# Christmas in France



## rosmic (Oct 9, 2005)

:roll: Has anyone a good campsite to reccomend in France for Christmas & New Year. We've been to Spain for the last 5 years & fancy something different but cannot find a campsite OPEN!!!
Surely there is such a thing as a good Christmas in France & we want to find it. Anyone out there with good ideas??? I would imagine South of Dordogne. ROSMIC


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

http://www.parcverger.com/


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

We wondered about doing this last year but everyone on here said it would be far to cold and horrid so we toured the south coast of the UK for a month in the worst winter for 30 years.

I think some of the Aires will be open and of course wilding is perfectly acceptable. 

I dont think they make a big thing about Christmas like we do.

I was talking to a resident in Brittany last summer and he reckons their winters are not too bad. I would have thought they are like the south coast of England and effected by the gulf stream so should stay wet and mild.

I do believe however that further south and inland where there is less gulf stream infulence it can get really cold. The Dordogne can be much colder than here (from what I have read and heard not experience)

I still like your idea though and what appeals to me is it goes against the grain of everyone heading off to Spain which doesnt appeal at all to me.


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

I posted something like this last year and jumped on like a ton of bricks saying France do do Christmas - but am thinking they not as full on! No doubt all mods are reading this as I am watched like a pot! (Bitter me - just a bit!)

We also have 11 days and have booked the tunnel for Thurs 23rd Dec and coming back 3rd Jan we did think about staying in Northern France and going over to Brugge - yes before you say it I know Brugge - is not in Northern France.

Quite fancy moving down to Brittany though so am wondering if there is anything open ie Aires. We would only need water every 3/4 day and a bit of hook up occasionally. Never found an Aire yet with hook up for more than an hour!

Good post this even though am ranting.....

Greenie :evil:


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

We're going December 18th for 2 weeks don't know where we'll end up so all Ideas welcomed. We were provisionally going to Denia or further south, NOT set in stone.

Would also be interested in a convoy 8)


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I get loads of Aires info from this site

http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm

Google translate will (normally) translate it but mine is playing up. There are plenty of French user comments on the aires and many are for the winter months.

After last winter Im not scared to go anywhere. In fact In someways it was actually better that the temperature was so low as all the grass CL's etc were solid as a rock. We did however get stuck in the snow and had to be towed off one CL and we got snowed in on another for 5 days which was brilliant!

People go off to the ski resorts in van so how hard can it be?


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## dragonfly (Mar 10, 2007)

Generally speaking central France is OK if you enjoy winters. We love what we call "Limousin days", with cold, perhaps frosty mornings, but then sunny days, and because we are that much further south, the sun has some real warmth in it. Every year since we arrived at what is now Parc Verger all guests have enjoyed a champagne/bucks fizz reception on Christmas Day, and every year except the last there has been a "beer and BBQ" gathering on New Years Day - last winter of course was the worst for many years all over Europe, so we hope to get back to the more normal ones this year!
The French have their Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, then open presents after midnight. They also all celebrate New Year in a major way, but there is no such thing as Boxing Day!
Winters here are normally shorter than in the UK, thank goodness, and there are still fetes late in the year - locally we have the Cidre et Cochonaille (Cider and piglet - and yes, you can win one!) day on the 3rd Sunday in October, and there is the Dournazac Chestnut Fair on the following Sunday, both of which normally enjoy glorious sunshine.
Dragonfly


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## Nordet (Jan 27, 2008)

We have enjoyed some good New Years Eve parties at Camping Le Touroulet http://www.camping-touroulet.com just south of Limoges.

The parties are popular with locals (British+French), they also tend to celebrate French then British new year at 1. Very friendly, simple but comfortable

The site is a basic farm site with a bar/restaurant and dance room. The hookups are 6A, room for about 10 vans.


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## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

Only Christmas Eve/Day is big in France and also New Years Eve. We are in the South Charente and at that time of year it is quite pleasant during the day but cold in the evening.


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## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

*More southern*

The further south you go, the weather will prove to be more amenable. I did such a trip 4 yrs ago, and found an English run site just south of Carcassone. right alongside the river Aude. 20 mins drive to Carcassone, a wonderful city that stays open during Christmas. The area is picturesque and only cold at night, when it can be below freezing. But dry and no snow when we were there. After some time there, we moved onto the communal site at Narbonne Plage. 50 yrds from the splendid Med beach and well sited with ammeniities .Some long time snowbirds move in there, so plenty of company for amusement if needed.


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## Dinks123 (Apr 20, 2010)

We spent Xmas weekend last year in a little village called Charriac near Limoges on our way to San Sebastian. Very nice...Owners were away on holiday....so just paid the cleaning staff! Ablutions were warm and clean, and we had EHU. Nice walk around the big dam they have on site. Very nice place to go to in summer with kids. Seems they have a lot of functions and happenings around the dam in season.


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Dinks123 said:


> We spent Xmas weekend last year in a little village called Charriac near Limoges on our way to San Sebastian. Very nice...Owners were away on holiday....so just paid the cleaning staff! Ablutions were warm and clean, and we had EHU. Nice walk around the big dam they have on site. Very nice place to go to in summer with kids. Seems they have a lot of functions and happenings around the dam in season.


Is that lake VassiviÈre


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## Dinks123 (Apr 20, 2010)

http://www.eurocampings.co.uk/en/eu...campsite-municipal-les-vieux-ch%EAnes-112343/

This is the website!


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