Getting old...

[-Lummox-]

We're thinking of taking campervans for next year... renting them just for Weds - Mon. Anyone done this before, and can recommend somewhere? And any idea on cost?

[ellroy]

Good God Man! What are you thinking?

Stop it now before anyone gets hurt!!

[Truckosaurus]

One of our party hires a motorhome each year from Avis. He normally collects it from the outskirts of Paris but this year collected it from Angers (about an hour south of LM).

[5upra]

We are seriously thinking about the same thing for next year. I live in Kent and have had a quote for £975 for a week in a new 6 berth motorhome. £126 on the ferry between 6. Only problem is 6 ugly blokes sleeping in one. 2x double beds........so we may have 4 sleeping in it and 2 out in a tent. Pros are own shower, loo, no putting up tents etc etc. I have worked out petrol, ferry, hire, tolls etc and entry ticket each and it comes to £300 per person, everything divided by 6.

[-Lummox-]

5upra said:

We are seriously thinking about the same thing for next year. I live in Kent and have had a quote for £975 for a week in a new 6 berth motorhome. £126 on the ferry between 6. Only problem is 6 ugly blokes sleeping in one. 2x double beds........so we may have 4 sleeping in it and 2 out in a tent. Pros are own shower, loo, no putting up tents etc etc. I have worked out petrol, ferry, hire, tolls etc and entry ticket each and it comes to £300 per person, everything divided by 6.

See this is the problem, I've stayed in a holiday home with these lads before and I know how bad they smell (in all respects) after a couple of days of plentiful meat, beer and sunshine and minimal shower facilities. I think a tent might be a little less rank.

(Naturally I smell fresh as a summer breeze at all times...)

But after taking a pop tent this year (what a stupid idea, foetal sleeping position and leg cramps mandatory, tent dripped rain on me when wet and condensation on me when dry outside) the idea of a solid roof and a proper bed sounds appealing...

Perhaps I should just get myself a Mitsubishi RVR instead and keep it to myself...

[Davey S2]

-Lummox- said:

But after taking a pop tent this year (what a stupid idea, foetal sleeping position and leg cramps mandatory, tent dripped rain on me when wet and condensation on me when dry outside) the idea of a solid roof and a proper bed sounds appealing...

Therein lies your problem. Most people who hate camping hate it because they have the wrong gear.

Pop up tents are cr@p. All they have going for them is they are easy to pitch. 4 of my group who went to the LM Classic last year bought them and they all ended up sleeping in their cars after the second night. All the tents went into the bin.

Get yourself a decent 3 or 4 man tent, a double airbed and a decent sleeping bag (season 3). If there are a few of you a cheap gazebo will do for having somewhere to sit if it rains.

[-Lummox-]

Davey S2 said:

-Lummox- said:

But after taking a pop tent this year (what a stupid idea, foetal sleeping position and leg cramps mandatory, tent dripped rain on me when wet and condensation on me when dry outside) the idea of a solid roof and a proper bed sounds appealing...

Therein lies your problem. Most people who hate camping hate it because they have the wrong gear.

Pop up tents are cr@p. All they have going for them is they are easy to pitch. 4 of my group who went to the LM Classic last year bought them and they all ended up sleeping in their cars after the second night. All the tents went into the bin.

Get yourself a decent 3 or 4 man tent, a double airbed and a decent sleeping bag (season 3). If there are a few of you a cheap gazebo will do for having somewhere to sit if it rains.

Already had all that gear. Downsized this year as we had half as much space and twice as many people, and I didn't think we'd have room. Everyone said they were taking smaller tents etc. Turned out I was one of only 2 out of our group of more than 20 who wasn't in a 4 man or more tent, and we had plenty of room. Bugger.

Still, would be nice to have proper beds, no worries about anything expensive getting pikey'd while you're watching the race, and a solid roof over your head if the weather does turn genuinely dire. Didn't enjoy even a good size tent in 2007!

[eddie main man]

I booked a spot in Maison Blanche, only a couple of weeks before. That was 85euros (the week). Then searched for a camper van, as had no space in my house. There is a company in La Fleche who hire vans. The big Fiat ones. Price was around 900€ for the week. Sounds alot, but if you want a bit of comfort, and the price is shared for 4 or 6 people it's starts to look a good price. Consider we were quite fortunate this year in the end with the weather. When I arrived and parked the van up on the Tuesday the weather was awlful. Saw all the poor sods putting their tents up in the rain. My mates had a good spot close to the track, lucky to park up near main power.

For the company I can send the link, if the moderator is okay with that. Otherwise tap in 'camping car La fleche' on google.fr, and you'll find the company.

Only bad thing, they don't speak English, and the guide book for the use how to use the gas, empty the stter etc is in French.

Hope this helps....

-Lummox- said:

We're thinking of taking campervans for next year... renting them just for Weds - Mon. Anyone done this before, and can recommend somewhere? And any idea on cost?

