the outskirts and park close to a Metro/train station so you can use public transport in to the heart of Paris. Driving into the city centre could be a nightmare.

Alternatively, to avoid all stress, the campsite run coach trips to Paris. We were dropped near the Arc de Triomphe in the morning & collected at 5.30/6pm

Couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Super site. One of the other contributors (Ninesell) on this forum recommended the Facebook group which is full of useful info. https://m.facebook.com/groups/145635722125632

Peckham

juneg wrote: »

We do that too. Both well under the six foot. Himself finds it helpful to pack things in loosely. Used these last year and they were a great job for keeping the roofbox organised. Cheap and cheerful in Argos.

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/8755412/Trail/searchtext%3ESTORAGE+BAGS.htm

One great tip I previously got for roofboxes is to pack all your clothes in bin bags. Very easy to stash them in the roofbox. We do one bin bag per person, plus another one or two with sheets/towels etc. Then everything else goes in loose around these.

Makes packing and unpacking a doddle!

darragh o meara

Peckham wrote: »

One great tip I previously got for roofboxes is to pack all your clothes in bin bags. Very easy to stash them in the roofbox. We do one bin bag per person, plus another one or two with sheets/towels etc. Then everything else goes in loose around these.

Makes packing and unpacking a doddle!

We use these IKEA bags, they are great as they hold loads and don’t break, plus on our roofbox they can fit in standing up saving loads of room.

https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/products/smart-home-appliances/tools-fittings/frakta-carrier-bag-large-blue-art-17228340/

McSween

Going on Oscar Wilde on Friday. Can i recap on phone settings.

Basic question is how do i avoid the ship’s mobile. Will it pick up normal networks in preference to ship.

Data roaming. It should stay off until im within reach of france?

loyatemu

McSween wrote: »

Going on Oscar Wilde on Friday. Can i recap on phone settings.

Basic question is how do i avoid the ship’s mobile. Will it pick up normal networks in preference to ship.

Data roaming. It should stay off until im within reach of france?

put it in Airplane mode then turn WiFi and bluetooth back on if you need them. Or just take your SIM card out until you get to France.

webpal

Mine never connects for some reason and usually get the texts in the middle of the night coming around cornwall

Odyssey 2005

darragh o meara wrote: »

Coincidentally just as we were talking about it.

http://jrnl.ie/4009006

Brought a van over 2 years ago. Filled it to the gills. It was for a family members wedding. Brought documents from hotel to prove,just in case. Wasn't even slowed down by customs.

flangemeistro

Has anyone heard of any travel experiences yet from the Connemara either to Santander or Roscoff?
We're heading to Roscoff on it in two weeks and I've been looking over at it from Cobh when it's Docked in Ringaskiddy and it is a fair but smaller than the Pont Aven alright.
Not overly worried about the facilities as we tended to entertain ourselves but a small bit worried that it will be like a bottle Cork as the wife gets bad sea sickness.

average_runner

flangemeistro wrote: »

Has anyone heard of any travel experiences yet from the Connemara either to Santander or Roscoff?
We're heading to Roscoff on it in two weeks and I've been looking over at it from Cobh when it's Docked in Ringaskiddy and it is a fair but smaller than the Pont Aven alright.
Not overly worried about the facilities as we tended to entertain ourselves but a small bit worried that it will be like a bottle Cork as the wife gets bad sea sickness.

Get her the travel sickness tablets, they worked great for me. Also just get her to
relax in the bed for the trip. Less movement the better!!

josip

average_runner wrote: »

Get her the travel sickness tablets, they worked great for me. Also just get her to
relax in the bed for the trip. Less movement the better!!

If she takes the sea sickness tablets, she'll have no trouble relaxing in bed.
Mrs josip gets very drowsy after them.

average_runner

josip wrote: »

If she takes the sea sickness tablets, she'll have no trouble relaxing in bed.
Mrs josip gets very drowsy after them.

Wow, I was never that lucky. To be honest that is one of the reason we stopped using the ferry, I would stress myself out worrying about the conditions(wife never knew this) but then the youngest was a bad one for getting sick also.

Ferry is great if you make it a part of your holidays, some great memories and some interesting ones with my kid and I in the bathroom getting sick:D Father and son time!!!!!!!!


