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

flyer_query

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122609966#Comment_122609966

Agree, its a lovely drive and you can stop off at nice towns along the way. San Sebastian being the obvious big one.

VM Varga

Anyone know when the Eurocamp discounts (between 5 and 20%) begin to fall away? Apparently Yelloh bookings don’t go live until October so we’re trying to decide whether or not to wait until we see their prices.

webpal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122618502#Comment_122618502

They don’t, group schemes one always works for me

Heroditas

Regarding booking directly with Yelloh, are they fairly rigid with check-in/departure days like Siblu, i.e. Saturdays only during high season?

Sixtoes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122618673#Comment_122618673

Depends on the site. They are all independently run.

VM Varga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122618584#Comment_122618584

Thanks. Can I just check what group schemes ones are?

I’ve tried and failed to search within post. Have done a few Google searches of boards with no avail.

webpal

Save up to 35% on your Eurocamp 2025 Holiday

Book your 2025 Eurocamp holiday now and get up to 35% discount. 

The offer applies to Classic Tents, Safari Tents, Classic & Comfort and Premium Mobile Homes. (Premium Plus/Exclusive, Ultimate, Ultimate Plus mobile homes, Apartments, Chalets, Bungalows and Lodges are excluded).

Certain Parcs excluded.

The offer excludes Premium Plus/Exclusive, Ultimate, Ultimate Plus mobile homes, Apartments, Chalets, Bungalows and Lodges.

The following parcs are not included in the offer; CA011 – Camping Lanterna, CA022 – Zaton Holiday Village, CD012 – Cambrils Park, CD013 – Sanguli, HL012 – Duinrell, IA015 – Union Lido, IA022 – Marina di Venezia, IL019 – Bella Italia, RV012 –Les Prairies de la Mer, RV015 – Club Colombier. Other parcs may be excluded at any time.Certain Parcs excluded. 

Code is 25WKT01

VM Varga

cheers

spuddy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579108#Comment_122579108

There are none on the bottom bunks, we usually bring a bedrail for our youngest which does the trick though. Here's a pic of the top one.

BullBauld

Thinking of the Rosslare - Bilbao route next year to get us into northern Spain and southern France. My wife will be hard convinced though with the extra ferry time. Is it very noticeable?

Baybay

Not having done the route to Bilbao, though tempted as we always travel to the south of France, I’d think the hardest bit for me would be being awake for so long on the boat. Not being the world’s best sailor, the OW to Cherbourg is ideal - embark, cat settled, something to eat & then bed. By the time I’m up & ready next morning, it’s time to get off. Cinema, bars etc or whatever other facilities might be missing or present wouldn’t really matter much to me as much as being awake on the water!

Heroditas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122625507#Comment_122625507

We're planning it too but if you get the Friday night crossing, it leaves at midnight so you'd be going to bed straight away, getting up at 8 or 9 and then you have the whole day and night before arriving at 7 or 8am in Bilbao.

Contrast with Cherbourg where you still have several hours after breakfast before you arrive in the port. Bar the first night of sleep, the difference isn't that much

Fann Linn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122625507#Comment_122625507

Booked for 2025 again having done it a few times already. Not too bad really considering you're only getting going at mid night. A few drinks and into bed and before you know it you're well underway.

I always bring a couple of books and my wife takes her knitting, Saturday can be a long day in fairness, but if you don't get up till about 10.00/11.00 you can easily keep yourself amused with a few hours meandering around the ship etc.

Saturday night has the entertainment and a few more drinks should settle you down nicely for a Sunday morning 8.00 am disembarkation in Bilbao.

If you can keep yourself amused on the Saturday you won't have a problem.

Go for it.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122627932#Comment_122627932

I guess it's a bit like a day stuck at home, if you can manage that and entertain yourselves without killing each other then it should be fine

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122620914#Comment_122620914

Yeah I wasn't too impressed with the bed rails on WB Yeats. I ended up taking a top bunk with the kids sharing a bottom bunk and my wife taking the other one

At one point during the night I nearly rolled out of the bunk. It seems pretty easy to miss the bed rails and roll headfirst over the edge

Can't say I'd trust a 7yo to sleep up their without getting injured

Fann Linn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122636789#Comment_122636789

Exactly. 😂 Lol

browne_rob5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122523325#Comment_122523325

Clarys plage are renovating the whole pool area for 2025 as per their post on Instagram. Good they have taken the feedback on board.

spuddy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122636920#Comment_122636920

We found the top ones fine, although the crossing was calm so they didn't get tested! We took the Stena Vision on the way back, now their bed rails were totally useless, you wouldn't want want to be on the top bunk in rough seas. The ship itself though was great for the kids, shame its gone for next year.

