France trip with a pre-schooler

[Melanie Day]

Hi all,

Planning our first European trip in our Cali beach to France - 2 adults and one age 4.

Can anyone tell me how much busier it will be if I go in school holidays when compared to first week in July?
Will I need to book ahead in certain places and wing it in others?

Also any comments on suggested route - I compiled it from other posts on here.
I want a bit of coastal and also want to go via the Champagne Nowak place!
Any places I really should pre-book and any that are good to spend a few nights?

Thanks

 

[Nick Stubbs]

Used to book our first night when touring France but don't bother anymore as never had a problem finding anywhere to stay, always travelled school holidays as my wife was a teacher. never used the motorways either.

 

[Melanie Day]

Used to book our first night when touring France but don't bother anymore as never had a problem finding anywhere to stay, always travelled school holidays as my wife was a teacher. never used the motorways either.

Thanks Nick, was concerned that France would be busy and booked up!

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[Nick Stubbs]

Will add we try not to use sites with all the bell and whistles, just don't need it, a lot of French towns have Municipal sites which are generally fairly cheap / good value for money, we have used the Aires and there are a couple of books available listing them, we also wild camp. You could always look at the France passion thing but you would have to carry a loo.

As for routes, tend to use Plymouth - Roscoffe follow Atlantic coast down, normal for us would be to Pyrenees and Spain, then back up the middle and come back Le Havre, portsmorth, or out Portsmouth down to Provence touch on the Alps or Italy then back the same way, try to avoid Dover / Calais and never tried the tunnel.

 

[Amarillo]

Camping off season is considerably cheaper than peak season. We are planing our Beach beach holiday for the last week of May. A standard pitch in the holiday park with water park in the northern Costa Brava is €16 per night off season compared with €51.50 peak season.


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[briwy]

You need to check the French holiday dates as it can be hell on earth then. Good time to visit Paris though as all the locals go away.
If you are going to use the motorways get a toll tag as sometimes there can be queues at holiday times and the tags have a dedicated lane.
Don't forget the free aires. NOT the motorway ones but the smaller ones which nearly all towns have. Limited services but a lot are in really nice spots. Think about getting the All the Aires book.

 

[Melanie Day]

You need to check the French holiday dates as it can be hell on earth then. Good time to visit Paris though as all the locals go away.
If you are going to use the motorways get a toll tag as sometimes there can be queues at holiday times and the tags have a dedicated lane.
Don't forget the free aires. NOT the motorway ones but the smaller ones which nearly all towns have. Limited services but a lot are in really nice spots. Think about getting the All the Aires book.

Many thanks - will check the holiday dates in France and the Aires.

We can go anytime, but need to pay for childcare fees outside term time if we are at home at work rather than on holiday so need to assess the difference.



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[westfalia]

Some school holidays in France and Germany begin at the end of June.
So you´re on peak season from then.

 

[Hotel California]

July is the start of the busyest month in France , many Belgians and Dutchmen set off on holliday the first week of july.
Popular sites mostly need pre-booking but you wil allways find somewhere to spent the night .
We try to stay away from France in July and first part of august becose to crowded .

 

[2haw]

I'd definately recommend Puy du Fou for a day and you can stay in the campervan carpark for a night.

 

[bigmac77]

If you want to go to Il de Re in peak you need to book now.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi all,

Planning our first European trip in our Cali beach to France - 2 adults and one age 4.

Can anyone tell me how much busier it will be if I go in school holidays when compared to first week in July?
Will I need to book ahead in certain places and wing it in others?

Also any comments on suggested route - I compiled it from other posts on here.
I want a bit of coastal and also want to go via the Champagne Nowak place!
Any places I really should pre-book and any that are good to spend a few nights?

Thanks

View attachment 40580

If there are set places you wish to visit then book, especially in high season. You will always be able to find somewhere to stay, but if there is a " Must see " place then book.
Eg: Isle de Re in mid July - August then book, or camp on the mainland and visit.

