Hints & Tips
Here are a few hints & tips that you might find helpful as you make your own final preparations for the holiday and may save a worry or two.
The Portsmouth St Malo crossing is always very popular but it also puts up to £300 on the overall cost if it is not already fully booked. Why not book yourself one of the sailings to Cherbourg and save the difference.
If your dates are flexible, why not book yourself a mid-week sailing to enjoy a night or two in a hotel on the savings you will have made.
For the longer haul destinations, take a day sailing two days before arrival on site and use the economy hotels - they are cheaper than a night ferry with a cabin and you don't get woken up at 0530 hrs!.
If you are hoping to book a high season holiday, this should be made by Mid-February at the very latest to secure your choice of site, crossing and accommodation. If you leave it until later, you are unlikely to be able to book with us and therefore unable to make the savings you should have done.
The site accommodation can only sleep the numbers it is built for i.e. a 4-berth mobile home will not take five people.
Some French campsites do not allow swimming pool access to persons wearing swimshorts, requiring swimtrunks be worn. Please be prepared for this eventuality.
Camping France Direct does not provide an on-site courier service as such. This is an area in which you have saved costs. In fact, any services that you may require are available at the Reception where English is spoken, if you feel you French is not quite up to where you want it to be. You will find the staff in all categories to be very friendly and helpful. Do not hesitate to pay them a visit if you think something is not working as it should do or you are wanting some advice on local places outside the site. Likewise, if you should need a doctor or a dentist, invariably they are excellent and you will be well looked after. Reception will also be able to locate a garage for most makes of car, if needed. Remember, you are the site's personal guests and they will expect to treat you as such.
On arrival, you will be asked for a security deposit against breakages (as much as €250, in some cases) and possibly in respect of a magnetic entry/exit card for use during your stay. These are refundable at the end of your stay. Often a UK cheque will do the trick.
This is a tax levied by the local authority and is disliked as much by the site owners as it is by the visitors to the site. It is normally payable in advance on arrival. The rate varies from area to area but is not a big sum and will not break the bank.
You should plan to arrive between 1600hrs and 2200hrs. If you think you are going to be much later than this, please telephone the site using the number shown on the site final instructions. At the end of your stay, please ensure that you leave the accommodation by 1000hrs at the latest and don't forget to hand in your key when collecting your refund on the deposit etc. If you have an early ferry to catch, it may be advisable to park your pre-packed car outside the barrier, having arranged the refund the previous day.
If your site does not operate a "bureau de change", Reception will advise you on the nearest bank but you should note that most banks are closed on Mondays and therefore, you should have enough Euros to tide you over until the Tuesday although cash machines are plentiful.
Sheets, pillow cases, or better still sleeping bags. Also kitchen towels, dishcloth, plug adaptor which is vital, matches, toilet paper. Also food favourites such as Marmite, peanut butter or your particular brand of tea. Baked beans are very hard to find but otherwise the local super/hypermarket will provide most things especially salad, fruit, bread and those croissants.
For British drivers, the most testing time is first thing in the morning when some people forget they are in France and drive away on the left! Beware of "Priorité à Droite" which gives the driver approaching on your right hand side the right to enter the main road in front of you. This mainly applies in towns and slows the traffic wonderfully. In other respects, the French are positive and competent drivers and the roads are pleasantly clear of traffic jams outside "rush hours". Watch out for speed traps as they mean business with fines being levied on the spot. The speed limit through villages and hamlets is 50 kph whether or not there are warning signs. Take extra care at roundabouts where the car on the left has right of way.
If you get any difficulty, please do not hesitate to call one of our customer help lines in UK. There is always a solution.
