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

Macy0161

Baybay wrote: »

I’m not at home right now but I’m guessing the continental heatwave is getting good press coverage.

"Good" as in it is getting coverage, as is the measures being taken, which is what i assume you mean.

54and56

Anyone know how to use Stena loyalty points? I've 2500 points but can't see any way of spending them on the Stena website.

I was thinking that they could be used to purchase speedy exit or some sort of upgrade or meal package etc.

Am I missing something?

Sleepy

Anyone been to Parc de Montsabert in Coutures before?

Flying into Tours on the 22nd of July for a week with the extended family and would appreciate any tips or recommendations of things to do nearby etc.

manshay

54&56 wrote: »

Anyone know how to use Stena loyalty points? I've 2500 points but can't see any way of spending them on the Stena website.

I was thinking that they could be used to purchase speedy exit or some sort of upgrade or meal package etc.

Am I missing something?

Add the upgrade and or meal to your booking, under the change booking option, when you go to pay, the option should be there to pay by points.
I paid the deposit for our forthcoming trip in August with points.

John_Rambo

Deeman83 wrote: »

Thanks for heads up!
I guess I will go and buy another fan for the caravan before I set off on Sunday!

Is there much of a sea breeze?

Enjoy your hols.

Thanks! We legged it North. It was just too hot. There was no sea breeze kicking in when we were there. Unusually.

CelticRambler

Vigilance Rouge (Red Alert) in force today for four départements in the south east : Vaucluse, Gard, Hérault, Bouches-du-Rhône

- All outdoor organised events cancelled
- Anti pollution measures in force (see above - speed limit reductions and access restrictions, especially around Marseille)
- Expect to find local businesses closed in the afternoon/evening

And if you're in Normandy or Brittany, don't be surprised if you find the beach closed. All the beaches in Calvados where shut yesterday after the lifeguards got fed up pulling people out of the water. The sea along that part of the coast is not as warm or as calm as it looks and is killing people (five so far this week) who jump into it to cool off.

Deeman83

average_runner wrote: »

Heading there on Sat. Thank god we have air cond. One of the first things we ensure the mobile has.

Good work.
For those who dont have AC, we will have to rig up a complex fan system with damp cloths, towels and fans!

Little tip, freeze a face cloth and place it partially over the fan.

Baybay

Coming up to 11am here in the Herault & the thermometer in the village is reading 34 degrees. 44 is expected during the afternoon.

Baybay

CelticRambler wrote: »

The sea along that part of the coast is not as warm or as calm as it looks and is killing people (five so far this week) who jump into it to cool off.

The other thing that they’re warning about here close to the Med is thermal shock. Not just for the sea but for any body of water really.

MorganIRL

Deeman83 wrote: »

Good work.
For those who dont have AC, we will have to rig up a complex fan system with damp cloths, towels and fans!

Little tip, freeze a face cloth and place it partially over the fan.

Cudda done with that tip last night.... Soo warm, too hot for babies, just over in superU and the fans are flying out with the locals, unusually I'm looking forward to going home to Irish weather. Hahahaha

westgolf

41 degrees in canet St Marie in South East corner of France at 4.00 today.

josip

CelticRambler wrote: »

And if you're in Normandy or Brittany, don't be surprised if you find the beach closed. All the beaches in Calvados where shut yesterday after the lifeguards got fed up pulling people out of the water. The sea along that part of the coast is not as warm or as calm as it looks and is killing people (five so far this week) who jump into it to cool off.

Thankfully Dunkirk was open today when we were passing.
But while we were there there was a full scale incident, inshore boat, 5 fire tenders, Severn Class and a helicopter.
Water was warm by Irish standards.

evolving_doors

What are people doing for breakdown car cover in France.
Also travel insurance?
Multitrip.com?

evolving_doors

evolving_doors wrote: »

What are people doing for breakdown car cover in France.
Also travel insurance?
Multitrip.com?

For breakdown insurance, I've bought from roadrescue.ie plenty of times before. They include repatriation of the car in their policy. Never had to use them before though.

evolving_doors

Dónal wrote: »

For breakdown insurance, I've bought from roadrescue.ie plenty of times before. They include repatriation of the car in their policy. Never had to use them before though.

Cheers, and while yer there :PAC: where did ya get headlight sticker thing and triangle thing?

Odyssey 2005

Icsics wrote: »

Remember all shops in France close at 12 on Sundays

Since when ?. Major sumpemarkets in Sarlat were open last June

ShamoBuc

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Since when ?. Major sumpemarkets in Sarlat were open last June

The vast majority do in France..
Go into a supermarket at 10 or 11 on a Sunday and they will be absolutely jammers because of the early closing.

MorganIRL

Dónal wrote: »

For breakdown insurance, I've bought from roadrescue.ie plenty of times before. They include repatriation of the car in their policy. Never had to use them before though.

Done the same for this trip again, thankfully never have had to use it.

MorganIRL

evolving_doors wrote: »

Cheers, and while yer there :PAC: where did ya get headlight sticker thing and triangle thing?

Halfords have them, get them with your lightbulb pack fierce handy..

MorganIRL

Just back (2A 3k) from Le Clarys Plage vendee, we were put across the road when we arrived to the eurocamp cabin, and when I saw this I was mildly disappointed to be away from pool, bar etc. But my god after the10days how thankful were we that we had being on the "quieter side". It's a huge site, we had never being to a site so big, and with such a large contingent of Irish on site. Our thoughts after it, is it's mental, what seemed like feral kids on bikes and running around all evening and night on the main site.

