Eurocamp/Keycamp type of thing - top tips and things to take?

[AncientCrone]

We're off to Brittany in a couple of weeks, staying in a mobile home type thing. We've never done this sort of holiday before so was wondering if anyone has any top tips or suggestions of things to take with us. Thanks in advance :)

Watching this thread with interest as we go next week. I am a novice at this too but I am taking some essentials such as tea towels, washing up stuff, tea bags, sugar, tin opener and corkscrew . I've also seen suggestions to take a sharp knife for chopping food.

We have a 4 hour drive down to the port so I'm going to prepare some bags for DD (4) and DS (20 months) with sticker books, audio story CDs, sweets for the journey and anything else I can think of. DS is a terrible traveller so I suspect this may only distract him until we get to Birmingham but hey ho!

We went a couple of weeks back. The kids club for 2year old DD was amazing.

The buggy we hired was shit though. Cheap, faded, heavy and dirty. The cot we hired didn't fit in the static anywhere other than the middle of the living room. So I wouldn't bother with those!

Essential kit is loo roll, pan scrubber, cloths, multiple purpose cleaner and washing up liquid, tea towels and hand towels, sheets and duvets and pillow slips and bath towels.

The statics have uk plug sockets as well as European ones.

Have fun

We go next week too - eek! What buggy was it Yoni - was it with eurocamp? I hope not, we've booked one I did look at a 'rumble truck' but can't imagine using that on days out.

A decent knife, preferably one small and a bread knife. Their knifes are always too blunt. We always take a couple of pint glasses for water, beer or wine . Plastic ikea type cups for children.
Some insect repellant for sitting out after DC's have gone to bed. When we went to Brittany we took our duvet as nights/early mornings can be quite chilly especially if you're awake early with children.
Tea towels, j cloths and small washing up liquid, tea bags and instant coffee are good too. Also some tupperware things for picnics and also for keeping flies off butter etc when you're eating outside.
You'll have a great time. We went Eurocamp/keycamp from when our youngest was 2 until last year when he was 16.

Bugger! Do the cots really not fit in the bedroom? I can't have DS in the living room while we're still up and the little so and so will be up and rampaging around the caravan if he's put into a bed.

We've used Haven in this country, and it's standard that travel cots only fit in the middle of the living room. We hired a bed rail for a single bed then put a pop up travel cot on it, rather than have DS sleep in the living room.

Take a tin opener and scissors in case there aren't any provided / they don't work.

If driving, pack clothes etc in those reusable shopping bags - think the big Ikea ones - rather than cases, as they are easily stashed in a cupboard and you can use them for shopping, beach trips etc.

Fantastic, thanks

We are driving - very exciting after we've flown with hand luggage only for the past few years. I'm taking EVERYTHING Considering taking a couple of pans but might be going too far ...

Knives and board were on my list after experiencing crap ones in s/c a couple of years ago but had forgotten loo roll

Good to know they have UK sockets. Do they have a freezer or ice box?

We also have a four hour drive, then an overnight crossing. I have sticker books and will prepare snack bags too plus story tapes (actually CDs but story CDs sounds wrong - possibly showing my age). Might also do some I Spy sheets with things for DD to look out for and cross off.

Meant to say good tip re Ikea bags too :)

Pans might be ok - they're not particularly heavy, and though big you can put other things in them - stuff them with t towels etc then they aren't taking up extra room.

I think they all have fridges with an ice box - the tents do so mobile homes must. Eurocamp says mobile homes have uk or continental sockets, so i'd take adaptor if I was you.

On the cot issue, we did a similar holiday last year in a 2 bed one. We put one of the beds in the 2nd bedroom on its side and put the travel cot up in the space. The bed was just a very light,quite narrow frame with no headboard or anything, so easy to do. We slipped the mattress underneath the other bed. Might work for you.

I'd take stuff like salt, pepper and things like that that you only use a little bit of but make a big difference to your food. Also tea bags, stuff for first evening meal just in case you get there after the shop has shut.
Last time the washing machines were very expensive so I hand washed stuff, so take some hand washing powder.
Washing up liquid, tea towels, sponges, toilet paper, foil.
Have a great time.

Oh yes re the first meal - we're taking frozen bolognese + pasta. Apparently (!) it will defrost slowly in the cool bag and still be ok the next night - hope so anyway! Remember the French supermarkets often don't open on a Sunday if you're arriving on a Saturday. Oh and change for the toll roads.