Pepp1989

For those who have travelled on the amorique - Brittany ferries - cork - roscoff.

For two adults and a baby in a cot, what accom works best? The 4 berth would be too tight by the pics unless one of the bottom ones folded. Maybe the 2 berth would work better for a cot?

Thanks for anyone who has experience.

manshay

The AA offer a discount code to their members for eurocamp.ie. If you are a member it's 25AAIE01 and it gave me a c€100 extra discount after current deal and loyalty discount.

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122668588#Comment_122668588

The bottom bunks always fold up

rex_turner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122669576#Comment_122669576

I don't think they do on the Amorique - that's the boat that sails on a Wednesday. We've sailed on it a few times and the bunks are always down (on the Pont Aven they are folded up) - having said that I haven't tried to fold them back but definitely worth checking - I'd give Brittany Ferries a call to see if a cot fits. We haven't needed a cot when we've traveled on the Amorique but we have used them on the Pont Aven in both 2 berth and 4 berth cabins, the cots they supply are narrower than normal travel cots and they usually have them set up in advance for you.

Fann Linn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122668784#Comment_122668784

Thanks for that, I booked in August for 2025 and rang up Eurocamp today with that code. On top of my other loyalty codes etc she added this one today and I got a further €40 reduction.

Every little helps 👍

CuriousCucumber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122673866#Comment_122673866

What did you say when you rang them up?
"Hi, I've a booking made, and now I have a loyalty code I want to add"?

I've my booking for next year already made.
Not an AA member, but if I can get €100 off my booking, I'd be very happy

Edit

I jus went on to the live chat, and asked them to apply the discount code to my booking. They did it without any issues. Nice one

Heroditas

For anyone looking to book with Yelloh! their campsites appear to gradually be opening up for 2025 bookings now.

Candlel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122636920#Comment_122636920

put a blanket over the bed rail so there’s no gap for the children.

Schrodingercat

Hi
Has anyone any experience with ms-vacances specifically Les Brunelles or le Trianon in Vendee.
Eurocamp seems to have lost a lot of the sites it used to have.

I know it can be luck of the draw, but would anyone know are there many English speaking kids in the Kids Club?

Thanks

Peckham

I was in Les Brunelles in August. Fantastic, but entirely French in terms of kids club, entertainment etc. Approx 80-90% of the site was French holidaymakers, so to be expected.

I understand that there are a lot more Irish earlier in the season.

Doug Stamper

We stayed in Les Brunelles in July, no Irish kids were in the kids club the 2 days the children went. Only one staff member spoke English to them. That said, site was excellent. Would happily go again.

Schrodingercat

Thanks for the advice. Les Brunelles looks like a great site. I've booked it for 9 nights at the start of July, and will do les Ormes for a few nights at the end. I like a shorter drive to the ferry.

Making friends at kids club is now part of the trip for the kids, and they can hang out with them at the pool after, so they will be at least guaranteed that in Les Ormes. They got on fine last year mixing with French / Dutch speakers, once a staff member can help explain the rules of the games.

Doug Stamper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121774808#Comment_121774808

Hi Feidhlim, just wondering how did you get on in Pomport Beach? Thinking of booking it for 10days! Like it's proximity to Bordeaux (train) and the wider Dordogne region.

Milly33

Back from France at last… Just to note for anyone looking Siblu site in le conguel quiberon loverly very nice, great to go late in September as not that busy. Pool was loverly and quite indoor one open only.. The restaurant on site was fairly bad alright so would not bother but town is close.. The other site Pont Aven dont even look at it, such an odd place even the kids did not want to go swimming there just weird…

Munsterbhoy

HI all, has anyone been to yelloh camping les 3 valleys in lourdes. Looks really nice with great reviews. Flights to lourdes are reasonable with good times. Thanks

Fann Linn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122714448#Comment_122714448

Will you be hiring a car? I haven't been to that site myself but over the past few years I have been to Lourdes. It's okay for a day trip or if you want to knock it off the bucket list, but in fairness it's pretty morbid and rundown in my opinion. Full of tacky shops selling holy water, rosary beads and nuns and priests garments. Look at it as Knock on 'speed'.

