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Tuesday 25 November 2014

What to Expect When Renting a Mobile Home While Camping in France

There was a time that camping was all about sleeping in a tent. These days, you can rent a mobile home and still be close to nature if you decide to go camping in France.

To rent a mobile home for your camping trip, you need to do some research first to find out how much it costs and what is available. You can do this by yourself and while online, you might be able to get special deals and rates if you make a reservation and pay the down payment.  Take note that the rate changes depending on the season and this is all in Euro not US dollar.

If you don’t have time to look for a mobile home to rent, you can ask your travel agent who is already working on your travel arrangements. Since you are still across the Atlantic, keep in mind that reservations can only be made using a major credit card.

The size of the mobile home varies so you can find out that can house 4 people while there are bigger ones that can house double that number.

Part of what you pay already includes the electrical and water charges as well as a car. If the place you will be staying in is far from the airport, you can choose to have the car waiting in the parking lot with instructions of how to get to the mobile home.

What is not included in the price when you are looking around is are transportation, meals and personal expenses, the provision of bed linen and towels, the cleaning, local tax and bond which is payable on the spot and cancellation insurance.

Since the mobile home is empty, you can bring some of the items all the way from the US or buy it from hypermarkets or supermarkets along the way.

If you would like bed and linen, this is available for rent but you have to request for this while making your reservation.

To do that, make sure that your driver’s license is valid. You will be happy to know that you don’t have to get an international driver’s license since the American driver’s license will do in western European countries. So while you are still in the US, make sure this is still valid. If not, you better have it renewed before you leave so there won’t be any problems if ever you get pulled over.

To be safe, be aware of European street signs and driving laws before you get behind the wheel. It should be pointed out that the auto accident fatality rate in Europe is about four times higher than that in the United States.

Renting a mobile home is not very hard and you can do this on your own or with the help of a travel agent. In the end, you still save money because the rates are still much cheaper than staying in a hotel.

If you enjoyed staying a in a mobile home while camping in France, you are sure to do this again in the foreseeable future. With over 10,000 camp sites all across the country, you are sure to find another which is just as good as this one or maybe even better.

What To See When Camping In France

Why do campers flock to France? Well, probably the same reason why campers go out in the first place. They like to enjoy nature and have a great time outdoors. Now, France offers a whole bunch of choices for campers. From the most basic campsites which actually have nothing but the ground and trees, to the so called star rated campsites which have additional amenities that offer a certain level of comfort to campers, France has them. In fact there are even four-starred campsites which have luxurious restaurants, swimming pools and even perfect and picturesque landscaping. It all depends on what you when to see when you go camping in France.

Be warned, however, that because of the number of campers who flock to France, campsites actually accept advance reservations. If you found a good place, then it would be best to contact the campsite management and arrange something so you won’t have problems with a site later.

Also be aware that July and August are the peak holiday months where guests, tourists and locals alike will take time pitching their tents and enjoying the great outdoors. These two months are indeed the peak season and you should learn to book early pretty much like hotels in the cities.

What you see in your campsite will usually depend of the location. There are sites near the beaches that give campers a pretty much good view of the sea. Activities that involve the sea and water can be organized by the campers themselves. Meanwhile, campsites located inland have hills, valleys, vineyards, trees, shrubs and mountain rivers as their sceneries. Mountain scenes are more prominent in the western parts of France.

Adding to the coastal or mountain scenes are the old towns surrounding or near the campsites. The fascinating towns and villages are a great plus for campers. These towns are added attractions.

Other sites feature full entertainment facilities. A night of dancing and singing are normal in these kinds of camps. Some others will have comfortable beds and a communal dining area where hosts or the camp management will serve meals which can be part of the camp fees collected from campers. Those with a great mountain or forest trail offer hiking activities that can be enjoyed by both adults and children alike. There are campsites with swimming pools that rival those from top resorts.

Amateur, hobbyists and even professional photographers alike will have a field day when they go camping in France. The flora and fauna in the campsites, the culture and picturesque landscape and townscapes are more than enough subjects for the cameras of campers. France is a good place as any to practice photography and other art forms like sketching, painting, and the like.

Regardless of the kinds of activities and amenities available in various campsites, one thing is certain when you go camping in France. You’ll find that generally, the camping experience is a well organized and in fact a well-established practice. You will find campsites that are well maintained and offer quality services for all campers.

What you see when camping in France is an experience like no other. Whether you love the outdoors or not, if given an opportunity to camp in France make sure to not let that chance to pass you by.

Grab the opportunity and enjoy the experience.

Various Ways to Enjoy Camping in France

Camping in France may be something that you want to experience, hence your thorough research about the place and the activities that you can do while on it. You are going to spend money in the process. You might as well use it to make the most out of your trip. If you are still clueless about the activities that you can engage into while at it, it is never too late to learn about it.

While you are at home or maybe during your break time at work, you can start browsing the Internet for the information that it can provide you with about the activity. You can familiarize yourself with different campgrounds available in the area where you will be staying during your visit. You may want to check out the sites' ratings that are being given by its government based on many factors including amenities and freebies.

If you are on a tight budget but you still don't want to miss the opportunity to experience this quest, you must avoid accomplishing your plans during the peak season for tourists who have heard about the good and exciting things about France, specifically about camping. You must not book yourself during the months of July to August because reservations may be higher because at these times, campgrounds add utilities, facilities, sight s and activities to how they usually handle business.

