Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

Best route travelling from N. London to Vendee?

43 replies

KTeePee · 20/01/2007 09:36

We live north of London (off M25) and are planning to go to the Vendee this year. The kids like the idea of going via Eurotunnel but obviously there is a long drive then in France. Would it be easier to drive to somewhere like Portsmouth and get the ferry so we would have a shorter drive on the other side?

TIA for your opinions!

OP posts:
slalomsuki · 29/01/2007 23:31

LD lines are starting some crossings from Newhaven to Dieppe and Le Havre and are cheaper than Brittany Ferries. Effectively what you save in the UK you have to travel in France.

Our mobile is in the Vendee and we do Poole Cherbourg or Postmouth Caen and its 5 and 4 hours from the port respecively allowing for a quick lunch stop.

We stayed in Rouen a couple of times in a sort of farm house not far off the motorway. It was fab with a family room sleepin up to 6 costing 30euros per night. Best of all a travelling circus did an overnighter close by and ds1 got a ride on an elephant. Not very ethical but great for him

Original poster
KTeePee · 30/01/2007 10:57

Salomski - do you still have the details of the placed you stayed near Rouen?

We have decided to go by the Channel tunnel and stop off overnight there and back....

OP posts:
slalomsuki · 31/01/2007 19:23

KTP here is the web site for the hotel, Its on a farm with plenty of safe runnig around space. I emailed them in English and got a reply back in English the same day.

www.hotel-floritel.activehotels.com/

Original poster
KTeePee · 31/01/2007 20:16

Thanks, I'll give it a try...

OP posts:
Original poster
KTeePee · 05/02/2007 20:22

Bother, they have emailed back to say they can only do 2 adults + 2 children in a room....

Anyone know of anywhere between Calais and the Vendee that has rooms for 2 adults + 3 children (or has interconnecting rooms)

OP posts:
Original poster
KTeePee · 06/02/2007 12:42

.

OP posts:
LAtyke · 06/02/2007 16:51

we always used condor ferries poole - st-malo - condor used to have good holiday deals too. stjean de mont is only about 2.5 hrs from st malo.

Original poster
KTeePee · 06/02/2007 19:38

We are going Eurotunnel......so want to break the journey somewhere between Rouen and Le Mans

OP posts:
LAtyke · 06/02/2007 21:13
Grin
slalomsuki · 08/02/2007 12:36

We had three kids in the three childrens beds on the mezzanine floor when we stayed there. It was one of their family rooms and there was plenty of rrom for a cot too which they also gave us for ds2 who was 2 at the time so we could choose what we wanted to do.

Original poster
KTeePee · 08/02/2007 12:58

maybe they have changed their policy on number of beds since you stayed there slalomsuki?- they definitely said only two beds on the mezzanine, which is a shame as it would have been an ideal arrangement if they would have allowed three. I have emailed them again to try to book one family room and one twin so will wait to hear....

OP posts:
bigfatbump · 09/02/2007 12:41

We do the Poole-St Malo on Condor too, and then spend a night in St Malo before driving down to La Tranche sur Mer, take about 4 hours which is as much as my dd will stay in a car, even with the wonderful portable dvd player.
Doing it for the 3rd time this summer, can't wait!
bfb

Original poster
KTeePee · 09/02/2007 15:24

What's La Tranche like bfb?

OP posts:
bigfatbump · 09/02/2007 16:03

We really like it, mainly because everything is so handy. The town and beach are next to each other and there's a good supermarket near our campsite too. It's quite a relaxed place, with a great market twice a week, loads of restaurants with open air tables and some nice shops. The beach isn't the best in the area but perfectly good enough for us and our dd (3, nearly 4)and we drive to the other beaches if we fancy a change. Much of the town is pedestrianised too.
bfb

Original poster
KTeePee · 09/02/2007 16:20

I was a bit worried because some of the photos I have seen showed high-rise developments along the shore - it's not going to be like the Costa del Sol is it?

OP posts:
bigfatbump · 09/02/2007 22:13

Oh god no. Tbh I can't think where the high rises are. There are some hotels that back alongside the beach, but the town itself is small, the town centre is basically 3 or 4 streets with restaurants, shops and the like, mainly whihte low rise buildings. I may be thinking of it with my mummy head on, but I can't remember seeing any nightclubs, or a bar/pub for that matter - just remembered one bar. We go into town at night a few nights and even when the world cup was on it was pretty quiet. hth

Original poster
KTeePee · 10/02/2007 07:18

That sounds great - we haven't been to the Vendee before so don't really know what to expect (though everyone seems to recommend it...)

OP posts:
Original poster
KTeePee · 11/02/2007 16:21

We have managed to book two adjoining rooms (though probably not connecting) at that place you recommended Slalomski - thanks for the tip!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread