# Municipal Sites in France - Can they be booked in advance?



## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

Hi, not used any muncipal sites before but would like to stay on la combe a l'eau which is on the Il de Re, off La Rochelle.
My other half thinks that you can't book these sites, just have to turn up and take pot luck. Is this correct?


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

Have a look in a Caravan Club Europe Book 1 or on t'interweb to see if they have contact details and give them a ring or e-mither. Or try the local tourist info office. We've never had to book on a municipal site before so I wouldn't know the definitive answer myself.


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## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

Thanks for the reply. I have had a look on the internet but can't see an answer to my question, I didn't think of looking in the Caravan Club book though, so will do that. I have sent the town council an email so we will wait and see if that brings any response.
The main reason I'm concerned about booking is that we are confined to school holidays and the peak times, which makes me reluctant to just 'turn up' and hope there is a place, at least in the more popular areas.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We have booked on Municipal sites via the web and also via the phone once we got the contact details.

The CC Europe book and the local Tourist Office will both have the contact info.

We have even been able to book specific pitches without problems.  

Dave


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## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

Excellent, just the sort of news I wanted. Thank you!


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## trevd01 (Oct 26, 2007)

Some you certainly can, they are run like a commercial site.

Others you just turn up and somebody will wander round in the evening to take your money. Very often smaller munis are attached or adjacent to the town/village sports complex and share admin with that.

Ile de Re very popular in the summer, if you can book I would. I find an email translated by Google works wonders.

[email protected]


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Don't forget that they hike the bridge toll charge right up in the summer.

The camping municipal in St Martin is quite nice too.

Hire bikes in the town if you don't have your own.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

There's been a trend fairly recently for municipal sites to be sold off to individuals or private companies so they are not always what they seem. The days when every little village had a quirky little camping field with more or less facilities are gone and campsites, even in France, are becoming larger and more sophisticated and usually have a manned reception rather than the little man in a 2CV who turns up at irregular intervals.

We've never booked or felt the need to book, even when we used to have to use them in school summer holidays but I would be surprised if the vast majority today did not accept bookings. 

Unlike an English campsite, where once it is full no-one else is allowed to book in, French sites will usually squeeze you in somewhere. If you don't want to be tied to a set of bookings and are prepared to take the small risk of not always getting a spacious pitch, then I'd not worry further about booking anywhere.

G


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

_Unlike an *English* campsite_

Seems then that we don't have the same attitude on campsites in Wales, Scotland or NI?


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## Bob45 (Jan 22, 2007)

Just to confirm that you can book on some municipal sites. We book one in Provence as it is very popular.

Bob


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

pippin said:


> _Unlike an *English* campsite_
> 
> Seems then that we don't have the same attitude on campsites in Wales, Scotland or NI?


My apologies to Welsh, Scots and NI campsite owners if I have maligned them. I can speak only from experience of English campsites and have only a fleeting knowledge of -a long time ago- Welsh or Scottish sites. I do prefer to write from a basis of evidence.

Had it been relevant in this thread I would have gone on to point out that local authority and other licensing regulators in England do tend to impose a maximum permitted number of campers who can occupy a site. I meant no slight on owners whose hands are tied. these regulations are,I believe, a good thing. We have been offered pitches in Europe under a caravan awning ( Greece) and within inches of static vans (France) neither of which came close to meeting the UK's sensible fire regulations.

G


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