France Planning Help And Advice Needed Please.

[Shandyman]

Hi,

We have just had our Tesco vouchers and are about to book the tunnel for either the 5th or 6th June and return 19th or 20th June is it best to travel on a Friday or Saturday late afternoon.

We then thought of staying on a site near Calais for the 1st night any recommendation and from there on we have no idea what to do as it will be our first trip to France any suggestions or recommendation of where to go don't mind staying on some camp sites how far should we travel etc we have just had the ACSI books but am so confused.

I know I may have asked some of these question before and have read so many post i'm just confused and a bit of a worrier as this will be a big adventure for us.

Any help, advice or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks

Richard

 

[chaser]

Day doesn't make a lot of difference, but we usually book around 16.00, that gives us plenty time to get down and if we get there earlier, they will put us on an earlier crossing usually at no extra,which works out well for us, when we get to France we always stay at gravelines first night even if we are going to be going south, it's only twenty minutes up the motorway, excellent aire , everything you need.
But if we do a late crossing for some reason we just go round to cite Europe , literally round the corner, ten mins max.

 

[magicsurfbus]

If you want it to be la bit like England while you get used to it, stay north, ie Normandy, Brittany. If you want more sunshine and for France to look more like France, head south. If you go on CCC sites, expect to see lots of Brits - if you don't want to see lots of Brits avoid CCC sites and consider using a few aires.

It's usually cheaper to cross the Channel on a weekday like Mon or Tue and outside normal working hours, but those options may not exist for you.

Avoid routes that take you anywhere near Paris, unless you plan to visit the city.

If you don't mind paying extra to drive more quickly on emptier roads, use the toll autoroutes. If you prefer to chug through endless deserted French towns and villages at 20-30mph, avoid the toll autoroutes. Petrol is substantially cheaper at supermarkets than it is at autoroute service stations.

There's a CCC campsite at Guines, outside Calais - it's like Piccadilly Circus, because people who don't like aires use it the night before/after catching the ferry. A cost-free option would be to stop overnight in the Cite Europe MH car park, right next to the Chunnel terminal, then fill up on cheap fuel at Auchan, Coquelles before setting off.

 

[denisejoe]

We always book the 18.20 on the night we're going over as it's about the earliest one we can guarantee getting there for after Joe finishes work and it also tends to be the cheapest rate train so saves a few pounds to buy more wine, LOL! and usually stay at Cite Europe as it's so handy. The restaurants are also open if you want to have a meal when you get there.

As chaser says if you get there a bit earlier they usually put you on an earlier train at no extra charge.

Don't worry about it just go and enjoy!

Denise

 

[Jill]

I always book a late night crossing (whatever night as it's usually a bit cheaper) to arrive in France 10 or 11pm. This gives us plenty of time to get down to Folkstone from Pembroke and (hopefully!) avoid rush hour on the M25. Then its straight to Cite Europe to sleep. First thing in the morning we head a few miles over to the Auchan Supermarket for supplies and cheap fuel and then we're on our way.

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[scousebird]

Don't worry too much, we've all had to do the first time over there. Saturday afternoon might be a quieter crossing but really it doesn't matter because normally the tunnel operation is quite slick. One bonus is that most HGV traffic is banned from travelling on Sundays so it's a nice day to travel if you want to get some miles behind you.
Do you want to do culture or beach or a bit of both?
Do you want to go to a site and stay for a few days or travel around?
If you don't want to go too far for your first time there is a lot to see on the northern coast - D-Day beaches & museums, Honfleur is lovely, Mont St Michel, Bayeux, the list is endless.

 

[WillH]

Don't over-think it. Just head over and enjoy yourselves. As above, stay away from Paris, use the autoroutes for fast travel and the trunk roads for toddling around. I can recommend the Auchan at Coquelles for fuel and stocking up with food, and also, as above, the campsite at Guines is good but can be busy.

Enjoy France!

