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

54and56

Some good looking 50% off last minute deals available on http://www.siblu.ie for anyone who hasn't booked anything yet or has already had a holiday and would like another cheeky one before the summer is over

average_runner

It's false advertisement by siblu.
The full price for next year is not even the 100% according to that.

Siblu are offering 1300 for two weeks next year in july

BailMeOut

B_Rubble wrote: »

Dear all, Just wondering the best route to take from roscoff to vendee and where to stop on way. I realise there are suggestions but the post are quite old now and would be very grateful for more recent experiences.:)

we always head down through Brittany via Quimper, Lorient, Vannes, St Nazaire and Nantes.

Quimper and Nantes are excellent stopping points if looking for interesting towns. Lorient for the WW2 U-boat Pens is also a good stop on the way down.

webpal

Anyone recommend a good way of a good data package in France? I'm not worried about calls or text. Best I've seen is 8gb for €10 plus sim from SFR. I've currently got an allowance of 5gb but would hate to go over.

Quazzie

webpal wrote: »

Anyone recommend a good way of a good data package in France? I'm not worried about calls or text. Best I've seen is 8gb for €10 plus sim from SFR. I've currently got an allowance of 5gb but would hate to go over.

Get a PAYG sim card from Vodafone IRL and top it up with €20 and you'll have 5gb of data aswell. Plus you get to use any unused data when you get home.

10-10-20

I took the Rennes route on the downward journey as the roads are better. The Lorient route is slightly 'mountainous' and has a fair bit of single-carriageway; fine if you're not in a rush and don't plan on overtaking.

I saved these from last year:

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Aire+de+Pomm%C3%A9niac/@47.8223425,-1.617081,9.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x778075c91609eaa6!8m2!3d47.800011!4d-1.6912079

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Aire+de+Puceul/@47.3101702,-1.6466064,9.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xa76c262d3736134a!8m2!3d47.5358629!4d-1.6379929

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Relais+de+Treilli%C3%A8res/@47.3101702,-1.6466064,9.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x85b5ec79a0d12e7c!8m2!3d47.3359144!4d-1.6527557

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Aire+de+Repos+de+Grissay/@46.6791846,-1.6491698,9z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xe1c850e49e859945!8m2!3d46.7667938!4d-1.180172

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Service+area+East+Vendee/@46.2649285,-1.3882446,9z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x140281d462355b19!8m2!3d46.5740848!4d-1.1128807

Don't miss out on the Marais Poitevin and take a boat in Le Mazeau or similar.

BlazingSaddler

All the best for anybody travelling this weekend, we're flying out to Nice tomorrow for 11 nights in La Baume. Bon Voyage!

ECO_Mental

B_Rubble wrote: »

Dear all, Just wondering the best route to take from roscoff to vendee and where to stop on way. I realise there are suggestions but the post are quite old now and would be very grateful for more recent experiences.:)

It's only four hours down the road....if you are going Brittany ferries the boat gets in at like 7am so nothing is open also. In theory you could be there before lunch. There will hardly be any traffic on the road so if I were you just drive on and just stop at a service station for 10 15 mins.

Even when we had babies that's what we did they will be tired so will sleep most of the way. But if you want to waste time go down the coast road I suppose.

murt101

So the Tour de France is in the Dordogne Tues/Wed... has anyone been to see some of the race before? Is there any website where we could find a list of places to view it from? Don't want to stay all day, kids could probably last 30mins or so! But I'd like to see the irish competitors seeing as we're so close.

average_runner

webpal wrote: »

Anyone recommend a good way of a good data package in France? I'm not worried about calls or text. Best I've seen is 8gb for €10 plus sim from SFR. I've currently got an allowance of 5gb but would hate to go over.

I would download any movies before you go and then 5gb would be ok.

First Up

murt101 wrote:

So the Tour de France is in the Dordogne Tues/Wed... has anyone been to see some of the race before? Is there any website where we could find a list of places to view it from? Don't want to stay all day, kids could probably last 30mins or so! But I'd like to see the irish competitors seeing as we're so close.

You can find route maps on the Tour website but be warned, you have to be in position well in advance and you might have to park miles away so it can be a long day.

Baybay

murt101 wrote: »

So the Tour de France is in the Dordogne Tues/Wed... has anyone been to see some of the race before? Is there any website where we could find a list of places to view it from? Don't want to stay all day, kids could probably last 30mins or so! But I'd like to see the irish competitors seeing as we're so close.

Local roads in the area may close quite early in the morning, depending on what time the race passes.
Last year, the village where I went to see it pass through, had its access cut from about 10.30 am. The cavalcade, which passed about an hour before the main race had loads of sponsored vehicles for all sorts of different products & items were thrown for onlookers. Small toys, soft drinks, water, sausage(!), baseball caps etc. Kept the children (of all ages!) entertained. The race itself passed it about a minute, just after lunchtime & roads began to open again almost immediately. It was a small rural village so perhaps bigger towns may take longer to get themselves operational again.

54and56

Hi all, anyone know what the price of diesel in the Super U, Intermarche non motorway supermarket forecourts? Just wondering whether it's worthwhile arriving in Roscoff and then filling up for the journey ahead or whether I should just fill up close to Rosslare and be ready to go off the boat.

Cheers.

Icsics

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

Hi all, anyone know what the price of diesel in the Super U, Intermarche non motorway supermarket forecourts? Just wondering whether it's worthwhile arriving in Roscoff and then filling up for the journey ahead or whether I should just fill up close to Rosslare and be ready to go off the boat.

