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

54and56

Kerry Gooner wrote: »

Not sure l'd be brave enough to chance that before the crossing

No problem pour moi! Was onboard around 3:15, had a few creamy pints in the Merrion bar at the front of the boat, ate our little picnic around 6pm and hit the sack around 9pm. Got 10 hours kip, a decent Insomnia coffee before we left the boat and all was good. 500km done, 260km to go. Roads quiet enough as yesterday was Bastille Day. Cracking weather. Should be unpacked and in the restaurant by 9pm. That's the plan anyway.

Lex Luthor

BlazingSaddler wrote: »

Currently in La Baume, Frejus. I knew it would be a risk bringing the 2 year old here, can't stand the heat at all! Knew we should have gone to Brittany! It is a nice but very large site and the mobiles are very close together. Very hard to get privacy from the neighbours at the front, back and sides!

Stayed at Holiday Green Frejus back in 2008 and experienced similar to you with campsite. Site not as large but pitches close together

Lots to do in area although you have to drive everywhere

Beach in frejus is great, Drove to Nice, Monte Carlo, sea world, Antibes

However it was the mosquitoes that caused me real problems, first night I was bitten about 50 times and broke out in lumps the size of golf balls and got really sick.

Never experienced anything like it prior or since. They were everywhere and put me off ever going back again to that region

Just back from Bella Italia in Italy. Best site I have ever been and area is perfect. Would highly recommend

average_runner

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

No problem pour moi! Was onboard around 3:15, had a few creamy pints in the Merrion bar at the front of the boat, ate our little picnic around 6pm and hit the sack around 9pm. Got 10 hours kip, a decent Insomnia coffee before we left the boat and all was good. 500km done, 260km to go. Roads quiet enough as yesterday was Bastille Day. Cracking weather. Should be unpacked and in the restaurant by 9pm. That's the plan anyway.

Enjoy the holiday. It took us 3 hours to get from les charmettes to bordeaux airport today, should of taken 90 mins. Traffic was brutal.

Home now and planning next year hol

micks_address

Hi folks,
Back from des ormes.. Kids mad to go again. We went stena-horizon and to be honest felt the sailing too long. Thinking of booking the site again over the next month for next year. Just wondering what do people do re booking so far in advance? Can you generally get a sailing to line up with your camp booking?

From the Irish ferries website their sailing seems quicker? We are in Dublin so does it make more sense to sail from Dublin or Rosslea?

Also re the cabins at des ormes. Has anyone experience of booking the nature lodges? They looked really cool.

Thanks,
Mick

dizzyn

micks_address wrote: »

Hi folks,
Back from des ormes.. Kids mad to go again. We went stena-horizon and to be honest felt the sailing too long. Thinking of booking the site again over the next month for next year. Just wondering what do people do re booking so far in advance? Can you generally get a sailing to line up with your camp booking?

From the Irish ferries website their sailing seems quicker? We are in Dublin so does it make more sense to sail from Dublin or Rosslea?

Also re the cabins at des ormes. Has anyone experience of booking the nature lodges? They looked really cool.

Thanks,
Mick

So glad to hear you enjoyed it!! We always sail IF purely because we think the ship is a bit nicer, there's more to do on board and more choice with regards to restaurants and bars etc.

We've stayed in the nature lodges the past 2 times we've been over. OMG once you stay in them you will never stay in a mobile again. They are fab, the beds are very comfy, there's more space, and the general feel of them is super.

You can book them directly with Les Ormes, but we go through Canvas Holidays. They are basically the same thing, just with some tiny differences on the inside. They are usually always cheaper with Canvas too; we paid around 315 for a week with Canvas in June.

First Up

micks_address wrote:

From the Irish ferries website their sailing seems quicker? We are in Dublin so does it make more sense to sail from Dublin or Rosslea?

The Oscar Wide is a much nicer ship but be aware that it only sails from Rosslare. The IF boat from Dublin is similar to the Stena ship.

josip

Stayed in Domaine de la Bergerie in Frejus a couple of years ago.
In that part of France I think you have to accept that there will be more insects than in the other parts.
When we got there, our pitch was already occupied by a dead bird which was providing sustenance for about 150 different species of bug.
We had to repitch our tent after pitching over a wasp nest the first time.
The day we left, we spent 3 hours in the Frejus hospital getting a tick removed from our eldest.

54and56

average_runner wrote: »

Enjoy the holiday. It took us 3 hours to get from les charmettes to bordeaux airport today, should of taken 90 mins. Traffic was brutal.

Home now and planning next year hol

No more La Palmyre for you so!!

