Camping Cheques -Changes
Comments
-
I too wonder about the future of Camping Cheques - especially for touring holidays. We're fortunate in that we received a guide (we're Gold Card holders) - which for us is an essential part of our touring, as we're not lovers of SatNavs and POI's. However, I think that the other changes, plus the huge reduction in sites offering touring pitches, may mean that the days of us all being able to buy packages of Camping Cheques and a ferry crossing may be over before we realise.
Those who use SatNavs or Apps could download Archiescamping - which does contain details of all the Camping Cheque sites (but not just those offering touring pitches) as well as sites accepting the ACSI Card (called CampingCard sites on Archie's due to copyright issues). The App can be used off-line, so would be useful whilst travelling, to find nearby sites.
We need to remember that though the Caravan Club act as an 'agent' to sell Camping Cheques in this country, (having bought out Alan Rogers who originally sold them here) the Camping Cheques organisation itself was originally a consortium of French campsite owners, keen to get new visitors to their campsites. From that base it expanded to take in more and more campsites. Unfortunately along the way the original campsite owners became disillusioned, and dropped out one by one with few of the original sites still being in the scheme. Now 'Camping Cheques' is owned by some big business, I think with a Malaysian background, who are obviously more interested in promoting mobile home stays and even some 'permanent' holiday accommodation apartments. I can't imagine that the Caravan Club have any influence at all about what goes on with the main organisation.
0 -
We have not received a guide book for a couple of years now and when I booked was told that if I wanted one I would need to pay. I find the books get looked at when planning but whilst I always carry them-2 CC Europe guides, 2ACSI books and I Camping Cheques-our sites are chosen before we leave and they are just there to provide something of interest on lazy days.
We have found that being on the 3 network and using the internet access this gives rather makes the guides redundant but still take them just in case.
Whilst the scheme is nothing like it was it still offers the ITX package savings so fingers crossed that continues and as we only ever get paper cheques we will see no difference this year.
0 -
Hi AD, we first used Cheques when we discovered that they made a stay at Bella Italia on Garda affordable. That was in 2003 and we have returned many times although now using ACSI.
We did visit Chateau L'eperviere which was owned by Christophe Gay who had the idea for Camping Cheques and as well as being a nice site the meal, of Beef Bourgignon, was probably the best we have ever had on a site.
We did get an ACSI card back in 2005 but used it just once so did not bother again till 2015 when we visited Bella Italia. We use cheques most years at Camping Trologot near Roscoff and the site has grown on us, as it is a lovely area, and we now spend 2-3 days rather than just the one pre ferry crossing night.
I have spoken to people there who get the ferry from Plymouth, drive the four mile from Roscoff and then stay there for two weeks. They said that they did it to give Europe a try but liked the feeling of the site so much they keep going back and are great friends with the owners.
I would agree with your previous comment re confining oneself to a particular scheme and last year we had cheques and an ACSI card but our main stay was in a site that took neither but due to a Seniors discount was €20 a night-Playa Joyel at Noja.
As we are not as well travelled as you where are the sites that you like to revisit?
We have thought about Croatia and Portugal, which is I think more likely, but as we don't go for more than four weeks they are bother quite a trek but maybe we can stretch to six weeks and see how that goes.
0 -
I stayed briefly at a Camping Cheques site in France last year - it was September and the camp shop was closed, the camp restaurant was closed, bread delivery had stopped, swimming pool heating was off, and it was miles from anywhere. But I got the discount price.
And then I thought why am I paying £16 or so here when I could go to the municipal site in the village for the same money and have the butcher, baker, bar, restaurant and weekly market on the doorstep. So we moved on. And when I got home I sold the Cheques I had left.
3 -
Hi ET, of course there are people who have had the same experience as you but without the potential savings of an ITX package.
Last time we travelled in September we were glad of the later closing Cheques sites but when you are used to a pretty much year round season at home the shortness of the seasons abroad are still surprising.
0