 

[Ryemslie]

We did late May through to end of July last year with a 5 year old & 3 year old. Only site we pre booked was our first. After that we used acsi app mostly & called a day or two at most ahead. Was never a problem across France & Italy.

 

[jts46]

We have been travelling to France for holidays for the past 35yrs, never pre-booked a site, but if you want a site with all the bells and whistles, then book.
How long are you expecting to go for, 2 - 4 weeks?

 

[B J G]

July gets busy, first week is usually OK but peak rate charges usually start on the second week.
Just been booking up 3 Brittany Ferry crossings and the prices have jumped up, about 20% at a rough guess.
Not sure about the Dover routes or other Ferries.
With a look at your route it seems pretty much based on motorway travel when you will just sail past most of the real France with short stop offs. Bit like a cruise ship port hopping. Depends on how many days you are taking I guess.

 

[Alibee]

I would book those spots you're really keen to visit (especially Ile de Re) regardless of school holidays or not, and increase the bookings for those weeks past mid-July. You'll always find somewhere to stay, but it can change the holiday a bit if your desire for flexibility means you end up staying in less-than-ideal locations.

We did a similar route to yours, about 15 years ago now, and it was a busy 9 days. I would probably want two full weeks + all three weekends to ensure, as BJG says, you don't end up just seeing the motorways. If you can go out of school hols then I would definitely do that. Central France is very hot by mid-June, so no worries about temperatures, and the sites will be a lot emptier / quieter.

 

[Melanie Day]

I would book those spots you're really keen to visit (especially Ile de Re) regardless of school holidays or not, and increase the bookings for those weeks past mid-July. You'll always find somewhere to stay, but it can change the holiday a bit if your desire for flexibility means you end up staying in less-than-ideal locations.

We did a similar route to yours, about 15 years ago now, and it was a busy 9 days. I would probably want two full weeks + all three weekends to ensure, as BJG says, you don't end up just seeing the motorways. If you can go out of school hols then I would definitely do that. Central France is very hot by mid-June, so no worries about temperatures, and the sites will be a lot emptier / quieter.

Thanks, we can go out of school holidays but it might make more financial sense from childcare to do a longer stint in school holidays as we will save paying for childcare - it's free during term time but £46 a day in holidays!

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[Amarillo]

Thanks, we can go out of school holidays but it might make more financial sense from childcare to do a longer stint in school holidays as we will save paying for childcare - it's free during term time but £46 a day in holidays!

If you have a spare bedroom, it is dead easy to get an aupair for any period between mid June and the end of August. In return for full board and ~£80 per week pocket money an aupair would live as part of your family helping with childcare and light housework.

 

[altvic]

Found Il de Re very busy end of June so I advise getting to chosen camp site before midday or book ahead in busier July.

 

[Stow]

Campsites near the Tour de France route can get unusually busy in July. It's only a day in limited areas, but having been caught out once I won't be again!

 

[Melanie Day]

Campsites near the Tour de France route can get unusually busy in July. It's only a day in limited areas, but having been caught out once I won't be again!

That's a good point, I will try avoid all the tour de France

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[Kris Emery]

Rule of thumb: Bastrlle Day 14 July (this year a Sunday so the 13th is likely hell day) is usually the trigger for the French to kick off their month of summer madness. Particularly the Paris to Marseille Autoroute de Soleil ! So try to avoid that.

June early July are good but as mentioned above e certain parts of Germany and the prolific Dutch campers are around then.

If you want it quiet try September in the south. Good weather and campsites abound.

 

[B J G]

This read should give some more info on French holiday season

https://www.francetoday.com/travel/...n-france/?mc_cid=783a89eeac&mc_eid=692d46a86b

 

[Nick Stubbs]

Still would use the books although ours are no a few years old, what we noticed last year a lot of the Aires and Municiple sites are being taken over by a company called Camping Car Park and their parks have a barrier which takes a pre paid card, the machines at the barrier will issue a card for new users not as cheap as they used to be.