Caravan size for France and bike rack
Hi,
My good lady and I have decided to head for France next June . We have noticed that the pitches can be a wee bit tight and I was wondering if we are going to be alright with an Eight metre long twin axle without a motor mover ? The second part to this is
a bike rack.... do they give decent security for the cycles ?
Thanks in advance.
Comments
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Generally insurace for bikes is normally only valid if they are secured to an immovable object....ie not a vehicle!
Small hand bolt cutters will sever virtually and lock and a hacksaw blade will cut any alloy bike rack in less than a couple of minutes....that's as good as it gets!
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If you could please say where you are going some of us may be able to suggest some suitable sites where you can tow straight in and out - as well as some impossible ones.
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I've generally found French sites to be easier for large vans than UK ones, obviously there are exceptions. Look on the ACSI website as it normally states if suiable for large outfits.
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we fancy Morbihan area but anywhere in Brittany with direct access to a beach would be good. Hopefully somewhere nice and quiet with plenty of bike tracks to explore.
Our own regular calling ppint for the Morbihan area of Brittany is Camping du Motten at Sainte Anne D'Auray. It's wide open parkland with trees - you can tow a big caravan straight in and straight out without manoeuvring - but if they are enforcing their own rules strictly they will charge you more with a big twin axle van.
But if you are crossing via Calais it's not much further to go down towards Royan instead - and that's far better for cycle tracks - miles and miles of good cycling through the pine forest by the sea. Try Camping La Palombiere at Les Mathes which has similar wide open spaces and easy access with a big van, tow in and tow out, and with an ACSI card will be a bargain in June.
But both those sites are a few miles inland from the sea.
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Unable to edit my last post so I'll repeat....but corrected.....
Small hand bolt cutters will sever virtually all locks and a hacksaw blade will cut any alloy bike rack in less than a couple of minutes....that's as good as it gets!
I think it more than likely that if a bicycle was chained using a method approved by the insurance company to a substantial part of a caravan or motorhome and that was not itseld stolen that the insurance ombudsman would uphold a claim for the theft.
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We stayed at Camping Treguer-Plage Plonevey-Porzey Brittany which is near Douarnenez and right on the beach with a twin axle. We have a mover and didn't need to use it. My blog will tell you more
jennyandjohngocaravanning.wordpress.com
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A lot of continental campers have small, lightweight vans that they can manoevre by hand onto pitches.
If I was taking a twin axle, I wouldn't even think about it without a motor mover. Actually, not even with our single axle.
Regarding the bikes.....they would be as safe or unsafe as anywhere else. We use a long cable type security lock and take our old bikes with us (good in their day, but not worth a huge amount now) and they are insured on the home
insurance.0 -
Don't be put of by some of the previous posts, I have a twin axle without a mover.(movers use too much of the load allowance) and regularly go to France. There are some sites that will not take TA caravans but I have only been refused twice in 25 years.
Some sites have signs that say no TA, but if you go and ask you will often be allowed on. Only once have we had to leave a site because we were unable to get onto a pitch. If I can't reverse onto a pitch the caravan isn't going there!! We use ACSI regularly
but always email ahead to check there is a suitable pitch available. If you are still worried or until you have the confidence book through the club. We always carry 2 bikes on a roof rack on the car, but I add bike locks to the locking rack whilst on the
car and loop through the chassis on site. I hope this helps.0 -
Thanks for the replies and the advice.
I am aware that you will only manage to stop an honest thief and to that end my bike would normally travel inside the caravan but the good lady has joined me in the bike craze so now 2 bikes to be transported and I'm not comfy with them being inside the
caravan for causing damage while loading/unloading but it looks that this is maybe the most secure option . Thankyou for your info on ACSI and also in building confidence with our large caravan , I'm convinced enough to go ahead with our holiday and as its
our first we will book through the club.Once again Thanks
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we fancy Morbihan area but anywhere in Brittany with direct access to a beach would be good. Hopefully somewhere nice and quiet with plenty of bike tracks to explore.
So no point asking for advice about sites if you are booking through the Club - there are only two they can book for you in the Morbihan area.
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I'm grateful for any advice given eurotraveller and if you wish to suggest a different route for myself and my wife to follow then please I'm all ears. Yes we do fancy the Morbihan area but at the same time I tend to want to be safe with our choice of site
for our first overseas holiday as its a long way to go to be disapointed and therfor a longer way back to Aberdeenshire. Please carry on with your suggestions as I really am interested .0 -
We have friends that rave about Le Logis du Breuil which is again in the Royan area. I believe it is in the Club book but presumably no need to book it unless going peak. We have never been but I am sure someone on here has and our friends recommendations
are usually reliable - they like beach, cycling and walking etc0 -
Hi Scotmurie, I appreciate what you are saying and understand your doubts about a first time visit , but I don't know what sort of site you want. Some people want a site within walking distance of a village, some want indoor swimming pools and an on-site bar and restaurant, but others want a low key site without things like that. As I said before our own priority is wide open space rather than hedged square pitches. Only you can choose.
