Kombi Kaper Summer 2017 - Ile de Re - 5th Aug to 19/20 Aug

Thanks Angela. That's brilliant. I might pick your brains about the stopover site.

We're interested Abs , thanks S&J

Hi, no worries - what can I tell you. It was about 20 min from the campsite to the port - quiet, ok for arrivals up to 7pm I think. A café and creperie - not particularly inspirational food but fine, great bathrooms - suited the job well

It meant we could spend the morning continuing to explore the Ile de Re until about 1pm and then after lunch did the 4 hour drive with a petrol stop to St Malo  - arrived at the camp site around 5/6 I think had a calm evening - left the campsite at 8am fresh croissants in hand and were in the queue by 8.30

The official blurb
If you look for relaxing holidays in St Malo in the heart of the Emerald Coast, choose Domaine de la Ville Huchet, the perfect camping place in Brittany.
Ideally located in the district of Quelmer in St Malo, the Corsair City, close to the colourful Rance estuary, the Domaine de la Ville Huchet campsite offers 198 emplacements distributed around a romantic-style chateau on 6 hectares in walled parklands.

Domaine de la Ville Huchet in Saint-Malo, the top destination in Brittany, is located 45 minutes from Mont St Michel and Cape Frehel and is the perfect place for holidays with your family to relax, have fun and enjoy a refreshing change of scenery.

On our 4-star campsite, we propose 106 large camping pitches for touring caravans, tents and motorhomes and 92 different types of very comfortable self-catering accommodation: mobile homes, chalets, cottages and even apartments in outbuildings of the chateau. A lot of sports and activities facilities are available on site, in particular facilities such as an outdoor aquatic park, an indoor leisure pool, services and animations for you to spend memorable holidays in Brittany.

Were they ok with you stopping for just one night? I wonder if they'd have an issue with 10 vans for one night.

We didn't have any problem - the campsite had lots of empty spaces  - but you're right 10 spaces is a lot - the pitches were big - would they allow doubling if necessary I wonder.

We just found it very convenient - I don't think I'd like a 4 am start from the ile de re - also you can't drive out of the ile de re campsite before 8am so all sorts of complications

2 years ago we stayed in a small compound just outside the campsite's gates and from there made an early start. It was fine but I think staying one night nearer to St Malo is a better option.

HH - following discussions at the weekend it was decided that the compound wasn't ideal and that we'd try and find a stopover close to St Malo for one night.

Another suggestion was to use a basic Formule 1 type hotel for one night.

We stopped in a basic hotel in Rennes last year, which worked well for us. The only problem was then that the ferry arrived too late in Portsmouth to be able to get home without another overnight stay. We might consider an overnight ferry from Roscoff to Plymouth next year.

AbsintheKombi wrote:

HH - following discussions at the weekend it was decided that the compound wasn't ideal and that we'd try and find a stopover close to St Maol for one night.

Another suggestion was to use a basic Formule 1 type hotel for one night.

I think that's a good idea. It saves having to unpack/pack for one night.
We found a great hotel on our way to Biarritz this year. From memory it was £50 for the room (3 of us) so not much more than a camping pitch and it had a huge bath! Perfect after a long drive.
I booked it via hotels.com. I'm happy to do some research for a place near St Malo.

I think the St Malo to Portsmouth ferry gets in around 6.30. For us that's just about do-able to Lancashire.

yep it docked at 6.20 - but you're not factoring in tea at the Woodspeen on the way home!

Bluey Louie would definitely be interested

OK - well not that I'm ever impatient or ever jump guns etc etc. but I've booked a ferry crossing. I figured better to lose £35 deposit than not have a ferry and cabins etc.

So Nev will be returning to France on the overnight ferry on Saturday August 5th 2017 and will be returning on August 20th 2017 at 10.30 am

You certainly are keen @ALS , if we come we would have to travel home on Sat 19th , I can't be landing in Portsmouth at 1830 Sunday evening , clear Customs then drive to Dover , unpack and be at work at 0700 hrs on Monday.. I'm too old for that!

Lol - that's what Gary did this year! we landed home at about 10.45pm after stopping for a lovely meal on the way home - tbf I had the following week to unpack so we didn't do much more than bag off roof, bikes off rack and handbags then he was off to work at 6.30 leaving me a cuppa

We'd also look to travel back on Saturday 19th.
I'm not going to book anything until Jean gets back to us with a package.

I've got a message to ring Jean but it'll probably be next week before I have more info. Is the general view that we need to travel back on the Saturday?

From the tenor of BB's post in pretty sure he does!

We've booked the Sunday back

We are easy on dates and time

Saturday would suit us better too. It allows a day to unpack before the next working week.

AbsintheKombi wrote:

I've got a message to ring Jean but it'll probably be next week before I have more info. Is the general view that we need to travel back on the Saturday?

From the tenor of BB's post in pretty sure he does!

I would not want to dictate travel plans to the group , we've traveled home on our two Kapers independently from the rest of the group simply to be involved. I apologize if anybody has taken my comment in the wrong context. It took us over 90mins to get off the ferry and through Customs in Portsmouth last month and that added to a smaller than most three hour drive home and unpack isn't something I'd want to consider with work the next day.

At this stage we are really interested in coming but I have to juggle four weeks holiday and a boss that isn't flexible at all.

I'm sorry if this frustration has manifested itself in my previous post.

beakyboy wrote:

AbsintheKombi wrote:

I've got a message to ring Jean but it'll probably be next week before I have more info. Is the general view that we need to travel back on the Saturday?

From the tenor of BB's post in pretty sure he does!

I would not want to dictate travel plans to the group , we've traveled home on our two Kapers independently from the rest of the group simply to be involved. I apologize if anybody has taken my comment in the wrong context. It took us over 90mins to get off the ferry and through Customs in Portsmouth last month and that added to a smaller than most three hour drive home and unpack isn't something I'd want to consider with work the next day.

At this stage we are really interested in coming but I have to juggle four weeks
holiday and a boss that isn't flexible at all.

I'm sorry if this frustration has manifested itself in my previous post.

I totally get it and it is worth putting in the mix. I much prefer a breather before I launch into another working week after hols so Sat is best for us as Mr HH has already said above. If the only part of the hols that is a bit different for a few is the end by a day we will have done really well. We want you there!!

We don't need to travel on Saturday, and in any case would choose ferry crossings fitting in with the practicalities of travelling from the north. That probably means that we would travel on different crossings from the main group, but be on site for the same core time. If we can get cheaper crossings by not travelling at the weekend that is also a bonus.

Voyager wrote:

We stopped in a basic hotel in Rennes last year, which worked well for us. The only problem was then that the ferry arrived too late in Portsmouth to be able to get home without another overnight stay. We might consider an overnight ferry from Roscoff to Plymouth next year.

On second thoughts, Caen is about the same distance as Roscoff, there are more overnight sailings, and Portsmouth is closer to home than Plymouth.

BB. I entirely understand your concerns, I wasn't in the slightest put out by your post.

I suspect that we'll end up booking our own ferries but I'll give more info when I've heard from Select Sites again. For me the trip and the voyage has to suit everyone- the details won't be hard and fast and the main aim is that we all spend some time together on the island.

How we get there and how long each person stays is a minor detail compared with the fun we'll all have together once we're there.