# Help please France trip



## aaswales (Jul 18, 2010)

hi im planning on taking a trip to france in sep but i have no clue how to start planning where to stay , i want to tour all round the coast but im not sure how long i will stay at 1 campsite so does any 1 have any experience of this ? do i need to book and how do i find the sites is there a good website that has a map with the sites pin pointed as you can see i have alot to learn lol thanks alan


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Stone me Alan - you could have asked an easy question like, "_What is the meaning of Life_?" :wink: :lol: :lol:

Where to start . . . .

I think the best advice is to pay your tenner which (among other benefits) will give you access to the Search facility. 

There is so much on here answering your questions in so many different ways that you will have enough reading matter for a month - and there is a load of advice from different perspectives from which to make your decisions.

My first suggestion - who needs to plan at all when you have a motorhome? Just go and follow your nose!! :wink:

Have fun, and welcome to the forum. 

Dave


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Whoa.... Hold on..... Planning a trip toFrance?????????
Don't bother, just get to Calais stick your finger in the air to see where the sun is and head that way. If you get it wrong, head somewhere else.
Just enjoy it, you are on holiday; the whole of France is a holiday.
Gerry


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Hi , pay yer tenner and a wealth of usefull info will be forthcomming.
It will be the best ten pounds you ever spent


dave p


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Ditto Alan. We're off to France by Sea France Sat 4th September to Sat 11th £64 return and are making no plans as all those in the know say you dont need any :wink: just follow your nose. We're staying at city europe satdy night then probably St Vallery a somme and along the coast each day 8)


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

France is easy - just go.
Loads of places to stay - no need to book in September.
No need to plan - just wander.

The cheapest place to find details of places to stop is right here - just pay you tenner for the year and you won't regret it.

The best trip to France is the first one - enjoy it.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Hi Alan and welcome

There's a favourite book of mine called _ A Perfect Circle _ by Susie Kelly. She sets off with her husband and 2 dippy dogs in an old Talbot MH to go all the way round the outside of France. The book is part travelogue, part history of the places she visits and part guide to the campsites they stay in. It's always entertaining and has served us well when we have used it to explore various bits of the"edges" of France.

Have a look at the Amazon reviews: I recommend it as a start to your travels.

See HERE

G


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## aaswales (Jul 18, 2010)

hi thanks for all your replys you have been very helpfull and happy camping


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

I guarantee that once you are there and meet any other Brit motorhomer, they will soon give you advise on places to stay !!
As above, dont worry about it... Lots of Aires and campsites and September is a great time to go.... 

Roll on Sept 7th... Grandkids back to school, grandparents off to France or Spain....!!!


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## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

Just to reiterate and to put a tiny bit of flesh on those bones; there are literally tens of thousands of campsites in France, and it is hard to drive more than ten kilometres without coming across one. There are municipals in almost every town and every town has a tourist office, which often have lists of sites outside. The 'Mairie' office can help too.

The website http://www.francethisway.com/ is really good, and it's all in English.

We were in France last year and this year and it's just so easy. I thought I needed to plan it all but apart from having a list of possible places we just decided to go where we felt like.

Have fun and come back and tell us all about it.

Ca


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

I understand your trepidation - I reckon we all had it that first time

We go 1st sept for 8 weeks and there are a few things I would recommend

1 buy a gps if you don't already have one - you will find there are places where you candownload POI's (points od interest) of aires - these are places where you can park overnight and generally get fresh water and dump your grey and black water inmany places for free-but having turned right at Calais around the coast - they were around €7-10 per night

2 buy the book All the Aires (It isn't all of them but most) from Vicarious Books - google will find them

3 use TIC's theta are great in France and we ask if they have a walk leaflet and town map - they invariably do

4 have a great time

Our plan this year

Head for the Jura mountainstgen Rhone Alps and a rew weeksdown at Narbonne Plage no idea for way back yet 

Whether we do that remains to be seen

Carol


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## rupert1 (Feb 13, 2009)

This site may be the best £10 but the second best is the ACSI camping book. This will give you a start and you will save the cost with your first couple of nights stay.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Just get over the water and drive !!!

Stop where you like the look of, there will always be an aire, Municipal, of Commercial site within a couple of kilometres (probably closer) 

Its all been said by previous posters really.

France is SO M/H friendly you will be amazed !!

All The Aires is a very usefull book as is ASCI


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## maddicksman (Jan 5, 2009)

We did our first trip to France last year. We had a great time - you will not believe how pleasurable driving in France is. You can cover long distances without any hassle or stress - quite unlike the roads here. As the earlier advice has said just go and follow your nose - you'll always find somewhere to stay o/n. I would buy the "All the Aires France" guide from Vicarious Book though. If you can spare the £30-ish also buy the France Passion Guide which lists hundreds of free sites mostly on vineyards or farms. 

Have a great trip - we'll be over there at the same time again.


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## scouter (Dec 14, 2007)

*The French Coast West from Calais*

Hi,

Two years ago when we got our latest van, now suitably equipped for life away from campsites, we set off in July (we were stuck with school hols) and spent 4 weeks going west out to Brittanny then south to the Vendee and up the Loire and Via the Champagne region back to Calais.

Our pre planning included a return date, and a tunnel booking, a michelin map book of France, a copy of "all the aires", and we joined "French Passion" both courtesy of Vicarious Books. Oh and a copy of the Rough Guide.

So we set off, on the smaller roads, followed any brown tourist signs that interested us, did a little bit of reading, the night before for anything that might interest us and had a great time.

We found some great little aires, some fantastic beaches ahd a wonderful time investigating some of the French Passion sites making friends with some great farm dogs, (think they thought we'd feed them if they slept outside our door on guard duty).

We also found a small champagne producer that we've been back to several times. We now share a couple of glasses with the owners before parting with our cash for a half a dozen bottles and wandering back to cook our meal. ( We even bought the champagne for our son's wedding from them ).

We didn't book anything even in July and August, there's always somewhere to stop, even on the campsites whether its a 5 star or a municipal, or if you prefer to stop on campsites then try an asci card from Vicarious books, campsites from 12 euros or so, but only out of season. By the way Fench Passion is free but you might finish up buying alot of wine or veg or steaks, depending on their business. Aires are sometimes free, and usually 5 to 10 euros depending on facilities and location.

Just go for it and have a super time

alan


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## lufc (Jun 24, 2007)

if you rally want to plan, try this

www.france-voyage.com


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