Travelling to Europe for Christmas

[Newchester2022]

We are looking at travelling to the south of France with our 2 Dogs leaving the UK on Christmas Day. The plan was to stay at a couple of different locations on campsites and then hire a property for a week or so.

I have been looking at campsites but a lot seem to close in October and some are saying that they are full at that period, so the south of France may not be an option. If anybody has any ideas or suggestions of places that they have visited or stayed at this time of year it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[AlisonF]

I cannot give advice on campsites, but if you have not travelled abroad with dogs recently, the Animal Health Certificate takes longer than expected to get organised. My vet needed to see my guys twice which involved missing other trips in the UK which were already paid for. And the vet had all the info as they themselves have done the microchips, rabies vaccs and previous pet passports…

 

[Newchester2022]

I cannot give advice on campsites, but if you have not travelled abroad with dogs recently, the Animal Health Certificate takes longer than expected to get organised. My vet needed to see my guys twice which involved missing other trips in the UK which were already paid for. And the vet had all the info as they themselves have done the microchips, rabies vaccs and previous pet passports…

Hi, many thanks for your reply. We used to travel to Europe a few times a year with the old Pet Passport Scheme but haven’t done so since the new Animal Health Certificate came in to force. I have spoken with our Vets and they have advised that I need to visit them within 10 days prior to our travel date & although the paperwork is 10+ pages long to fill out there should be no problem as long as the Dogs are up to date with all their vaccinations required which they are, but going on your experience I will double check this out.

 

[California_Ocean]

Try an app called park4night ... it lists all the places that you can stay overnight around europe and the data is crowdsourced.

park4night - Home

Share the nice spots where you like to relax with your camper, your equipped van or regular van

www.park4night.com

 

[kp64zl]

Try an app called park4night ... it lists all the places that you can stay overnight around europe and the data is crowdsourced.

park4night - Home

Share the nice spots where you like to relax with your camper, your equipped van or regular van

www.park4night.com

It’s an excellent app - worth paying the small fee for extra features

 

[WelshGas]

We are looking at travelling to the south of France with our 2 Dogs leaving the UK on Christmas Day. The plan was to stay at a couple of different locations on campsites and then hire a property for a week or so.

I have been looking at campsites but a lot seem to close in October and some are saying that they are full at that period, so the south of France may not be an option. If anybody has any ideas or suggestions of places that they have visited or stayed at this time of year it would be greatly appreciated.

We researched this in 2019 planning on driving to Spain over Christmas. Some campsites in Southern Spain were open but driving there through France, unless you planned on just overnight wildcamping or Aires was virtually impossible and we didn't fancy that in winter. Hotels, not a problem.
In the end we went to Australia instead.

 

[Amarillo]

We travelled between Andorra and Italy across southern France during November 2017. About 80% of campsites were closed but sufficient open to allow our trip.

#1 Camping Toulouse Le Rupe
Just outside Toulouse

#2 Camping Municipal Le Grillon
Near the town of Ganges

#3 Flower Camping Le Frejus
On the outskirts of Frejus

#4 Camping Le Rhône
In the heart of Tournon-sur-Rhone

The only one we really liked was Grillon. The one on the edge of Toulouse felt particularly dangerous surrounded by 8’ high razor wire, and a double entry gate like a prison camp.

My electric toothbrush, on charge overnight in the washroom, was stolen from the site in Frejus.

 

[AlisonF]

Hi, many thanks for your reply. We used to travel to Europe a few times a year with the old Pet Passport Scheme but haven’t done so since the new Animal Health Certificate came in to force. I have spoken with our Vets and they have advised that I need to visit them within 10 days prior to our travel date & although the paperwork is 10+ pages long to fill out there should be no problem as long as the Dogs are up to date with all their vaccinations required which they are, but going on your experience I will double check this out.

If you could post back with your feedback from the vet and experience that would be really useful for others.

 

[Newchester2022]

If you could post back with your feedback from the vet and experience that would be really useful for others.

I will most certainly do that.

 

[edocali]

The pet health certificate is a bureaucratic nightmare, a vet’s Golden Fleece, an EU petty revenge for Brexit and a ripoff for Brits.
The only solution is getting an EU pet passport for your pets

 

[The Tall Luthier]

The pet health certificate is a bureaucratic nightmare, a vet’s Golden Fleece, an EU petty revenge for Brexit and a ripoff for Brits.
The only solution is getting an EU pet passport for your pets

Important to note that pet health certificates are not a new thing, they have been legally required for ALL third countries for decades.

When we decided to become a third country to the EU block we simply swapped over to a pre-existing different set of rules.

 

[Simon Kelly]

Aires are a fantastic option as you transit France. Second vote for park for night as a great resource. France Passion also deserves a mention as it offers many brilliant options.
There is a nice campsite in Sanary-sur-Mer that is open all year. It’s a nice spot on the south coast and well positioned for many of the tourist areas without being mobbed itself.
Animal health certificate is fine it just costs money, just need to find a local vet who is experienced in the admin. We have a local
Ex-vet who has set up specifically dealing with the certificate (£100 with a discount for being a repeat)
Our pets have an EU passport but the fact that we needed their rabies jabs kept up to date annually in an EU country meant it was actually easier to get the certificate in the UK.

