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

monkeybutter

are people mostly camping? or staying in a mobile/chalet in France?

If camping its quite a big expense vs camping in Ireland, is it worth it? I know some french campsites have swimming pools etc and the weather is generally better, but maybe too hot for camping

Stone Deaf 4evr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138625#Comment_119138625

Mobile home parks for the most part,

it really isnt comparing like for like with camping in Ireland. Any mobile home park I've stayed at in france has had at a bare minimum:

Swimming Pool, Sports areas, Bar & restaurant / takeaway, Entertainment in the evening, Kids Clubs, other games like archery, etc, all included (not food and drink obviously) in the price of your mobile home rental.

So in reality, you're more or less comparing with something like Centerparcs, which is pretty expensive and worse weather.

From a value point of view, no other family holiday I've been on has even come close to the french campsites, during lockdown we did a bit of touring around Ireland and it was the typical case of paying so much just to get in, then everything else was an extra (kayaking, ziplines, etc).

Macy0161

We've done both. There's no comparison to Irish sites in terms of facilities, entertainment, pools, kids/ teen clubs.

We did mobile, then tent. Back to the mobile this year, but that's mainly as we carried credit from 2020 so plumped for the easier life arriving/ departing. The tent did get warm, but we spent most time outside anyway, and invested in a tarp for shade. Only real issue was the cool boxes - we'd planned to hire a fridge next time in a tent.

Going slightly later this time as both in secondary school (we went mid term before), but didn't go for air conditioning but will be bringing fans!

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138683#Comment_119138683

aye the sites are great its just getting there and the cost in that also

have the ferry prices stayed high

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138480#Comment_119138480

Stena/DFDS land-bridge to France from Dublin/Belfast to DOVER - CALAIS & DUNKIRK for example:

https://www.stenaline.co.uk/-/media/Files/irish-seas/pdf/europe-by-car/landbridge-2022-france-dfds-gbp.pdf

It is (in fairness) much cheaper, but you'd have to plan to have two drivers or stay-over. Even so, it's all on the driver rather than letting the ferry do the hard work while the drivers rest.

Actually I recalled that BF do an overnight ferry from from Portsmouth into St Malo - I took it once (because of Ryanair 🙄). 12 hours to go the 250km! That would take some of the load off the driver.

Fann Linn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138442#Comment_119138442

I'll be doing the same again this year. A nice leisurely drive into Cork. Stop along the way for a spot of dinner as it's always cheaper than the ferry and less queuing involved. Then tip down to the ferry approx 2 hours prior to departure.

Can't wait 29 days & counting 😊

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138625#Comment_119138625

It's a world apart from an Irish "campsite" to a French one as pointed out above. Typically the region is also a significant factor - you can often get out and enjoy many of the local attractions, many of which we just don't have at the same level here. Cycling even is a major draw for us as a family, and while that has come on in Ireland in the last 10 years, it's still not as easy as in France.

Too hot for camping? You're usually not in the mobile-home during the day anyway, but we have found that you can get away without AC down to just around La Rochelle, but beyond that - you kinda need it for July and August anyway.

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138756#Comment_119138756

thanks for that, wow ya way cheaper alright, like 700 return, be great excitement going, zero coming back

rosslare seems the next cheapest option

going from Dublin with irish ferries even looking to next year close to 2k

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138838#Comment_119138838

mobile home might just work, but tent, not so much

stayed in one up by Nantes before, but just seeing what peoples views on cost and getting there were like

Find camping in ireland is good too, kids love it, its basic but its cheap, 3 holidays this year for less that one way on the ferry

and you can get some amazing locations

obviously rain rain stay away, but also well not too much sun is better in its own way

josip

We travel around a bit and don't have a camper van so it has to be a tent out of necessity. As others have mentioned, the heat is a problem, but that does depend on the genes. Celtic genes don't travel great the further south you go, but my olive-skinned brethern are like emerging butterflies once you cross the 43rd parallel. This year, because we'll be a few days in one of the camp sites, we've splashed out and gotten a pitch with our own toilet block and fridge. Not sure if the fridge is big enough to sleep in, but I might be giving it a go.

