Well, have just received tent and it is huge...

[Beachcomber]

Can't believe the size of the thing. It is a Royal Avignon 6. Haven't taken it out of the bag yet but fear am going to be the laughing stock of every campsite we go to with this mansion!!

The bag is HUGE, I can barely lift it (now I see why it comes in a wheely bag), I can barely even lift the POLE BAG.

Now I see why so many campers end up with trailers and roof boxes. There was me thinking that people must take loads of stuff when in fact they need them just to get the basics in.

Can't wait to have a practice go at putting the thing up just hope it isn't too big. I gaily followed the advice on UK Campsite about buying a tent 2 berths more than you need (there are four of us) and assured DH that 'of course it won't be too big'. Will post a picture when we get round to having a practice pitch.

[chevre]

the steps of camping are -

1 get small tent and some stuff
2 have kids - get huge tent and more stuff
3 get roof box
4 get campervan
5 get caravan
6 retire

[BBBeeRose]

don't wory - I thought that about our tent and has been fine. Better too big than too small and your children will grow to fill it.

[bookthief]

You'll appreciate it when it's pouring with rain and you're stuck in the tent .

[Beachcomber]

LOL at chevre's camping steps. Have done them in a slightly different order.

1 Camp with parents in caravan.
2 Camp in small tent with mates.
3 Go traveling in ancient Bedford campervan with mates and future DH.
4 Have children and buy huge tent that will never fit in the car!

Will be repeating 'better too big than too small' as a mantra throughout the day.

[Lucycat]

I really like the Royal tents though!

Do you have a roofbox?

all soft, squishy, light stuff (and dh's fishing gear ) needs to go in the roofbox - camp kitchen / table thing up against the lo's seats, the tent goes in last thing, right at the back of the boot - with the gas bottle next to it!

Wine box goes under your seat.

tis a skill- packing the car for camping, just don't forget to put your children in at the end!

[Beachcomber]

We don't have a roofbox yet, but suspect it will need to be our next purchase!

We have an old and ugly Mondeo estate so the boot tof the car is pretty big at least.

Can't wait to go camping now, it will be our first time with the kids (3.5 and 13 months). Our lovely new shiny (huge) tent will make quite a difference from camping in me dad's ancient 2 man. Must have a practice pitch at my MIL's first as I suspect we are going to struggle a little at first.

I don't have any previous experience of Royal tents (haven't even seen mine up had to buy blind) but kept hearing really good things about them. The Avignon appealed to us as we thought it looked sweet yet practical. We live in France but hope to camp throughout most of the year so wanted a tent we could spend time in if the weather isn't good.

Lucycat is it you who has camped just near where I live?

[Lucycat]

Whereabouts do you live beachcomber?

quite possibly!

ahh yes just worked it out - the French connection! I'm still very of where you live! so yes we have.

and we're heading to france next summer so clear your back garden

[kate100]

I am on step 3 of Chevre's 6 step programme.

Our tent is also huge, but was great for when it rained everyday on our summer holiday as the children still had space tp play.

[Beachcomber]

Lucycat we don't have a garden unfortunately as we live in a 'maison de village', only have a tiny terrasse that you would be hard pushed to get a tent on!

Any passing MNers would be very welcome though.

[LuciusCat]

I just get even more when you mention things like 'maison de village' and 'terrasse'.......

perhaps we'll just stay at the local municpal site and pop in for a vin rouge

btw what's the weather like with you?

[Beachcomber]

Ha you wouldn't be if you could see the 'maison de village' in question!
We bought it 5 years ago in pretty bad condition and have been trying to do it up ever since. With two little ones we never seem to get round to really doing anything much to the house so it is a bit of a mess and very impractical as it is on three floors. The kitchen is on the ground floor, living room on the first floor and the bedrooms on the second (very impractical but good for the thighs!).

Weather is rubbish at the moment. We are just back from a week in Tunisia visiting my FIL who lives there and were roasting, then got back here to cold windy stormy weather. Normally at this time of year it's all vest tops, BBQs and fans in the bedrooms but last night we had our quilt back on the bed. Took the kids out to the shops today and had to put tights on the baby to keep her legs warm in the pram!

Hopefully it will pick up soon.