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

_Brian

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Does anyone know of any camps which it's feasible to stay at without driving?

As in fly to France, then bus / train / taxi (or some combination) to the camp, and everything you'd want is within either walking or local bus/taxi distance?

I'd say its very possible..

You have two avenues for help..

Contact some of the camping companies, Kelair & Canvas were particularly helpful any time I contacted them and its also good that Kelair are an irish company too..

You could also contact some of the campsite chains, Les Castles & Yelloh Village are really good and consistent regarding quality and facilities.

They should advise which ones are most suitable. Few emails and i'd be confident you'll be sorted.

Seth Brundle

Conor03 wrote: »

Hi, we are looking to do a key camp in France 2017 most likely at the end of July for 10 days and would like some advice. We will be travelling as a family with small kids, 11, 4, 1.
Can anyone who has travelled before please share some advice. We are looking to get the ferry over and drive the rest of the way.

Just in addition to what _Brian posted, camping in France is great and kids love it.
The campsites tend to have a shop, restaurant and bar which can be good.
In terms of shopping, the large supermarkets include E. Leclerc, SuperU and Intermarche. Bear in mind that France tends to close down on a Sunday so make sure you have your groceries. You can get your bread and patisserie (yum) in your local boulangerie but the campsite store could have what you're after.
Small shops in France aren't great at supplying fresh milk!
Many campsites have laundry facilities which is great. You buy tokens from the store.
Petrol/diesel can be bought from local petrol stations but it tends to be much much cheaper at the large supermarkets. The motorway service stations tend to be higher priced fuels also.
I'd recommend getting some form of European breakdown insurance, just to be on the safe side.

In terms of locations, you probably don't want to spend more than one day travelling from the ferry. Dunno if you have chosen one yet but one place I love is the Loire Valley (sparkling red wine - yum), plenty of chateaux to keep the family amused and usually great weather.
I've stayed here a number of times and staying again this summer on my way to the cevennes...
http://www.canvasholidays.ie/france/loire/lo02h/chateau-des-marais?tab=overview

Westernyelp

Has the fuel scarcity situation been sorted?

CelticRambler

It's stable. The refineries are back on-line since (?) the day before yesterday. Stocks are still a bit short while the tankers are waiting for their loads. Prices still higher than they should be - I bought diesel in Germany at the weekend for 1.099/l vs 1.153/l in France.

However, the CGT (trouble-making union) are changing tack. This week will see whether they have the nerve/support to continue their action seeing as their pretty much on their own now ... but that's never stopped them before.

manshay

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Does anyone know of any camps which it's feasible to stay at without driving?

As in fly to France, then bus / train / taxi (or some combination) to the camp, and everything you'd want is within either walking or local bus/taxi distance?

We went to Camping Le Clarys Plage, in the Vendee last year and one of our mobile home neighbours had flown over from Ireland to Nantes and took public transport most of the way to the campsite, I think they got a taxi for the last 5 miles or so.

Baybay

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Does anyone know of any camps which it's feasible to stay at without driving?

As in fly to France, then bus / train / taxi (or some combination) to the camp, and everything you'd want is within either walking or local bus/taxi distance?

Siblu have a site in Vias. It would mean an indirect flight to Beziers airport then a short taxi ride to the site. It's fairly well equipped with pool, restaurant, bar, entertainment but also within walking distance of offsite beach, bar, Europark, mini golf etc.
I'm sure there are more sites. Aer Lingus fly direct to Perpignan & there may be some close to there too.

BlazingSaddler

Hi all. Not long to go now, travelling over from Cork on Sat 9th July. Does anybody take out a European breakdown cover for when they're over there? For the last 3 years I have been covered by Ford assist which comes free with the service but won't have it this time. It was very handy last year as I had a flat battery after a trip to a supermarket in the middle of nowhere!

loyatemu

BlazingSaddler wrote: »

Hi all. Not long to go now, travelling over from Cork on Sat 9th July. Does anybody take out a European breakdown cover for when they're over there? For the last 3 years I have been covered by Ford assist which comes free with the service but won't have it this time. It was very handy last year as I had a flat battery after a trip to a supermarket in the middle of nowhere!

I generally get it from Irish Ferries, just for the duration of the trip as I have UK/Ireland cover included with my car insurance.

