France is filling up!

[John Barrett]

We arrived at Nantes camping today, confident that we would have a place at this great campsite , only be told that it was full! After much grovelling they found us a plot, but with no leccy or water, so we are heading south in the morning! Royan?

 

[robrace]

Oh dear! We are thinking of going to France next week although we Havnt booked tunnel yet! Thought campsites would be half empty!

 

[Itsmcb]

Grape pickers maybe?

 

[missmollie]

We are south of Bourdeaux and have been for a couple of weeks, still very busy, sites not bad away from the coast but aires are busy.

 

[deleted79651]

We arrived at Nantes camping today, confident that we would have a place at this great campsite , only be told that it was full! After much grovelling they found us a plot, but with no leccy or water, so we are heading south in the morning! Royan?

If you're heading down the Atlantic Coast, there's Camping du Soleil at Gradignan, just off the Inner Ring Road at Bordeaux [€18.90 per night in Feb 2020]. Or, nearer Nantes, there WERE a couple of campsites at Mervent, Camping La Joletiere, within cycling distance of the Mervent Forest. Or, for an overnight stop, there is an Aire [more like free parking ...] in the village of Cheffois 85390 [Rue des Hetres] that has toilets open round the clock, just outside the Marie's Office. It's the village where our hovel is ... PM me if you want more details

Steve & Elaine

P.S. Elaine has reminded me of the [now former] Camping Municipal at Mouilleron-St Germain, renamed La Prée du Pavé, rue de Pavé Mouilleron 85390 that is pricd at €12.44 per night and has 18 of 25 pitches free. BROKEN LINK

Steve & Elaine

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[Steve N Tracy]

We have been in France since Friday 3rd, at our second site, Coulors du Monde in Faverolles-sur-Cher, both the sites we have been too have been a little bit busier then expected, but know where near full, the occupants have been mostly French, followed by Dutch and then Germans.
We are moving on today, emailed one site Camping la Roche Posay that said they could not take us due to operational difficulties what ever that is lol.
Overall seen very few British, the only other motorhome on site with us is our daughter and family.

 

[suavecarve]

We have been on Aires and one campsite.
Campsite never had it so busy in September.
Popular Aires like Uzes were rammed by 1800 hrs but not door to door parking. Chusclan only had 24 in last night. Oops just checked and 3 turned up after bedtime and had to park in middle.
Haven't seen a Brit outside the campsite we stayed on

 

[OldCodger]

We are in the Champagne region and the Aires have been full, and the campsites very busy. Mainly Dutch and Belgians. Some German and a very few brits. Met our first countrymen at Epernay after 11 days in the country.

 

[jumar]

Not too bad between Perpignan and Tarbes....been here a couple of weeks enjoying the settled weather and the cycling...now in a grape harvesting area which is full of unusual looking people dressed like they are out of work Circus performers....but their camps are in clearings not on Aires.... don't know about campsites....too expensive for us being in our third month of touring...

 

[brynric]

We’ve been here since Monday and all the Aires have been pretty full - close parking and not much choice.
We looked at one campsite which was full and it looked like they’d greased the vans to get then in. That was by the Normandy coast.

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[Alfie159]

Is it period when French etc have their holidays ? Or like out manafacturing shut downs?

 

[sallylillian]

We forget that the UK is not the only "Staycation" country in the world at the moment. Portugal has been the same, full of Portuguese!!

 

[busby]

When we were there in July it was very quiet,,BUSBY.

 

[Littlewheels]

We forget that the UK is not the only "Staycation" country in the world at the moment. Portugal has been the same, full of Portuguese!!

Absolutely, it’s actually no different to normal it’s
simply happening later in the year because of previous restrictions of movement and closures.

 

[Drexxer]

Oh dear! We are thinking of going to France next week although we Havnt booked tunnel yet! Thought campsites would be half empty!

Not a chance!, the sites are full of Dutch & Belgium's

No doubt there is room at the lesser popular sites

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[deleted79651]

We have been in France since Friday 3rd, at our second site, Coulors du Monde in Faverolles-sur-Cher, both the sites we have been too have been a little bit busier then expected, but know where near full, the occupants have been mostly French, followed by Dutch and then Germans.
We are moving on today, emailed one site Camping la Roche Posay that said they could not take us due to operational difficulties what ever that is lol.
Overall seen very few British, the only other motorhome on site with us is our daughter and family.

