# France in August?



## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

We have tended, even before we had the motorhome, to visit France either in April/May or in September. I was just thinking of booking ferries to be away from about 1st to 22nd Sept and realised that, once again, we'd be missing out on much of the fruit growing in our garden. In particular I've been waiting for a newish Victoria plum tree to produce a good amount of fruit, and this year it looks as though it will.

So, if we went halfway through August and came back about 8th September what would the implications be for costs, finding sites, weather (which I prefer not to be _too_ hot), crowds, and anything else? We have the ACSI book so I suppose it'd mean we wouldn't make much use of that.

Our plan would be to go via Weymouth - St Malo, spend some time in Brittany then up through the Loire valley, returning via Calais - Dover.

Any thoughts?

Chris


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We have often been in France during the dates you mention- though we try to start a little later in August and return at the end of September if we have the choice.

The crowds are a little less but the weather can be very hot- and worse, humid- at that time. Later in September we find there tend to be dramatic storms and sudden temperature drops.

Campsites are all open but beginning to look a little tired with dusty grass etc

Everyone goes back to work on September 1st and things get much less busy but we have known campsites close around then though not many and not enough to affect plans.

The ACSI discount season tends to start the last week in August but that is not invariable.

G


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I would carefully check out the ferry costs from Weymouth, with a MH they are eye watering !!!

I live in Weymouth (less than 3 miles from the ferry terminal) but it is MUCH cheaper for me to drive to Dover to cross, even allowing for the additional fuel etc its hundreds (yes huindreds) of pounds cheaper.

(Dover-Calais return about £80, Weymouth to St Malo £400    )

Plus there are size restrictions on Condor, AND you have to change in Jersey (or is it Guernsey never cann remember) AND it takes all day AND if its rough the service is cancelled AND if its not THAT rough it can still be very uincomfortable. (the local nickname for the Condor ferries is "Vomit Comet" for a very good reason!

We go over every August for the whole month (wifey works in a school so we are tied to school hols) we have never had a problem getting onto a site (unless its very close to a ferry portl) We tend to use municipals and Aires, much cheaper than the big commercial sites and many are in superb locations. By their nature they dont attract "families" as they dont have the facilities for kids (bonus!!)

I have a "favorite" municipal site about 6 miles outside of Samaur, right on the banks of the Loire, it even has its own sandy beach !! last year it was about 8 euro's a night. Lovely restaurant 10 mins walk along the river bank. (PM me if you would like details) I also know for a cave in Samaur who do the most incredible really full bodies fizzy red!! we allways stock up when in the area.

Brittany is wonderful (but to be fair a long haul from Calais) Check out Condors Sunday ONLY sailing from Portsmouth to Cherbourg via a conventional ferry. I have used it a few times, it stops in September but I am not sure of the date. Its a bit of clunker of a ferry, not as cheap as it used to be though !! (still if you are coming back via Dover that wont be a problem will it?? Weather should be pretty reasonable but its a bit like the UK at that tiome of year (it can rain !!!)


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

We have just got back from our mobilehome sited in the Dordogne about 40 miles south of Limoges and planned to return to it for the last week in August and through September.
We checked last week before we left it for the summer and the site, Chateau le Verdoyer is almost fully booked until the END of August.

It looks as though the are in for a very busy season so we won't be returning until early September.
It's likely that this is indicative of bookings at other campsites in France this year.


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## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

I wouldn't worry too much, we're tied to school holidays too and always enjoyed ourselves without too much hassle. Possibly the coast will be busy but we've never had a problem with aires except for one in les landes which was ridiculously packed in August. I'd suggest finding a river or lake and see what you find.

Peter


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## hampsterracing (Jun 2, 2011)

If you want to cross down this end without traveling upto dover ceck out ld lines

http://www.ldlines.co.uk/

From portsmouth far better prices.

Roger


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

Mrplodd said:


> I would carefully check out the ferry costs from Weymouth, with a MH they are eye watering !!!
> 
> I live in Weymouth (less than 3 miles from the ferry terminal) but it is MUCH cheaper for me to drive to Dover to cross, even allowing for the additional fuel etc its hundreds (yes huindreds) of pounds cheaper.
> 
> ...


Thanks everyone, maybe I'll compromise and go for the last week in August and the first two weeks of September.

Mrplodd, There are two reasons we thought of going from Weymouth. Firstly, we usually travel to France via Dover but last year I wanted to see Brittany and we found the trek round from Calais was a mistake. We decided that if we want to go to Brittany again (which we do), we'd go more directly. We realise it's expensive but some of the extra cost will be offset against the diesel we won't use. Also, by doing a round trip we only go one way on the expensive route. The Condor website quoted me £184 for Weymouth - St Malo on 1st Sept, and £198 for 18th August.

Secondly, my son's family live near Weymouth, so we'd visit them first and see the granddaughters before they go back to school. This was why I favoured Weymouth - St Malo rather than, for instance, Portsmouth - Cherbourg. Our van is less than 6 metres so size restrictions aren't a problem.

What might be a problem though is what you say about the potential rough voyage. :?

Saumur was on my list of places to visit so I'd be keen to know about a good municipal site near there. Municipals, with the odd aire, are our favoured stopping places especially if they're next to water. I'll swop you your Saumur Municipal for my one at Montrichard. The campsite is called L'Etourneau, and it's on the banks of the Cher a few kilometres east of Chenonceau. When we're in the area, or anywhere near Tours, we visit a cave at Vouvray and bring back lots of the fizzy white, so I'd be happy to hear about your fizzy red.

Again, thanks everyone. This planning is part of the fun.  

Chris


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## leltel (Jul 27, 2010)

Mrplodd and Chris, do you have coordinates for these Caves please, sparkling red and white sounds perfect.


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

I don't actually have co-ordinates as we've been calling in at Vouvray for years but only actually got a satnav last year and haven't been to the Loire valley since then. There are several wine producers in Vouvray but the one we tend to use is

Domaine Huet

The website gives you their address.

You can get Vouvray wines in varying levels of dry/sweetness and in still, sparkling (méthode traditionnelle), and semi-sparkling (pétillant) varieties.

We have also bought Vouvray wines when we've visited

Chateau de Valmer

The actual chateau doesn't exist anymore but there are some wonderful walled gardens. If you're an RHS member I believe they do concessions (on the entrance to the gardens, not the wine). Again, I don't have the co-ordinates but you should be able to work it out from the website. It's a few kilometres from Vouvray itself.

Happy wine hunting

Chris


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## leltel (Jul 27, 2010)

Thanks, I have been to there website and have the address. Thank you too to Mrplodd for the pm


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

leltel said:


> Mrplodd and Chris, do you have coordinates for these Caves please, sparkling red and white sounds perfect.


Leitel,

Sorry but the info I've given you is not quite correct. The place where we usually buy our wines is at the Cave Co-operative in Vouvray. It sells wines from the producers in their co-operative, not just Domaine Huet.

The co-operative's website is here and it does give co-ordinates. Where we usually go is to their shop in the centre of Vouvray, marked 'dégustation et vente' on the map, but I think the co-ordinates relate to their caves, marked 'Visite des caves dégustation et vente'. We have been to both but usually to the shop.

Sorry for the confusion

Chris


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