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I've decided that i'm taking the family to the Ardeche next year for the first time but can't decide between Les Tours or Domain de Gil. Theres 4 adults and 3 kids under 5, we're not looking for a massive site with loads activities as the kids are a bit too young for the clubs.

We'd be eurocamping at Les Tours but booking direct with Domain.

Has anyone been to the above sites and give me some advice?

Many Thanks,

Phil

Cheers Ollie.

I've been researching sites all week and the whole of France seems to have merged into one region in my head :-)

Still thinks it's between these two though, we'll have the car so it being isolated i don't think will be an issue.

Les Tours isn't in the Ardeche - its in the Aveyron, more than 200 kilometres away, in very different countryside, set alongside a lake, and though it's a very long time since we were there we did like the site.  The pool area was lovely, with almost a 'beach' so ideal for small children, and there are some very generous pitches. There were lots of opportunities for watersports on the lake.

 Les Tours is a long way from most sight-seeing opportunities, but then you probably won't be doing too much of that with small children.  I remember shopping in the village of St Amans, where you could get most things, when we were there, but there wasn't a supermarket except a very small Spa and we had quite a way to go to find a bigger supermarket and some of the roads are very winding.

I really couldn't advise one or the other - I don't think either site would have been amongst my top choice of sites with children in that age group, personally, although we did 'do' the Ardeche for the first time when my youngest was four and his older brother ten.  However, the youngest missed out on a lot because of his age.  We stayed at L'Ardechois at Vallon, a lovely riverside site, and he most enjoyed playing with all the other children of various nationalities and they had great fun together even that first time.  They had a kids club and learned circus skills, and put on a show at the end of the week, and even at four he was encouraged to join in - and learned to use a Diabolo - later when he was older, becoming very proficient in it, and even helping the younger kids learn it too.   However, he did enjoy the site more when older, when the river was a great attraction for all the kids - rock jumping, rapids. body-boarding, rope swings, etc. The Ardeche area is beautiful, but offers more 'exciting' opportunities for adults and older children, such as canoeing, rock climbing, etc.  

We looked around Domaine de Gil a few years ago, and thought it a lovely site, but to be honest we were looking at it from our point of view (a mature couple, going in low season), and I have no idea how suitable, or otherwise, it would be for small children.

Sorry this is probably not much help, but at least a few thoughts!

Cheers Val, it does help.

It's a lot easier to decide where to go when there's no kids involved, my daughter is only 5months so this is the first year for us taking kids. Decisions, decisons!

Our first camping trip, with a six month old baby, was to Le Paradis, in the Dordogne.  We loved it so much we've been back to France every year since, and in recent years, twice a year in May/June and then again late August/September! 

At that age they don't mind where they are, but one thing to think about with such a little one, is the heat!  If you're going in peak season (July/August) then the temperature in the Ardeche can sometimes reach up to 40 degrees!  We've been there in late May when it's been as high as that (well ok 38 degrees), and it can be uncomfortable and make being out of the shade absolutely impossible.   Even in the Dordogne it can be hot, and we took a small inflatable paddling pool for impromptu cooling off! 

Is this a first camping trip to France, or a first with children?  As you say, it's so much harder to choose a site when children are involved.  With little ones I perhaps would look for a site with good grassy pitches (Les Tours had  but not Domaine de Gil where the pitches are (or were when we visited) hard-packed sandy soil once the grass has  'worn off' which it does early because of the heat.    If you're going earlier in the season then you should have less problem finding grass on the pitches, but it does decrease even on the best sites, as the season progesses.  If you are going in low season, then the site takes an ACSI card which means your pitch, two adults, tent (or whatever), and electricity will be 16 euros per night between the following dates: 21/04 - 24/06 or  27/08 - 23/09.

Sorry, just some more random thoughts!

First time camping with our baby, we've camped in France a few times before in Brittany and the Vendee.

We're looking to go in August which i imagine isn't ideal due to higher temperatures but it's the only month we can do.

Hi brocklp.

                Yep August will be hot hot hot, expect temps of +40Deg C and maybe even beyond, we have mostly done the South of France in early to mid July, when the average temps have been around +36Deg C which is quite hot enough for us.

On the odd occasion when temps did reach +40Deg C when we were at Domaine de Gil, we went upto "Le Lac-d'Issarles" a nice lake with a beach that resembles somthing you would find along the Cote d Azur, complete with peddalos for hire etc.

But more importantly, up at the lake temps were 10Deg C cooler, definatley worth the 25 mile drive North into the hills.