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

Toots

I’m in Sandaya Cypsela on the Costa Brava at the moment and just an FYI for anyone heading this direction and bringing a BBQ - anything with a naked flame is currently banned because the forest fire risk is so high. We got an email the week before we arrived saying the BBQ hire facility is suspended and also gas bbqs are prohibited, but electric ones are fine. There’s also a daily notification from the app to remind you no gas or charcoal bbqs.

yaknowski

Yes, Siblu Les Charmettes. Nice big site, nice pools etc and the surrounding towns are very nice.

Weather hit and miss last week. Overcast with a few showers but very cool when the wind is blowing.

Citizenpain

kudos to whoever recommended the Alma McDonald’s south of Rennes. Lovely park and playground there . Breaks the journey nicely

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122350488#Comment_122350488

Was it Pin Parasol you were visiting?

Heading in a few weeks for our second visit. Cannot wait. Apparently they've done a lot of work there in the last 12 months.

Citizenpain

yes . Just arrived. Nice spot . A few degrees warmer would be better though 😀

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122350488#Comment_122350488

Yes, totally agree

We stopped there last month, based on a recommendation from this thread.

Good call.

corkgirl17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122352641#Comment_122352641

Thinking of heading to Pin Parasol next summer, would be interested in people's opinions!! Is the nature and sens area worth it??

Citizenpain

if you have kids the older side is better as that’s where the slides are

browne_rob5

Yep all the kids activities/entertainment is also on the Sensations side so probably better off there with kids. Site isn't huge though so either side is fine.

We were there in June and really enjoyed it. Well kept site with lots on. It was quiet in June which wasn't an issue for us but some families with older kids were struggling to keep them entertained. Wouldn't be an issue if you are going in July or August.

corkgirl17

We usually head last fortnight in June, would there be entertainment on at that time or does everything start in July?

Wondered which side would be better, nature and sens side for peace and quiet and could always walk over to the sensations side for pool activities/entertainment or would it be better to base ourselves in the sensations side. Have 3 kids so I don't want them being mad if the nature and sens side is very boring for them.

idontknowdoyou

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122349648#Comment_122349648

We are in Bonne Anse Plage. It's a lovely site. Beautiful area. Washing machine in our accommodation. Is this in all siblu accommodation?

redved

We are just back from pin parasol, couldn't fault it. Stayed in the nature side and walked over to the otherside, they run a large golf buggy over and back from the 1st of July. Two kids aged 8 and 4.

Heroditas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122356396#Comment_122356396

Not in all of them, no.

We picked our accommodation based on location in the campsite and it doesn't have a washing machine.

airy fairy

Took the Pont Aven on Saturday. After 20+ years using BF doing that route, hugely disappointed in their cutbacks. Little things have disappeared each year, but this year even noticeable skeleton staff on board.

Offered online check a few days before sailing this year, went to the bother of putting in passport numbers, dog Id chip etc,thinking perhaps we'd have a speedy entry on board, nope. Same queues, same speed, same passport scan. Disembarkation poor again. A 30 min queue to exit the port, and ferry if you were unlucky to be exiting towards the back. Passport checks and customs.

Rethinking next year's sailing to go IF. Loved the luxury of the Pont Aven but I guess the lack of newness and lack of frills now, and the escalating cost makes me think of using something else.

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357145#Comment_122357145

We've used this sailing for our last 5 visits. We don't use the restaurants on board - too expensive and the food was not really to our liking. I would never have described the BF experience as fancy or having "frills". What have they cut that has changed the experience so much?

The ship itself is very comfortable and far nicer than the old Oscar Wilde was but the service was always standard. The ship is probably beginning to show it's age but BF are actively upgrading their fleet.

30 mins to get off the boat and through the port isn't the worst. I remember once being last off the boat and it was a bit frustrating but what can you do. Someone is always going to be last.

As for passport checks and customs......that's they same everywhere. The French also go at their own pace too which can be frustrating.

idontknowdoyou

We went brittany ferries for the first time on Saturday. We always used IF with club class and love the journey.

On Port Aven I just found the music in the bar so so loud. Awful awful music playing (venga bus, mmm bop).We sat upstairs and it was still really loud. Not very relaxing. It was like a party boat

The piano bar area had very little seating. And there didn't seem to be anywhere else with comfortable seating to hang out.

rex_turner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357265#Comment_122357265

The last two years we've sailed in the Wednesday sailing from Cork on the Amorique -it's a smaller boat than the Pont Aven but it's far easier to find seating and feels a lot more spacious and less hectic. I think this is because it doesn't have all of the "frills" that the Pont Aven has - fancier restaurant, piano bar, swimming pool - none of which we use. Much prefer the no frills experience of the Amorique. We're sailing on it again in a few weeks and coming home on the Pont Aven but will be just straight into our cabin for the night on our way back.

airy fairy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357233#Comment_122357233

Just to clarify, the 30 mins to get off the ferry isn't actually an issue. Have often been stuck in a ferry while someone didn't arrive to a car on time, or I was last to leave the ferry. The issue is now, 30 mins sitting in the car, in the port after coming off the ferry. No cars moving and passport control didn't arrive to work until after the ferry had docked. Being out of the ferry, sitting in a car, with tired kids, a dog that needs walking and everyone just sitting there is not good practice imo.

I found the ferry, as described above, much louder, more drinking parties, less comfortable quiet spaces. And they've taken the green grass area for dog toilets away, so many people walking dogs trying to get them to toilet on hard steel. A new sign up stating the steel floor would be hot in sun for the animals, but nowhere for them to go. No one monitored the muzzle that is required when leaving car and going to kennels/cabins. Large dogs on the list, where owners couldn't be arsed muzzling and no one caring.

Toilets around the bar areas were smelling as one passed.

And i pay for commodore cabins due to a disability with one of the kids. Our continental breakfast was watered down hot chocolate and coffee and pastries half the size and undercooked and 45 mins late. A minor detail to most but when paying premium, you expect the same service as what you've been getting with the last 20 years.

browne_rob5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122355792#Comment_122355792

Yes we were there first 2 weeks of June and there was entertainment on every night except Tuesday. There is usually a day time activity like a treasure hunt also. A lot more entertainment staff were starting work as we were leaving so potentially more on for the last 2 weeks of June.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122349553#Comment_122349553

I've been a proponent of Les Charmettes on here in the past - I was last there in 2022 and I have great memories over ~30 years of what is a fantastic location in a great region. I always found June and early July to be the best time to visit anyway - before the European schools finished-up for the Summer and it meant that the kids had more commonality with others and did make friends easily.

It's disappointing to hear about issues such as group fighting, that would concern me a lot as much of the freedom of these holidays is about being able to throw the mobile-home door open a 10am and not have to worry too much about the older kids until 10pm - let's say. In regards to the dogs - they did tend to have them onsite during high-season, but many of the Irish holiday-makers would have left by then.

The campsite always had a number of owned mobile homes, and this increased a number of years ago when Siblu sold off many of the plots around the time of the recession. So you are right, the cost factor is definitely a thing as you could choose to rent directly for around 110 EUR nightly and not have to factor in the boat costs, etc.

You can probably feedback to Siblu all you want (and I still would), but as the private rentals aren't under their direct control, they'll say that there is nothing that they can do.

Rooster8ooster

Rained for entire return journey from La Garangoire to Roscoff today so stopped at McDonalds in Bain de Bretagne (between Rennes and Nantes) which has a nice indoor “Playland” that I recommend for small kids, if the outdoor play areas are saturated. Relatively clean toilets too (by French McDonalds standards)