I'm a newbie..Camping info please?

[playallday]

Hi All

I am a newcomer to camper-vanning. I have a 1990 C15 Roma-home in which I have had one shortish trip and loved...even in below freezing conditions! It woke up the hippy-chick in me.......who has been dozing on the sidelines waiting for the nest to empty.

So I am planning an extended visit to France starting on June 4th and finishing any time up to September 30th. I have a limited budget, so the length of my stay will depend on saving as much as I can on camping fees. I have already ordered some touring cheques (thanks for the advice, Graham) and discovered the existence of Aires through your forum.

I would like as many differing experiences as possible during my trip but I don't REALLY know where to start! I wonder if anyone can suggest places to go to, campsites to visit or events to attend which you yourselves really enjoyed and which would be OK for a lone traveller. My only commitment is to be in Carcasonne on June 21st. I could even go to Spain!

And any advice you feel may be helpful will be very welcome, too. As I said, I'm new to all this

Thank you

Jean

BTW Are there any meets planned in the West-country?

[wendy]

My best advice would be to just go and wander around - the joys of a camper being that you can easily up sticks and be off. France is an absolute gem for camping - maybe for a start head to Brittany and Normandy. Use the municipal campsites - there is one in nearly every town and they are cheap and clean. Facilities vary, but they won't be the all-singing, all-dancing types. Some are next to sports grounds with swimming pools, which you can usually use at a reduced fee.

Aires are good, but don't overnight on the motorway ones. The village ones (which we have used) do not have any facilities at all apart from fresh water (usually €1/2) and waste emptying. The electricity (if there is any) will usually be €1/2 for an hour.

July 14th to August 15th is the French main holiday and popular sites will be very busy, but if you go to the out of the way places and don't stay near the coast you should have no trouble finding places to stay. Don't aim to travel on the weekend nearest to the 14th July as the roads are hell!

We use the Camping Club Europe 1 (covers France, Spain and Portugal) sites book and the Michelin guide. You do not have to belong to the CC to obtain the former - it can be obtained from Amazon and the like.

I could go on forever about the joys of camping in France, so perhaps it would be best if you ask specific questions and I or someone else will try to answer.

We'll be somewhere in France in September - don't have time to go before then.

[playallday]

Thank you for you advice, Wendy. my loose plan IS to head towards Brittany and follow the coast down, turn left when I get near Spain and cross country to Carcasonne, That takes care of June Then I will just meander, probably staying away from the coastal resorts in July & August when it is so busy. I am so excited about it that I am counting down already!!
Have to have a few runs over here first, although I imagine 4 months of van living is very different from 4 days!!

[chowzamma]

Just read your question about camping in France playallday, I replied to your query on my Swiss trip thread. You probably know that Carcassonne is superb, I would certainly suggest you leave plenty of time for a visit there. Brittany is fantastic as far as I'm concerned and I could suggest loads of places to spend time, I worked as a tour guide for 24 years in Europe but won't bore you too much, just to say I would certainly visit Quimper, forget Brest, see a little place called Locronan, Vannes is lovely, go to Carnac and afterwards down to the Quiberon peninsular via the stretch known as the Cote Sauvage, be sure to go right out to the coast road section, if the weather is bad when you go there it is really wild, as the name suggests.
On your way down the coast maybe visit La Rochelle and the Ile de Ré.
You know what, I am already going on too much so will just say, have a lovely time and enjoy what I think is the superb country of France, anyone who doesn't think so clearly disagrees!
All the best,
Steve.

[playallday]

Hi Steve, Just found this response from you as well..Thank you.

Yes..I know Carcasonne quite well, my friend lives in Marseillette, not far away and I visit there most years....but not driving.

I live in Plymouth, so with the Roscoff ferry Brittany is so handy..I camped for quite a few years close to Trinite-sur-mer and plan to re-visit both Carnac and Quiberon this time.

But the rest of France is a great unknown to me and as I am planning an extended trip all suggestions are very welcome.

