Off to France (1 Viewer)

[whisky walker]

Evening all,

Looking at 2 weeks in September France bound for the first time abroad with the MH. Looking at Newhaven to Dieppe and then heading south and hopefully stopping every 2 to 3 days. Having never ventured this far before we are looking at any pointers on camp sites places to stay, things to take and not to take and any other info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[suavecarve]

Thats an extremely broad holiday that could take you anywhere from other peoples suggestions.

I would suggest choosing a part of france and heading there.

Have a look through the photo of the day thread or the journals to see what tickles your fancy. Cycling, walking, canoeing, dogs, beach mountains lakes beaux villages etc ? will all have a bearing

 

[CherylnMick]

You can download the app Camping-car Park where you apply for a card and you can book Aires. If you prefer sites, you don’t need to book in advance, just turn up, stay as long as you like and pay when leaving. You can buy an ACSI card & book. It’s all very easy.
Don’t stop at motorway aires as Motorhomes tend to be broken into even if you are present.

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[TONCAZ]

Evening all,

Looking at 2 weeks in September France bound for the first time abroad with the MH. Looking at Newhaven to Dieppe and then heading south and hopefully stopping every 2 to 3 days. Having never ventured this far before we are looking at any pointers on camp sites places to stay, things to take and not to take and any other info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Camping Car app is great as is ACSI, French Passion is worth a look, we used it twice in the St Emillion area and wasn't disappointed.
Enjoy....

 

[cyberyacht]

Evening all,

Looking at 2 weeks in September France bound for the first time abroad with the MH. Looking at Newhaven to Dieppe and then heading south and hopefully stopping every 2 to 3 days. Having never ventured this far before we are looking at any pointers on camp sites places to stay, things to take and not to take and any other info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

A lot of French campsites close at varying dates during September, the further north the earlier they tend to close. I travelled down the western side of France from Dieppe in May. A video of the trip can be found in my signature below. I used a mixture of aires and sites.

 

[David BW]

We did two trips to France last year, using France Passion almost exclusively. We were very happy with nearly all of them, moving on to another on a couple of occasions when we didn't like the look of them.

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[chaser]

Less planning, more pleasure

 

[jdk62]

Less planning, more pleasure

Sounds like date night...

 

[Andy MacD]

As it’s your first time and only 2 weeks decide what area and invest in a guide book like a Rough Guide. Look through and list the things you are interested in and create a route using a mix of Aires and sites. Try not to pack too much in and keep things flexible, most of the pleasure is just meandering along taking everything in. No need to book ahead at that time.

I had 6 weeks in this area Sept/Oct 23 and would happily return there’s so much to see and do.

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[whisky walker]

Thanks everyone for the great info, I should have been more detailed Lol. Just me the Mrs and the dog enjoy walking and will have bikes with us but looking at close to small towns that we can walk into on a night time. Will look at all the above and start planning,

Again many thanks everyone.

 

[chaser]

Thanks everyone for the great info, I should have been more detailed Lol. Just me the Mrs and the dog enjoy walking and will have bikes with us but looking at close to small towns that we can walk into on a night time. Will look at all the above and start planning,

Again many thanks everyone.

I have said this many times before but our first trip was completely un planned apart from the end was Pisa in a three week round trip in an old ldv van , all the rest we hadn't a clue, and I still maintain it was by far our best ever trip.

 

[suavecarve]

Thanks everyone for the great info, I should have been more detailed Lol. Just me the Mrs and the dog enjoy walking and will have bikes with us but looking at close to small towns that we can walk into on a night time. Will look at all the above and start planning,

Again many thanks everyone.

You may want to have a look at the voie verte journal in my signature. Click it then you get the list of cycle routes which is mainly disused railway lines then you may have to click once or twice more to get to the actual information as I use the voie verte journal as a gateway to all the cycle routes. Mainly France and there are some other routes along canals or rivers (danube)

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[ctc]

Always made plans for France, never lasted beyond the tunnel exit.

 

[whisky walker]

You may want to have a look at the voie verte journal in my signature. Click it then you get the list of cycle routes which is mainly disused railway lines then you may have to click once or twice more to get to the actual information as I use the voie verte journal as a gateway to all the cycle routes. Mainly France and there are some other routes along canals or rivers (danube)

Much appreciated. fab

 

[VXman]

Evening all,

Looking at 2 weeks in September France bound for the first time abroad with the MH. Looking at Newhaven to Dieppe and then heading south and hopefully stopping every 2 to 3 days. Having never ventured this far before we are looking at any pointers on camp sites places to stay, things to take and not to take and any other info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Personally I'd use free/paid Aires or Campingcarparks (CCP) That way you can be flexible and stop where you want when you want.

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www.campingcarpark.com

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[Nirvanauk]

A lot of French campsites close at varying dates during September, the further north the earlier they tend to close. I travelled down the western side of France from Dieppe in May. A video of the trip can be found in my signature below. I used a mixture of aires and sites.

I don't see a signature?

