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

GeneralSherman

DaDa wrote: »

Hi,

We did our first Camping holiday last year in Castell Montgri.
We went in June to avail of the lower prices, and in fairness we really enjoyed it. However, the size of the mobile home double bed was simply too small.

I know that there are sites that also have villas (or equivalent) where the main double bed size is more generous. I checked Cambrils Park and might book, but if there are any other parks that you would recommend I check out, then I'd really appreciate it

Many Thanks!

The double beds in the Eurocamp tents are larger than those in their mobile homes. They are high off the ground and really comfortable.

MorganIRL

GeneralSherman wrote: »

The double beds in the Eurocamp tents are larger than those in their mobile homes. They are high off the ground and really comfortable.

First world problems :-) ;-)

darragh o meara

MorganIRL wrote: »

First world problems :-) ;-)

I’ve been in some of the mobiles where the bed was literally little more than a foot of the ground with little room around it. Made getting up out of it very difficult, one year we got the 2 single mattresses from the bunk beds to put under the double mattress to raise it up.

Might not be a big deal for some but others would see it very differently.

helqui

Hi all,

Not sure if this is in the correct section so feel free to move if necessary. This will be our first summer to camp in France and we are thinking of purchasing a fridge unit. Do you have any recommendations for model/type or would you use communal facilities?

Thanks
Hel

GeneralSherman

We have camped with our own tent in France. On the large campsites it may be possible to rent a fridge when you book your pitch. I have not come across a campsite that offers communal fridges. I have also discovered that it can be cheaper to rent one of the campsite/eurocamp tents with all equipment than renting a pitch, electricity etc. If you still want to buy a fridge then check out forums here http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/

helqui

GeneralSherman wrote: »

We have camped with our own tent in France. On the large campsites it may be possible to rent a fridge when you book your pitch. I have not come across a campsite that offers communal fridges. I have also discovered that it can be cheaper to rent one of the campsite/eurocamp tents with all equipment than renting a pitch, electricity etc. If you still want to buy a fridge then check out forums here http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/

Thanks for the reply Sherman, we have been to this site before just not with our tent. In this case it was far cheaper to take our tent than to rent one off the site. I will check out the link thanks.

Hel

munchkin_utd

Just an advance warning, there's a new ferry link starting from Cork to Santander in Spain pm Apr 29th with Britanny Ferries using a Vincenti vessel (so very similar to Stena Horizon from Rosslare to France or the Epsilon which Irish ferries runs from Dublin to France).
From the Spanish side it'll depart on Thursdays at 4pm and Sundays at 12pm taking a not insignificant 28 hours crossing time. The ferry will only have capacity for 500 passengers but a fairly high vehicle carrying capacity, so is really there for the lorry traffic above all.

https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/3235353/0/puerto-santander-estrenara-abril-nueva-conexion-maritima-con-irlandes-cork/ (and let google translate do its work!)
Its not yet on the Britanny ferries booking system, but for anyone who has the stamina to sit on a ferry for 28 hours, there might be some initial deals to be snapped up when it is officially launched.

54and56

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Just an advance warning, there's a new ferry link starting from Cork to Santander in Spain pm Apr 29th with Britanny Ferries using a Vincenti vessel (so very similar to Stena Horizon from Rosslare to France or the Epsilon which Irish ferries runs from Dublin to France).
From the Spanish side it'll depart on Thursdays at 4pm and Sundays at 12pm taking a not insignificant 28 hours crossing time. The ferry will only have capacity for 500 passengers but a fairly high vehicle carrying capacity, so is really there for the lorry traffic above all.

https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/3235353/0/puerto-santander-estrenara-abril-nueva-conexion-maritima-con-irlandes-cork/ (and let google translate do its work!)
Its not yet on the Britanny ferries booking system, but for anyone who has the stamina to sit on a ferry for 28 hours, there might be some initial deals to be snapped up when it is officially launched.

Sounds a bit like the LD Lines ferry to St Nazaire in France in 2014 which was a) a complete bargain (€168 for a 4X4 with roof box, bike etc and a 4 bed outside cabin one way) and b) landed you an hours drive from St Jean de Monts.

It's a real pity it wasn't commercially viable and only lasted the once season.

For me anyway a 28 hour ferry crossing followed by a 4 hour drive back up across the Spain/France border to La Reserve just wouldn't be viable. Pity.

Bring back the St Nazaire route!!