We experienced a few tailbacks on the way down but nothing serious. The odd 5-10 minute bottleneck for a break down and in Nantes where the motorways come together.

Had planned to be here at 20:00. Got here at 20:01. Gutted. OCD is a terrible thing. ðŸ˜

Brought 24 vacuum packed heavily frozen steaks in an ice box. They were tightly packed with bags of ice cubes tucked in around them. I was assured on another thread that most of them would still be frozen when we got here and maybe the top ones wouldn't which would be ok as they could be put in the fridge and used withing 2-3 days but on arrival (35 hours later) they were all thawed out but still quite cold so I've whacked them into the freezer in the mobile and I'm keeping my fingers crossed they'll be safe to eat over the next few weeks!!

I guess if I'd brought them chilled instead of frozen they'd have been half cooked/spoiled on arrival which would've been worse.

Everyday is a school day.

Quazzie

What's the reasoning behind bringing your own meat to France?

Nekarsulm

French love the oul purebred Continental cattle.
Very little fat or "marbling" throughout the steaks with them breeds.
A good Angus or Hereford steak tastes 10 times better.

54and56

Nekarsulm wrote: »

French love the oul purebred Continental cattle.
Very little fat or "marbling" throughout the steaks with them breeds.
A good Angus or Hereford steak tastes 10 times better.

Spot on Nekarsulm.

Full explanation for bringing steak to France in this thread http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057738649/1/#post103459991 or just watch the documentary Steak Revolution if you have Netflix!!

average_runner

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

No more La Palmyre for you so!!

We experienced a few tailbacks on the way down but nothing serious. The odd 5-10 minute bottleneck for a break down and in Nantes where the motorways come together.

Had planned to be here at 20:00. Got here at 20:01. Gutted. OCD is a terrible thing. ðŸ˜

Brought 24 vacuum packed heavily frozen steaks in an ice box. They were tightly packed with bags of ice cubes tucked in around them. I was assured on another thread that most of them would still be frozen when we got here and maybe the top ones wouldn't which would be ok as they could be put in the fridge and used withing 2-3 days but on arrival (35 hours later) they were all thawed out but still quite cold so I've whacked them into the freezer in the mobile and I'm keeping my fingers crossed they'll be safe to eat over the next few weeks!!

I guess if I'd brought them chilled instead of frozen they'd have been half cooked/spoiled on arrival which would've been worse.

Everyday is a school day.

La playmre is good but after 4 years it's like home and nothing new for us there now. So time to fly somewhere new in France. Will do.a review during the week.

The meat thing is always a tough one.

tuisginideach

Has anyone been to Domaine des Naiades?

mikerd4

Anyone know what the deal is with getting flashed speeding? Just got flashed doing 75ish in a 70 outside nantes.

54and56

mikerd4 wrote: »

Anyone know what the deal is with getting flashed speeding? Just got flashed doing 75ish in a 70 outside nantes.

Do you mean flashed by a speed camera or by an oncoming motorist?

average_runner

mikerd4 wrote: »

Anyone know what the deal is with getting flashed speeding? Just got flashed doing 75ish in a 70 outside nantes.

Yeah got flashed before but heard nothing of it. But watch out for the police hidden on motorbikes, they caught me and it's an instant fine and paid on the spot, cash only.

54and56

average_runner wrote: »

Yeah got flashed before but heard nothing of it. But watch out for the police hidden on motorbikes, they caught me and it's an instant fine and paid on the spot, cash only.

How much is the fine and what happens if you don't have enough cash? I'm increasingly carrying less and less cash with Tap and go Debit card and Android Pay making transactions so quick and easy.

When I used to travel internationally a lot for business I always kept 2 X $50 bills tucked into my wallet and another two tucked into a backup wallet/passport holder as "get out of dodge" type money. I guess I need to keep 2 X €50 bills in the car for speeding fines in France now?

Peckham

micks_address wrote:

Also re the cabins at des ormes. Has anyone experience of booking the nature lodges? They looked really cool.

dizzyn wrote:

You can book them directly with Les Ormes, but we go through Canvas Holidays. They are basically the same thing, just with some tiny differences on the inside. They are usually always cheaper with Canvas too; we paid around 315 for a week with Canvas in June.

Currently in Des Ormes. Which ones are the Nature Lodges? Are they the cabins with thatched roofs near the football pitch? They look incredible!

dizzyn

Peckham wrote: »

Currently in Des Ormes. Which ones are the Nature Lodges? Are they the cabins with thatched roofs near the football pitch? They look incredible!

They're the ones! They are fabulous!! Hope you're having a ball, I'm not at all jealous or anything...

Peckham

dizzyn wrote:

They're the ones! They are fabulous!! Hope you're having a ball, I'm not at all jealous or anything...

