Hi,
the campsite search on here is very good and I have used it many times, however I was looking for a recommendation for a family friendly area so I can narrow my search.
In the past we have stayed a couple of times in the Loire valley near Samur, which was beautiful but feel we have seen most of what the area has to offer.
In between 2 visits to the loire Valley we stayed in the Ardene near Joinville. Fantastic campsite but very little to do within an hour of the campsite. Herein lies the problem, you can find a nice campsite but also hard to see what's around it and also get a feel for the area
So I was looking for recommendations of nice parts or areas of France that are family friendly for two 10 year olds.
Criteria:
within 7 hours of Calais.
Avoiding Normandy/Brittony
Feel free to recommend an area, a town/village or even a specific campsite if appropriate.
I'm basically just looking to narrow my search, and hopefully getting a recommendation on somewhere new to visit with the kids this year.
Many thanks in advance
Steve
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Have you looked at the French Alps? We have stayed around lake Annecy (at the bottom end of the lake) and there were lots of families with kids. There are loads of water sports on the lake itself if you are interested in that sort of thing and there is a good off road cycle path that runs right down the lake. Annecy itself is an interesting town and there are lots of small towns and villages within a reachable radius either around the lake or further up into the mountains.
When ours were that age we went to the Vendee. Campsites there had plenty to do for children. Alternatively, had you thought of the Dordogne? I'm not sure whether than might just be outside your 7 hours, but there's plenty to interest all ages there.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Steve, Are you tied to France? Your ten year olds would be happy at Camping de Paal in the Netherlands, and the adults would find ample touring opportunities in the area.
Quote: Originally posted by Pixie_Hez on 23/1/2023
Have you looked at the French Alps? We have stayed around lake Annecy (at the bottom end of the lake) and there were lots of families with kids. There are loads of water sports on the lake itself if you are interested in that sort of thing and there is a good off road cycle path that runs right down the lake. Annecy itself is an interesting town and there are lots of small towns and villages within a reachable radius either around the lake or further up into the mountains.
Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 23/1/2023
Steve, Are you tied to France? Your ten year olds would be happy at Camping de Paal in the Netherlands, and the adults would find ample touring opportunities in the area.
Hi, not tied to France but my girls are learning French, my wife speaks a little french, and more importantly as tent campers we want to have some (almost guaranteed) sunshine
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by JoannaLesley on 23/1/2023
When ours were that age we went to the Vendee. Campsites there had plenty to do for children. Alternatively, had you thought of the Dordogne? I'm not sure whether than might just be outside your 7 hours, but there's plenty to interest all ages there.
Thanks for the suggestion. Is there plenty to see around the Vendee for days out with 10year kids?
By that I mean cultural stuff as well as kids stuff
We never camped but spent 4 years heading down to the area all around La Rochelle, lots around to keep both ten year olds and parents happy and busy, just cant recommend any campsites sorry, we now travel bit further and are heading to the Ardeche and Cevennes this year.
Quote: Originally posted by brendan12 on 23/1/2023
We never camped but spent 4 years heading down to the area all around La Rochelle, lots around to keep both ten year olds and parents happy and busy, just cant recommend any campsites sorry, we now travel bit further and are heading to the Ardeche and Cevennes this year.
I second that suggestion of the La Rochelle area. Look at Camping Port Punay at Chatellaillpn - good quality campsite with beaches close by for children, visits to La Rochelle and Rochefort tor the adults.
Easy travel by ferries to Cherbourg and St Malo rather than driving all the way from Calais.
Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 23/1/2023
Quote: Originally posted by brendan12 on 23/1/2023
We never camped but spent 4 years heading down to the area all around La Rochelle, lots around to keep both ten year olds and parents happy and busy, just cant recommend any campsites sorry, we now travel bit further and are heading to the Ardeche and Cevennes this year.
I second that suggestion of the La Rochelle area. Look at Camping Port Punay at Chatellaillpn - good quality campsite with beaches close by for children, visits to La Rochelle and Rochefort tor the adults.
Easy travel by ferries to Cherbourg and St Malo rather than driving all the way from Calais.
Hi thanks for the additional suggestions, but Cher/St Malo ferry is too expensive for us, when we can use tesco vouchers to get a free crossing at Calais. So unfortunately we are stuck with Calais for now and hence limited by a sensible travelling distance from it.
We are tent campers also so not ideal for stop overs etc
Post last edited on 23/01/2023 15:43:09
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Hi there, you don't have to camp on the stopovers, we often just get a budget Ibis type hotel generally quite cheap and it breaks the journey up, we are 3.5 hours from calais so tend to stop at either Rouen if heading west or Troyes if heading south.
Like others, I'd recommend the Vendée, there's chateaus for the cultural side, great beaches and other attractions. Many campsites to choose from.
I'd also recommend the Charente-Maritime, as others have said, La Rochelle area has good beaches and plenty of cultural stuff, we'd always recommend Camping Au Port Punay at Châtelaillon-Plage, lovely site run by great people, it has a pool, good beaches in Châtelaillon-Plage and you can hop on a bus to take you into La Rochelle.
The Royan area further down the coast has plenty for all to see and do.
When we used tents we used Formule1 Hotels and later Premiere Classe and then Campanile. These will give you an overnight stop at a reasonable price, usually with a secure car park. some of them (perhaps all) have family rooms to keep the cost down.
This would help get you further down or across the country without driving too far in a day. When mine were young they thought this was part of the adventure as they really hadn't done much else other than camp.
Quote: Originally posted by w0nderste on 23/1/2023
Hi, not tied to France but my girls are learning French, my wife speaks a little french, and more importantly as tent campers we want to have some (almost guaranteed) sunshine
You're not likely to get almost guaranteed sunshine within 7 hours of Calais. You need to be a fair way south of the Loire for that.
As former tent campers, when our kids were that age we liked the Dordogne or Ile de Re (we used to ovenight in the Loire for both).
Now retired in the Dordogne and usually holiday on Ile de Re early September.
Hi, It has always been said that to get decent weather you must be South of the Loire so the area you are looking at should be OK and the travel time to Vendee/La Rochelle are around your maximum 7 hours.
So far as stops go, its very unlikely that you will be able to make that area from the UK without a stop somewhere and we would recommend Hotel B&B which, with their meazzanine bed areas, automated check in etc, should be perfect for you.
We have not stayed at Port Punay but is on our list as it has been recommended by a few people, and now netherton, but no idea of suitability for children.
The Vendee would be my choice and we can highly recommend Camping Pin Parasol.
We chose it during a visit to look at sites in 2017 and stayed there for 2 weeks in 2018-us with two grandchildren in our caravan and our daughter, son in law and three children in their tent.
Its one of the best holidays we have had, with a fantastic pools are, there are now two after a new development that year, and an overall quality and clean atmosphere.
Its now part of the Yelloh Village chain and we had an email recently with offers for pitches but if you are tied to high season its not cheap-but then nowhere will be.
As for things to do the top draw for families has to be Puy Du Fou-we enjoyed it so much we went back the next year with friends.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Family friendly area recommendations
via mobile 23/1/2023 at 12:33pm