 

[California_Ocean]

The pet health certificate is a bureaucratic nightmare, a vet’s Golden Fleece, an EU petty revenge for Brexit and a ripoff for Brits.
The only solution is getting an EU pet passport for your pets

The UK no longer enforces EU rules/standards at its borders and has no obligation to ensure anything coming into the UK from the rest of the world complies with EU standards - whether it's a pet, a microwave, or a strawberry - it makes no difference - the UK can import what it likes now, only checking UK standards with no obligation to the EU. The UK government can also unilaterally change those standards from one day to the next. That was supposed to be one of the "benefits" of Brexit - EU and UK standards are able to diverge.

So the UK could decide to import diseased pets, cheap chinese electrical equipment, genetically modified food, or meat raised to US standards if it so wishes. The EU cannot influence this - so how does the EU protect itself from non-compliant imports from the rest of the world leeching over its borders from the UK? It does what it has always done - it enforces EU regulations at the EU external borders.

Before Brexit, the UK was within the EU borders and enforced EU compliant rules on imports, now it is outside those borders and doesn't. The EU, unsurprisingly, still wants the same standards applied as before Brexit so must enforce them on the EU/UK borders. It might seem a waste of effort as currently the UK government hasn't lit the "bonfire of EU regulations" it promised - but it pays to be prepared

I can't believe anyone voted for Brexit, and then supported Boris turning it into a hard Brexit, without realising this was an inevitable consequence.

 

[WelshGas]

The UK no longer enforces EU rules/standards at its borders and has no obligation to ensure anything coming into the UK from the rest of the world complies with EU standards - whether it's a pet, a microwave, or a strawberry - it makes no difference - the UK can import what it likes now, only checking UK standards with no obligation to the EU. The UK government can also unilaterally change those standards from one day to the next. That was supposed to be one of the "benefits" of Brexit - EU and UK standards are able to diverge.

So the UK could decide to import diseased pets, cheap chinese electrical equipment, genetically modified food, or meat raised to US standards if it so wishes. The EU cannot influence this - so how does the EU protect itself from non-compliant imports from the rest of the world leeching over its borders from the UK? It does what it has always done - it enforces EU regulations at the EU external borders.

Before Brexit, the UK was within the EU borders and enforced EU compliant rules on imports, now it is outside those borders and doesn't. The EU, unsurprisingly, still wants the same standards applied as before Brexit so must enforce them on the EU/UK borders. It might seem a waste of effort as currently the UK government hasn't lit the "bonfire of EU regulations" it promised - but it pays to be prepared

I can't believe anyone voted for Brexit, and then supported Boris turning it into a hard Brexit, without realising this was an inevitable consequence.

It would be nice if the EU enforced its own regulations within the EU member countries.

 

[California_Ocean]

It would be nice if the EU enforced its own regulations within the EU member countries.

It does. Individual sovereign countries within the EU might interpret the rules differently, or even apply them differently, but as with all rules, they can only be bent so far before there are consequences.

 

[edocali]

U

 

[WelshGas]

It does. Individual sovereign countries within the EU might interpret the rules differently, or even apply them differently, but as with all rules, they can only be bent so far before there are consequences.

So an EU Rule or Regulation is NOT actually a Rule or Regulation according to a Normal, Accepted Definition.
Interesting. That says a lot about the ethos of the EU and the founding countries.

 

[California_Ocean]

So an EU Rule or Regulation is NOT actually a Rule or Regulation according to a Normal, Accepted Definition.
Interesting. That says a lot about the ethos of the EU and the founding countries.

View attachment 98116

You're getting there .... almost.

The UK has a speed limit on its motorways - it's 70mph - so in theory you will get prosecuted for doing 70.01 mph .... but you won't will you? The rule is "don't drive on a motorway above 70 mph" ... but everyone breaks it, even the people enforcing the law won't bother trying to prosecute 70.01 mph, and speed cameras won't waste their time taking the photo. Police have an element of discretion too. Both sides, enforcement and rule breakers, know how far they can push the rule before they face penalties.

There is no government in any EU member state that is better or worse than any other, but they all have the sovereign right to decide how to interpret EU directives, turn them into laws, and enforce them. Don't moan because another sovereign state has a different interpretation or enforcement regime than your own - just elect a government that will change it.

