France is closed!

drpeej

drpeej

Joined
Jul 7, 2021
Posts
285
Likes collected
499
Location
Alcester, UK
Funster No
82,494
MH
Autosleepers Symbol
Exp
Since 2009
We have been in France for the past week and are slowly working our way South. Currently South of Lyon.

I know it is Hors-Saison but we have come away at this time of year loads of times before. We are shocked how closed everywhere is. Villages and small towns all seem to be shut up with very few restaurants or bars open for business.

We have yet to find a campsite that has an open bar or restaurant and some haven't opened their pools (which is a pain in this heat).

When we enquire as to the reason it's the same as at home - ie inability to get staff and effects of Covid

We are hoping when we get into Provence that things will improve

Peter
 
Yes. Keep updating. We are across on the 29th and working down to Burgundy and then across to the Dordogne and then the coast....
 
We are on the island site in Saumur a week on Friday , will let people know what’s open and what’s not .
Site hasn’t informed us of the pool being closed and we’ve already booked into an eatery in town .
 
We were there a month ago, and found everything we needed open, but obviously didn't use sites.
But one thing we did notice is the amount of small shops in villages shut up for good, much like here.
 
We have been in France for 4 weeks, travelling down South West coast, and on the Med, Saint Tropez areas, now in Saint Emilion. Everywhere we have experienced so far has been open, bars, restaurants and pools.
So can’t complain.
 
I found a lot of restaurants are only open lunch times during the week and quite a few not open on Sundays.
 
The local (currently to us) vignerons cave is open and done a roaring trade this afternoon. :rolleyes:
 
PaddyM said:
We are on the island site in Saumur a week on Friday , will let people know what’s open and what’s not .
Site hasn’t informed us of the pool being closed and we’ve already booked into an eatery in town .
Click to expand...
You’ll be fine, we left Ile D’Offard last Tuesday, pool open, bar open, restaurants in town open. They are refurbishing the sports stadium just outside the entrance so if you have bikes sometimes you have to watch out for larger vehicles. I suppose you do if you’re walking as well of course!
 
We once set off on a multi day cycle tour of Brittany. Way back in the days when I was working and my cycling posterior wasn't conditioned. Our first day ended up the longest of them all when we were sent from closed camp site to closed camp site to one, officially closed, but the workers opened up the facilities for us.

I've only been so glad to stop moving on a few occasions. This was one of them.

Getting back on the bike the following morning was an effort, I can tell you 😂.

Lesson learnt. French sites aren't normally open in June/early July.
 
Thinking of straying into France tomorrow (Eguisheim) is it worth it??🤷‍♂️

Probably better going through Germany👍👍
 
WESTY66 said:
Thinking of straying into France tomorrow (Eguisheim) is it worth it??🤷‍♂️

Probably better going through Germany👍👍
Click to expand...
Yes well worth it, beautiful place.
For pics of the town jump down to #132 but you will miss the food porn. :LOL:
www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Lenny's going for a ponder around France

What a great thread, I just love the pictures and giving us so many ideas for a tour...thank you! Just been googling some of the places you mention. Does your camera give you a map with the pins showing the locations so we can see where you have been and the rough route? Thanks for the nice...
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
 
Been in France for two weeks, stayed at five sites and everything is normal. Bars, shops, pools all open. Currently in Vichy and the site is quite busy though only one other Brit here.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
WillH said:
Been in France for two weeks, stayed at five sites and everything is normal. Bars, shops, pools all open. Currently in Vichy and the site is quite busy though only one other Brit here.
Click to expand...
That's what we found, don't know what the op is looking for, we found everything normal.
 
I remember driving through small towns and villages in the 90’s when our children were small and many were deserted even then. I think it has been the nature of the beast that the young head for the bigger towns and cities for work for many years.

Our friends who’ve lived in France for 30 years say that the hospitality trade has been hit by a shortage of staff since Covid. They also rely on a lot of staff from other countries who just haven’t started coming back. That’s why a lot of restaurants in smaller towns aren’t opening in the evenings except at weekends. If you look, everywhere has job vacancy signs just like here.
 
Chris said:
France is always closed when I want it to be open for a beer or to buy cigarettes which is why I hate going there.
Click to expand...
We used to see French convenience stores with neon signs saying “Ouvert tout les jours 8am to 8pm” only to find them shut at all hours in that range. 🤣

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Ditto here. Mostly open for our needs.
In a little village on a lovely rural site at the mo. Site restaurant and bar open. St Astier, Camping Le Pontet. Walked into the village 7pm bars and some restaurants open (not many as small village).
No issues onthe way down and thus far non on the way up.
Rocamadour tomorrow.
 
chaser said:
We were there a month ago, and found everything we needed open, but obviously didn't use sites.
But one thing we did notice is the amount of small shops in villages shut up for good, much like here.
Click to expand...
Commented as such as I drove through a nearby deserted village yesterday. It's all down to these hypermarkets. Which of course is just where we had been.
 
We have been in France since the 10th and have not found a issue all 4 sites we have stayed on have been fully open, Portes du Anjou near Durtal, Camping du Lac Pardoux near Limoges, Domain du Fuarie in the Dordogne, and Camping Nobis Du Anjou in Montriul Bellay near Saumur in fact this site is full of British with a few Dutch entertainment on every night.
 
Been on before I know, but this clip explains it all IMHO, Please don't look if you are easily offended, F word & C bomb,s are used for dramatic effect, but it just about sums up the French work ethic for me.:giggle:
LES
 
U.Toadifact said:
I blame Brexit, that is why we can't get workers .... oh wait a minute, France is still in the EU:giggle:
Click to expand...
They are not short of seasonal worker which our farmers are and why some are ploughing crops back into the fields. The problem is the hospitality side where people laid off during covid found jobs with more family-friendly hours.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top