Voodoomelon

Just booked with roadrescue.ie for France on Saturday (3 weeks), was €79 for 3 passengers in an 11 year old 740Li.

Seth Brundle

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Just booked with roadrescue.ie for France on Saturday (3 weeks), was €79 for 3 passengers in an 11 year old 740Li.

Where are you heading to VM?

54and56

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Just booked with roadrescue.ie for France on Saturday (3 weeks), was €79 for 3 passengers in an 11 year old 740Li.

https://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft/adac_membership - Largest breakdown association in Europe. ADAC Plus membership for €114 gives Europewide breakdown cover for the year including here in Ireland. If you breakdown in Ireland you call their central European helpline (they speak perfect English) and they send the Irish AA out to rescue you

nkay1985

Hi all

Just landed in Les Charmettes following three nights in Paris. We have a 15 week old baby who is still being fed Aptamil so we brought bottles of Evian, bought a kettle when we arrived and have been boiling that since. However, tonight when my wife was filling bottles, she noticed a kind of white film on the water. So we're just wondering has anyone else experienced this or what anyone else with young kids did with regard to bottles/water while holidaying in France. Is the water ok to use here etc?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Nkay

Hollister11

I'm travelling to France on Saturday with Irish ferries.

It's my first time on a ferry and in France so I'm looking for tips and advice based on people's previous experience.

Seth Brundle

@ Nkay - ask other campers or the campsite staff but if in doubt then don't drink it. By and large you can get 6 or 8 packs of 2l bottles of water for cheap
These can go in the fridge if required so maybe play it safe?

@ Hollister - I and another poster put up some info over the last few days which should answer many questions.
It's a great holiday and the important thing is to relax!
Also see:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/driving-abroad-whats-new-2012.html
http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/guides/driving/france

Voodoomelon

kbannon wrote: »

Where are you heading to VM?

Rosslare to Cherbourg on Saturday, on to Paris, then Bordeaux, then back up to Lille.

Tunnel home and then Holyhead to Dublin. Some trek.

nkay1985

Just regarding the fuel situation, I filled up (diesel) at home in Waterford before leaving for 1.149 per litre. Topped up with a few euro's worth in Rosslare but no need to worry in terms of availability but the price is a concern. I've seen places looking for 1.40 per litre of diesel. Didn't need to get any fuel until today when leaving from out around Disney.

The Esso out that way was 1.36 which has been pretty standard since we got here but I decided to try one of the supermarket stations. Lucky I did. Filled up in Auchan for 1.139 per litre. Spread that over a couple of fills while over here and you'd notice the difference. Went on the road then and the Total not two minutes from Auchan was charging 1.38.

Moral of the story - look for a supermarket station while the normal fuel stations are trying to screw people.

Weather has been amazing the past three days by the way, in case anyone was wondering.

54and56

Hollister11 wrote: »

I'm travelling to France on Saturday with Irish ferries.

It's my first time on a ferry and in France so I'm looking for tips and advice based on people's previous experience.

A few tips we find useful:-

1. Bring your own pillows for use in the ferry cabins and the mobile home.
2. Top up petrol/diesel near Rosslare so you're not worried about finding a station whilst driving to your destination.
3. Arrive in Rosslare a couple of hours early and have a nice late lunch/early dinner in one of the bars/restaurants before boarding. We find the food on the ferry to either be fairly poor or over priced if you go to the posh restaurant but then I'm feeding two hungry teenagers so dropping €150 in the ferry restaurant Vs €70 in somewhere like Culletons Bar in Kilrane (https://goo.gl/maps/mWY2uPHBZZM2) makes it a no brainer for me. I've no problem dropping €150 on a nice meal in a nice location with good service etc but for me dinner on the boat doesn't tick that box.
4. If you're going to a campsite and like cooking/doing BBQ's bring a few of your favourite kitchen utensils. Even a sharp knife can make life a lot easier.
5. If you've a laptop download and bring some movies and/or a couple of TV series which you can watch at night or should the weather be bad it can help pass a few hours.
6. Apply for and bring European Health Insurance Cards - http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/EHIC. They are free and give you access to the public health care service in France should you need it.
7. Get European breakdown cover, see posts above for options.

