After much deliberation we are now looking at heading into the French Alps for a couple of weeks in August.
Not much bothered where, just want to be in the mountains, near a lake maybe on a smallish site with a pool. Quiet site prefered, entertainment not required.
Any experiences/recommendations gratefully received.
------------- I can remember when this was all fields.
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Try Le Champ du moulin in Venosc ( at the foot of the cable car into deux alpes) Smallish site with municipal swimming pool next door. Venosc is in the valley and really pretty....and they have summer skiing on the glacier in Deux alpes if you want to give that a bash.
How about Lake Annecy. There are several sites along the western edge of the lake and some slightly inland. There are also public lidos around the lake for swimming. I don't think any of the sights are small or at that time of year quiet but there are several to choose from. Do a search on here for previous posts about the area.
I can thoroughly recommend the area it is very scenic. A day trip will take you to Chamonix and a trip up Mont Blanc.
Have heard lots of great things about the site and area - only problem is we did book back in February so I don't know what they might have for August.
We also considered Camping Mer de Glace near Chamonix - maybe next time...
Try this web site www.campingletaillefer.com it is a small site up above the lake at Doussard, the owners are really pleasant, the site has no pool, but it is one of the truly non-commercial sites around Annecy. Small site so no big sanitares etc but what there is are kept vrey proper. Some pitches have a view over the lake, Superb if you can get one.
location is good for access to Annecy, by boat ferry if you prefer, and is at the "far end of the lake" where there is a beach etc. Try going up a few cols, and if you really want something a bit different try the Col de L'Appetaz, the road is very narrow, and the drops big but the views are spectacular. There is a plateau at the top where there are Marmots, and restaurant near the top, where the food is good and traditional. See my gallery for the resto, and the view of Mont Blanc therefrom. If you ask the owner, he has prepared a panoramic map of the whole of the range, with their names, and he is more than pleased to show it , but you do have to ask it is by hand and not on display.
We went to lescale last year and very disappointed to be honest. They have taken on a load of chalets for Thomsons and done away with the rally field, hence they now pack the ralliers in on the main field. Our pitch had the water and waste for our pitch and next doors slap bang in the middle of it, it had obviously been shuffled along to make more space at some point and was no longer on the edge of our pitch and next doors. This meant they had to trundle onto our pitch to get rid of dirty water or wash stuff under the tap.
Most of the pitches were 80 square metres which is very cramped and the loos could do with updating. No loo roll inside them, you have to take it from the dispensers outside! The pool is refreshing but not deep enough to swim in. I'd think twice before returning here especially at £17 a nightfor a tent and EHU in June. We were charged 5 euro a night for the EHU too and all we had was the laptop and a cool box but she put 6 amps on the bill and not 3 amps which would have been cheaper.
Ali
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Great choice the French Alps. Would support the suggestion of Venosc. Stunning little village at the foot of some great walks and a beautiful river valley.
If you prefer a quiet site but nearer to a bustling little town, try Camping Recontre de Soleil in Bourg d'Oisans - about 10m before you get to Venosc/.
Both are accessed by driving down to Grenoble and then turning into the Alps on the road to Turin. Well worth a stay.
Have also stayed at Camping Le Taillefer near Doussard. I can echo what Frogman says. A small very quiet site away from the hustle and bustle of the lakeside road. There is a hotel/restaurant in the village and you an walk to Doussard or the lake where you can get transport to Annecy. We went on the bus and returned on the ferry, a great day out. The site used to be in the CC European brochure and now has a web site. Look at the prices they are very cheap for that area.
I can recommend Plan du Fernuy just outside La Clusaz, mentioned above. It's a very nice site. Smallish - about 80 or so pitches I think, quiet, no entertainment, indoor pool with amazing mountain views, small bar, some takeaway food available. Pitches are on the small side but adequate, though very stoney/gravely so rock pegs definitely required. There's a free 'ski bus' into La Clusaz and up the mountains.
Looks like a nice site. Yes it can get very cold after sundown and also stormy late afternoon as the clouds gather over the mountains. We had a storm most days, very fierce ones too with ice the size of golf balls.
It is a very busy area and compared to the Auvergne expensive IMHO. We found fuel at the same price as the UK, never cheaper, and eating out and supermarkets were not cheap.
We stayed at La Cascade for a few nights last month (which is a few hundred yards away from a la Rencontre du Soleil). It's a very pleasant site at the base of Alpe d'Huez (one of the legendary climbs on the Tour d' France). Le Bourg-d'Osians is an attractive town only a short walk away and the resort of Les Deux Alpes is about an hours drive. From here you can take the cable cars/train up to 3600mtrs to the top where the views are stunning. We came here from the south coast so we went from sun bathing to snow ball fights in two days! The staff were very friendly and gave us a complementary bottle of wine on our last night.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: French Alps - Any suggestions ?