[lowdrag]

Seems expensive to me and no better than buying a big tent from Decathlon. Have a look here:-

http://www.decathlon.fr/FR/t6-3-xl-air-33725692/#

It's something yuou can use and reuse - just takes a bit of room and time to put up, that's all.

ETA: might be easier for you in english!

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/t6-3-xl-air-35305652...

Price isn't much different but for £300 with three bedrooms with windows, living room and full ground sheeting seems a snip.

Edited by lowdrag on Sunday 16th August 17:22

[Tyre Smoke]

You have it all wrong. Caravan is the way to go. Five hairy arsed blokes with loads of cold beer in the fridge, full English every morning, Chilli Con Carne one night, Spag Bol with garlic bread the next,etc. You get the picture. Plus we had the Rangey to go places. With a camper van you are stuck unless someone else has a car. Oh, did I mention we had Sky+ as well? Tents? You must be kidding. We didn't hold anyone up getting down either. We seem to have hit 168 km/h once or twice apparently

[flattotheboards]

Taking a campervan is a great idea, the bloke that camped opposite us had one, he used to drive down in his caterham and decided this year that he would go for the comfortable option - that and the fact he had sold his caterham and was waiting for his CSR260. But he said that he really enjoyed staying in his camper as it was nice and comfy and you can cook proper meals.

[lowdrag]

Yes, campervans are great - but six blokes in one campervan? Hmm. Anyway, the OP says four plus two camping so two plots needed at least. I can jusr see the friendships fray if they all spent time together in one! Of course, if it is the big american style, with sides that move out electrically, marble bathrooms, etc. - I want an invite!

[-Lummox-]

lowdrag said:

Seems expensive to me and no better than buying a big tent from Decathlon. Have a look here:-

http://www.decathlon.fr/FR/t6-3-xl-air-33725692/#

It's something yuou can use and reuse - just takes a bit of room and time to put up, that's all.

ETA: might be easier for you in english!

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/t6-3-xl-air-35305652...

Price isn't much different but for £300 with three bedrooms with windows, living room and full ground sheeting seems a snip.

Edited by lowdrag on Sunday 16th August 17:22

I've already got a tent, albeit not that big. But I don't see the benefit of a tent with a living room. They are still prone to the same problems of a smaller tent, i.e. they are very hot, prone to rain ingress and wind damage, and offer no protection from pikeys. Regardless of how much money you spend on them.

[markCSC]

We went in a camper 2007/8.

Pros?
Both years it pissed down and we were very glad to be warm and dry.
We had Sky!!
We had a fridge of cold beer.


Cons?
Expensive. I think it was £900 for the week + plus fuel + tolls + ferry.

There were 6 of us in a 7 berth camper van and space was still tight. You'll need ear plug if your friends are like mine and do tag team snoring!!!

Showers aren't that great and very small. Oh and we had a no solid rule for the loo. I didn't want to empty it!!!


I drove my car so didn't have to be stuck in the "bus"!!

Next year I'll probably go back to camping in a tent. It worked out really expensive as I had to pay for the camper and my car.

Hope that helps

[greengreenwood7]

or best of both worlds: someone to drive a merc sprinter filled with bikes, freezers, fridge, beer, more beer + mini marquee. civilized camping with one of the operators that has private showers/loos and electric. freezers x 3 ( 2 for food ) 1 for quick chilling the beer. and individual tents for all....marquee just in case, although apart from the wednesday night this year all was good. happy days!

[rdjohn]

http://www.budget-campingcars.fr/Moyenne_Saison-fr...

Is quite to to collect on the way down. Also search French Google under "camping cars rouen louer"

You can forget this of course for the Classic as it is so close to 14th July that they will only rent one for a week, or more

[taffyracer]

flattotheboards said:

Taking a campervan is a great idea, the bloke that camped opposite us had one, he used to drive down in his caterham and decided this year that he would go for the comfortable option - that and the fact he had sold his caterham and was waiting for his CSR260. But he said that he really enjoyed staying in his camper as it was nice and comfy and you can cook proper meals.

Think I was next to him too!

[wie taffy racer]

Ye I think I was too! Nice chap If I rember rightly?

[flattotheboards]

taffyracer said:

flattotheboards said:

Taking a campervan is a great idea, the bloke that camped opposite us had one, he used to drive down in his caterham and decided this year that he would go for the comfortable option - that and the fact he had sold his caterham and was waiting for his CSR260. But he said that he really enjoyed staying in his camper as it was nice and comfy and you can cook proper meals.

Think I was next to him too!

Yeah Taffy you were - we were opposite with the yellow Elise S1.

[trackrod944]

Surely the best bet is for some of the party to drive down in a 4 seater and rest in the camper, plus, take bicycles. We took a couple of fold-ups last year and found them so useful given the size of the circuit, though some of the bods on the gates were a bit iffy about letting us in with them; all depended on the man on the day. But well worth taking if you've the space. One of the main advantages of a camper is that they keep out the noise when attempting to sleep!