Thank you
Jean

[pendel]

Hello Jean,
First thing to say is "Good on you girl" and good luck. We went to France a couple of years ago and made the mistake of going on the Paris ring road, missed our turn and had to go around again. On the return, we used the country roads, saw some wonderfull sights and had a stress free journey. We stayed at lots of little camp sites that were dotted about and were all well signposted. Lots of the French Chateau's are now campsites, and reasonably priced. We pulled into the Aires for a break but didnt do an overnight. Usually too noisy and one's safety is important for lone travellers. Lidil are great shops for bargain wines & goodys. We didnt get as far as Spain but we were not too far away, near Bergerac airport. If you are in the C&CC you can get their carefree camping book which has loads of French campsites listed. Good luck . Derek & Penny

[richard]

The French cater very well for Motorhomers. The Aires de Service guide and accompanying folding map is excellent. Here is a link that tells you about it and how to obtain it.
www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Aires

Most good French road maps show public Aires on the motorways. People say dont stay overnight in these and I did hear reports last summer that the stretch between Calais and Lille on route to Paris was being targeted by theives who gassed the inmates so they could steal uninterupted! I have stayed overnight in an Aire just south of Boulogne (convenient after catching the last Speedferry of the day) with absolutely no problems, though I would be interested to hear what other people have found.

My wife and I found our Satnav a great boon on our trip to Brittany in 2007, though France doen't have such a focused address referencing system as our postcodes. Garmin's text to English speech software had us falling about laughing at "Emily's" French pronounciation (this is an admittance that our french isn't good enough to select the french translation).

The most inhospitable place to go motorhoming appears to be Britain. There seems to be a mindset of the authorities that if you are asleep in a vehicle, you are up to no good. You have to pay to go to a very expensive campsite to be sure that some policeman isn't going to move you along in the middle of the night. Even morway rest areas charge you for staying more than 3 hours.

Take as much Euros in cash as you think is safe and save on credit card fees. If you buy your cash online through www.travelex.co.uk you get a very good rate. Beware though, you do have to pick the cash up from one of their branches so do check with them that there is a branch at the ferryport you are using.

Have fun, Richard

[lunnie]

Use Nationwide credit card if you have to use a card no loading, also open an account with them and you may draw cash no charge to do so if you have the funds.

[wendy]

We always use Nationwide debit card when abroad - as Joan said, no charges. It's not a good idea to carry too much cash with you and supermarkets will take cards. The supermarket filling staions are OK as long as someone is in the pay booth as the automatic pumps don't always take British cards. Just don't leave the filling up until Sunday when the pay booth will most likely not be occupied.

[playallday]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and good wishes. I did just discover that Nationwide don't charge for European ATMs so have just opened an account with them....I refused the credit card, but will think again if there is no loading on that, either.

And, yes, the trusty TomToms...aren't they the best? I have no sense of direction and TomTom is the best thing I have EVER bought. I bought it to go to Spain last year, as we had got lost over there on the way to the airport the year before....not a pleasant experience when your daughter is freaking about it, trust me! No problem with TomTom, though.

I am planning to get a 2008 copy of France Passion and use them for quite a few of my overnighters, interspersed with 'posh' sites when I want to stay in 1 place for a few days. BTW, does anyone know how "Aires" is pronounced? I'm never quite sure when you sound the 's' with French words.

Jean

[Barbara and Graham]

playallday said:

BTW, does anyone know how "Aires" is pronounced? I'm never quite sure when you sound the 's' with French words.

Jean

The basic rule is that the 's' is silent unless the next word begins with a vowel and then it sounds more like a 'z'.

Barbara

[yamaha]

Also, the "P" is silent - as in "toilet". ;D

Mike

[snobbyafghan]

yamaha said:

Also, the "P" is silent - as in "toilet". ;D

Mike

Surely that should be "as in bath..."

Doug

[playallday]

bandg said:

playallday said:

BTW, does anyone know how "Aires" is pronounced? I'm never quite sure when you sound the 's' with French words.

Jean

The basic rule is that the 's' is silent unless the next word begins with a vowel and then it sounds more like a 'z'.

Barbara

Thanks Barbara...and very funny the other comments ;D. But, back to my question... is it pronounced as the star sign Airies or Ay-airs ..Airs..help!!!

[Barbara and Graham]

playallday said:

But, back to my question... is it pronounced as the star sign Airies or Ay-airs ..Airs..help!!!

Sorry, didn't realise the first bit was a separate question. Aim for something like 'air' in English but with the 'r' sounded in your throat. I could suggest you try to roll your 'r's like the French but that's probably inviting further comment!