After you have gained enough knowledge and you think that you are ready to pursue what you want to do, the next thing that you must bear in mind is that you have to enjoy the whole process. This can be achieved by thinking ahead as to how this can be accomplished. There are many ways and many things that you can do to make your trip fun and something you will always be reminded about. To help you accomplish such goal, here are the things that you must remember.

1. Know as much information about the location. This is how you will start your planning stage about the activity. By researching about it, you will learn how you will go about your camping trip. You will not miss out on the happenings and you would want to check out on the things that you have been informed about through your research.

2. Meet new people. Experiencing something new is a challenge but can also lead to some fun and adventure. To make your trip more fun as well as memorable, you must try to meet new friends, people who can share with you their inputs regarding the adventure and other things that you may also want to know about.

3. Bring in family or friends. Share the experience with the people whom you care about. By coming into the place in groups, you will be able to explore more about various activities that you will not dare do if you have come alone.

4. Take lots of picture. You must try to capture as many memories that you may want to be reminded about your trip to France. This can be achieved by getting photos of the locations and spots you've been into or the people whom you have met while camping out. You can choose to keep the photos.

You can also share those to other people who are interested about camping in France.

Things You Should Know About Cooking While Camping in France

Before you go camping in France, one of the things you will need to prepare for is the food that you will be eating in the next few days. If you think buying them from the grocery is all that it takes, think again.

One way to save time in cooking is to prepare these meals at home and then just reheat it when everyone is hungry. Bring a long a cover pot to heat it faster. This will save on fuel and make sure dirt and insects do not get into your food.  While some of the food can be kept in plastic containers, the rest can be packed using zip lock bags.

Making a fire takes time so instead bring a long a small oven. Since this comes with a gas canister, be sure this is kept upright at all times and in a well ventilated area. Before you put it in the car, check for leaks by putting soap liquid. When it is not being used, turn it off.

To protect your pots and pans from any fire damage, apply liquid soap on the outside putting over the fire. If you will be out camping for a few days, you better apply oil to prevent food from sticking.

Since burnt food happens in the kitchen, you are sure that this will also happen when you are camping. To clean the pan, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover the bottom and then bring to a boil.

While you are eating, put a pan of hot water over the fire so you will have an easy time cleaning up after everyone is done. Another option will be to bring a large coffee pot. That way, you can also serve coffee or hot chocolate.

You may want to drink something cold while you are camping so buy block ice instead of cube ice. Be sure to also put this inside a cooler so it does not melt together with any other refreshments you decide to bring like juices and sodas. Since you will be opening the cooler very often to get good compared to drinks, better separate the two and put one in another cooler.

It will also be a good idea to bring aluminum foil since these are great for mixing meats and vegetables as well as for cooking and cleanup. To prevent them from burning and keeping it moist, apply some ice.

Certain dishes are not the same without seasoning. If you need to bring some along, use the squeeze bottle versions because these are easier to use. If ever these get hard, shake it and then watch it come out.

On the last day of camping, cook over any left over meats and vegetables by mixing this into an omelet. This is because you can mix almost anything with it and you reduce the amount of leftovers you have to take back home.

Cooking and camping in France should not be a problem now that you know what to do even before you get to the camp site. If this is your first time and you had a blast, you can do it again not only with family but also with friends.

The Reasons Campers Go To France

Because of the wine. Well not really, but consider the wine as an added bonus. You see France is one of the top destinations of campers because simply put, the country is rich with natural resources that make any outdoor activity like camping truly worthwhile. One of the reasons campers go to France is the natural grandeur or the place. From coastal views to mountain scenes, from a valley of vineyards to a forested mountain hike pass, France has the variety that campers look for.

Camping season in France usually begins at the month of May and end around September. The peak months are July and August. The weather during this time is quite warm which is most ideal for camping. But there are areas in France were the weather is warm and nice, all you need is to target these places if you want to go camping and can only go outside the May to September optimal months.

The reasons why you might want to go camping outside the best months is to avoid the rush of campers. Actually, you even if you go during the peak months, you probably will find a great camping place. There are thousands of camping sites in France, each has its own charm, personality and allure. Sometimes, the smaller campsites are even better than the more popular ones.

The great thing about camping in France is having the opportunities to do a variety of outdoor activities. You see when you select a coastal campsite, you have a bunch of water activities to choose from. A mountain camping ground will open up opportunities like hiking and exploring the rivers that flow from the mountain. Even if you camp down in the valley or the countryside, you have various farm activities and there are even things to do near vineyards.

Not to mention the diversity of the towns nearby the campsites. The rich cultural heritage of the towns, the houses and buildings are quite an interesting thing to see. The food is often quite exquisite as well so the dining experience is a great bonus to the overall camping experience.

A large group of campers in a campsite is also a good opportunity for campers to hold activities. Story telling around the campfire at night is a good sharing and bonding experience for the campers. Other group activities can also arise from sharing campsite with other families or groups. Sometimes, the owners of the camping ground or camp managers will organize the activities where campers can participate.

Aside from the villages in the area another good reason for camping in France is sightseeing among the numerous medieval castles in the area. You will find a number of them, castles that you have only seen in TV and movies so far you can appreciate with all its majestic grandeur. Refer to some camping guide books to see what other attractions can be found in a selected campsite. Some attractions might just be within the camp or in nearby towns. Explore and enjoy the possibilities.

Nature and culture are among the best known reasons why people go camping in France. The fact that they can enjoy both is an experience worth having. Campers can go around the country and enjoy the diversity each campsite can offer. Each time you go camping in France, the experience will always be rewarding.