€290 is one way, but covers both DL-Holyhead and Channel crossing. Fuel prices are a bigger consideration this year in the overall budgeting than previous years but wouldn't be the main reason for doing something. Wanting to see/visit something remains the #1 reason.

Baybay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138348#Comment_119138348

Because we tend to spend prolonged periods of time in France, yes we do bring our cat with us. (We have a little place of our own.) It was part of our discussion before we got him from the rescue centre as we didn’t see the point in getting him at all if we were going to continue to be absent for weeks at a time. Fortunately, aside from a ten week walkabout at home earlier this year, documented in another thread on here, he has never gone too far in his twelve years either here or at home. And he loves the summer heat! Perhaps because he’s been used to travelling like this since he was a small kitten, he knows no different. Moving house at home didn’t really phase him either. Maybe he just loves us!!!

Other cat owners that I’ve spoken to on board are usually either leaving Ireland permanently or visiting family on the continent. So no, Josip I don’t think bringing the family feline for a two week jaunt on the Med is a thing!

BailMeOut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138442#Comment_119138442

Keep an eye on your email as Brittany is pretty good at notifying you when you can book 2023

You should get to Riniskiddy between 2 and 3 but depends on your car. We always have an SUV with a roof box (2m+) so end up at the bottom of the ferry and are usually the last batch to get can we end up waiting around for a bit.

My top tip is that when you arrive at Roscoff on the Sunday morning turn right when you get off the ferry rather than left like everyone else and get breakfast and get your bearings in Roscoff where everything is open. The town is lovely and we find the diversion is good otherwise you end up from just getting out of bed to driving down a French motorway wondering if you are going the right way!

kindalen

I presume that if you take land-bridge home, that you cannot bring much wine with you??

loyatemu

that hadn't occurred to me - 18 litres of wine is the limit from EU into UK, but it's only 4 litres from UK into Ireland.

IDK if there's any exemption if you can prove you're just transitting across the UK to get to Ireland - I think there is for commercial transport but that presumably involves a load of paperwork.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119139277#Comment_119139277

That may be an unforeseen issue alright with land-bridge. It's very well documented for commercial operators on the gov.ie and revenue.ie sites, as well as gov.uk, but no mention of non-commercial passengers long-haulin' le vin.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119139357#Comment_119139357

Good thinking, but you're not a bonded-warehouse or operating a freight license!

It's probably at the digression of the customs agents (at the UK port and at the Irish port) at that point. Receipts showing the value and tax paid might get you out of trouble. It's definitely a question for revenue!

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119139277#Comment_119139277

It's only a problem until you're caught 🙂

We wouldn't bring that much back with us, some years as few as 30 bottles, average would be around 50 I think. I think last year was around 50-60 bottles. So 2 adults would be allowed 50 bottles no problem back into UK. I didn't know about the UK->Ireland small limit. Has anyone ever been stopped in Holyhead/Fishguard and had alcohol confiscated? By the time we arrive in Holyhead, we've given up trying to maintain any kind of order in the car. The end is in sight, but not much else and the car is just jammed everywhere with bags, clothes, food, kids, dog. The wine bottles fill all those holes in the boot in between.

loyatemu

yeah, you'd imagine if you rock up to Dover in an Irish reg car and a ticket for the Holyhead ferry on the same day they might turn a blind eye but it only takes one awkward customs officer in either port to make your life difficult.

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119139495#Comment_119139495

True. Last year we played by the rules and got our PCR Covid tests plus paid for the UK Day 1 tests before getting to Calais. €300 it cost, but we didn't meet the definition of 'transit', at least from a Covid perspective, so we didn't want to take the chance.

