France Stopover
Hello,
We've just booked a fornight in the Dordogne next August sailing via Calais (me, the wife and 2 children). Previously we've slept overnight on the Portsmouth>Caen ferry as we've stayed in Brittany and the soutwest below La Rochelle. To make it cheaper this
year and to save on the long drive we've decided to sail via Calais and stopover for one evening on the way down and back up.
As we live in Derbyshire we're looking at a lunchtime sailing from Dover getting us into Calais at 2.35pm with the idea of driving for a few hours until we stopover.
Approximately 4 hours of driving will get us to a place called Chartres. I was wondering if anybody knew of a site we could stay at or the best way of finding a site to stay at? Is there generally a time limit for arriving at
these sites as it may be around 7pm.
Coming back we sail at 1.25pm so we'd be looking for a stay over approximately 3-4 hours from Calais again, possibly Dreux?
I've read mention of the municipal sites. Are these worth looking at?
Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.
Comments
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Hi, you should read recent reviews, some rather critical, before you commit yourselves to staying at the site in Chartres. Despite very mixed opinions it gets full, so don't arrive at 7pm without a booking.
Municipal sites are usually respectable. Try the one at St Remy sur Avre near Dreux before you get to Chartres. Again for a latish arrival in August it would be best to book.
i suggest a copy of this Club's Touring France guide for all kinds of useful information as well as hundreds of other overnight sites.
Good luck.
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Hi, you should read recent reviews before you commit yourselves to staying at the site in Chartres. Despite very mixed opinions it gets full, so don't arrive at 7pm without a booking.
The site in Chartres is Camping des Bords de l'Eure, it's ok for a night stop but you may find it full in peak season if you arrive late. There is another site but I have not stayed there but by all accounts it is not so good as de L'Eure. Unfortunately
there are not too many sites between Rouen and Chartres.peedee
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Agree with eurotraveller that I have read of bad reports of the Chartres site, you would be better off booking a municipal site elsewhere possibly in a small town/ village en route, you can find a site in the Caravan Club France book or the green Michelin
campsite book. We have used Neufchatel en bray Sainte Claire and pont Audemer Risle Seine les etangs but I think these are too far north for your route.0 -
Agree with eurotraveller that I have read of bad reports of the Chartres site,
Which site there are two? I have night stopped at de L'Eure and it is fine for a night stop. Not too difficult to get to from the ring road and it is in a nice location. If it is wet it can be a bit muddy and most of the site is in amongst trees but the facilities are fine
peedee
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Thank you all for your advice so far. I will definitely be booking the stop over in both directions as I don't want to risk arriving at a full site with having the children. I'm going to order the club France guide right now. Is the Michelin guide worth
having as well?0 -
They do a book but it does not appear to be in English. The ACSI Europe App can be used off line, details
>here<Vicarious books have a selection of good camping books have a browse round their web site.
peedee
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Thanks Peedee. I've downloaded the ACSI app and its really useful.
I've come across a municipal site in Dreux for the return journey. How do you go about booking municipal sites as the website seems to be for the local community and the only option seems to be a phone number and I don't speak enough French to be able to do this?
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We had a horrible experience in Chartre, and would never recommend this site to anyone, Eastern European thieves frequent this site and the Warden does nothing about it. St Remy sur Avre is the best bet
Admiral
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We have stayed here at Camping Les Ilots de St Val its not far from Chartres but it is perhaps a little out of the way. Its about 20km from Chartres towards Nogent le Roi.
David
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We stopped off at Camping St Paul in Lyons la Foret last year and found it to be a pleasant site.We have also stopped off at the site in Les Andelys several times ;it is perfectly OK.We cross the Seine at Gaillon after Les Andelys-mentioned it in a previous
posting.Both are on your way if you cut across country to the N154.0 -
I've come across a municipal site in Dreux for the return journey. How do you go about booking municipal sites as the website seems to be for the local community and the only option seems to be a phone number and I don't speak enough French to be able to
do this?Which site ? The best bet near Dreux is Camping Le Pre de l'Eglise. Your Club Touring France guide gives an e mail address. Write to them in English - but in April when they re open.
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We stopped off at Camping St Paul in Lyons la Foret last year and found it to be a pleasant site.We have also stopped off at the site in Les Andelys several times ;it is perfectly OK.We cross the Seine at Gaillon after Les Andelys-mentioned it in a previous
posting.Both are on your way if you cut across country to the N154.but it will take you longer Calais to Chartres via Rouen is nearly all dual carriageway.
peedee
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We stopped off at Camping St Paul in Lyons la Foret last year and found it to be a pleasant site.We have also stopped off at the site in Les Andelys several times ;it is perfectly OK.We cross the Seine at Gaillon after Les Andelys-mentioned it in a previous
posting.Both are on your way if you cut across country to the N154.but it will take you longer Calais to Chartres via Rouen is nearly all dual carriageway.
peedee
Write your comments here..."the roads less travelled"Peedee.....
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Hi,
We also stop at Camping Les Ilots de St Val. It has many statics, as do most sites in Northern France, but it also has separate areas for tourers, one of which was uprated a few years ago. My brother-in-law has now moved to nearby Maintenon, so we will be
using it again this year. It is about 25km north of Chartres.If you are approaching from the north on the N154, herewith our recommended route:
Exit the N154 onto the D26 signposted to Nogent-Le-Roi (the junction is 13km south of the last roundabout as you leave Dreux). Stay on the D26 as it bypasses Ormoy and keep going into the outskirts of Nogent-le-Roi. Immediately after the Intermarche supermarket
on the right, turn right. After about 0.5 km, turn left. This road then curves left and drops downhill. At the junction at the bottom, turn left. At the main road in 300m, turn right towards Maintenon. (You have effectively bypassed Nogent-le-Roi on the southwest
– towing through the centre is not advised as it is quite narrow). Continue on the D983 towards Maintenon and look out for the right turn up a hill to the campsite at a minor cross roads in 3km.Bonne Route
Cheers
Paul R T
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I recently ordered the latest North/South Aires Guide from Vicarious and this years ACSI set from Vicarious Books
When they despatched the books their IT system merged the billing and delivery address so I am still awaiting the books I have paid for because the Post Office do not have a valid address. Vicarious are refusing to send a replacement set to the correct address (the Gatwick CC Site) I gave them and say that they will only despatch a replacement set if and when the Post Office return the incorrectly addressed set. Vicarious helpfully gave me a URL shortcut to their order site so I could order and pay for another set whilst awaiting a refund for the first set if and when the Post Office return the books to Vacarious.
As I am not minded to throw good money after bad, does anyone have an alternative Aires Guide they could suggest.
I have a Hymer 5 tonne 8m motorhome and pull a Smart on a Smart trailer so I tend to look for Aires which take large vehicles and where I have some manouver space!!
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