loyatemu

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Just booked with roadrescue.ie for France on Saturday (3 weeks), was €79 for 3 passengers in an 11 year old 740Li.

for comparison, with Irish Ferries it was €49 for 21 days.

webpal

nkay1985 wrote: »

Hi all

Just landed in Les Charmettes following three nights in Paris. We have a 15 week old baby who is still being fed Aptamil so we brought bottles of Evian, bought a kettle when we arrived and have been boiling that since. However, tonight when my wife was filling bottles, she noticed a kind of white film on the water. So we're just wondering has anyone else experienced this or what anyone else with young kids did with regard to bottles/water while holidaying in France. Is the water ok to use here etc?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Nkay

If you look at the sodium content on the bottle label it should be lower than 20mg/l. Go to one of the supermarkets where they have a big selection and you'll see the difference on the labels. Go for the lowest one.

nkay1985

webpal wrote: »

If you look at the sodium content on the bottle label it should be lower than 20mg/l. Go to one of the supermarkets where they have a big selection and you'll see the difference on the labels. Go for the lowest one.

Yeah Evian is one of the few that's safe for infant consumption but we just found it strange about the white film that developed when boiled. Think we might just use the Evian unboiled.

CelticRambler

I've lived in France for 12 years and never drunk (or made my children drink) anything other than tap water. Bottled water isn't subject to the same quality control as tap water, so I'd prefer to take my chances with the risk of some nitrates in the tap water than the risk of stuff leaching out of the plastic.

BlazingSaddler

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Just booked with roadrescue.ie for France on Saturday (3 weeks), was €79 for 3 passengers in an 11 year old 740Li.

Cheers Voodoomelon, I've just been quoted €104 with the AA for 2 weeks, i'll give roadrescue a call

Voodoomelon

BlazingSaddler wrote: »

Cheers Voodoomelon, I've just been quoted €104 with the AA for 2 weeks, i'll give roadrescue a call

AA was extortion for me, over €220. VHI EU breakdown was pretty cheap too as an add on to travel insurance, didn't realise they offered it. Around the €50 mark.

kerry4sam

Safety FYI

Download the SAIP app as it will be provide instant alerts in event of immediate danger.
See Tweet Alert here. Two links I'm recommending, although I am sure there are more, are, this and this. Up-to-date, Instant tweets on safety protocols, maps, alerts etc etc from the French Police and Public Order Ministeries.

Hope that helps someone,
Download the SAIP app though for instant alerts.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

Hollister11

We never got tickets just a email with a booking number, aQR code and all our information on the document. Is this right ?

CelticRambler

Getting away from all the negative stuff about France that's going on at the moment, and for those who don't already know about it, one of the very best attractions in France (way better than Disney) is Puy du Fou in the Vendée (mid west) and well worth the cost of a two or three-day ticket.

If you don't mind people speaking French you can get an idea of it's mindblowingness here: http://www.d8.tv/d8-docs-mags/pid8378-d8-au-coeur-du-puy-du-fou.html?vid=1337938 (90-minute behind the scenes documentary).

TL:DR equivalent - 20 different "arenas", culminating with a live outdoor late-night show with 3500 actors, real animals, fireworks, giant sets. IMAX on steroids

Munsterbhoy

Hi all just back from 2 incredible weeks in la sirene just outside perpignan. Drove up to Roscoff on friday and access to fuel was not a problem just filled up as normal. France is buzzing and anyone heading over is going to have some craic. Enjoy France it's such a wonderful country..

Hollister11

I'm on the Oscar wild at the moment. Anyone know if there is an ATM on board.

54and56

Hollister11 wrote: »

I'm on the Oscar wild at the moment. Anyone know if there is an ATM on board.

Try the shop. Other than that use your Debit card at the bar and get cash back. Last option would be to go to reception and use your Debit card to get Euro's from their Bureau de Change.

christy02

We are on boat home after 2.5 weeks near Bordeaux. Drove nearly 3000km in the time we were there and never had any issues with queuing or in availability.
Filled up today near cherbourg no problem.

Prices same as normal. 1.15 in supermarkets and 1.35ish on motorway services. Diesel. Petrol similar.

All overhyped. Guy that owned gite we stayed in knew little about it.