| It's that time of year again! Carp angling enthusiasts | | | | easier by you having placed simple boundaries on to |
| are toiling in vein trying to search the net to find a | | | | your requirements list. Alternatively there are some |
| premium resource of French Carp Lakes from which | | | | excellent Fishery directories that can offer you a large |
| to choose a venue for their fast approaching carp | | | | selection of French Carp Lakes all on the one site thus |
| fishing holiday. If you have ever attempted to find a | | | | easing the pain of trawling through the many individual |
| French Carp fishing venue you will find, and many | | | | websites available on the net. |
| people will agree, that it is not an easy task by any | | | | Thank goodness you've found that perfect venue! |
| stretch of the imagination. France is such a huge | | | | Now we should look at the travel arrangements to |
| country with so many commercial carp fisheries and | | | | your choice of venue! |
| public lakes on offer, it really does pose many big | | | | Travelling to your destination will most definitely utilise 1 |
| questions for any newcomer or experienced angler | | | | if not more of these 4 main modes of transport. Most |
| alike! What do we need to take? Where should we | | | | French Carp Fisheries are easily accessible by Plane, |
| go? How far do we need to travel? Which venue is | | | | Train, Car and Ferry and, very often, you will end up |
| best for us? These are just a few of the simple | | | | using more than one of these modes per trip! We will |
| queries that one has to broach should you want to go | | | | now play devils advocate and break these transport |
| to France fishing for carp. Ignore these questions at | | | | arrangements down to supply you with our opinion of |
| your peril as many trips can be ruined due to | | | | the pro's and cons of your choice of transport details. |
| inadequate or miss-placed organisation. | | | | We will start with travelling to your chosen French |
| If the first paragraph has made you nervous, don't fret! | | | | Carp Fishery by aeroplane! With so many airports |
| Within this article we are going to assist you with a list | | | | dotted all around the UK and France it has now |
| of helpful processes so as to guide you to getting the | | | | become very easy to access large areas of France |
| best from your French carp fishing trip. | | | | and in turn many different lake venues. Catching a |
| 1) Firstly I think that Health and Safety is the best place | | | | plane to France is a very fast and relaxing option to |
| to start our pre trip planning! Having an accident and | | | | choose for the start of your fishing holiday. Many |
| hurting yourself or falling ill in another country, albeit | | | | French fisheries are usually within a very easy 2 hour |
| unlikely, is not going to be an easy obstacle to | | | | circumference from most UK airports so travelling to |
| circumnavigate. Not being able to speak French fluently | | | | your destination will be a quick, slick affair and with |
| and trying to scale the different health system queries | | | | most fishery owners willing to provide an airport pick |
| will cause much confusion so it is essential that you | | | | up/drop off service your travelling needs are kept |
| buy or renew any existing health insurance you might | | | | simple, quick and effective, ultimately giving you more |
| have. It is absolutely vital that you gain the correct | | | | time on the bank! |
| insurance cover for your carp fishing trip to France, a | | | | The cons for this mode of transport are that your |
| quick phone call to your chosen insurance provider | | | | luggage allowance is very limited thus restricting your |
| should indicate to you that you will need to gain a | | | | option of taking all your own tackle with you! Don't |
| European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Every | | | | fear! A lot of the fisheries that are located close to |
| member of the family who is travelling will need their | | | | French airports can offer a great tackle loan facility |
| own card and, in the case of those from the UK, the | | | | that doesn't cost the earth and which very often |
| card is valid for up to five years. To make matters | | | | includes the use of high spec, quality tackle. |
| easier, you can apply for an EHIC by phone or by post | | | | By far the most utilised method of accessing a French |
| or through the post office in the UK. | | | | Fishing Holiday is by a car or van. Whether it is a hire |
| 2) With your health and safety organised I think we | | | | car, van or your own vehicle it is still very |
| should now go to the exciting bit and start to search | | | | advantageous to use this type of transport. The |
| for a venue for your holiday! We should all go straight | | | | advantages of taking a car/van to France is that |
| to the computer as this is where I will mainly direct my | | | | France will then become your oyster! You can choose |
| examples. Now, type in the search box "Find a French | | | | where you want to go and at what time! You can |
| Carp Fishing Lake" and hit enter! Oh dear, looking at | | | | take all your own tackle in a car or van and it also |
| the search engine results is not a pretty picture is it? | | | | gives you far better access to your chosen lakes |
| Page after page of French carp fishing venues appear | | | | surroundings. For example, access to shops, site |
| before your eyes, your eyes scan the eclectic mix of | | | | seeing areas and supermarkets, is, in my opinion, a real |
