Camping

Brittany Ferries is offering 10% off all holidays booked by 18 January 2010.

The choice includes Brittany, Normandy, Western Loire and Aquitaine; Hotels, gites, villas. cottages, apartments, camping etc.

For more info see Brittany Ferries

France need not be too expensive this year despite the poor exchange rate against the euro, especially if you take advantage of early booking discounts on most of the cross-channel ferry operators.

For example Brittany Ferries on the western Channel offers early booking offers which can save up to 25% on selected cottages right through the rest of the year and 10% on gite holidays in Normandy!

Or for those planning a camping holiday there is the option of Chalet Camping with one night FREE! (Great for families with children of all ages or active couples, they offer plenty of on site activities and entertainment)

Save up to 25% on selected apartments in France

Also check out the following:-

Day Trips to France & Cruises -Whale & Dolphin Cruise – Hotel breaks from only £79
2 night Cherbourg Break
2 night Ouistreham Break
2 night Roscoff Break
2 night St Malo Break

For more details see www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/offers

In the midst of all the doom and gloom a raw December and poor economic prospects comes the news that the pound has sunk to a record low against the €uro. The best tourist rate I can find (12 December 2008) is £1 = €1.0898 , (rates from the Post Office for online orders for amounts over £350).

Fortunately the fall in the oil price still means that unleaded petrol (85) at €1.089 and diesel at €0.967 is broadly the same as current UK prices, a welcome relief after prices earlier in the year of £1.30 or more per litre.

So what can you do? Currency speculation is a dangerous game, but if you kept your spare €uros from your last trip, they are worth more now than before. But buying €uros now for next year is pure speculation.

One option is to book your ferry or other travel soon – with the loss of Speedferries there will be less capacity across the Channel next summer, and on the back of the Speedferries experience, ferry companies may be wary of offering ultra cheap prices especially in the high season. There are still some cheap offers around, but in general I would expect the level of cross-channel fares to increase next year. Perhaps book soon or very late would be the best advice – there may also be some good late-booking offers if the poor economy and exchange rate make a big dent in European travel next year.
P&O Ferries are offering crossings Dover – Calais from £27 each way, whilst Norfolkline is offering fares from £19 each way Dover – Dunkerque for bookings by 31 January 2009

Another approach may be to look at self-catering and/or camp site holidays where you can have more control over your spend, especially if you shop and cook for yourselves. Whilst eating out in France can be a real joy, it is no longer such a cheap option. B&B (Chambres d’Hote) can often provide a great alternative to hotels at a bargain price – with all the advantages of a warm welcome and good local knowledge. It can be a not scary first time, but most people find it a real bonus – saving money and meeting local residents – and of course there are numerous British-owned B&Bs and gites throughout France where the language need not be a barrier.

Whilst the temptation may be to stay in the UK next year, that is also not a cheap option unless you literally stay at home. Visitors from France generally comment on how expensive the UK is, even with the stronger €uro.

I can understand the attraction of fishing, but have never dabbled, always arguing that I do not have enough time to indulge in an activity which is so quintissentially time-consuming. Like all the best leisure pursuits, I suspect fishing enables you to escape into another world which is virtually timeless and far removed from the pressures of modern life.

To be able to pursue this interest in the heart of France in a beautiful setting, dominated by a fine chateau, looks even more tempting – and this is what is on offer at the Chateau de Tigny at Pouilly-Sous-Charlieu (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) north of Roanne near Charlieu.

Here Tony and Lorraine Dicks bought the chateau some 18 months ago, since when they have been renovating the chateau, preparing and stocking the lake and coping with French bureaucracy. The result looks to be stunning, with some gite acccommodation also coming on stream in 2009!

The charming medieval village of Charlieu is steeped in history and was founded in 875 by Benedictine monks from the Touraine. Charlieu has many attractions such as the Abbey Benedictine, a beautiful church, museums, plus many bars, shops and restaurants. Surrounded by country lanes and woodlands Charlieu is an idyllic place suitable for walking, cycling and enjoying the fresh country air. There are many local town markets open during the week so there is always plenty to do.

The enchanting Chateau de Tigny is a 16th century French Bourguignon style castle complete with two towers and a beautiful pigeonnier. The Chateau is surrounded by a moat on three sides.
Situated in front of the Chateau is a tranquil, 12 acre lake stocked with large Carp making Chateau de Tigny a most desirable place for Carp fishing holiday’s. The lake is for 1- 6 anglers.
Either stay in our luxury bed and breakfast accommodation or you can choose the “Drive-and Survive” package. The Chateau offers two luxury suites of accommodation. The Queen Ann suite has a romantic four-poster bed and the Rococo suite, comprising of a double and two single beds, which can sleep up to a family of four. The rooms are both en-suite and a continental breakfast is included.