 

[laneside]

Have you got "all the aires" book if so try and use that instead of the ASCI book we can all give you good recommendations for touring France using great aires especially if you do not always require electric hook up

 

[icantremember]

Just a small point .... If using Tesco vouchers to book the tunnel you need 14 days before travel date.

 

[FIDGET]

Also early june a lot of aires around normandy beach area full with D day celebrations /commemorations !

Loire area nice 14 day trip , down east of Paris to Briare along Loire various/lots of aires back up west side of Paris

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[Shandyman]

Don't worry too much, we've all had to do the first time over there. Saturday afternoon might be a quieter crossing but really it doesn't matter because normally the tunnel operation is quite slick. One bonus is that most HGV traffic is banned from travelling on Sundays so it's a nice day to travel if you want to get some miles behind you.
Do you want to do culture or beach or a bit of both?
Do you want to go to a site and stay for a few days or travel around?
If you don't want to go too far for your first time there is a lot to see on the northern coast - D-Day beaches & museums, Honfleur is lovely, Mont St Michel, Bayeux, the list is endless.

Hi,

Yes to all your suggestions that sounds about right any recommendations of where to stay etc.

Thanks

Richard

 

[Shandyman]

Also early june a lot of aires around normandy beach area full with D day celebrations /commemorations !

Loire area nice 14 day trip , down east of Paris to Briare along Loire various/lots of aires back up west side of Paris

Hi,

@ Fidget This one also looks interesting have you got any suggestions of place to visit and to stay.

 

[deanroofing]

We're going over on the 6th June, as to staying somewhere depends on what you like, so many places to choose from, we're going to a Yelloh site at Tailmont St Hillaire, just up the road from Le Sable d'olonne, enjoy your trip.

 

[scousebird]

Hi,

Yes to all your suggestions that sounds about right any recommendations of where to stay etc.

Thanks

Richard

There are municipal sites at Arromanche (45 Avenue de Verdun, 14117 Arromanches-les-Bains) & Bayeux http://www.camping-bayeux.fr/index.php?id=642 both nice sites and within walking distance of the town. A lot of the mulberry harbour is still at Arromanche & there is a very interesting D-Day museum and of course the tapestry at Bayeux.

There is a nice site at Mont st Michel http://www.camping-montsaintmichel.com/fr/camping-mont-saint-michel It's within walking distance of the mont.

There is a site Camping Phare, and large aire at Honfleur both within walking distance of the town.

Look all these places up on google and see if you like the look of them.

Ask away if you think of anything else.

 

[magicsurfbus]

Should have added - Cite Europe on weekdays (and I think Saturday) : Shops shut 8pm, Carrefour hypermarket shuts 9pm, restuarants shut 10pm.

No fuel for MHs available on the Cite Europe site due to height restrictions at the petrol station, hence people mentioning Auchan just down the road.

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[StitchesnFluff]

Try wissant or excelles near Calais as a first stop

 

[Shandyman]

Thank you all for your replies so far few interesting ideas.

 

[FIDGET]

Hi,

@ Fidget This one also looks interesting have you got any suggestions of place to visit and to stay.

We did this trip to Loire area back in 2011 stayed first night at Dunkirk terminal after arriving late ferry.
Aires we stopped at Catillon sur Sambre Canalside aire
Geraudot Lakeside aire
Ouzeur sur trezee lovely town aire not brilliant
Briare (canalside aire) ----- main aire not brill but OK
Sully sur Loire fab aire
Beaugency Aire riverside ( I beleive it's closed now)
Amboise Campsite --- aire just outside
Turquant Aire
Challones sur loire Aire now just outside c/site Riverside
St Denis du Maine nice lakeside aire
Rugles aire in nice town next to small river
La mailleraye sur Seine riverside very good
or St Nicolas de bliquetuit nice riverside small aire
Valery sur Somme big aire OK , nice walk in to town on the river
Back to Dunkirk ferry

If you need GPS for aires just ask

 

[Shandyman]

