Brittany at Christmas (1 Viewer)

barryd

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Hi All

Hoping to get away for Christmas and New Year and if possible do some winter touring Jan/Feb.

Our rough plan was to visit France for Christmas and New Year and we love Brittany. Anyone been in the winter? We were there twice in summer and got talking to a local Brit who claims its quite mild in the winter in that there is seldom a frost. Can anyone speak from experience? I assume some Aires will be open and some wont. Will there be other vans there that time of year or will we be on our own (not that we mind being on our own)? I realise that day temperatures will be similar to southern England but not bothered as long as there isnt loads of snow and ice.

We thought we would do a couple of weeks there, spending Christmas day wilding on a beach. If we can we thought we would then head off down to Portugal or maybe Sicily (longer drive though).

Any thoughts?
 

vwalan

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the free aires are always open .we have spent afew xmas,s just north of pornic on the headland. there is a big hotel /restaurant with swimming pool .pointe de st gildes. good for a special dinner. it will be cold . better as you are around labaule to la rochelle . north to redon very cold .south from bordeaux to spain brass monkey weather . the north coast of spain to gijon can be nice in the day ,cold at night. lots free camps. brittany can be like cornwall but not very warm. its a short day n a long night . thousands of campers cant be wrong ,along with the birds head south you know it makes sense. cheers alan.
 
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barryd

barryd

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Thanks Alan

We probably will end up travelling south but I just thought it would be interesting to see one of the regions we loved so much in summer in winter. Good thing is of course if we dont like it or its too cold we can just move south! When you mention the thousands of vans that head south, this kind of puts me off. I remember France in the middle of July trying to find spaces to park, nightmare!

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vwalan

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not as bad by along way. best not go france in summer .but good you have seen it takes some believing . try it but remember it does get a bit difficult sometimes to get to the med if its a bad winter. friends have had deep snow even in march trying to head home . thats why i try n stay longer. end of march this year was ok. i,v been in biarritz when its cold in january and seen women crying in their campers its so cold ,but across in cantarbria we went swimming . it was cold at night.the wind from thr pyrennes is bitter be warned try it i did when the kids were young we have spent a few xmas in loire atlantic and cantarbria /asturia.you will still have fun even the bad days make you laugh in a few months time.i do northern spain on the way to santander in april its really nice then and quiet. think of the adventure you dont have to like it but the experiance is worth a fortune . i like all of it. cheers alan.
 
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barryd

barryd

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Thanks again Alan. If we were say in Brittany and then decided to head down to the Algarve say in early Jan is there going to be a route thats safe and snow and ice free?
 

vwalan

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think thats a question for sooty to answer he as the magic wand. there will be roads open as trucks etc need to use them/ i think i would shoot across top of spain n drop into portugal that way but believe me bordeaux can be very very cold. or at least below there going south .best of luck.

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Manouche

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Hi Barry,
Lived in Brittany for 6 years, only ever spent the first winter there and that was enough.
As soon as oct comes and they start shutting the shutters on the windows you know it's time to head south if you can.
My advice would be to spend your money somewhere warmer.
:Sad:
 

Judge Mental

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Hi Barry,
Lived in Brittany for 6 years, only ever spent the first winter there and that was enough.
As soon as oct comes and they start shutting the shutters on the windows you know it's time to head south if you can.
My advice would be to spend your money somewhere warmer.
:Sad:

Have to agree..........Long ago was there late september early October. everything was locked up, and it was as cold and wet and as miserable as hell.:Sad:l
 
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barryd

barryd

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Cheers. Maybe have to have a rethink then. Anyone know where in France might be ok in Winter? Doesnt have to be hot just better than UK and not too freezing at night although to honest stayed out wildcamping in -4 in Uk and we were ok. Think it would get a bit too much if you were overnighting in those sort of temps for a month though. We are not bothered if places are closed, the quieter the better.

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vwalan

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in a word NO no no . ASK THE FRENCH . MOST ARE IN MAROC. sorry but i,v tryed many times .loire atlantic is probably the best. forget the summer .that was then in winter its a different ball game . italy too cold. just about every where except algarve n andulucia. possibly cabo de gato.is cold. you can be on the med sunbathing . go 6 mile inland and watch the skiing. its hard i know to believe. i have tried tunisea and thats too cold as well but abit better than spain.
 
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barryd

barryd

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Ok Alan Im convinced. If we set off in January or December is there a safe route down to the Algarve where we wont hit snow and ice?
 

staging lady

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Hi Barry we went to the med last November came home on 27th. We went to Cap d'Agde and stayed in a campsite at Vias Plage.

It was warm enough to cycle round in sweaters during the day and sit on the beach with a fleece, but maybe we were lucky.

On the way down it was bitterly cold in Paris and on the way back in Calais too.
Lucille

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barryd

barryd

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Hi Barry we went to the med last November came home on 27th. We went to Cap d'Agde and stayed in a campsite at Vias Plage.

It was warm enough to cycle round in sweaters during the day and sit on the beach with a fleece, but maybe we were lucky.

On the way down it was bitterly cold in Paris and on the way back in Calais too.
Lucille


Hi and thanks

Was it as cold around Paris and Calais as the UK? I have looked at the weather stats in Wunderground and the temp in the eastern French med around St Tropez / Nice area is around 12-16 during the day and rarely below 0 on an evening, normally 4-7c. Would you say this right from your experience? If so thats bareable.
 

staging lady

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I would say it was colder in Paris and Calais than the UK ( my part in North Wales) but it was a dry, bitter cold rather than the damp chill we get in a Welsh winter.

In the West Med, it was mild during the day and not bad at night, but the site was in pine groves at the seaside ,so very sheltered from winds. Much colder inland towards the Pyrenees.
Lucille
 

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