# Campsite wont accept booking for short stays



## ritaz1964 (Sep 29, 2009)

Is this the norm??? I have emailed a couple of sites for a 3 night stay and they wont take bookings..... they say they have loads of pitches that time of year (late June).

How do you cope with a situation where you turn up to a camsite to be told, no room? What if you have been driving for hours and are totally knackered? I jnmow you will prob say, you have a motorhome just pak anywhere, but I would prefer a campsite with facilities, etc.

On our journey we wont be stoppig at any campsite for more than 4 nights.... and it will be half June and all July.

Tips please?


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

You will be very unlucky to find a campsite with no vacancies in France, even in late June.

Most will be only about 20% occupied then.

Get to the middle of July and it will be a different story!

We have never ever booked a campsite in France and have never ever been turned away.

Even at the height of the French holidays you will still find a place somewhere.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

We've never seen a French campsite full in June. We never book and have never been turned away. In any case, there are so many places to stop in France if you ever got turned away you'll have other options open to you anyway.


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

You could do what we do and that is phone the site in the morning on the day that you expect to arrive, if they say no problem which is highly likely in June then you have peace of mind or time to choose another one.
We also have never found a campsite full in June or early July.


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

We have never booked yet and we go in August. Only time we never got on was the Bank Holiday at Arromanches and to be honest we were glad. We moved on and found a fab empty aire 5 mins away. There is always somewhere to stay - France is massive.

Greenie :lol:


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## ritaz1964 (Sep 29, 2009)

so, would you suggest that if the camsite is full, they have aires out the front and we could use that too? We are travelling on an autotrail arapaho (not burstner)... we are fully self sufficient.

I know so litle about anything and we are so far away (Australia) and we have never used a motorhome and we have never been to some of these places.... etc....

We travel all of July also, will campsites take bookings in July??? Not only France, but other coutries too (italy, austria, swiss, germany, holland?) We cant afford to stay minimums of 5 & 7 nights... we have now extended our trip to 7 weeks so we dont runourselves ragged... and I still think we will be cuttng some places...


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

Don't worry about booking in France. We are off to the west coast of France next year in the 2nd and 3rd week of August and will not be booking any campsites. We are a family of 2 adults and 3 children. 

We have no worrys of not getting a site for the night. If the one we want is full there will be another just down the road that isn't. The worst case is to come inland a few miles and you will without fail find a site or aire. 

Derek


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi ritaz

Ah, never camped in France, never used a M/H........ :idea: 

OK, you need some better info.

France is literally covered in campsites and aires which are underused outside the months of Jul and August, you'll literally never need to book a site outside these months. Many French municipal sites don't even bother opening before mid June.

In July and August you can usually get away with it unless you want an "all-singing, all dancing" site or a site in a very popular location. Most of this type of site will allow you to book for dates in peak season. My best advice is to use municipal sites unless you want lots of facilities, they're good value and rarely full. Aires will be busy in peak season but if aires are full you'll find lots of M/Hs camping on adjacent car parks, the French are quite laid back about it. Don't use Autoroute service areas, you'll not be secure.

Germany has many less sites but a superb network of stellplatz. Same as France, unlikely to be busy except in July and August. In peak season try to book if you intend to use sites, for stellplatz same applies as with French aires, you'll usually find room, if not the local car park usually gets busy. In Germany you can spend the night anywhere provided there are no signs prohibiting it. Water and WC dumping - use the nearest stellplatz. Avoid autobahn service areas, camping is usually prohibited and they can be insecure although some do have freshwater and WC dumps.

Italy, Austria, Swiss, Holland I would try to book if possible, especially in mid-July and August.

Main thing is, you're in a motorhome, not a caravan. If you can't get on a site/aire/stellplatz then choose a quiet location where you won't disturb anyone and stay there for the night. You'll rarely get moved on if you don't draw attention to yourselves and leave early next morning.


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Rita,

France in June, no need for booking of site, no need to phone, just turn up, there are plenty of campsites there are masses of pitches all available.

I know you are thousands of miles away in oz, and it is difficult to visualize and you may not believe us but please don't worry, you will be absolutely fine.

