French council camp sites

mike ives
mike ives Posts: 319
edited January 2011 in Tour & expedition
Does anyone know if there is a web site/directory or list of the various french town councils who provide camp sites? I am thinking of doing some camping this summer on the way to the Alps.

Comments

  • dilemna
    dilemna Posts: 2,187
    Le Guide Officiel - for all 10,000+ campsites in France.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-officiel- ... 261&sr=8-1

    Also check Loney Planet France and the Michelin Guide if you prefer.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/2067 ... bxgy_01_03
    Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
    Think how stupid the average person is.......
    half of them are even more stupid than you first thought.
  • pneumatic
    pneumatic Posts: 1,989
    there are so many campsites in France that you can almost* assume that there will be one in every major town. If you are plotting your route in advance, identify the towns you intend to stop at and then google their tourist offices.

    *however, it is not always true. I have been caught out only a couple of times in many years of visiting France by there being no site, or by the site being closed for no apparent reason (the neighbours who took us in said it was because the bloke who ran it sometimes just couldn't be bothered. :shock:

    The vary a lot in quality, too. some are very basic, some turned over to travelling people, others very neat and up-market. But you always get a hot shower and usually get a good welcome.

    Fast and Bulbous
    Peregrinations
    Eddingtons: 80 (Metric); 60 (Imperial)
  • andymiller
    andymiller Posts: 2,856
    It's worth considering buying a directory/guide - if you can read French then I'd go for the Guide Routard guide.

    Google Maps provides a very useful research tool. Also every region/departement/commune has a website.

    I would say that there is a myth that the campings municipaux are always the cheapest and/or best. If I arrived somewhere at the end of the day and I wanted to find a place for the night and I had no other information then I would definitely head first to the camping municipal. But there are also plenty of good private campsites around as well.
    Italy Cycling Guide
  • pneumatic
    pneumatic Posts: 1,989
    andymiller wrote:
    I would say that there is a myth that the campings municipaux are always the cheapest and/or best. If I arrived somewhere at the end of the day and I wanted to find a place for the night and I had no other information then I would definitely head first to the camping municipal. But there are also plenty of good private campsites around as well.

    agreed! Also, the French are often very amenable to a bit of pragmatism when it comes to pricing. Travelling as a four, we quite often just pay for the pitch + 2 persons/tents as long as we put our four tents reasonably close together. When you see some of the marquees that come out of the back of family cars by way of camping equipment, this makes sense!!

    and, however tired you are, always be courteous to the official at reception, it helps smooth the way!

    Fast and Bulbous
    Peregrinations
    Eddingtons: 80 (Metric); 60 (Imperial)
  • mike ives
    mike ives Posts: 319
    Many thanks for all the help. I will get at least one copy of one of the mentioned guides and from Amazon a suggested. I'm beginning to look forward to my trip already. Cheers.
  • mac111051
    mac111051 Posts: 92
    Hi, having traveled all over Europe and most of France there is only one guide you will nead and that is Caravan Europe 1 published by the caravan club it will list every camp site in France including all municipal sites, all the sites are listed by people who have used them and wether they recommend them or not , it,s not just for caravaners no other guide comperes to it, cost,s about £10 some bookshops sell it or get it from the caravan club direct,
    Mac

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