Urgent Q: anyone booked directly with a French campsite?

[jodee]

After umming and ahhing on another thread about getting a villa in Italy (we were worried about the pool with a 3 year old running around), we have decided to go for a mobile home in a site on the Cote d'Azur.

We were going to book with either Haven or Keycamp (we have been with Keycamp before, and they were OK but I certainly wouldn't rave about them), but before we do, has anyone done this sort of holiday but booked directly with the campsite? (I was reading a while back on a old thread that someone could have saved about 30% if they had done that.)

Is it a 'safe' thing to do? I mean, the tour operators are fully bonded through ABTA; what guarantees could I get from booking directly with the site if there were any problems?

Thanks for your help (we really need to get this sorted in the next couple of days!)

I think it might have been me who mentioned booking direct and saving money. I haven't ever booked direct on a campsite altho I did work the summer a couple of times on a site where you could book direct! I think to be honest that to a large extent you do ''give up'' your guarentees by booking direct with the owner - certainly all abta rights - altho some of the large campsites belong to associations which are supposed to assure minimum standards - but I'm no expert.
You also give up things like the courrier/entertainment options if that's a big deal for you of course.
The thing with my saving money by booking direct ( gite accommodation) was that I was getting the same accommodation whichever I booked with - just cheaper - with a direct booking on a campsite you have no guarentee as to the standard of the caravan - where as you would with keycamps etc.
I'm no saying don't go ahead - just that I think there is 'some' risk if it's not a personal recommendation - and it might depend on how much you were saving....

Hi Bayleaf, thanks for your reply. I was really quite doubtful about 'going it alone'; I had thought there were others who had done the same type of thing, but you made up my mind for me! Out of interest I rang the site, and they only arrange direct bookings for pitches (if you are bringing your own tent, etc.) but they only deal with the tour operators for the mobile homes, so we have to go with Haven or Keycamp anyway (probably Haven).

Jodee - we booked a campsite who don't book with the public, via a fantastic website it was www.france-camping.eu.com/. It was much cheaper than Haven Keycamp etc. I found it better to phone them than use the website, however!

The other thing is, try the Alan Rogers Travel Service, who publish a fantastic guide to Franch campsites.

Hi sed - many thanks for the info. I did have a look on the france-camping site, but the mobile homes were for a maximum of 6 people only (there will be 7 of us). My sister-in-law (who we are going with) has decided she would prefer Haven this time, (as they have a kids club), so we are booked and off to La Baume in Frejus - fingers crossed that it will be hot this time; we stayed on the Atlantic coast 2 years ago and got nothing but rain!

My sister went to La Baume last year. She said the campsite is huge but it doesn't feel that way because of the way it is laid out. She said the pitches are quite private and there are lots of trees. But they did need a map to get around!!!

She booked with Supersites which has now been taken over by Haven.

Ooh NikkiD, can you tell me more? Did they have a good time, were the pools/restaurant/facilities OK - more importantly what was the weather like!

Yes, tell me too - we are going to La Baume for the May half term - hops it's good. I am mostly worried about traffic noise - could you hear cars?

Well, they went in June and the weather was great but lots of flies/mozzies in the evening. I can't really remember her telling me much about it because they went with friends and their kids and all stayed in the same mobile home so all her stories were about how they did and didn't get on!!! I'll ask her more about the campsite when I speak to her.

Just remembered that they ate at the restaurant(s) quite a lot so they must have been good. And I seem to remember the shop being good.

Thanks NikkiD, if your sister has any more info that would be great.

Jodee - don't want to put you off your holiday but hope you get on well with your family as most mobile homes are very small - we had a '7 berth' one last year in the Loire (lovely site - we were with Eurocamp) but that meant one double bedroom (4ft bed!!), one double sofa bed in the living room & one small bedroom with three bunks - DS had the small room & DH & I slept separately (we are on the large size but not obese!!) - we did have a great time but I couldn't imagine sharing with anyone else - very 'cosy'!!

Lindy, I know what you mean! So we've gone for one with 3 bedrooms (1 double, 1 twin, 1 bunk room). Hopefully the weather will be good and we will not be cooped up indoors much either!

Well I've spoken to my sister, at last (we don't talk often!! only when we want something). She said that she would go to La Baume again although would avoid peak season as she's heard that the roads around the area get congested and it takes 30+ mins to do a 5 min car ride to the beach. But the facilities are great so if you're happy with staying on site it would be fine.

She said that she could hear a slight drone of traffic noise if you stopped to listen but didn't notice it most of the time.

She too had a 3-bed mobile home - for 4 adults and two girls (over 10 years old). They're still all friends so it can't have been that bad - any disagreements that happened would have happened whatever the size of accomodation.

Hope you have a great time.