Try and make sure you have internet access if you can and I am sure when June comes around, you will meet up with other members of this site.

steve


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## idexnz (Jan 16, 2008)

All of the comments so far are bang on! 

We were in France for all of June & July this year in a borrowed motorhome and not once did we pre-book anything. We just rolled up to the handiest Aire, Camping Ground or whatever late each afternoon and we always managed to fit in somewhere without problems. Camping grounds were always pleased to see us, especially before mid July when they had plenty of vacant sites. I can understand why they won't take bookings over that period, because it's not worth the hassle and paperwork for them.

We didn't waste time with the expensive up-market holiday parks but there are lots of excellent municipal camping grounds at quite reasonable prices.

The Aires are really great and a lot more economical. As soon as you arrive in France buy yourselves an Aires directory at one of the Hypermarkets, bigger bookshops , Autoroute Service Centre, or a motorhome accessories dealership such as Narbonne Accessories. You'll save yourselves a lot of stress and cost!

Just go for it and enjoy a wonderful holiday like we did.


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## Ozzyjohn (Sep 3, 2007)

Although our experience is limited to one trip on mainland Europe (new to motorhoming this year) I can agree with all of the above. We had been slightly concerned about our 9 metre length, but it was never an issue.

We travelled out of UK on 3rd August, and came back on 2nd September - visited southern Germany (5 days) an the rest of the time in France. Booked nothing in advance - never had a problem finding a campsite (or an aire) throughout the trip. Our only "site full" experience was one campsite in Germany, but there was another one less than 100 metres away with spaces. 

Both France and Germany are fully supportive of the idea of a flexible touring holiday - where you can go where you want, when you want to. 

From my limited experience, I'm sure all will be fine.

Enjoy!


Regards,
John


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Only time I have ever booked in France was a couple of sites in August when I wanted a particular pitch (had friends coming to stay with a tent so wanted one the right shape). Otherwise we just book in when we got there. There is a point about some sites in grape picking time though. Epernay had plenty of spaces mid August, but was almost full at the end of September!

Sue


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Suenliam said:


> Only time I have ever booked in France was a couple of sites in August when I wanted a particular pitch (had friends coming to stay with a tent so wanted one the right shape). Otherwise we just book in when we got there. There is a point about some sites in grape picking time though. Epernay had plenty of spaces mid August, but was almost full at the end of September!
> 
> Sue


As others have said sites get busier after mid July and at their busiest up to the end of the third week in August. The popular areas are the worst affected ie the coast and the south of France.

For the best chance of a pitch in the hot spots don't leave it late to look for a pitch. In some areas you may be best doing a short journey and arrive at your chosen campsite on or shortly after lunch to stand the best chance.
(If they are full you have plenty of time to drive a few miles and find somewhere else.)


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## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

I would agree with Autostratus. Leave early and arrive early. That gives you the option of moving on if you don't like your 'target' site.

Finding a site in June really isn't a worry; in fact we find it the opposite. We normally find that we can be quite choosey.

July gets a bit more restricted. Next year French school holidays start on 2nd July and so things will be busier after that but certainly not difficult. As others have said there is usually an alterative down the road and they are often little gems!

Enjoy your visit.

M


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

Ciao, and welcome. Just to add my 2 eurocents worth to the exccellent advice already given. Most of it of course refers to France, but I see you intend doing a Eurowide tour. In which case you need know that Spain and Italy take their main holiday around 15 August, and are best avoided around that time, especially in tourist hot spots. The rest of Europe is abit more flexible, but August is always busy wherever you go. I would suggest you use July/August for Norhern Europe e.g UK/ Holland/Germany/Scandinavia. You could then visit Southern Europe (Southern France/Italy/Spain in the pleasant and less crowded early or late summer.
periods. Hope you enjoy your trip.
saluti,
eddied


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## hymerowner (Sep 10, 2006)

Never booked in 20 odd years of touring Europe. just beware that campsites in France are often only open in high season - mid July til end of August.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Rita

If you would really feel better knowing you are booked onto a site you need have no worries after the first one. :wink: 

If you go to reception and ask them to book ahead to your next site they will be very pleased to do so - and probably won't charge you for the call if you quickly dive into your pocket and offer the cash!

Dave


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