 

[chaser]

We have found some brilliant places by just turning off the road and going into villages that aren't on any itinerarys, you can almost guarantee there will be an Aire of some description.
Problem is it does seem lots of them are dying like here, but well worth visiting while they are still there.
Popular places are full of tourists

 

[Andacami]

From Dieppe, heading south you'll hit Rouen which is worth a consideration as to how you want to navigate through or around, it's certainly an adventure I believe if you've never taken a Motorhome there before; also may need to check your crit air, (low emissions zones) status. From there perhaps Le Mans / Tours and the national parks... Even with the excellent roads, you may be knackered if you are considering more than three to four hours of driving per day and of course, you'll want to spend time exploring your destination, not just driving to it and you have to come back too.

Given your entry to France (and assume return too...?) is Dieppe, I'd think it possible to get to Vannes and even Ile de Noirmoutier (at a push) and back with a few days/nights at the destination and a few decent overnights along the way. As mentioned, France Passion (phone first if going in September) and aires a plenty await and if you don't like it or one is closed, 30mins later, find the next one.

Vannes was very warm and worth a visit (we stayed in early September after coming direct from Saint-Malo, 08:00 arrival) and had a good few places still open, all good quality and reasonably priced, spent the day wandering and got the bus into town. This stop was recommended by a Funster as I had thought I'd get further on day one, I'm so glad I did not try to and accepted their advice. From there, head to Ile de Noirmoutier for a longer stay, also lots of places are still open in September and great cycling. For both of these we used the Camping Car Parks; sign up now and get the card and maps or wait till you get there and navigate the machine at the entrance which "should" give you a card too, sort of signing up 'en plein air' as it were.

The above roughly comprised our first week, so if we were on a two-week trip, we may have included Nantes on the way back; as it was, we were out for five weeks and as such, a different itinerary.

Get yourself a Revolut or similar card and load it up with Euros, take a back-up credit card. Fill up with LPG, you'll probably not use it all in two weeks and that avoids filling up in France for which you will need an adaptor if on-board tank. You might hit some tolls, certainly to get somewhere quicker, but check first, it's often only a matter of 20mins quicker so not worth the money and you will miss opportunities to pull over at a Village Etapes for late breakfast or lunch. Given only two weeks might just as well pay at the barrier. Take some basic food stuff in case you get caught out plus plenty of water - everything is available but you never know.

The link to cycle routes you could not see is: https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/journals/blog/the-voie-verte-disused-railway-map.307/

Just my view, I'd certainly do something similar if I had two weeks spare.

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[whisky walker]

From Dieppe, heading south you'll hit Rouen which is worth a consideration as to how you want to navigate through or around, it's certainly an adventure I believe if you've never taken a Motorhome there before; also may need to check your crit air, (low emissions zones) status. From there perhaps Le Mans / Tours and the national parks... Even with the excellent roads, you may be knackered if you are considering more than three to four hours of driving per day and of course, you'll want to spend time exploring your destination, not just driving to it and you have to come back too.

Given your entry to France (and assume return too...?) is Dieppe, I'd think it possible to get to Vannes and even Ile de Noirmoutier (at a push) and back with a few days/nights at the destination and a few decent overnights along the way. As mentioned, France Passion (phone first if going in September) and aires a plenty await and if you don't like it or one is closed, 30mins later, find the next one.

Vannes was very warm and worth a visit (we stayed in early September after coming direct from Saint-Malo, 08:00 arrival) and had a good few places still open, all good quality and reasonably priced, spent the day wandering and got the bus into town. This stop was recommended by a Funster as I had thought I'd get further on day one, I'm so glad I did not try to and accepted their advice. From there, head to Ile de Noirmoutier for a longer stay, also lots of places are still open in September and great cycling. For both of these we used the Camping Car Parks; sign up now and get the card and maps or wait till you get there and navigate the machine at the entrance which "should" give you a card too, sort of signing up 'en plein air' as it were.

The above roughly comprised our first week, so if we were on a two-week trip, we may have included Nantes on the way back; as it was, we were out for five weeks and as such, a different itinerary.

Get yourself a Revolut or similar card and load it up with Euros, take a back-up credit card. Fill up with LPG, you'll probably not use it all in two weeks and that avoids filling up in France for which you will need an adaptor if on-board tank. You might hit some tolls, certainly to get somewhere quicker, but check first, it's often only a matter of 20mins quicker so not worth the money and you will miss opportunities to pull over at a Village Etapes for late breakfast or lunch. Given only two weeks might just as well pay at the barrier. Take some basic food stuff in case you get caught out plus plenty of water - everything is available but you never know.

The link to cycle routes you could not see is: https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/journals/blog/the-voie-verte-disused-railway-map.307/

Just my view, I'd certainly do something similar if I had two weeks spare.

Andy,

Thanks so much for your very detailed report. Some great pointers and ideas about LPG and tolls.

Cheers Graham

 

[cyberyacht]

I don't see a signature?

I don't think signatures appear if you are using a phone to read the Forum.
Anyway THIS is the link.

 

[Backlanes]

A lot of French campsites close at varying dates during September, the further north the earlier they tend to close. I travelled down the western side of France from Dieppe in May. A video of the trip can be found in my signature below. I used a mixture of aires and sites.

I have just watched your video, very helpful, thank you. Particularly useful to be able to read off the latt & longs for the aires which I have set out as a starting point for our route ‘planning’ down to Spain next month.

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[cyberyacht]

Our paths may cross then although I do try to find new places each time.