Recommended Route Help

[Kieron]

Hi,

We've recently purchased our first Camper Van (A Vauxhall Vivaro LWB pop top conversion), and intend to take our first proper trip down to SE France in August.

We're heading to a campsite in a village called Cardet, on the banks of the Gard / Gardon river.

We don't want to race down, and intend to take 3 days down and 3 back.

The cheapest ferry prices seem to be Dover / Calais, and this route provides the most time slots as well.

We have 2 kids, 9 and 13 and want to make the journey down and back as fun as possible, so the stop-over locations and the route we take is key to that.

Having done some basic route planning, the 'quick' route using motorways is about 10 hours in total, whereas the non-motorway route (avoiding tolls) is 15-16 hours driving.

Having driven to Southern France before (in a car) I an aware that there are many routes South, but with the added dimension of aires in the mix I want to plan the best / most interesting route.

I'm open to the possibility of taking longer on the way down / back if the route is worth taking.

So, my question is simple really - which route would you suggest, given enjoyment for the family is key.

Kieron

 

[Kieron]

Just to add - I've ordered the Vicarious North / South France aires books, so they will be useful I'm sure.

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi Kieron and welcome to FUN, you need to get All the Aires books for France. I'm sure someone will be along shortly to advise on routes etc.

 

[chaser]

If useing aires, route not important, just drive as far as you like or to somewhere you would like to stop, get your park4night app up and it will tell you your nearest aire, simples, bound to be one in less than 10 miles, or get the alltheaires book and plan which one you would like to stop at.

 

[Kieron]

Hi Kieron and welcome to FUN, you need to get All the Aires books for France. I'm sure someone will be along shortly to advise on routes etc.

Is the All The Aires book different to the Vicaroious books ones?

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[chaser]

Looks like we all cross posted there

 

[Kieron]

If useing aires, route not important, just drive as far as you like or to somewhere you would like to stop, get your park4night app up and it will tell you your nearest aire, simples, bound to be one in less than 10 miles, or get the alltheaires book and plan which one you would like to stop at.

I'd rather select specific Aires that provide something interesting.

 

[rosalan]

My first thoughts would be to cross over into France on one of the cheap evening crossings but recently the Aire in the Basin has occasional predatory migrants wandering about and the Harbour Aire is likely to be full after 6 in the evening, so perhaps use the huge park at the Cite' of Europe or an early cheap crossing after parking up overnight in the UK .

 

[chaser]

I'd rather select specific Aires that provide something interesting.

Alltheaires, it is then yes it is the same one

 

[chaser]

My first thoughts would be to cross over into France on one of the cheap evening crossings but recently the Aire in the Basin has occasional predatory migrants wandering about and the Harbour Aire is likely to be full after 6 in the evening, so perhaps use the huge park at the Cite' of Europe or an early cheap crossing after parking up overnight in the UK .

Seconded!

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[Deleted member 29692]

Is the All The Aires book different to the Vicaroious books ones?

No, same thing. It's called "All the Aires" and published by Vicarious Books.

 

[Kieron]

My first thoughts would be to cross over into France on one of the cheap evening crossings but recently the Aire in the Basin has occasional predatory migrants wandering about and the Harbour Aire is likely to be full after 6 in the evening, so perhaps use the huge park at the Cite' of Europe or an early cheap crossing after parking up overnight in the UK .

In our previous life holidaying via a car we used to stay at the Premier Inn place just outside of Dover and catch an early ferry over. Living in Worthing we could still make an early ferry even if we needed to get up early and drive it. I personally don't want to be driving after about 4pm each day, to give the kids time to have fun before dinner / bed time.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

You may want to be thinking about stopping a bit earlier than that. In August the aires in nice locations will fill up pretty quickly.

 

[Judge Mental]

Aires by all means for overnight stops on route, with the caveat they will be really busy in high summer though.... With a family I would look at staying on Municipal sites, they are cheap and plentiful and not much more then some Aires price wise...far more relaxing and pleasant being able to spread out on some grass, with proper camp-site facilities as well

http://www.camping-municipal.org/

 

[scotjimland]

Join Link Removedt , download the phone app and you will have all the aires and a lot more at your finger-tips.. small annual fee

You can also load your sat nav with the POIs. free .. http://www.campercontact.com/en/content/downloads

I have used many books and web sites, this has to be the most comprehensive of them all ..

for route planning Via Michelin can't be bettered .. you can choose Tolls or no Tolls etc

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[Deleted member 29692]

Join Link Removedt , download the phone app and you will have all the aires and a lot more at your finger-tips.. small annual fee

You can also load your sat nav with the POIs. free .. http://www.campercontact.com/en/content/downloads

I have used many books and web sites, this has to be the most comprehensive of them all ..

Does the app work offline Jim?

 

[scotjimland]

Does the app work offline Jim?

yes.. you download the maps

 

[FIDGET]

If useing aires, route not important, just drive as far as you like or to somewhere you would like to stop, get your park4night app up and it will tell you your nearest aire, simples, bound to be one in less than 10 miles, or get the alltheaires book and plan which one you would like to stop at.

Or use this site http://www.searchforsites.co.uk/
gives you a lot of aires at a set distance (of yopur choice) from your present position ( or put where you expect to be) v.good site