If you've always fancied touring France but are too nervous to giveit a go, Adèle Donaghie's practical guide to planning and making your trip will set you on your way.
Below is an extract from the full article published in the March 2006 issue of Practical Caravan.
Nearly 12 million of us did it last year. I did it, my family did it and F the guy that runs our local caravan accessory shop did it. That's right, almost a quarter of the British population flocks to France each year. Yet still there are some of us who have never sampled the delights of France.
It's hardly surprising that people opt to stay at home when faced with the challenge of booking ferries, dealing with animals and children on long journeys, and perhaps worst of all, speaking a foreign language. But over the following pages, we will demystify travelling to France for first-timers.
Crossing the great divide Deciding where to go is the fun part. Do you head south to the
golden beaches of the Cote d Azur, or would you prefer to stay closer to home and opt for the bucolic bliss of Normandy and Brittany? Paris has culture in spades, while if you like your snow sports you could always head for the Alps. Or maybe you want to spend your holiday sampling the best food and drink this land of global gastronomy has to offer, by touring the wine regions? Where you choose may depend on which ferry crossing you decide to make
There are a number of crossings available to caravanners. They vary in terms of journey length and cost, so it's really a matter of personal preference which one you opt for. For example you might want to take a longer ferry journey and book a cabin. This gives the driver the chance
to rest in preparation for those foreign roads, but it also means that the ferry takes you closer to your destination, so there are fewer miles to drive. Boats that make these longer crossings are equipped with cinemas, arcade games, shops and restaurants - in other words ready-made entertainment for the kids.
If you are on a tighter budget, the longer, and therefore pricier, crossings might blow your holiday budget, in which case the shorter and cheaper Dover-Calais route might appeal. Just remember you will then have to add extra petrol and road tolls to the sum total.
Websites such www.mappy.com or www.viamichelin.com both
suggest average fuel prices and toll charges, giving you an idea of the costs involved.
Starting from the Practical Caravan office in Teddington we took two hypothetical routes to Tours in the Loire region for the purposes of comparison. Route A involved a fast Dover-Calais crossing, while the Route B left Portsmouth for a six-hour crossing to Caen. Route A cost £155 and our booking agent took a sharp intake of breath before announcing that route B would cost £370. But if you bring fuel and toll charges into the equation, the blow is softened. Route B would require £43.08 worth of diesel (our make-believe car was a standard family saloon) as opposed to almost double that on route A.
There are pros and cons to each route: while family B is enjoying the on-board entertainment of their cross-Channel cruise, family A are munching up the miles in France as they motor to the site; Mum and Dad A will be enjoying their first holiday glass of wine three hours before family B get to check in on site. But despite an extra two hours and 15 minutes of driving, family A will be better off by £103.63.
Going down under
There is an even quicker way of crossing the Channel than by ferry: two years ago, Eurotunnel opened its doors to caravanners for the first time. This now means we can get to France in just 40 minutes for around £350. Join the queue, and drive onto a single-deck train (the double-decker trains are for cars only), switch off your engine, keep your handbrake on, then sit back in your car and relax for the duration of the journey.
Bear in mind when booking your ferry crossing, that the operators use a system called'fluid pricing: This is the same system that airlines use to sells seats and it essentially means that the sooner you book, the cheaper your ticket will be. The ferry companies allocate a number of places at a certain cost - when these have gone, watch the prices soar.The only time the prices might come down is on the less sociable
off-peak or night-time crossings where they are having problems filling the places. However, bear in mind that making a late-night Dover-Calais crossing will either mean stopping near Calais to sleep, or driving through the night - which is quite an undertaking for a first-time driver in another country.
Get help with your decision
The best way to compare prices is to call a booking agent. They act for a number of ferry operators, who, in turn, give them ferry crossings at discounted rates. However, if this sounds like too much hassle you might want to turn to a third party who will do all the hard work for you. Both the major caravan clubs offer a booking service that will find you a ferry, a site abroad, plus any overnight stops. If you're not a club member, Select Sites, Alan Rogers, Eurocamp Independent and Suncamp Holidays offer similar services.
But the main benefit of using these services is that you get the personal touch. These foreign sites will all have been inspected, so there won't be any nasty surprises waiting for you when you get there, and you can get help and advice from a human being at the other end of the phone. They will also sort out essential insurance, which will mean that should the worst happen you will be covered for breakdown assistance, vehicle recovery and medical cover. Most companies also offer 24-hour freephone helplines manned by staff who will be fluent in English.
Make sure you shop
around, though, as prices will differ depending on the deals the companies have managed to secure from the ferry operators and sites. Also, the package on offer will vary: Suncamp Holidays do not offer breakdown cover; Eurocamp
Independent has couriers on site who, although they can't help you with technical queries, will be able to help you plan your holiday once you are there. So before you book, make sure you know exactly what you are buying.
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