Trying to find an empty one so I can peer in the window!

Only a four night stay here as a pit stop on way home, but very impressed with the place. Our kids probably a little too young (6, 3, 6 months) to get full value from the facilities, but will certainly consider another stay here when they're a little older.

mikerd4

It was a flash for cash gatso camera. I know if the gendarmes stop you they will escort you to a cash point to pay up. My friend was stopped last year and tried the i have no cash routine....

average_runner

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

How much is the fine and what happens if you don't have enough cash? I'm increasingly carrying less and less cash with Tap and go Debit card and Android Pay making transactions so quick and easy.

When I used to travel internationally a lot for business I always kept 2 X $50 bills tucked into my wallet and another two tucked into a backup wallet/passport holder as "get out of dodge" type money. I guess I need to keep 2 X €50 bills in the car for speeding fines in France now?

It was between 30-50 euro. They will bring you to a cash point but the whole process is very long.
We got brought off the motorway on to a small road. Lucky we were first in the queue and had cash. Took them 20 mins to process it.

Just keep a 100 cash in the car.

average_runner

mikerd4 wrote: »

It was a flash for cash gatso camera. I know if the gendarmes stop you they will escort you to a cash point to pay up. My friend was stopped last year and tried the i have no cash routine....

I never heard no more after I got flashed.

k123456

French approach to speeding is more vigilant than here.  You only need to be slightly (say 5% )over the speed limit to get a fine,   Be aware too of variable speed limits on motorways, in rainy conditions speed limit is less

Stone Deaf 4evr

I know its early days yet, but I find my thoughts turning to next year already.

we've done 2 years in La sirene, and its a fantastic camp that more than ticks all the boxes, and a 3rd trip is highly likely to be on the cards for next year, however a change of scenery is always nice too.

can anyone who has been to la sirene recommend another camp that would be to a similar standard in terms of the pool and activities - doesnt matter if its in france, italy or spain, I'd consider anywhere.

cheers.

Peckham

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote:

can anyone who has been to la sirene recommend another camp that would be to a similar standard in terms of the pool and activities - doesnt matter if its in france, italy or spain, I'd consider anywhere.

Having been to La Sirene and a few other sites, I'd expect you'll find it almost impossible to find a pool complex that comes anywhere near what La Sirene has to offer!

Isn't there a big campsite with an impressive pool complex in Spain somewhere?

Can recommend Domaine des Ormes in terms of activities, but pool complex would fall well short of La Sirene.

average_runner

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

I know its early days yet, but I find my thoughts turning to next year already.

we've done 2 years in La sirene, and its a fantastic camp that more than ticks all the boxes, and a 3rd trip is highly likely to be on the cards for next year, however a change of scenery is always nice too.

can anyone who has been to la sirene recommend another camp that would be to a similar standard in terms of the pool and activities - doesnt matter if its in france, italy or spain, I'd consider anywhere.

cheers.

Oh I like the look of La Sirene. What is it like. We have kids 4 & 6, so kids clubs and activities outside the camp? Is there a zoo close by or a village for food etc ?

micks_address

In terms of Des Ormes, Is there a site maybe a further hour south that would guarantee maybe warmer weather with the same level of activities?

Stone Deaf 4evr

average_runner wrote: »

Oh I like the look of La Sirene. What is it like. We have kids 4 & 6, so kids clubs and activities outside the camp? Is there a zoo close by or a village for food etc ?

my kids are 4 & 6 also, we had a hard time keeping up to them this year as there's just so much to do. The pool complex is pretty epic aright, and the kids club is very well run - if you're booking, canvas holidays might be a better bet for you if they fancy the kids clubs, its an english company and they run their own club alongside the sites one. pretty much all the kids in the canvas club were english speaking so plenty opportunity for them to make friends.

Theres a very large town only a few minutes away (argeles sur mer) and its well served by supermarkets, aldi, lidl, intermarche. Perpignan is only 20 minutes drive away. The town itself has tonnes of restaurants along the seafront also, the only downside is the beach is more of a gravelly type than the fine golden sands that you see most places.

honestly, I couldn't recommend the place highly enough, but I would say that your mobile home pitch can make or break it. We got a lovely spot this year and it made a massive difference.

Lex Luthor

we stayed at La Sirene in 2008. It was very good then and has a major refurb with water parks etc since then so can only imagine its far better

The town is very close, maybe even 1-1.5km but the road is windy and some dodgy bends and don't recall a footpath so we always drove

Parked in the main car park on the beach

Plenty restaurants there, ice creams, beach, some play areas to kill an evening

Another recommendation but would need to be booked early