Thank god we fly now

mikerd4

Ferry and Siblu paid today, holiday countdown well and truly on.....

flangemeistro

average_runner wrote: »

Get her the travel sickness tablets, they worked great for me. Also just get her to
relax in the bed for the trip. Less movement the better!!

Ya the only thing about the sea sickness tablets and the drowsiness is the 6 month old, two year old and 6 year old who need looking after, it's normally all hands on deck so I couldn't imagine one of us having to deal with the three of them on their own, now that would be a stressful start to a holiday.

josip

flangemeistro wrote: »

Ya the only thing about the sea sickness tablets and the drowsiness is the 6 month old, two year old and 6 year old who need looking after, it's normally all hands on deck so I couldn't imagine one of us having to deal with the three of them on their own, now that would be a stressful start to a holiday.

Seasick tablets for everyone!

raddo

Speaking of sea sickness tablets, there are 6 of us travelling to France early July, 2 adults and 4 kids.
I can guarantee that at least 3 of us will be sea sick!
We have decided to get tablets / bands / etc for all just in case.
Can anyone recommend a brand to use?
Will the same ones do for adults and kids?
Any info would be great

Quango Unchained

Ginger is meant to help with motion sickness. Can be bought as sweets, tea, biscuits or capsules if taste is a problem.

http://cruisetalk.org/ginger-a-plausable-treatment-for-seasickness/

average_runner

raddo wrote: »

Speaking of sea sickness tablets, there are 6 of us travelling to France early July, 2 adults and 4 kids.
I can guarantee that at least 3 of us will be sea sick!
We have decided to get tablets / bands / etc for all just in case.
Can anyone recommend a brand to use?
Will the same ones do for adults and kids?
Any info would be great

Stugeron for the adults. Depending on the kids age, if under 12 they cant take them I think. Get the sea motion wrists bands for all in the local boots

josip

They sell the bands on board but don't sell tablets

molly dolly

I work in the motor trade.

One year a customers car broke down, they missed the ferry, no french. It was a landrover, not a franchise well covered in france. Big delay on parts so it actually worked better to get a tow to the ferry and we meet them in Wexford to tow them off. They were broke so it was two nights sleeping in a car etc etc with two young kids. Nightmare. Never ever travelled without cover. Himselfs car had warranty cover that extends to europe but never took the chance when his last car was out of warranty. Our logic is if you have it you seldom need it. We did get a fright on way home once when one of the kids left the light on in car and battery was flat next day.

Still two and a half months to our holiday but excitment is growing.

Quazzie

5 weeks today till we jet off for Barcelona then travel up to La Sirene in Saint Aygulf. Really really looking forward to it now.

ShamoBuc

7 weeks tomorrow, sail from Cork, onto Paris for Disney and then Croix De Vieux Point, cannot wait.
Always make sure you have cover, it really is worth it.
My sea sick tablets.....Bulmers, thankfully they work a treat.:)

hairyslug

I'm a little confused about how the Tesco vouchers work with stena. Please tell me if this is correct.

I currently have €150 worth of vouchers, the return trip on stena through the Tesco link comes to €150 (not using the Tesco link and same trip is €130)

As Tesco vouchers are worth 4 times their value, I only need to use €40 worth of vouchers to cover my entire travel.

Also, I take it you have to apply to Tesco to get the stena vouchers and the code is used when booking the ferry.

Thanks.

mr_edge_to_you

Hi there

Hoping to go to France this August if Irish Ferries actually manage to take delivery of the WB Lates.

We’re spending a night in Normandy on the way back up. Last time we did it we spent the night in a hotel in Caen which was grand but nothing special. Can anyone recommend somewhere else that would be a nice place to stay for the night? A nice seaside town maybe? We’re a family of four (kids 6 and 3).

McSween

Just coming in to Rosslare. Make sure you bring a European adaptor for the cabin.

Roscoff is a beautiful town. Weather ideal for the crossing and a few hours sitting outdoors in Roscoff.

We thought we were going to get pulled over by French woman checking boarding passes. She took our wine receipts. We only had a handful over allowance.

First Up

McSween wrote: »

Just coming in to Rosslare. Make sure you bring a European adaptor for the cabin.

Roscoff is a beautiful town. Weather ideal for the crossing and a few hours sitting outdoors in Roscoff.

We thought we were going to get pulled over by French woman checking boarding passes. She took our wine receipts. We only had a handful over allowance.

French woman took your wine receipts? In Roscoff? Why?

Fred Swanson

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