France in August, site availability ?? (1 Viewer)

Jul 2, 2011
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We are heading to France/Spain on 6th May, returning early July, this will be our second trip abroad in a MH, the first being 3 weeks in June 2012.

The reason for this thread is a second possible trip to France in August this year. I mentioned the above trip as it might restrict how much time we have to make bookings etc if we have to leave them till we get back in July.

OK, friends are coming from Australia for a wedding on 15th August. Once the happy couple go on honeymoon (16th), our friends want to leave the UK to see somewhere else in Europe. They return to Ozz on 27th August giving us about 10 days.

The original plan was for the four of us to take the MH to France, use aires and France passion. Now it looks as though their adult daughter is able to come too. She says she is happy to sleep on the floor. Although we have a 28ft tag with end bedroom, we only really have that and the over cab bed, so the floor is the only option but we do not think that is dooable, or very comfortable for her.

We are now thinking the only option will to use sites instead and put the awning up every night, or take a small tent for her to sleep in.

They obviously want to see as much of France as possible so although we hadn`t planned on doing thousands of miles, we had planned on driving most days.

So the first question is, if we plan to use sites, private or municipal, are we going to struggle to get in and have to spend half the day on the phone trying to find that nights accommodation??

Depending on the answer to the above question, maybe finding 3/4 good locations/sites is a better strategy and pre-booking a couple of nights at each.
If we do this, we would ideally like sites that give us easy access to local towns as we would not have any transport.

Any other options? (Flying somewhere and renting an apartment is still an option also).

Thanks

Steve
 
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mta

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Oct 21, 2013
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HI steve,
I've been to France most summers (always july/august) and have never booked a site and never had a problem. Once or twice a site in a popular tourist area has been full, so we either waited or moved on to another site, of which there are always some close by. Just get a book with all campsites in to be on the safe side but we found that most towns had a municipal site that was always decent quality, near to the town and value for money and was well sign posted.
enjoy.
Martyn:thumb:
 

Hollyberry

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As Mta says, most towns have a municipal site and so e areas are inundated with campsites. Pyla Dune area on the west coast, south of Bordeaux has what seems like dozens of sites with pools, games rooms, bars etc.... And I'm sure they couldn't all be full.

If you head for a quieter area, inland, say the Loire, the campsites will be less dense but probably not quite so busy.

If you get hold of an ACSI book that gives you plenty of sites--I've got last years which I can send you for cost of postage.

An Aires book is also useful.

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OP
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Jul 2, 2011
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Thanks for the replies and the ofer Hollyberry.

We have the ACSI book and the aires book as we will be using them both on the first trip.

Sounds like finding sites will not be a problem which makes things much easier.

Steve
 

lorger

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We always go during school holidays and haven't booked a site in France for the last 5-6 years. Even turned up at Annecy during peak season and got the first site we tried, we have always been able to get on to aires also.Another option for you if your planning on spending a few nights would be France Passion.
 
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You will always find somewhere to pitch up even in peak season.

That said you will have less choice on pitches and have a lot of neighbours whilst paying the highest camping fees.

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OP
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You will always find somewhere to pitch up even in peak season.

That said you will have less choice on pitches and have a lot of neighbours whilst paying the highest camping fees.

I did suggest they moved the wedding day but for some reason they didn`t want to know......:Smile:
 
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We were in France last year for the whole of August and had no problem getting into both aires and sites (private / municipal).
It is the best time to be there as all the festivals and village events are on during this time.
Some ACSI sites are available the last week in August, we were on one near Sarlat in the Dordogne.
Also use this link for the Municipal Sites.
http://www.camping-municipal.org/index.htm :thumb:
 

sedge

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Well, the kids have done you a favour actually, you know how to time things!

Traditional French holidays run from Bastille Day - 14th July - to another public holiday which happens on 15th August (I thought it was the Fete de St Jean - but I dunno, that might be June)

This means Peak Period is from the weekend before 14/7 (Mad Saturday, etc etc) to the weekend after 15/8.

Oh look! - you can't go until immediately after then!

We once had a conversation when arriving unannounced at a fairly remote camping - I mean we knew we were aiming for there exactly, but we hadn't rung. We like a voyage of discovery .... Anyway there was loads of space and I expressed surprise. She said, quite dismissively - "Oh, pooh, no problem - the French all went home on 20/8, they always go en masse (she made them sound like lemmings jumping over the cliff edge - OK I know they don't) the weekend after the Bank Holiday, so you'd always be alright after that!"

It wasn't till days after that, it struck me that she was French too! :ROFLMAO:

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Apr 27, 2008
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Just to agree with what has been said by others. We usually avoid August but last year other commitments meant we were in France all August. All aires were available, except one which was small and in a tourist hot spot.
We stayed on some sites and they all had room, even though charging peak rates. Latter half of August is off peak for many sites so ACSI rates apply.
 

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