| venues and the voices in your head start to fire | | | | necessity as there are usually so many different |
| unlimited questions at your subconscious person | | | | towns and attractions to visit should you wish to dilute |
| "where on earth do I begin my search through this little | | | | your fishing holiday. Choice is definitely the most |
| lot"! So many venues and from so many different | | | | important factor with using your own vehicle which, to |
| areas, offering a diverse choice of packages, facilities | | | | me, is very important when fishing in France. |
| and prices! It's really not surprising that many anglers | | | | When driving to France from the UK it is always |
| start to switch off and try to make matters easier for | | | | essential to use a ferry to cross the Channel and, as |
| themselves by cutting their homework short and | | | | you will soon see, there are many different ports to |
| sticking to the well known venues or the venues they | | | | utilise in the UK. Some of the more popular Channel |
| see on the first pages of their computer search or | | | | crossing ports used regularly by Carp anglers escaping |
| their weekly/monthly magazines. My advise in this | | | | to France for their Fishing holidays are, to name but a |
| situation is don't panic or switch off, just go and grab | | | | few, Southampton, Portsmouth, Dover, Ramsgate, |
| yourself a pen and paper and sit down with a cup of | | | | Weymouth and Plymouth. These ports are all located |
| tea, a glass of wine or a cold beer and list everything | | | | along the South coast of England and service various |
| you desire from your carp fishing trip to France. Your | | | | different French Ports. When booking your carp fishing |
| list of wishes may well be infinite but rest assured | | | | holiday to France it is especially important to choose a |
| setting out a wish list will certainly aid your trawl | | | | departing and destination port very carefully as this |
| through the vast quantities of French Carp Fisheries. | | | | may save you a lot of time, money and driving hassle! |
| Recorded on your list may be a good washing facility, | | | | For example, if you choose the Dover to Calais ferry |
| shower or toilet or some may want a lake that has | | | | and your Carp fishing holiday destination was located |
| fish to 50lb! It doesn't matter what or how many | | | | in Brittany you should weigh the financial and time |
| stipulations you end up having on your list, every word | | | | options up in comparison to a ferry trip from Plymouth |
| written on that piece of paper is going to help you find | | | | to Roscoff, Poole to Cherbourg or Portsmouth to Le |
| the perfect French fishery match for you! | | | | Havre or Caen. I live close to the ferry port of Calais |
| Here I have roughly outlined a typical example of what | | | | but have driven to Portsmouth before because, |
| myself and my carp fishing buddies have placed on | | | | although slightly more expensive and a longer crossing |
| one of our lists, in no particular order of preference:a) | | | | than from Calais, it has eliminated a long, awkward |
| We would like a lake with fish to 50lbb) Must have | | | | drive on the French side. It is just a fine balancing game |
| good washing facilities, don't want to be smelly!c) Food | | | | between the more expensive ferry crossing from the |
| package (as we don't want to cook ourselves, too | | | | Dorset and Devon ports and the access and driving |
| much washing up!)d) Travelling Distance/Time = No | | | | situation to your chosen French Carp Lake once you |
| more than 4 hrs from Calaise) Size of the Lake = | | | | have landed in France. |
| minimum 10 acres as it needs to accommodate 6 | | | | Our last mode of transport is the train! Not the most |
| anglersf) Price for fishing = No more than £350 | | | | popular choice of transport to use when going to |
| inclusive of food.g) Does the lake have | | | | France carp fishing but definitely worth a thought. The |
| accommodation for non fishing guests? | | | | French train and services are very good throughout |
| These pointers, of course, are not going to be the | | | | the country servicing many areas so if you fancy a |
| same for every carp angler going to France, they | | | | light luggage trip to the South of France to fish one of |
| extend a good example of the type of listing technique | | | | the many large reservoirs (e.g. Salagou, Cassein) then |
| that will help place a guideline to help you gain the right | | | | a very quick way to access these lakes are via train. |
| lake choice. Once this list is completed it will easily | | | | The only pitfalls of this method would be to have to |
| discount the venues that aren't suitable for your fishing | | | | travel relatively light with your tackle/luggage and the |
| trip to France and with so many venues to choose | | | | travelling from your destination to your chosen carp |
| from on your search engine results page, you should | | | | fishery/lake. BUT, as I have mentioned before, if you |
| feel a lot more confident that your final choice of | | | | choose a commercial fishery in France for your carp |
| venue will be the right fishery for you. As you will see | | | | fishing holiday, the owners are usually only to pleased |
| from the search engine results in front of you, there is | | | | to offer a pick up and drop off service for you and |
| still homework to be done, but it will be made a lot | | | | your tackle! The train is most certainly food for thought! |