But I do know Brittany in June - and not a single site will be anywhere near full. That's why so many of them offer discounts via the ACSI card and Camping Cheque schemes. They are desperate for customers at that time of year.
The best advice I can give is for you to look at campsite websites, read reviews (often on UKCampsite.co.uk and the ACSI Camping Card website) and draw up a short list to suit your own preferences. Book for the first few days if you would like to have that security, but you can be totally flexible in Brittany in June and can either extend your stay or move on elsewhere, just as you please.
I do hope it goes well.
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Thankyou eurortraveller, I do notice that there is not a big selection of sites in the Morbihan area in the club sites book and I can assure you that I've done nothing else but browse the Acsi site this evening with the new Venture abroad book from the club
I must admit they all look gorgeous. Thanks for the help and the best wishes. I will take a good look at everyones suggestions and yes I'm still listening0 -
And one
Thankyou eurortraveller, I do notice that there is not a big selection of sites in the Morbihan area in the club sites book and I can assure you that I've done nothing else but browse the Acsi site this evening with the new Venture abroad book from the club
I must admit they all look gorgeous. Thanks for the help and the best wishes. I will take a good look at everyones suggestions and yes I'm still listeningAnd one of those two sites is is the ACSI scheme too - at 17 euros per night. Interestingly this works out at 119 euros per week - and the Caravan Club would cost £138.72 for the same period (3rd to 10th June as a trial date).
At the moment this works out at £107.23 but even at parity of Euro to Pound there is still a significant difference - certainly enough for a lunchtime meal out for two or several bottles of wine!
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We did an overnight stop at a Caravan Club recommended site on our way back to Calais this year because I had made a mistake in the price and it was double what I had paid at the other sites used all holiday. With all the on line reviews [ukcamping is another
one] you really don't need to pay CC recommended site prices in June.0 -
We have been visiting Europe with a twin axle caravan for 10 years now and never had a problem. Got a motor mover but never use it. To get any help you need one on each axle, Expensive!!! Cannot speak about France because except for staying at La Bien Assise near Calais we never tour in France.. Never had a problem on any campsite in the rest of Europe. I always email 3 days ahead to a new to us campsite to enquire if a Twin is accepted and large pitch and good access entrance. Have never been refused or been allocated a too smaller pitch. Also a twin axle is much easier to reverse than a single.
Mostly use ACSI Camping Card out of season and always book Tunnel through the Caravan Club.
DianneT
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Best way for us is by booking an ITX package combining ferry and camping cheques. Savings vary but on the longer routes, such as from Plymouth that we often use, can be substantial.
Our price for 2017 for a May/June return with Brittany Ferries, Plymouth to Roscoff with 7 cheques, is £346.55. This makes the ferry £241.90.
Booked direct with BF the cost is £573!!I think that Portsmouth routes can be less but you need to do your research as savings are not consistent. I am getting a better price for a overnight crossing but often they are more expensive.
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Our bikes were on a Thule roof rack with full locking systems in use. They were stolen overnight when sited at Morton Hall Caravan Site, Edinburgh. The investigating police officer showed us a video of how easy it is to remove cycles from these 'secure' cycle carriers. They needn't bother fitting locks to their expensive carriers !! Also note that Morton Hall has no security barriers and totally inadequate CCTV. Anybody can drive around at anytime day or night. The police suggested we put a warning on trip advisor about Morton Hall which we have. We now lock our bikes to the caravans alloy wheels inside the awning as recommended by the police officer (himself a keen caravaner).
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Hi everyone just a quick note we are thinking of going down to Portugal in January for the winter, going by train as ferry to long and to expensive. Do we still need breathalyser for France? And has there been any new laws since last year.
cheers
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Just a quick note on security of bikes. If you bye the alarm sensor kits battery operated there quite small, you can fit one part to your bike and the other to the caravan wheel clamp if the bike is moved it gives out a very loud piercing sound enough to scare people off and alert you. The best thing is they are battery operated. We have put them on the windows and door when we are sleeping, you can buy them off eBay they come in a pack of 8 sensors I think. I'm not saying they will stop the thieves but they are a deterrent. Hope this helps
cheers
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