The general areas surrounding Lourdes are actually very scenic and within 45 minutes you could be on the Col de Tourmalet or Luz Ardiden and other famous cols associated with the Tour de France. Or head towards Givarney and see beautiful villages within a stunning national park.

If you are set on flying into Lourdes and are considering hiring a car, I fully recommend using Luz Saint Saveur as a base. Plenty of fine sites within the towns limits and a very international feel to it with all of the different nationalities basing themselves there.

Depending on what time of year you go you could avail of cycling, moto cross , paragliding, hiking etc and in the winter skiing and other winter sports.

Myself and my wife stayed at Camping Airotel de Pyrenees and it has a two pools indoors and outdoor plus a small sauna/steam room and a small shop. Being just ten minutes walk from the main Square there's a large choice of bars, restaurants, boulangeries etc.

Enjoy your holiday.

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122714448#Comment_122714448

yes. fantastic site.

no shop on site, but Aldi around the corner. Short walk up to the town centre. flat greenway cycle to lourdes

i'd recommend hiring a car to get out and see some of the beautiful countryside and towns/villages. some great hiking too

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122714448#Comment_122714448

One of the best camp sites we've been to. Great water slides even if the pool is a few degrees cooler than the west coast. Bathrooms are amazing and more like a hotel than a camp site. And then there are the wild rabbits, that aren't wild at all and are so tame you can even get close enough to rub them. And they're everywhere on the site. Head south to the mountains for some day trips, Pic du midi and another great glacial valley thay had a waterfall at the end of it. Lourdes is worth as few hours some evening if you want.

Jrbeire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122714448#Comment_122714448

Brilliant campsite - especially if you stretch to one of the accommodation options that includes a small pool. Lots of hiking, kayaking, biking, etc in the area. You will need a car to make the most of it. If Lourdes flights don't work out, Toulouse airport is a handy less than 2 hour drive.

Munsterbhoy

Thanks for the replies on les 3 valleys, ye have convinced us to book. I emailed them but bookings not open until November.. car hire very reasonable as well. Cheers.

rameire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122730415#Comment_122730415

Can you advise on the website you are using please? For Les 3 valleys

Munsterbhoy

It's part of the yelloh group. I book thru their app when using their parks..

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122730415#Comment_122730415

You wont regret it

20241017_181213.jpg

the_amazing_raisin

Bit of a general travel question, does anyone know if any ferry companies or campsites accept prepaid debit cards?

I've got the offer of one in work as a tax free gift so thinking it might be useful for booking holidays

In theory it should work, but I think some companies can tell if it's a prepaid card and block it. So want to double check if possible

EDIT: I suppose I should ask if airlines accept them too

Peckham

I've used a Perx card online with Irish Ferries, so they certainly accept them.

markodaly

Has anyone dont a fly-and-drive trip to France.

Looking at flying into Paris Beauvais, renting a car and finding a camp site or two, around June/July.

Any recommendations for a first-timer with young children?

RocketRaccoon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122751648#Comment_122751648

Done it for the last 2 years. Flew to Marseille and drove to La Baume the first year and then Carcassonne to La Sirene this year. Both relatively short drives (75-90 minutes) and both camps were great, La Sirene definitely the better of the 2 and we're already booked again for next summer.

GAAcailin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122751648#Comment_122751648

done it a few times. Best imo is fly to Bordeaux (choice of AL or Ryanair) handy 1-2 hour drive south to the Landes area. Not too hot, less crowded than the Med and beaches are fab.

Are you dead set on Paris? Distance from beach, seaside wouldn’t appeal to me.

Citizenpain

how young .? We’ve taken an airbnb near Disney and then the rest of the holiday at la croix du vieux pont, 90 mins away . Nice enough site

Baybay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122761000#Comment_122761000

I understand Ryanair will no longer be flying in or out of Bordeaux from the end of the month

seant5215

Has anybody traveled on the Brittany ferry Armorique? Are all the car decks enclosed, with none outside? Thanks!

rex_turner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122764741#Comment_122764741

We've sailed on it a few times, our car has always been inside but there is one deck where there are cars in the open at the front of the boat - can't remember exactly how many but possibly 4 or 5 rows of 3-4 cars, so maybe 20 in total.