France trip next summer

[Ands1]

I've got a plan with Helen to visit France next year in Old Poe. We've only just hatched the plan so as yet there are no time scales or plans on where to stop. We're gonna be looking at just over 2 weeks, I deffo want to hit Nice, Monte Carlo etc. Has anyone been on this trip? any pointers, advice etc?
Don't know how Helen will cope she gets fed up with the journey from Manchester to Cornwall but seems genuinly excited about our Euro trip...
Thanks Andy

 

[noddy]

Honfleur in Normandy is well worth a visit, there is a campsite near the town center. If your interested in any of the WW2 stuff point du hock near omaha beach is interesting.

 

[olance]

yes, we did this a couple of years ago for our honeymoon for 4 weeks. briiliant stuff!

advise - take the chunnel, book 3 or 4 months in advance and get 50% off - you'll save half a day's travelling.

watch those breaks when you go over the alps- our disks got very warm and spongey, had to stop had way down.

make sure you have the european required hi-vi, warning triangles and spare bulbs etc.

get a detaile map of where you are going to spend most of your time - invaluable

nearly every town has a campsite on the outskirts, you'll never be far away from somewhere to stay even if you're lost!

we're off for 2 weeks in the end of June, but only as far as champagne and the lakes - it's a long way down to the south coast ..... go go gadget vanishing point!!!

most of all - ENJOY!

 

[Clem]

I did that area twice in my old bay. Allow about two days long driving from Calais to get there, take the autoroutes to get there, it costs, but you'll recoup the money on free camping en-route in the aires and better mpg from cruising!
We stayed in Port Grimaud Nr St Tropez, great camping right on the beach 8) further along towards Italy it gets a bit 'cliffy' and the campsites are in inland a bit. From there we did trips to Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, stayed in Menton and nipped over to Latte in Italy. Its a great area and I want to return, but with a little one getting the ferry to Bilbao is an easier option than the long drive.
The beaches are clean, the sea is warm and the camping is fine The traffic in peak season is a nightmare though! Its not a cheap area, but some self sufficiency helps.

Go for it!

 

[clyde]

Garages are quite often shut on Sundays and you can only get fuel with a special card. Remember this as i nearly got caught out on the day i was running back for the ferry.

 

[8ballbug]

Whats this special card for fuel? or have i missed something

me and the family are going to european bug in and then the south of france and italy my bus this july would be good for a bit of info aswell of anyone in the know

 

[clyde]

I think the motorway fuel stations are open, but the towns and villages close and you are left to self serve, but the machine will not except visa/debit (it didnt mine anyway) Not the end of the world just something to be aware of.

 

[froggy]

Next year we're planning something similair, A few years ago we went to Lake Garda in Italy and have always fancied going back. Hopefully by then my parents will be retired living inFrance so possibly going to drive to theres for a day or 2 (to break the journey) then on to the lakes (thinking about going over the Dolomites) for a week, and maybe calling at my parents on the way back (again to break the journey) before returning to Blighty.

 

[Rosko]

I live near Toulouse and would agree with lots that has already been said. In particular the Bilbao ferry is well worth a look, you could do Atlantic coast, Pyrenees and then the Languedoc coast of the Med which are all far cheaper and less busy than the Nice and Cannes area. They are a lot quieter though so it depends on what you want out of the trip.

The petrol stations and British cards are strange- some of the automatic pay at the pump stations take UK cards, others don't. There doesn't seem to be a pattern and cards that work fine in shops and cashpoints get rejected at some, but not all, pumps. I'd suggest bringing a couple of alternative cards for "just in case" if you've got them but try to fill up with cash when you can which is easy everyday except Sundays.

Just about everywhere has free stopover sites for vans (there is even one in the middle of Toulouse at the end of the Canal Brienne) but we're looking at a place for this weekend with waterslides, bars, cafe, supermarket and direct beach access for 19 euros a night for a van and two adults (bit extra for kids).

If you've got anything else you think I might be able to help with PM me.

 

[pinstriper]

another way of doing it is to put the van on the MotorRail...calais to Nice....then spend your 2 weeks driving back up....gives you more time to meander back...its about £400 if you book way in advance.

 

[rallybug]

The main problem on the cards in petrol pumps issue is that France went chip & PIN years before anyone else, and use a different system to the current standard.

I had no problems a couple years ago on a motorbike with autoroute service stations (120 mile tank range meant a lot of stops :lol: ) but the one petrol station at a Carrefour in a small town we tried to use on a Sunday didn't accept the card - luckily I still had about 20 miles on reserve to get to a bigger town. I'd imagine that as the pumps get replaced, the new card readers will be installed - these looked to be fairly old pumps.