There was another family taking the same train and ferry as us, coming from Hungary to Donegal. They rocked up with just antigen tests and were allowed on. €250 saved.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138345#Comment_119138345

Was down there recently and it's not too bad once you aren't in the HGVs.

They've a contraflow on the motorway, with the eastbound carriageway being used for the truck queues, and the westbound carriageway split in two to allow two lanes in each direction for all non-hgv traffic. It's only in and around the port itself that cars seem to be getting into traffic queues

starburst87

Hi there,

Could anyone recommend a campsite for our family, we are flying into Bordeaux airport and hiring a car for 9 days, we dont mind travelling 2-3 hours, we were looking at Le Vieux Port but the reviews don't sound too promising, we have 2 17 year olds boy/girl, nothing fancy but we would like to have a few restaurants, activities and pools on site, we like to lounge with a few beers or wines during the day where the teenagers can go stroll around themselves. I know a lot of campsites are aimed at younger kids but I'm not ready to let my teenagers out on the streets just yet!

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119141554#Comment_119141554

Personally, I'd recommend somewhere in the Dordogne near Sarlat. Tons of stuff there for all.

Both Canvas and Eurocamp have campsites in the area.

Olivia Pope

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119139150#Comment_119139150

Thank you bailmeout, appreciate the post and help.

Olivia Pope

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138813#Comment_119138813

Thanks Fann Linn

Olivia Pope

Doing a bit of thinking about next year. We got our children's school calendar this week and they are finishing a, week earlier than usual next June. Woukd anyone be able to tell me what their Cork roscoff ferry is costing going out of Cork on Saturday 25th 2022. Our ferry price is 1320 or so but that's going in July.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119142898#Comment_119142898

I don't know what the current prices are for BF but there are so many variables that dictate price - car height, bikes, etc, cabin type, day of sailing (midweek Vs weekend - midweek tends to be cheapar) and so on

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119142898#Comment_119142898

As Seth said, things differ and prices appear to have dropped from when I last looked at July pricing.

Cork -> Roscoff. Basic, one car, no accom inc.

• Wed 8th June: 338
• Sat 11th Jun: 438
• Wed 15th Jun: 438
• Wed 22nd Jun: 493
• Wed 29nd Jun: 493
• Wed 6th Jul: 493
• Wed 13th Jul: 473
• Wed 20th Jul: 401
• Sat 23rd Jul: 493
• Wed 27th Jul: 423
• Sat 30th Jul: 513
• Wed 3rd Aug: 379
• Sat 6th Aug: 423
• Wed 10th Aug: 318
• Sat 13th Aug: 401
• Wed 17th Aug: 298
• Sat 20th Aug: 338
• Wed 24th Aug: 278
• Sat 27th Aug: 298
• Wed 31st Aug: 220

The campsites are cheaper in June than July. Don't squander it - is what I say. 😆 (departing on the 18th June with kids)

Peckham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119141554#Comment_119141554

Take a look at St Avit Loisirs. We think it's the best site we've ever stayed on (we stayed there in 2019), but our kids are a little younger than yours.

We booked through Eurocamp, but the accommodation when booking direct with the site looked better.

Uncle Pierre

Has anybody ever stayed at La Guyonniere, and if so, any thoughts or advice?

https://www.eurocamp.ie/campsites/vendee/vs031-la-guyonniere/ataglance.html

Munsterbhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119143430#Comment_119143430

+1 for a St Avit Loisters, we absolutely loved it there. Not too far from Bordeaux either.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119141853#Comment_119141853

On the basis of this tip, I just cancelled an overnight in Bordeaux CC and moved it to Les Eyzies near Le Bugue in the Dordogne.

I found out that Mr Cro-Magnon came from a local rock-shelter here well as having a National Museum of Prehistory, and the region looks spectacular - much better than the views of the A63 which I was going to subject my kids to. Hat-tip to you.