Cheers.

€1.13 at the moment

mikerd4

Ive seen diesel from 1.11 to 1.35 on the motorway. The excellium super diesel is something like 1.45 if you want an expensive tank of juice....

Your going to have to fill at some point and prices arent that bad given some people told.me diesel was way pricier here

webpal

average_runner wrote: »

I would download any movies before you go and then 5gb would be ok.

It's more for live tv that I need it. We'll be over there for both all Ireland hurling semis and just on the off chance we can't make it to a pub. I would need about 1-1.5 gb per hour. I'll top up before I go, that'll give me 5 and if the SFR sim doesn't work out, I can always top up to give me another 5. Just back from Thurles, still buzzin, let's hope I can shout on the deise in France.

54and56

webpal wrote: »

It's more for live tv that I need it. We'll be over there for both all Ireland hurling semis and just on the off chance we can't make it to a pub. I would need about 1-1.5 gb per hour. I'll top up before I go, that'll give me 5 and if the SFR sim doesn't work out, I can always top up to give me another 5. Just back from Thurles, still buzzin, let's hope I can shout on the deise in France.

I never had any success getting live streaming to work on a French Mobile network. I was roaming which may mean I was limited to 3G so you might have better luck with a French 4G sim but make sure you're in a strong signal area.

I usually end up buying the campsite WiFi and I've had some luck streaming on that.

average_runner

webpal wrote: »

It's more for live tv that I need it. We'll be over there for both all Ireland hurling semis and just on the off chance we can't make it to a pub. I would need about 1-1.5 gb per hour. I'll top up before I go, that'll give me 5 and if the SFR sim doesn't work out, I can always top up to give me another 5. Just back from Thurles, still buzzin, let's hope I can shout on the deise in France.

Hopefully deise will play wexford. We want the deise.

Had streaming working on the Wi-Fi in les charmettes

juneg

Hurling is still a great mix this year. Pity Limerick didn't get further... I'd like to see Waterford or Wexford get their turn this year now. But more importantly I'll use the campsite wifi to watch the new series of Game of Thrones. Going out on Monday and up to my neck in packing and loading up now.

_Brian

juneg wrote: »

Hurling is still a great mix this year. Pity Limerick didn't get further... I'd like to see Waterford or Wexford get their turn this year now. But more importantly I'll use the campsite wifi to watch the new series of Game of Thrones. Going out on Monday and up to my neck in packing and loading up now.

Was in France few years ago and playing round on the pitch with my girls playing camogie. French man came over and introduced himself. Lives west France but his kids are in a GAA league with 14 teams, their team had no Irish players at all. He was admiring the camogie and explained they had all the hurling equipment but parents and kids decided it was way too dangerous to play.

Peckham

Mobile reception pretty rubbish where I am, but surprisingly managed to stream most of the Lions match yesterday while poolside.

micks_address

Hi folks,
Getting on great in des ormes and having mighty weather. Went to Mount St Michel today.. Pretty amazing. Weather looks bit cooler for the week ahead but not much rain. Quick question on shopping centres in the area or on the drive back to cherbourg. Son is mad to get a sports shop to buy a French Jersey or some sports gear.. Where would be best bet? We have plenty of time Friday on trip back to cherbourg so could hit somewhere on the road.
Thanks,
Mick

yellow76

micks_address wrote: »

Hi folks,
Getting on great in des ormes and having mighty weather. Went to Mount St Michel today.. Pretty amazing. Weather looks bit cooler for the week ahead but not much rain. Quick question on shopping centres in the area or on the drive back to cherbourg. Son is mad to get a sports shop to buy a French Jersey or some sports gear.. Where would be best bet? We have plenty of time Friday on trip back to cherbourg so could hit somewhere on the road.
Thanks,
Mick

Decathlon stores are terrific for sports gear. Check out if there is one near you

webpal

micks_address wrote: »

Hi folks,
Getting on great in des ormes and having mighty weather. Went to Mount St Michel today.. Pretty amazing. Weather looks bit cooler for the week ahead but not much rain. Quick question on shopping centres in the area or on the drive back to cherbourg. Son is mad to get a sports shop to buy a French Jersey or some sports gear.. Where would be best bet? We have plenty of time Friday on trip back to cherbourg so could hit somewhere on the road.
Thanks,
Mick

You could try Intersport too. If there's none near you, there is one on the way into Cherbourg

gerfmurphy

There is a big decathlon store on the way into san malo on the left.

micks_address

gerfmurphy wrote: »

There is a big decathlon store on the way into san malo on the left.

In the decathlon one... Doesn't look like they do soccer Jerseys? Great store for everything else though. Thanks for recommending

micks_address

micks_address wrote: »

In the decathlon one... Doesn't look like they do soccer Jerseys? Great store for everything else though. Thanks for recommending

Found an intersport in malo so sorted

BailMeOut

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

I usually end up buying the campsite WiFi

yikes - where are you staying that is charging for Wifi?

Stone Deaf 4evr

BailMeOut wrote: »

yikes - where are you staying that is charging for Wifi?

Any camp Ive ever been to has been pay wifi in any areas outside of maybe the main bar or reception.

micks_address

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

Any camp Ive ever been to has been pay wifi in any areas outside of maybe the main bar or reception.

Yep des ormes has free WiFi in bar area but you have to pay for cabin access.. Something like 20 euro for a week. Almost did but have spotty 3g coverage that does while in the cabin and it's much better around the towns etc