Carp Fishing Holidays in France - some tips for choosing the right venue

There are some excellent and some very poor carp fisheries in France

, I have fished a fair few of them, and we regularly hear reports from customers at our lake, comments that are

not always complimentary, relating to venues previously visited in France.

Unfortunately it is a fact that there are plenty of unscrupulous lake owners in France with little or no knowledge of fisheries management - please be careful !

It is important to find the right venue for you, carp anglers do not all want the same thing, so don't just follw the crowds, look for what you really want in your holiday.

Some of the factors that might be important to you are ;

price

size of the carp

size of the lake

degree of difficulty of fishing

distance from the ferry port/ travel time to venue

availability of airport collection

can the venue be booked exclusively ?

Is there accommodation at the lake and how far from the water is it ?

do the owners live on site ?

location/climate

availability of food at the venue

The first advice that I would give to prospective customers is to look very carefully at the website of the venue in question. Are there photos of carp which match up to the claimed stock - if you don't see plenty of photos of fish of a similar size then be very wary. This also applies to the size of the lake (most lakes are smaller than they are claimed to be) I have spoken to a lot of people who have turned up at a venue to find that the lake is half its advertised size...

How difficult is the lake to fish and does this correspond to your level of skill and experience ? Often this is tied to the size of the lake and what you are used to fishing in the UK, if you are used to fishing small waters then it might be best to look at a similar sized lake in France.

This is not to say that all small waters are easy, in fact some of the smaller waters in France can be very difficult indeed, so check out the catch reports on the website.

The location of the venue and the distance from the ferry port at which you will be arriving will obviously determine the length of your journey in France, and will also have an impact on the weather that can be expected. If your chosen venue is in Northern France and you are looking to book a holiday in April or October for example, don't expect to be spending the week in shorts and t-shirt !

On the other hand, if you are taking your partner with you, the likelihood is that she will be looking for a holiday in the summertime and will be hoping for plenty of sunshine, so the venues located in the southern half of the country will offer the best chance of good weather.

The journey time to some of these southern venues can be extensive, from Calais down to the Limousin area can take 8 to 10 hours driving with a copuple of stops on the way, some of the venues in the Dordogne are 10-12 hours drive. Fortunately, some of these venues offer a package that includes collection from the nearest airport and hire of a full carp fishing set-up for the week. Although driving in France is very relaxing compared to the UK, If you are not fond of driving then a venue that has this option may well be worth considering.

Do you want to share the lake and facilities with other anglers ? If not then you will need to choose from one of the many venues offering exclusive bookings. Choosing this type of venue means that you will have exclusive use of the lake and the on-site facilities. The main advantage of this is that there will not be other anglers fishing the water, this rules out the possibility of having your holiday spoiled by others.

Does the venue offer accommodation ? Lakeside accommodation takes a carp fishing holiday to another level, and if you are taking your partner or the whole family with you, they won't want to spend the week in bivvies ! There are only a few venues that offer high quality accommodation, and these venues are justifiably popular, so you will need to book well in advance, possibly up to 2 years in advance in some cases ! Remember to check how far from the lake the accommodation is - the closer the better !

Are the venue owners English and do they live on site ? This can provide extra security and reassurance for guests should you have any problems or emergencies whilst you are there.

Finally - does the venue offer a food package ? Whether you are taking your partner or not, this option can be very attractive, meaning that you will be catered for, with breakfast, lunch and evening meal provided - the ultimate option for spoiling yourself !

Two carp fishing holiday venues Les Croix and Les Levades offers many of the above options - please take a look at the websites !

Carp Fishing Holidays in France - some tips for choosing the right venue

By: Jon Perkins

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