Where to spend Christmas in France (1 Viewer)

[barryd]

Hi

Michelle and I are thinking of spending Christmas in France and then perhaps heading off to Portugal. Has anyone got any recommendations of a nice place to be around Christmas (including Christmas day) in France with perhaps Christmas markets and other festive stuff? We dont want to stay on a campsite though unless its a CL type site. Aires or wild camping perfered. As we may be heading down to Portugal afterwards it makes sense to look for somewhere on the western side of France I guess. We did wonder about Mont St Michel and I tried to email the hotel verte that has the large Aire just up the road from the Mont but had no response so dont know if thats open all year or even if its worth a visit at Christmas. Any suggestions appreciated.

Cheers
Barry

 

[yodeli]

Hi Barry!


I've seen on the net a hotel called "hotel vert du mont saint Michel" but didn't see that it had an aire so don't know if it's the one you talking about.Are you sure the aire belongs to the hotel? Could it belong to the town? If you could give me a few details (ie phone number) i could give them a call and ask what ever you want to know.



Amicalement

Frankie

 

[barryd]

Hi Barry!


I've seen on the net a hotel called "hotel vert du mont saint Michel" but didn't see that it had an aire so don't know if it's the one you talking about.Are you sure the aire belongs to the hotel? Could it belong to the town? If you could give me a few details (ie phone number) i could give them a call and ask what ever you want to know.



Amicalement

Frankie

Hi Frankie thanks for the reponse and I hope you are well. Glad you answered as I have seen you post on here and "the other" forum and its always good to get info from people who actually live in France! We stayed on this Aire in June and you had to go into the hotel Verte to pay and get a number for the barrier. I think its been a municipal campsite at some stage but it was a lovely Aire and really good alternitive to being packed in like sardines in the car park right by the Mont. We have a scooter so being a little bit away from the town or attraction we want to see is not an issue. Thanks for the offer to call the hotel, I have found them on the internet here Link Removed I am happy to call them but like most of us over here my French is rubbish! I also wondered about Dinan in Brittany as again it was one place we loved in the summer. I would be happy to be honest to spend the winter in France as we loved it so much this summer but everyone keeps telling me it will be too cold.

Many thanks
Barry

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[lebesset]

having lived in france for many a long year [ in the south ] I can tell you that I head for iberia !
in the uk we tend to imagine that france is influenced by the gulf stream in the same way as the british isles is , but it just ain't so ! the gulf stream changes everything ! ever seen pictures of the blizzards in new york ? no gulf stream there ; new york is as far south as madrid ! bitterly cold there as well but it is up on the plateau

one year a french friend persuaded me that the fete du citron at menton was worth a visit in february , menton having the best winter climate in france ; I went but beat a hasty retreat to spain !

apart from anything else christmas is a non event in france ; the shops try to promote it but basically it is just like a sunday

go south young man !

 

[barryd]

having lived in france for many a long year [ in the south ] I can tell you that I head for iberia !
in the uk we tend to imagine that france is influenced by the gulf stream in the same way as the british isles is , but it just ain't so ! the gulf stream changes everything ! ever seen pictures of the blizzards in new york ? no gulf stream there ; new york is as far south as madrid ! bitterly cold there as well but it is up on the plateau

one year a french friend persuaded me that the fete du citron at menton was worth a visit in february , menton having the best winter climate in france ; I went but beat a hasty retreat to spain !

apart from anything else christmas is a non event in france ; the shops try to promote it but basically it is just like a sunday

go south young man !

Hi

Doesnt Brittany get hit by the gulf stream then with it sticking right out into the atlantic just below cornwall?

Thanks

 

[Randonneur]

Christmas here is only 1 day, every Village has their lights up and decorations on fences and trees and a lot of people, including us, decorate their houses but there are no special festivities.

Try the Charente or Charente Maritime at this time of year as we have what they call a Micro Climate so it is a bit warmer than a lot of other parts of France but its not sunbathing weather.

We too are thinking of going to Portugal at the end of December we haven't decided, its up-in-the-air at the moment.

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[barryd]

Thanks for that. We passed through the coast of that region in July and wasnt that keen to be honest but I am sure there are some nice places. To be honest Im not fussed about celebrating Christmas as all the hype here spoils it IMHO. Probably just set off and head to Portugal and just see what we see on the way I think.

Cheers

Barry