The major problem the UK seems to have with the EU is that it is too liberal for the Conservatives, and too right wing for Labour - both their agendas are curtailed or watered down by EU membership. Most EU member states don't have a two party system - they have PR and coalition governments. The European parliament is the same - so what we europeans end up with is always a compromise that everyone can live with - doesn't mean everyone likes it - but it filters out the extremes on both sides of the political spectrum. The UK (and the US too) has a voting system that puts either a conservative or a liberal government in power, with no requirement to seek the middle ground. The UK gets pushed further and further to the right until the population have had enough, then it goes in the other direction - there is no long term stability or long-term planning. They (the political parties) like this system - they can do pretty much what they like once in government - vote to allow water companies to release sewage onto the beaches, leave the European Court of Human Rights, give government contracts to their mates. Mix this with lobbying, political donations and self interest and you get exactly what the UK and the US are facing at the moment - a political crisis and a breakdown in trust due to the self-interest of the political class.

 

[WelshGas]

You're getting there .... almost.

The UK has a speed limit on its motorways - it's 70mph - so in theory you will get prosecuted for doing 70.01 mph .... but you won't will you? The rule is "don't drive on a motorway above 70 mph" ... but everyone breaks it, even the people enforcing the law won't bother trying to prosecute 70.01 mph, and speed cameras won't waste their time taking the photo. Police have an element of discretion too. Both sides, enforcement and rule breakers, know how far they can push the rule before they face penalties.

There is no government in any EU member state that is better or worse than any other, but they all have the sovereign right to decide how to interpret EU directives, turn them into laws, and enforce them. Don't moan because another sovereign state has a different interpretation or enforcement regime than your own - just elect a government that will change it.

The major problem the UK seems to have with the EU is that it is too liberal for the Conservatives, and too right wing for Labour - both their agendas are curtailed or watered down by EU membership. Most EU member states don't have a two party system - they have PR and coalition governments. The European parliament is the same - so what we europeans end up with is always a compromise that everyone can live with - doesn't mean everyone likes it - but it filters out the extremes on both sides of the political spectrum. The UK (and the US too) has a voting system that puts either a conservative or a liberal government in power, with no requirement to seek the middle ground. The UK gets pushed further and further to the right until the population have had enough, then it goes in the other direction - there is no long term stability or long-term planning. They (the political parties) like this system - they can do pretty much what they like once in government - vote to allow water companies to release sewage onto the beaches, leave the European Court of Human Rights, give government contracts to their mates. Mix this with lobbying, political donations and self interest and you get exactly what the UK and the US are facing at the moment - a political crisis and a breakdown in trust due to the self-interest of the political class.

That is so funny. You should be a comedian and then you could join Macron and his buddy Putin.

 

[California_Ocean]

That is so funny. You should be a comedian and then you could join Macron and his buddy Putin.

LOL !!! Boris beat me, and Macron, to it and seated a Russian oligarch in the House of Lords. ....

Boris Johnson met Russian oligarch Lebedev without aides

The prime minister admits he met Alexander Lebedev, an ex-KGB agent, without officials present.

www.bbc.com

Boris Johnson has told MPs he met Russian oligarch and ex-KGB officer Alexander Lebedev without officials present.

"I have certainly met him without officials," he said. ...

And when asked if he met the Russian billionaire and former Evening Standard owner while foreign secretary in Italy in 2018, he said he had.
...
Mr Johnson made Mr Lebedev's son Evgeny a member of the House of Lords.
...
Controversy surrounds that appointment, since it was alleged - first in a Tortoise Media podcast and then in the Sunday Times - that the peerage was granted despite a warning from the security services that it posed a national security risk.
...
The Sunday Times said the security services' assessment was withdrawn after Mr Johnson - a long-time friend of Lord Lebedev - personally intervened.

 

[WelshGas]

LOL !!! Boris beat me, and Macron, to it and seated a Russian oligarch in the House of Lords. ....

Boris Johnson met Russian oligarch Lebedev without aides

The prime minister admits he met Alexander Lebedev, an ex-KGB agent, without officials present.

www.bbc.com

Hope you keep warm this winter.

 

[Amarillo]

So an EU Rule or Regulation is NOT actually a Rule or Regulation according to a Normal, Accepted Definition.
Interesting. That says a lot about the ethos of the EU and the founding countries.

View attachment 98116

FFS- you won, get over it!

 

[AlisonF]

I would like to apologise to @Newchester2022 . I mentioned AHC, trying to be helpful. And this has now unintentionally reignited old discussions.
@calikev or @Martin please feel free to moderate as necessary and bring the discussion back to the original question… aires / places to camp when travelling to France at Christmas…
Thank you.

 

[WelshGas]

FFS- you won, get over it!

I am . Just wish the Remoaners would . There are more important things going on in the world than moaning about Health Certificate paperwork and 90 days limitations and a continuation of Project Fear.

 

[AlisonF]

I am . Just wish the Remoaners would . There are more important things going on in the world than moaning about Health Certificate paperwork and 90 days limitations and a continuation of Project Fear.

To be clear. I was the one who mentioned the AHC. I did not mention politics. Just that it took longer that I had hoped.
Now can we all please get back to the topic on the thread?
Thank you.
Edit @Amarillo and others. This was not a dig at @WelshGas but a general request to revert to original topic from @Newchester2022