1935, and the parallels with today.

[barryd]

Nothing wrong with Dunkerque; very pleasant coastal resort.

Calais and Dunkerque are ok but nothing special. There are a few half decent spots along that coast but they are generally places we end up for a night or two on the way home. There are far better places to get to once you hit French soil IMO so no desire to hang around north western France really.

 

[kensowerby]

We are 10 miles north of York and use the tunnel to get to froggy land and are too old to be in a rush.
Leave home round about 10am at a steady 58 mph down to Cambridge services for a sandwiche and a cup of tea, a it of a walk round and then our next stop just before the m25 for a break, then depending on the time, we usually book the tunnel for about 7pm, find a place off the m2 and park up near the tunnel or some times try our luck and go straight to the tunnel and bag the early train, once off the train down to Calais plage for a chip butty and then round to Oye plage for a good night's sleep
No rush, no hassle I'm on my holiday there's all tomorrow not started on yet.
My days of pedal to the metal have long gone, as long I'm not bothering anybody I don't give a toss

 

[lefty107]

I've concluded it's just easier now to travel over the other side of the channel at every opportunity. It's a lot nicer - at least once you're over there. The locations, the general topography, the food, the public transport, the people - in fact just about everything you can think of - is far more welcoming and pleasant than here in the UK. The way the UK is 'bigged up' you'd think we were the only nation on earth that had anything 'scenic' going for it. Always make me laugh, that one

I'm too old and knackered to get uptight about any of it. I'll definitely just head over the channel instead if I want an extended tour in the camper.

While I do agree and bugger off across the channel at every opportunity it's only because the French welcome us and our motorhome is catered for in the Aires. I do hope the towns of this country wake up to the positive things we can bring. Love the campaign to bring Aires to this country and the efforts to get park and ride carparks usable for overnight stay

 

[REC]

Can I just say, I love UK and enjoy trips to visit the many scenic places. Less easy to park up but we see it as a challenge and hope it will improve. But also love Europe....get different things from both. Why not have a variety and Best of both worlds.

 

[trevskoda]

All wimps, I drove from scotland all the way tp Plymouth 600 miles with only a few wee stops, don't like a wet seat.

 

[Fisherman]

Let’s not forget that many of recent issues have been created due to all those who normally have headed to Europe have remained here. Also the number of rented vans escalated due to covid. And on top off all this we had the idiots who would normally have headed for warmer destinations behaving poorly in rural areas they would normally never have visited in their disposable tents.
What’s uncertain is have they done serious permanent damage, or will we get back to some kind of normality soon. CAMpRA have a job on their hands, but I think they can do it. But it will demand changes that some of the more experienced amongst us may not be to happy about, involving a much greater use of Aires than in the past, just as we do when travelling to Europe.
Time will tell.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Let’s not forget that many of recent issues have been created due to all those who normally have headed to Europe have remained here. Also the number of rented vans escalated due to covid. And on top off all this we had the idiots who would normally have headed for warmer destinations behaving poorly in rural areas they would normally never have visited in their disposable tents.
What’s uncertain is have they done serious permanent damage, or will we get back to some kind of normality soon. CAMpRA have a job on their hands, but I think they can do it. But it will demand changes that some of the more experienced amongst us may not be to happy about, involving a much greater use of Aires than in the past, just as we do when travelling to Europe.
Time will tell.

Spot on

 

[HurricaneSmith]

........................... and then round to Oye plage for a good night's sleep
No rush, no hassle I'm on my holiday there's all tomorrow not started on yet.
My days of pedal to the metal have long gone, as long I'm not bothering anybody I don't give a toss

I regularly used Oye Place in the past until they closed it off a couple or so years ago. I loved walking along the boardwalk or the beach. There's an aire that was being constructed about a couple of hundred yards or so from the plage restaurant, but I've not used that yet. I also know there's a single spot in Oye Plague itself.

Am I missing out on another quiet place in Oye Plage that I've missed please Ken? PM if you'd rather keep it discreet.

 

[jagmanx]

From Maidenhead where we are based
1 Folkestone is easypeasy and Canterbury P&R
2 we much prefer the tunnel
3 we often go east and know of several nice places near Calais
4 we also go south again many nice places
5 easy enough to go south then west for say Normandy and then south

Big/long Ferries...we do not like
Short small ferries (Norway) are great even if costly (no choice !)

I politely suggest that those of us who can easily afford it will mainly "Chunnel it".
I do understand that those on a more limited budget have their proirities.
Indeed time constraints as well for those working
We are also happy to drive and enjoy !

 

[Derekoak]

When I opened this thread by Fisherman, a bit of a historian, I expected 1935 and the rise of Fascism in foreign parts. My guess the parallel of today was America !
but the right to roam was also important.

 

[TJBi]

From Maidenhead where we are based
1 Folkestone is easypeasy and Canterbury P&R
2 we much prefer the tunnel
3 we often go east and know of several nice places near Calais
4 we also go south again many nice places
5 easy enough to go south then west for say Normandy and then south

Big/long Ferries...we do not like
Short small ferries (Norway) are great even if costly (no choice !)

I politely suggest that those of us who can easily afford it will mainly "Chunnel it".
I do understand that those on a more limited budget have their proirities.
Indeed time constraints as well for those working
We are also happy to drive and enjoy !

I avoid the Chunnel not due to any cost- or time-related factors but simply because of where it is. May be easy from Maidenhead, but not from everywhere. And then there is location in France to consider as well.

 

[TJBi]

Calais and Dunkerque are ok but nothing special. There are a few half decent spots along that coast but they are generally places we end up for a night or two on the way home. There are far better places to get to once you hit French soil IMO so no desire to hang around north western France really.

Some lovely places in northwest France (Normandy, Brittany...). More limited experience of north eastern France, other than steel plants, but some very pleasant locations there as well IMO. Of course, Os can differ...

 

[barryd]

Some lovely places in northwest France (Normandy, Brittany...). More limited experience of north eastern France, other than steel plants, but some very pleasant locations there as well IMO. Of course, Os can differ...

Yes. I wasn't really including Normandy and Brittany in North Western France though hence the comment of getting 300 miles in any direction. Spent a lot of time in both Normandy and Brittany. Fantastic regions. There isnt much else of interest to me in northern France until you get either far over to the east into the mountains of the Alsace and Jura or south of the Loire.

 

[TJBi]

Yes. I wasn't really including Normandy and Brittany in North Western France though hence the comment of getting 300 miles in any direction. Spent a lot of time in both Normandy and Brittany. Fantastic regions. There isnt much else of interest to me in northern France until you get either far over to the east into the mountains of the Alsace and Jura or south of the Loire.

I certainly didn't expect to see anywhere east of Normandy described as north western France!
Yes, Alsace and Jura are good, but I found some delightful places between Metz and Reims and then westbound in the vicinity of the N31 and down to Giverny.