First Up

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Just an advance warning, there's a new ferry link starting from Cork to Santander in Spain pm Apr 29th with Britanny Ferries using a Vincenti vessel (so very similar to Stena Horizon from Rosslare to France or the Epsilon which Irish ferries runs from Dublin to France).
From the Spanish side it'll depart on Thursdays at 4pm and Sundays at 12pm taking a not insignificant 28 hours crossing time. The ferry will only have capacity for 500 passengers but a fairly high vehicle carrying capacity, so is really there for the lorry traffic above all.

https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/3235353/0/puerto-santander-estrenara-abril-nueva-conexion-maritima-con-irlandes-cork/ (and let google translate do its work!)
Its not yet on the Britanny ferries booking system, but for anyone who has the stamina to sit on a ferry for 28 hours, there might be some initial deals to be snapped up when it is officially launched.

Sounds a bit like the LD Lines ferry to St Nazaire in France in 2014 which was a) a complete bargain (€168 for a 4X4 with roof box, bike etc and a 4 bed outside cabin one way) and b) landed you an hours drive from St Jean de Monts.

It's a real pity it wasn't commercially viable and only lasted the once season.

For me anyway a 28 hour ferry crossing followed by a 4 hour drive back up across the Spain/France border to La Reserve just wouldn't be viable. Pity.

Bring back the St Nazaire route!!

As I remember it, the St Nazaire operation was heavily dependent a subsidy from the EU's Motorway of the Sea programme to reduce freight traffic on roads. That subsidy didn't last (don't know why) so neither did the service.

Maybe the Cork -Santander route is similarly dependent so it would be useful to know more before designing a trip around it.

28 hours on a truckers' ferry could be a bit much but if you are heading to Spain in any case it might be worth looking at as an alternative to the long drive through France, which currently doesn't compare well (on time or cost) with flights.

Nekarsulm

I suppose when the ship burned down to the waterline, that was the end or that.

First Up

Nekarsulm wrote: »

I suppose when the ship burned down to the waterline, that was the end or that.

Definitely, although I think the decision to pull the route had already been taken.

Quazzie

First Up wrote: »

As I remember it, the St Nazaire operation was heavily dependent a subsidy from the EU's Motorway of the Sea programme to reduce freight traffic on roads. That subsidy didn't last (don't know why) so neither did the service.

Maybe the Cork -Santander route is similarly dependent so it would be useful to know more before designing a trip around it.

28 hours on a truckers' ferry could be a bit much but if you are heading to Spain in any case it might be worth looking at as an alternative to the long drive through France, which currently doesn't compare well (on time or cost) with flights.

I wonder post Brexit, when landbridging becomes more awkward, will the likes of these routes return.

First Up

Quazzie wrote: »

I wonder post Brexit, when landbridging becomes more awkward, will the likes of these routes return.

Very good chance of that.

GeneralSherman

We were one of the lucky ones to get a bargain on the ferry to St. Nazaire. It was plenty comfortable for us. I think they could have advertised it a whole lot better than they did or perhaps even full it was never going to be viable.
We would be interested in a ferry to Spain but already booked for this year. Our 4 kids are at the age where they can amuse themselves and we can go for a 3 week break. I think going for any shorter would be just not worth the travel involved. Price would be all important though.

Nekarsulm

I think, if my memory isn't slipping, that the super fares that year were an introductory offer.
Probably would have increased a good bit the next year, if the ship had survived.

jay0109

A bit in the IT about the new Spanish ferry...sales start end of this month
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/new-ferry-route-to-link-cork-and-spain-from-april-1.3357346

The ship has capacity for around 500 passengers and space for 195 cars. It will also host 2,225 lane metres of garage space. Brittany Ferries said it expects an even split between passengers and freight carried.

The ship has 120 cabins and the crossing will take 26 hours. It will leave Cork on Wednesday and Friday and return on Thursday and Saturdays from April until November. Prices are not yet available.

munchkin_utd

plus from that article ....
"The company said it will also use the Connemara to add an extra sailing for the Roscoff route."

It'll be interesting to see what days they choose to provide for the extra Cork-Roscoff service. They could do a Sunday or Monday departure from Cork, with then a Monday or Tuesday departure from Roscoff

also.... would this mean a winter service from Cork to Roscoff for the first time (at least in recent memory)?

