# Camping cheques - worth it?



## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Okay - by now you either live on Mars or you know we're clearing off round Europe starting October.

Just orderd CCI card

Just ordered camperstop book and 2008 ACSI book, card and DVD

Do I need camping cheques? They work out at £11.70 each now due to currency supplement and the fact we won't be booking ferry through them.

Cheers


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## blondy (Aug 23, 2007)

Hi, Enjoy your trip, don't forget to take Caravan Club europe 1 book, this is essential, I personally don't get camping cheques as I like complete independence on where to go or stop, all the best.

We go again September, cant wait.


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## takeaflight (May 9, 2005)

We use camping cheques and found them excellent, you can budget for site costs before travel, several sites offer 7 nights for 6 six cheques or 14 nights for 11, the standard of sites are for us very good, we have chosen or been given service pitches and there as not been any extra charges. So with the ASCi card the odd municipal site we find we can find sites pretty well where we wont.


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Hmmm - 1 for; 1 against.  Is the price of £11.70 actually going to get much discount? I'd not expect sites to be much more than that off peek?

I heard about the caravan club Europe 1&2 books - but would these duplicate the sites in the Camperstop book? If not - whats so special about them?

Thanks in advance!


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## lafree (Dec 31, 2007)

Take some camping cheques if u want to stay on sites as you will find it works out cheaper dont forget they are valid for two years generally


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## takeaflight (May 9, 2005)

In general if you pull upto a site in France, while you have worked out how much the cost is per night from the menu board:
I am having my first glass of pick me up.
Adulte euro 5 
enfants euro 3
grand des enfants euro 2 
camping-car euro 6. 
chien 1 euro 
électrique euro 4 
mamie euro 5 
douches euro 2
impôt 1 euro 

The lists seem to gone on for ever,


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## lucy2 (Jun 27, 2007)

We try to use camping cheques all the time, because the site are of good quality ( often in allan rodgers book). We were in france in early May this year, called at camping cheque site , went in reception not mentioning camping cheque € 24 per night , handed over camping cheque only paid €0.90 local tax, great.


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## Waves (Apr 17, 2008)

The CC Europe 1&2 is a *must * and you will be surprised just how expensive campsites in Europe have become in the last 2/3 years even off season.
We go away twice a year for 8/10 weeks at a time and I have used Camping Cheques for 5 years backed up by ACSI over the last three, and would not be without them. Having them does not stop us from useing Aires as well.

John


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

We don't take camping cheques as we prefer the smaller sites and the municipals. We also like to choose where we want to go by the place rather than whether they take Camping Cheques or not. We bought the ASCI book a couple of years ago, but only used one of their sites. I don't regret buying, but I won't again. In the low season, I would hope to get sites about 12 euros or even less so CC work out a bit expensive unless you want all singing all dancing sites.

CC books - I only know the French one, and I find it covers almost all the sites there must be in France! It has good directions to and descriptions of the sites, whether they are open all year and often a comment from someone who has used the site. I don't go a bundle on the CC but the book is well worth the price.

Sue

edit: sorry forgot to mention site prices are given in the Caravan Club book as well


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

We like to use them in between aires.
So 3 nights aires one night CC for laundry etc and we usually plan a 6 for 7 but tell them we are stopping for up to 7 nights so we can leave if we don't like it.
We are going over 25th August to South France and then trying Spain untill the end of November with a site doing 60 nights for 30 cheques so that makes them quite cheap.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

One thing you could do to help you decide is to look at their website, bring up the list of sites that take Camping Cheques and then decide whether they are in the right place and the right sort of site for you.

We decided not to as the choice is rather limited. There are only 575 spread over 22 countries so you have to travel to find them.

We do use ACSI sites in the low season and I agree with the comments about the CC 1 and 2 books.

G


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## Bob45 (Jan 22, 2007)

If you are off season don't forget the Castels Prvilege Card. Free from the Caravan Club otherwise 10 euros gives pitch plus electric for 16 euros on good sites.
Agree with the others - France is full of wonderful municipal sites, more expensive multi facility sites but there are some awful ones as well. Arrive early and look around. Don't worry about driving on.
Bob45


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## krull (Jul 22, 2006)

I got free free camping cheques when I booked thriough the CC.

I would never buy them because the sites are full of british caravaners


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Great feedback - thanks all.
So the response regarding CC Euro 1&2 books seems positive. Shame its another 40 quid  I'll see what the stuff I've bought is like as I have to draw the line somewhere. Should have asked first! 
Wont bother with cheques then - thanks for that. As we are doing 6 week stints only then if we find we need some we'll get some in our 2 week stint.

Wild/Aries for a couple of nights then decent site is our plan too - our van is only small


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## bobandjane (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Ryan & Mel when in France why not try : http://www.france-passion.com/indexeng.php3?prov=

We never bother with camping cheques, still we never plan anything either, just take it as it comes, Lifes to short. If you use France Passion / Aires and campsites it makes a change and you meet all sort of people. Good Luck with your travels we will be in France in September. Bob.


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## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

Hi,

have you ordered both the ACSI "Discount Camping Card" book and/or the ACSI DVD?

We have never bothered with Camping Cheques due to the high up front cost but always use the ACSI off season discount card as it comes with an excellent guide book and it only costs about £7 +p&p. It's a similar scheme but you'll meet more Dutch and German motorhomers on the sites in the scheme.

Also quite a lot of campsites close at the end of September or October

Steve


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Hi
Yes - the book, card and DVD. Apparently the DVD has more sites than the book (including non discount) and also says when sites are open.
Apparently.
As Trip 1 = Oct/Nov and Trip 2 = Dec/Jan - if sites are open is a key bit of info!

I spent yesterday merging all the Aires location - so got the french passion ones sorted. However we're not going to France this time - just via it  We have loads of german aires, a few spanish, itallian etc all on one map (Autoroute) - and every real site I can find elsewhere on another map.


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

If you have satnav then go to this SITE for all the poi downloads .


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

*Camping Cheques*

We use Camping Cheques, ACSI (with DVD ) and municipal sites.
Generally we can find the accomodation we are looking for. Some of our favourite really good sites are Camping Cheque and great value.

I do query Krulls comment. CC are not ALL Brits I reckon they are usually about 40% Dutch, and 25% each for English and German.
We have noticed a definate increase of French Campers, what is the world coming to ??

Steve


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## krull (Jul 22, 2006)

*Re: Camping Cheques*



pneumatician said:


> I do query Krulls comment. CC are not ALL Brits I reckon they are usually about 40% Dutch, and 25% each for English and German.
> We have noticed a definate increase of French Campers, what is the world coming to ??
> 
> Steve


By CC I meant Caravan Club. As I got my camping cheques free so did lots of the other Brits it seems, hence we all used the same sites.

Personal preference. Just seemed like i was in little britain, not what I had driven all that way for.

(PS Got your old scooter rack up and running now!)


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Not posted lately as been away in France/ Germany....then Cotswolds....locally with grandkids etc etc(as you do) ....oh. and finally bought the Fleurette so now three MHF-ers with one! 

Sorry Ryan & Mel-back to the subject!! I'd say a definite YES for Camping Cheques. If you're on a longish trip I think it's good to go on a more commercial site from time to time with laundry facilities, pool etc....just as a change, and the Cheques are great value for those type of sites, often saving 40-50% on normal fees. Nor do I find that they are all Brits-each to their own though of course.

Enjoy the Planning!


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

yes, we use them, good value for sites that are normally a high standard with pools etc. We tend to have a few nights on aires, mix in a few municipals and look around for a site that takes camping cheques, and have a couple of days on one before moving on.....


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