jimbojay
Member Since: 01 Dec 2008
Location: Wet & Windy West Coast (Ayrshire)
Posts: 157
  
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Hi All,
I am currently in the process of planning our first trip to France with the Tintent and am after a bit of advice!!
Is it worth booking direct withsites or beter to go through one of the clubs?
I have already booked Des 4 Vents direct before I even realised what I had done  well I hope I have booked it!!!
I am also looking for somewhere in Brittany for 7 nights, preferably child friendly, I have 3 boys under 6 so a young family except me and the missus that is!!! I have been looking at Camping La Vallee, Camping Pors Peron and Camping les Embruns?
Any thoughts gratefully accepted!!!
Jay
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 21st Feb 2014 9:38 am |
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DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
 
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depends what time of year you go and whether you want to head for a definitive site.
we book in September as we want to go to a specific site, but just turn up at places in May/June
worth joining ACSI as they have some good rates and plenty of good sites to choose from.
www.ASCI.eu Duncan
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If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
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| 21st Feb 2014 9:42 am |
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jimbojay
Member Since: 01 Dec 2008
Location: Wet & Windy West Coast (Ayrshire)
Posts: 157
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HI Duncan,
First week of August, we will be doing disneyland the last week of July and then heading to Brittany from there!!
Thanks i will take a look at ACSI
Oh and do I really have to dig out my speedo's??????? 
Jay
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| 21st Feb 2014 9:46 am |
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NJSS
Member Since: 06 May 2009
Location: Catherington, Hampshire.
Posts: 10842
 
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"First week of August" !!
It will be horrendous everywhere in France as the French take either the first two or last two weeks of August as holidays.
The auto-routes are often referred to as "routes of steel" at this time as they are solid with cars and caravans.
French Routes Nationales (RN) are of good quality, and won't be as bad as the autoroutes. Try this website for more information:-
http://www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/index,langen.html
If you have to go at this time you should book camp sites, ferries etc.. without delay.
Good luck.
NJSS Am I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
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| 21st Feb 2014 9:56 am |
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jimbojay
Member Since: 01 Dec 2008
Location: Wet & Windy West Coast (Ayrshire)
Posts: 157
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Hi NJSS,
Unforunately it's a case of allocated shift work holiday and school holidays so my options are limited!!!
But I figured it would be like heading to the west country!!!
Your not near Catherington Lane by any chance?
Jay
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| 21st Feb 2014 10:04 am |
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maplecottage
Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
 
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Enjoy - we're going back to Logis de Brueil this year.
Aim to stop over 3 nights at Camping Du Phare (Honfleur) on the way down. Honfleur is a beautiful place, definitley one to add to your list. Never been to Camping du Phare before but looks to be in a good location with easy access to the town and beaches.
Crossing via Eurotunnel (courtesy of Tesco Clubcard), last years £650 ferry to St. Malo was a bit of a sting.
Steve
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| 21st Feb 2014 10:14 am |
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DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
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if you plan on using autoroutes, its worth getting a tag - www.saneftolling.co.uk.
you can also get them from APPR
whilst it will be busy at all the toll booths, it will be quicker and easier with the tag as you wont need to get the car and caravan so close to the concrete barriers. you can also use the 30kph toll gates that are Tag only Duncan
-----------------------------------------------------
If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
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| 21st Feb 2014 10:15 am |
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jimbojay
Member Since: 01 Dec 2008
Location: Wet & Windy West Coast (Ayrshire)
Posts: 157
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Thanks Duncan, I had read a few bits that said the Tag was the way to go.
Jay
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| 21st Feb 2014 11:58 am |
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maplecottage
Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
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^ +1
As DD says, get one - it's worth every penny (or should that be euro).
I've even managed to persuade my Scottish son-in-law to part with his hard earned this year 
Steve
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| 21st Feb 2014 11:58 am |
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DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
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some will say its more expensive than paying at the tolls.
well it is, as you have to provide a deposit for the tag and then a small annual charge I think. But the toll charges are the same and its worth it for the convenience, especially when towing the caravan Duncan
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If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
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| 21st Feb 2014 12:00 pm |
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sean 471
Member Since: 26 Apr 2011
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 2990
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Towing in France is easy so just enjoy it. As other have said it will be busy around the tolls.
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| 21st Feb 2014 12:08 pm |
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Ted Newman
Member Since: 09 Oct 2010
Location: SE London
Posts: 840
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Never had a problem with tolls - the wife is normally on the kiosk side and it is just a matter of inserting your credit card into the slot OR if it is a manned booth just hand it to the person collecting!
We use a Nationwide Credit Card as there are no charges for European purchases - so it is quick and no excess charges PLUS you can see what rate they are using and challenge if you think it is wrong.  LR Discovery 4 XS pulling an Airstream 532 Caravan also own (since new) a 1996 MGF
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| 21st Feb 2014 12:08 pm |
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DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
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ive never had a problem either, its just a lot quicker and easier with a TAG. especially when the Toll thinks you are high vehicle and spits the ticket out of the top dispenser... MrsDiscoDunc cant reach that far. Duncan
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If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
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| 21st Feb 2014 12:17 pm |
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Flying Scotsman
Member Since: 04 Mar 2011
Location: The dark side of the moon.
Posts: 434
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Jay,
I have done this trip a few times, with and without the tintent, if you are driving from sunny Ayrshire all the way down to the south cost to catch a ferry it may be worth stopping off half way down, somewhere in middle England, as it can take between 8-12 hours, depending on traffic and route etc. Especially if you have little ones and "are we there yet" gets a bit boring after Carlisle!!
just a thought
Enjoy as France it's wonderful You only get one lap, make it count !!
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| 21st Feb 2014 12:54 pm |
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jimbojay
Member Since: 01 Dec 2008
Location: Wet & Windy West Coast (Ayrshire)
Posts: 157
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Hi FS,
Yes we will be diving from the West Coast, we used to do the reverse journey when we lived down south but looking at the pro's and cons of a stopover!! We just never got over the channel when we did live down on the coast typical!!
It will be our first time towing over there but the missus lived in Germany for a few years so hopefully should be ok!!!
Got some great pointers thanks to all the above posts, plenty of scrap paper ramblings/itinery's lying about my lounge at the minute!!!
Jamie
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| 21st Feb 2014 1:25 pm |
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