It's a French thing, and partly why you love or hate the French! Our French Bank has a pre-printed sign that appears in the Branch Window on every business day following a [invariably Thursday] Bank Holiday, without fail, 'Fermeture Exceptionnel' ... 'Tis a rare skill that enables one to foresee an exceptional event that permits one to have a pre-printed explanation. Wonderful customer service

That's my irony for the day; off now to look for my silvery and bronzey

Steve

 

[orridge]

The other countries have also been in lockdowns over summer so their Silver Surfers have also discovered September is an ideal time to be touring around France.

 

[spitfire]

Normal when school goes back all the oldies like us take off . If you avoid the coast and touristy areas then it is much quieter . We are away ( unusual for us at this time ) in the Gironde and it is busy . If we had stayed nearer home much quieter .

 

[jumar]

Near Prades right now....4 MH on Aire for 35..last night 8 MH on place for 20... unsettled weather forces most onto Med coast...

 

[elamessa]

It's no better in Spain it seems the Dutch, French, Belgium and Germans have taken over.
We are at benicassim at the moment and they have replaced the hoards of brits that used to come here for winter.

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[jumar]

It's no better in Spain it seems the Dutch, French, Belgium and Germans have taken over.
We are at benicassim at the moment and they have replaced the hoards of brits that used to come here for winter.

Actually this is the extended summer season...many of the older generation descend on Spain this time of the year, taking advantage of cheaper holidays, sites offer deals, kids have gone, but the sun still shines, the real winter comes later, taking in the winter months of October into April....
The French, German and Dutch not forgetting the Scandinavian visitors will still be here in their hoards...

 

[elamessa]

Actually this is the extended summer season...many of the older generation descend on Spain this time of the year, taking advantage of cheaper holidays, sites offer deals, kids have gone, but the sun still shines, the real winter comes later, taking in the winter months of October into April....
The French, German and Dutch not forgetting the Scandinavian visitors will still be here in their hoards...

I meant it's different to previous years where you could turn up at end of august beginning of September, which we have done for the past 11 years, and choose a pitch with no problem. This year has been very difficult without a booking.

 

[deleted79651]

'I can choose a pitch? Ooh, tar ....'

Steve

 

[gus-lopez]

It's a French thing, and partly why you love or hate the French! Our French Bank has a pre-printed sign that appears in the Branch Window on every business day following a [invariably Thursday] Bank Holiday, without fail, 'Fermeture Exceptionnel' ... 'Tis a rare skill that enables one to foresee an exceptional event that permits one to have a pre-printed explanation. Wonderful customer service

That's my irony for the day; off now to look for my silvery and bronzey

Steve

here it is called a 'puente' (bridge) if it is thursday then friday will always be closed as well for a long weekend.If it is a tuesday then monday is gone.
The one they love here is if december the 6th & the 8th, constitution day & the immaculate conception fall on a tuesday & a thursday this is not a 'bridge' but a' viaducto' & means from the friday previous to the monday following anyone who is a civil servant will be missing. 10 days off for 2 fiesta days

Unfortnately this year they fall on monday & wednesday

 

[deleted79651]

here it is called a 'puente' (bridge) if it is thursday then friday will always be closed as well for a long weekend.If it is a tuesday then monday is gone.
The one they love here is if december the 6th & the 8th, constitution day & the immaculate conception fall on a tuesday & a thursday this is not a 'bridge' but a' viaducto' & means from the friday previous to the monday following anyone who is a civil servant will be missing. 10 days off for 2 fiesta days

Unfortnately this year they fall on monday & wednesday

I knew about the French system from the experience of driving into town to visit the Bank and then realising it was the day after a public holiday! It was amused me that this was regarded as an exceptional closure when [if I used a calendar ...], I could count on it happening, and the Bank had a pre-printed sign! Perhaps they're trained to expect the unexpected ...

Steve

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[busby]

It's no better in Spain it seems the Dutch, French, Belgium and Germans have taken over.
We are at benicassim at the moment and they have replaced the hoards of brits that used to come here for winter.

Bet their not spending in the bar though.BUSBY.

 

[Jays2]

Stayed at moulin at the airy 10 cents an hour!
great place loads of shade as it’s been very hot.
the town has illuminations on 5 buildings until the 26th September .

 

[HKF]

I've noticed a lot more UK cars in France in the last couple of weeks.

 

[HKF]

Is it period when French etc have their holidays ? Or like out manafacturing shut downs?

No, that's August. Most are back at work now.

 

[pandas]

It's no better in Spain it seems the Dutch, French, Belgium and Germans have taken over.
We are at benicassim at the moment and they have replaced the hoards of brits that used to come here for winter.

bit of a bonus then

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