That would be

We did this trip to Loire area back in 2011 stayed first night at Dunkirk terminal after arriving late ferry.
Aires we stopped at Catillon sur Sambre Canalside aire
Geraudot Lakeside aire
Ouzeur sur trezee lovely town aire not brilliant
Briare (canalside aire) ----- main aire not brill but OK
Sully sur Loire fab aire
Beaugency Aire riverside ( I beleive it's closed now)
Amboise Campsite --- aire just outside
Turquant Aire
Challones sur loire Aire now just outside c/site Riverside
St Denis du Maine nice lakeside aire
Rugles aire in nice town next to small river
La mailleraye sur Seine riverside very good
or St Nicolas de bliquetuit nice riverside small aire
Valery sur Somme big aire OK , nice walk in to town on the river
Back to Dunkirk ferry

If you need GPS for aires just ask

@FIDGET That would be great if you dont mind thanks

 

[scousebird]

Beaugency aire is now closed but there is a nice municipal site just across the bridge from the town.

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[Chockswahay]

Should have added - Cite Europe on weekdays (and I think Saturday) : Shops shut 8pm, Carrefour hypermarket shuts 9pm, restuarants shut 10pm.

No fuel for MHs available on the Cite Europe site due to height restrictions at the petrol station, hence people mentioning Auchan just down the road.

We found the Total garage just down the road from Carrefour can be accessed this way...... https://goo.gl/maps/MFGRC

Edit: I should add, watch out as it is easy to miss the right turning just before going under the bridge....

 

[scousebird]

Just thought to mention that Sundays over there are different to here. All the big supermarkets are closed, most shops are closed and some fuel stations are closed on Sundays. Smaller supermarkets are allowed to open on Sunday morning until 12noon or 1pm depending on the size of the store. Patisseries & boulangeries will be open on Sunday mornings and some open again early evening. This also applies to Bank Holidays over there but I don't think your dates cover a BH.

A lot of fuel stations in France are now unmanned but the payment machines take major cards.

Again, any questions just ask away

 

[magicsurfbus]

We found the Total garage just down the road from Carrefour can be accessed this way..

Good point, thanks - I forgot about that one, which is on the exit route out of the Chunnel terminal. I didn't realise you could back track to it.

 

[Chockswahay]

I didn't realise you could back track to it.

Nor did I, our stupid GPS turned out to be right on this occasion hehe

 

[minimouse]

If you haven't seen it, look at the france passion book, available from vicarious books in folkstone or steve at brit stops. free overnight camping on farms, etc. with great views and locations normally! enjoy your trip.

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[snowdrops]

We learned very quickly not to arrive when it's nearly dark, to either Aire or campsite. One of the nicest places within a few hours of Calais is Chartres. There's an ACSI site there and it's lovely. Great riverside walk into the village and the cathedral is incredible !!!! Further down you go, less likely you are to encounter brits in hoards retiring to their vans and hearing the strains of Coronation St or Eastenders as you sip on your lovely Bordeaux !! If you go down as far as La Rochelle after Chartres, the Ile de Re is wonderful and Les Varennes ACSI site highly recommended. We're off in 3 weeks but heading straight from Calais down South to Nice etc. Have a lovely trip.

 

[Bailey58]

Most of my bookmarks from previous Fun threads on Battlefield tours no longer work, maybe since Fun changed Servers but this one from the Telegraph has a few pointers though not necessarily for motorhome travel. As mentioned above Vicarious Books also publish a guide to the Great War and More, available for £4.99. Not sure if it's the same guide as I bought a year ago (it's in the van) but if so it was based on a tour the team had just done themselves and gives details of places to visit and, more importantly, Aires and parking places to visit the most important scenes of the wars.

Edit: Whoops, for some reason I read the OP as WW stuff and posted accordingly, must have been something that was on TV in the background. Anyway, someone may find it useful.

Should have been on this thread.

 

[The Wino]

Avoid Paris unless you want to got there its a pain to get through and like London there are a few dodgy bits