And, whilst the main attraction may be the carp fishing for some, there is plenty for non-anglers to enjoyThere are resident Barn Owls in the front Tower, Red Squirrels , Eagles and Hawks around the grounds with kingfishers on the lake, ducks on the islands and the occasional deer in the fields behind the lake – ideal if you are in to photography, painting or just enjoying the tranquility of the French countryside!

For more info see www.chateaudetigny.com

For more info on Charlieu see www.ville-charlieu.fr

Conveniently situated a kilometre or so off the main RN10 route (heading for Bordeaux, Aquitaine and the Basque country) near Limalonges (79 Deux Sevres, Poitou-Charentes) is an English run Chambres d’Hote run by Josie and Dave Duffield.
Situated in the heart of Poitou Charentes (roughly mid-way between Poitiers and Angouleme) bordering the Charente and Vienne departments, the area has a gentle climate and varied countryside “reputed to have the most sunshine hours away from the Mediterranean coast.”

When I can I prefer to use routes such as the N10 down to Bordeaux or the Dordogne – good quality roads, generally light traffic (away from the main towns),less frenetic (and cheaper) than the autoroute, and plenty of opportunity to break the journey with a little detour into a “centre ville” for a coffee or croissant, and a stroll around the shops to stock up for the picnic lunch. It does however take longer, but you are likely to arrive less hassled and more in tune with France.

The comfortable accommodation offered includes 3 large en-suite bedrooms (2 doubles, 1 of which can be made into a family room) and 1 twin) – each room has natural stone walls and wooden beams. Prices which include breakfast start at €30 for a single, or €45 for a double. An ideal overnight stop, a base for visiting the region (the Marais Poitevin, la Rochelle and Cognac are all within range) and perhaps a chance tp explore another region which too many of us hurtle through rather than savour. And of course, your hosts will be able to offer good advice on where to go, where to eat or the name of a good notaire if you are looking to buy property in the region.

They also welcome caravans and motorhomes for a night stop-over on the journey south (or north) which could be a welcome change from commercial campsites or motorway “aires”.
See our customised Google Map of Poitou-Charentes
For more info, availability and bookings use the form below:-

cforms contact form by delicious:days

France always seems to be a little schizophrenic about new technology – rather backward and bureaucratic in some areas, yet at the cutting edge in others. France invented and rolled out Minitel nationally many years ago which was a pre-cursor to the web and an impressive technology, but sadly overtaken by the personal computer and Internet Explorer. Yet many more rural establishments in France do not accept credit/debit cards – especially if they are not French. Then there is the TGV high speed train network which is the envy of many other countries.

As for internet access the picture is patchy and a little unpredictable. Naturally the major cities are well provided with internet cafes and high speed residential connections. But even in the most isolated areas some high speed internet speeds are available, often supported by local authorities, seeing the web as a valuable asset in supporting the local economy and stemming population drift to the major conurbations.

For the traveller in France the picture is improving rapidly – internet cafes can be found in many towns and villages – the cafe owners recognising that this will give them an extra edge in attracting customers,
Most of the major hotel chains such as upmarket Mercure and Novotel and even budget hotels such as Ibis, Etap and Forumule One will offer Wi-Fi (pronounced “wiffee”). Of course, your needs will depend on whether you carry a portable PC or other device with you – but even then many hotels, including small independents, will offer a free terminal in reception with access to the internet.
Now campsites are following suit, such that the Michelin Guide to Camping in France now includes symbols for internet access. We recently visited an idyllic campsite on the Brittany coast where you could have a delightful view over the coastline, whilst tapping away on your computer catching up on your emails – all included in the campsite fee. But although its good to be able to do so, with scenery like that the keyboard and screen seem an unwelcome diversion.
There are other offerings from the main French mobile phone networks – including a wireless 3G USB key (cle internet 3G) similar to that available in the UK from networks such as Vodafone. Depending on your needs and budget you can purchase a pay-as-you-go Internet USB device with no contract – e.g. SFR offer one for €99 and for each day you want to use it the cost is €10 per day for 24-hour access; Orange and the other networks offer similar options – you may need a French bank account and/or a French address to sign up to some of the plans. However, roaming fees on the main UK mobile phone networks can be very expensive for data – check with the operator before you leave.

UPDATE The Geant Casino Hypermarket in Brest (29 Finistere, Brittany) offers free wi-fi throughout the shopping mall.

The French networks also offer a wide coverage on WiFi Hotspots – for many of which you can purchase airtime online or by subscribing to a network before arriving in France such as Freedom4Wifi