First Up

jay0109 wrote: »

A bit in the IT about the new Spanish ferry...sales start end of this month
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/new-ferry-route-to-link-cork-and-spain-from-april-1.3357346

Looks like they are using it to squeeze in another Cork-Roscoff on the the Sunday-Tuesday. With Irish Ferries sailing to France every day from Dublin or Rosslare, its happy days for those of us who like to bring a car to France (or Spain).

First Up

munchkin_utd wrote: »

plus from that article ....
"The company said it will also use the Connemara to add an extra sailing for the Roscoff route."

It'll be interesting to see what days they choose to provide for the extra Cork-Roscoff service. They could do a Sunday or Monday departure from Cork, with then a Monday or Tuesday departure from Roscoff

also.... would this mean a winter service from Cork to Roscoff for the first time (at least in recent memory)?

It can only be from Cork on Sunday and back from Roscoff on Monday.

munchkin_utd

First Up wrote: »

It can only be from Cork on Sunday and back from Roscoff on Monday.

why ?
The ferry doesnt leave Cork for Spain till Wednesday, so a day later also works.

First Up

munchkin_utd wrote: »

why ?
The ferry doesnt leave Cork for Spain till Wednesday, so a day later also works.

Well its a 26/28 crossing to/from Santander. With disembarking/embarking it will be at least 30 hours each trip. You can't fit in 2 of those in 48 hours, so the sailing times will be different on different days. With a Cork/Roscoff also in the schedule (about 16 hours each way with loading/unloading) I don't think there is time for the ship to sit in port for any longer than necessary.

Ryath

Hopefully the new ferry takes bicycle passengers. Was considering before cycling from Santander to Roscoff. Meant going by uk which added another couple of days to the trip. Cork would be great good week to two weeks touring depending on pace.

New ferry would have suited us this summer but we’ve ferries and all the accommodation booked now for the family holiday.

Quazzie

Ryath wrote: »

Hopefully the new ferry takes bicycle passengers. Was considering before cycling from Santander to Roscoff. Meant going by uk which added another couple of days to the trip. Cork would be great good week to two weeks touring depending on pace.

New ferry would have suited us this summer but we’ve ferries and all the accommodation booked now for the family holiday.

1092km. :eek:

Ryath

Quazzie wrote: »

1092km. :eek:

I’ve done 450km in 24hrs!

10 days cycling at 110k per day is a handy enough pace.

54and56

Ryath wrote: »

I’ve done 450km in 24hrs!

10 days cycling at 110k per day is a handy enough pace.

Is that you Joe Barr?

loyatemu

First Up wrote: »

Definitely, although I think the decision to pull the route had already been taken.

the route had already been cancelled - the ship was sailing between Italy and Greece when it caught fire.

travelling to Spain on what is effectively a freight ferry doesn't sound like a lot of fun - the bay of Biscay is notoriously choppy as well.

First Up

loyatemu wrote: »

First Up wrote: »

Definitely, although I think the decision to pull the route had already been taken.

the route had already been cancelled - the ship was sailing between Italy and Greece when it caught fire.

travelling to Spain on what is effectively a freight ferry doesn't sound like a lot of fun - the bay of Biscay is notoriously choppy as well.

Agree - not sure it will have even as much by way of facilities as Stena into Cherbourg and that is pretty basic. I see references to a "no frills" service to Santander so I'll be looking into it carefully before I'm tempted.

ShamoBuc

France here we come ! Decided and booked yet another holiday in France today. Early July from Cork to Roscoff, drive to Paris for Disney for a few days and onto La Croix Du Vieux Pont.
Normally I go down the coast, Clarys Plage, les Chimettes etc but I've heard so much about La Croix I thought I'd give it a try. Got the Riviera 1050-3 with Venue hols, really nice and big mobile for the 5 of us.

54and56

ShamoBuc wrote: »

France here we come ! Decided and booked yet another holiday in France today. Early July from Cork to Roscoff, drive to Paris for Disney for a few days and onto La Croix Du Vieux Pont.
Normally I go down the coast, Clarys Plage, les Chimettes etc but I've heard so much about La Croix I thought I'd give it a try. Got the Riviera 1050-3 with Venue hols, really nice and big mobile for the 5 of us.

When you're in Paris you might pop into PSG and see if you can get Marco Veratti, Lucas Moura and possibly Julian Draxler to join you on the journey home through the tunnel, up the motorway and dropping them off at Anfield before tipping home from Holyhead. Yeah???

ShamoBuc

Reckon the car will be too full of wine, might leave one of the kids behind for Veratti though!