ACSI CARDS
Good Evening Everyone,
I’ve been trying to find some information about the ACSI card. I know it’s for out of season use but what is considered out of season in France ?
Thanks Richard
Comments
-
That is an interesting question as it varies so much. As Kj has pointed out it is July and August but some sites will not start to accept them until early September and others will accept them from the middle of August. It very much depends on the occupancy of individual sites. Why not have a look here and see if what the restrictions are on the sites you want to use?
David
0 -
I got caught out at a site in Bayeux during the first week in June when they had a brief spell of 'non-ACSI'. Fortunately it wasn't mega expensive and we were only there for a couple of nights.
0 -
Thanks for those replies. When I’ve used the ACSI App, I’ve only seen the two price guides, not anything specific and certainly no mention of any discount for using the card. Am I looking in the wrong place ?
Richard
0 -
If there is a local holiday or "bank holiday" then often sites in popular areas will suspend the ACSI rates for a few days especially over weekends and sometimes even put the rates up for that period.
1 -
The campsite I just left accepted ACSI up to 8July and will again from 26 August until they close in October. Each site sets its own dates. You have to look individually.
1 -
The discounted prices and applicable dates are shown in the book on the details of each site.
0 -
I didn’t realise there was a separate App. That’s excellent. Thanks everyone for your replies.
Loire Valley here we come.
Richard
0 -
Richard
There has always been a confusion around ACSI. On the one hand they have a large list of Inspected Sites which was how they started. Then you have the Camping Card ACSI which is the one that offers the discount. I image all the sites in the discount scheme also listed as Inspected Sites but not all the Inspected Sites are in the discount scheme if that makes sense?
David
0 -
Thanks David, it’s become clearer.
0 -
As has been said you need to look at the site acceptance dates. I just left a site in Pornic on Sunday I was tthere 7 nights and they had a 7 night for 6 offer. They allowed me to pay with 5 camping cheques and the odd night at the ACSI rate. Plus for staying 7 nights I received a bottle of wine on leaving.
That was a cheap week
0 -
Also, it seems to be an increasing occurrence that sites will say 'sorry, don't care what ACSI says, you can't have a discount this week'.
Regard an ACSI discount as a bonus, don't rely on it.
Personally, I find the best thing about ACSI is the site reviews ...
0 -
Could you give us an example or two of sites that have said this?
David
0 -
I came across one site this year we used with ACSI that had many vacant pitches. We were offered three pitches to choose from. They were all ok but just wonder if sites hold a certain allocation of pitches for ACSI users.
This is the first time I have come across this but I have never been refused the stated ACSI price
0 -
Camping La Nautique at Narbonne did that too - accepted ACSI card but even when more than half empty gave us and others a pitch which was mean, poky, shadeless, rutted and a mere 5 metres wide. A campsite which has otherwise good features, but not one we will go back to.
0 -
Where the site has defined blocks of smaller/larger/serviced pitches, often the ACSI rate is limited to the most basic pitches, but frequently they will let you upgrade for a small fee, generally a couple of euros.
Other sites will only allow the ACSI rate on certain pitches and want the full rate if you want a different pitch.
We came across the latter method on one site in Austria, where we were directed to a certain area of the site, but the pitches were both generous and serviced anyway.
On another site in Austria we were given a larger pitch for 1 euro extra per night as our van was too long to fit easily on the "ACSI pitches".
0 -
We must have been extremely lucky as we nearly always use ACSI and that has never happened to us. 90% we chose which pitch we want, and on the odd occasion we have been given a pitch either it suited or they have agreed a change when requested. In fact on one site where they said there would be a surcharge for a riverside pitch in the end they didn't charge us.
0 -
I would agree, only twice in the last few years have we been sent to a particular pitch (in Germany) and both times the pitch was no different from the others.
The time we were directed to a certain area, we had a free choice from all the pitches there as we were the only occupants.
We use ACSI pretty much all the time when abroad.
0 -
We have used a lot of ACSI sites in Europe. Only on a very few occasions our choice of pitches has been limited in the vast majority of cases we have had a free choice. One such site is Natterersee at Innsbruck in Austria but you were able to upgrade to a better/bigger pitch for a modest extra nightly fee on top of the ACSI price. In most cases ACSI will not allow you to use beach or lake side pitches, only those further back. Sometimes the use of such pitches is possible by paying a nightly surcharge on top of the ACSI price the same is often the case with serviced pitches. I have arrived at a site and been told the price band was wrong in the site directory, again only once. I suppose given the sheer number of campsites available through the Camping Card system there is bound to be the odd hiccup here and there?
David
0 -
Yes, that was the site where we were upgraded for 1 euro per night, the ACSI pitches were in the back row and were rather short for us. As we were only there for 5 nights, we were allowed to use a pitch that was reserved for someone who was arriving after we planned to leave.
Very nice site.
0 -
We've experienced being directed to just 1 available pitch on a site in Pernes-les-Fontaines with the ACSI card. There were a number of empty pitches, but we were told there are only certain pitches available for ACSI users. It as completely in shade under a huge tree with overhanging branches and rutted in the centre. The tree was in a very awkward position and would have made it very difficult to manoevre onto the pitch. We declined and went to the municipal site instead, which turned out very good.
We haven't encountered this anywhere else, but I have noticed in the guide that some sites do say that ACSI is only valid on standard pitches or words to that effect.
0 -
Sounds a similar situation to some sites when using Camping Cheques. At the end of the day, in low season, the power is in hands of the us, if its a poor pitch, there are plenty of other sites in both books!
Having said that, I have only once left on the day of arrival after looking at the pitches offered, and that was a Castels site on the Vendee, where the grass was over a foot long, and the pitches were scattered amongst rental static caravans
0 -
We have used ACSI sites quite a few times and not had any "You must go there" problems. It is often worth the extra few Euros to take a full service/best position pitch. You still get the ACSI discount but a much better experience.
If you are tempted to go to Paris, use the Maisons Lafitte site and pay the little extra for a riverside pitch. You will be on the riverbank and have a fully serviced pitch with enough space for a massive awning, if that is what you like. The photo is from our pitch.
In St Emillion the difference between the ordinary pitch and the fully serviced one was immense and for just a couple of Euros per night. It was still far cheaper than a basic UK pitch.
0 -
Paying extra for an ACSI pitch may get you a bigger pitch but that might not be a better pitch for location. A site I used this year had normal sized pitches along a row, which I used. At the back of those pitches was another row of super pitches. beyond that was the toilet block. As a result people walked from the standard pitches straight across the super pitches to get to the loo's. Not ideal in my opinion.
The superptch behind me was under a very large pine tree with little sun. It was out of action because of damage. The tap and electric for that pitch was at the back of me so I was able to hook up and also connect to the water tap without problem.
So before you pay extra for a superpitch have a look at it first.
0