Agree to all those listed below. We did this every year for 10 years (Eurocamp every time), this is the first year we are not going - you will have a fantastic time - wish I could get back those years when my DC were little! They were the best hols, definitely better than the Mark Warners etc that we also did.
Definitely take a box with things you only use a bit of - eg, salt , pepper, olive oil etc, as the supermarket on the campsite will be eye-watering expensive, also take tins of tuna and passata and also dried pasta so you can knock up something quick when everyone is tired - especially the first night. Also breakfast cereal.Also, if you have a cool box, before you go, freeze a few 2ltre containers of milk (pour a bit out first as it expands when frozen). they will slowly defrost on route, and then you already have fresh milk to put in the fridge when you get there. Put a couple of beers in with them for you and DH to have a cold beer when you have unpacked.
Have a small bag with tea, coffee, toilet roll, biscuits close to hand when you arrive, also swimming stuff and towel so you can easily grab and run.
So not go to the nearest French supermarket on a Sunday morning -it will be packed!!!
Buy the semi-baked baguettes you can get from Asda at the moment 2 for £1, so you can easily have fresh baked baguettes -the queue at the shop in the morning will be long.
Take your own carriers for French supermarkets - they charge for them.
We now take a bike lock thing to put on the caravan door after DH's phone was stolen from a locked Eurocamp caravan 2 years ago .
I wish I was going this year....

Might be worth getting a peage device from the Sanef website. We got one a few years ago, and it is fantastic! (was recommendation form a mumsnetter on the skiing threads). It is a transponder that automatically charges you when you go through the peage (toll booth). Queues are shorter, and you don't have to stop twice (take ticket, pay ticket) - you just pay afterwards by direct debit. I love it!!

(and TickledOnion great name )

Where do you get them from Catherine? They sound great!

With regards to locking up - as we're staying in a tent I had wondered about this! I guess we just shouldn't leave valuables?

Duh sorry just seen about Sanef website. Ignore me!

Some excellent tips, especially the frozen stuff which should be nicely defrosted when we arrive. We are overnight from Portsmouth to St Malo and have been pondering that food to take for the picnic on the drive down as anything chilled would be warm by then but I may nestle it amongst the frozen milk.

For anyone else who has booked a cot. I've spoken to Eurocamp and they are asking the couriers on site to remove one of the single beds in the second bedroom to make room for the cot.

Let the countdown begin!

Ooooh Portsmouth to St Malo - we always did this! Hol starts when you board the ferry!

I would really recommend taking a pair of kitchen scissors. It's surprising how often we seem to need a pair of scissors for opening packets/other odd jobs, and they never seem to have them in the mobile home, so we always pack a pair now.

As someone else said, breakfast cereals are a good thing to take as the choice in supermarkets is quite limited and very expensive.

I'd also recommend stocking up on packs of ice creams from the supermarket as they have really delicious ones and save you a fortune compared to buying them from the shop on site.

If staying in a tent we tend to lock anything of any value in the car or roof box rather than leave it in the tent, although I've never heard of anyone having anything stolen this way.

ooh which one. we got back from l'atlantique last week. it was such a lovely holiday.

take more towels than you think you might need but they have most stuff there

Getting excited, going in 3 weeks, and have had some brilliant hols there over the last 6 years. We have 10 hours travelled before we even get to Birmingham!
Just take it add it comes and enjoy the experience!
Best tip someone gave us is everyone has 1 pillowcase to pack - limits how much everyone takes, and very efficient for packing into car(not good if you like everything ironed!). Everyone has 1overnight bag to carry what they need in the journey. We bring box of snacks/picnic for journey, plus some basics like teabags x sharp knife, potato peeler etc. French supermarkets are good, and you will get most things you use, but beware they are not open on Sunday evenings.
Tips for travelling.... don't over pack, only take the essentials that you will use.
What keeps your children amused - books, talking, music, games etc.
Take regular stops before everybody gets grumpy (we stop every2 hours).
Keep a sick bag handy in car.
Keep toilet roll ready to hand.
French roads are great, and nowhere near the congestion as over here. Lots of tolls, but worth it.
Fuel cheaper in France, but motor way service stations extortionate (15 to 25c more expensive than supermarkets!).
After crossing, put watch/ring on wrong hand our dicker on windscreen to remember to drive on wrong side of road.
Bring triangle, high vis vest share bulbs with you, and buy disposable breath testers on boat.

Caravan tips.....
We take sheets and sleeping bags for children.
Most kitchen utensils are there.
Stock up in supermarket, site shop will be expensive.even ice lollies are good value from supermarket,but extortionate on site shop.
Fresh bread available every morning (one of the best parts of France!!)
Pools usually well supervised, but need swimming trunks, not shorts at some sites.

Don't forget....
Passports (in date!!!)
EHC card, travel insurance and breakdown insurance.
V5, mot and insurance and licence plus copies.
Vouchers, tickets and information for boats/sites.
Credit card (good euro rate) and cash.
Maps / Satnav.
Suncream and raincoats!

Take your first year as a learning year. Once you have done it once, keep your checklist for next year to make it easier for next year!

detailed local map so you can go to the more remote/quieter beaches. a badminton set to use on the pitch and a cricket set is an easy way to make friends onsite.

Good point Dreaming on maps..., local maps normally available in local supermarket our tourist office.
Tourist office will be good source of in formation on lock area.