The site and facilities cannot be faulted, high quality pool area, clean bar and takeaway area. Food from takeaway is good and I didn't feel overpriced.

But the staff had hard work in pool area and bar area trying to keep kids & teens controlled and probably to try not upset mum's and dads by attracting them to the kids behavior..

Our thoughts are we won't be there again or to a site of its size again, obviously some people like this, but for us it's a negative for Le Clarys Plage.

ShamoBuc

MorganIRL wrote: »

Just back (2A 3k) from Le Clarys Plage vendee, we were put across the road when we arrived to the eurocamp cabin, and when I saw this I was mildly disappointed to be away from pool, bar etc. But my god after the10days how thankful were we that we had being on the "quieter side". It's a huge site, we had never being to a site so big, and with such a large contingent of Irish on site. Our thoughts after it, is it's mental, what seemed like feral kids on bikes and running around all evening and night on the main site.

The site and facilities cannot be faulted, high quality pool area, clean bar and takeaway area. Food from takeaway is good and I didn't feel overpriced.

But the staff had hard work in pool area and bar area trying to keep kids & teens controlled and probably to try not upset mum's and dads by attracting them to the kids behavior..

Our thoughts are we won't be there again or to a site of its size again, obviously some people like this, but for us it's a negative for Le Clarys Plage.

Fantastic site, possibly the best in the area, have always stayed on the quieter side and the main fault is how 'wild' the kids seem to be allowed to get sometimes.

Staying on 2 sites close to there this year.

MorganIRL

ShamoBuc wrote: »

Fantastic site, possibly the best in the area, have always stayed on the quieter side and the main fault is how 'wild' the kids seem to be allowed to get sometimes.

Staying on 2 sites close to there this year.

Stayed on Les Eccureils, a few yrs ago and thought it was a better site because of the size, but I agree. Facilities are the best we have had in 6 yrs of going, but the "wildness" of the kids is a serious turnoff. I found it unsusual that they had no shop on site albeit the super U is literally next door. The kids club area is excellent as well as the 3 play areas dotted around the site with swings, slides etc. I think the only way we wud go again wud be if we got the €400 offer from eurocamp again.

CelticRambler

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Since when ?. Major sumpemarkets in Sarlat were open last June

Sunday trading laws in France prohibt stores from opening on Sundays unless they can justify it on the grounds of "social necessity". This means that supermarkets can open till midday (or 12h30) on the basis of catering to the particular needs of small-town populations, but hypermarkets cannot.

That said, in recent years, the law was loosened slightly and hypermarkets can now open on 10 Sundays of their choosing. Most choose the first four Sundays in December, two Sundays in the run-up to Easter, and four Sundays during the summer (or six if they don't bother with Easter).

evolving_doors

MorganIRL wrote: »

Stayed on Les Eccureils, a few yrs ago and thought it was a better site because of the size, but I agree. Facilities are the best we have had in 6 yrs of going, but the "wildness" of the kids is a serious turnoff. I found it unsusual that they had no shop on site albeit the super U is literally next door. The kids club area is excellent as well as the 3 play areas dotted around the site with swings, slides etc. [/S][/S]I think the only way we wud go again wud be if we got the €400 offer from eurocamp again.

We heard that you had to go really early every morning as the kids camp had a number restriction every day. Any hassles with that?

evolving_doors

Dónal wrote: »

For breakdown insurance, I've bought from roadrescue.ie plenty of times before. They include repatriation of the car in their policy. Never had to use them before though.

Cheers, just booked there, actually got the yearly policy so might try and go on holidays a bit earlier next year to save on renewal.:pac:

peter4918

evolving_doors wrote: »

We heard that you had to go really early every morning as the kids camp had a number restriction every day. Any hassles with that?

We were told that aswell. I can only speak for the last two weeks but it was never any hassle getting them in. If you are there around 10 minutes before hand there is no problem.

mr_edge_to_you

peter4918 wrote: »

We were told that aswell. I can only speak for the last two weeks but it was never any hassle getting them in. If you are there around 10 minutes before hand there is no problem.

It's worth noting that the number of visitors ramps up massively in July and even more again for the 1st-3rd weeks of August. I wouldn't be comparing June to July/August.

MorganIRL

evolving_doors wrote: »

We heard that you had to go really early every morning as the kids camp had a number restriction every day. Any hassles with that?

Yes it's true, first come first served basis, our friends that were with us were turned away, 3 mins after I dropped our boys down. But like it was said earlier, if ur 10 mins early you'll be fine, we or them weren't late, prob 5 mins early, but a queue had formed so u just join the back, but we also have a 2 yr old that wants to go everywhere with her brothers, so ideal world 10 mins early wud be easy. Prefer to see this than a kids club being inundated with kids and the ratio kids to adults being crazy.

peter4918

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

It's worth noting that the number of visitors ramps up massively in July and even more again for the 1st-3rd weeks of August. I wouldn't be comparing June to July/August.

I wasn’t that’s why I said I can only speak for the last two weeks

Stone Deaf 4evr

Hello all, used to be a regular poster here but took the last year off to explore something different.

anyhoo, we're toying with the idea of heading over on the cork- roscoff ferry in late october, and kinda do an unplanned road trip - pick hotels within an hour or so's range and move around at our ease. has anyone any experience of late october weather in the region? Ideally, we wont be heading much further south than St Jean De monts as I dont want to be driving for hours and hours.