We are heading to France next July - first two weeks. We're planning on taking the tent but having not been camping in Europe before I've now decided that we will go and stay in a static on a French site.
I just have no idea where to go? I'm thinking Vendee region as have two kids 5 & 2 and will be sailing overnight into Roscoff from Ireland.
All the kids clubs that take under 3's seem to finish at the end of June too which is strange. I thought I'll try ans find a site then a company eg eurocamp or Thompson alfreco etc...
Anyone any thought on staying a one side in Vendee for 7 nights then moving up to Brittany for the next 7 nights or just better to stay put fr all 14????
Was looking at Clarys Plage then Château des Ormes?????? Is just so hard to choose as the sites all have good and bad reviews.
Swimming is really important to us and a wee shop and takeaway close by. Has to be good for young kids and kids clubs for for older one essential and if possible for the younger one.
I know it's a huge ask but does anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks for reading,
Christie :)
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
If you're going to book a static then I'd book through one of the companies that do a Kids Club - they are great for children. . I think the children's clubs which take Under 3's are intended to cater for those families with really little children, who holiday before the schools break up. To be honest, I think finding a 'children's club' that I would trust to look after my under 3 year old in peak season would be a difficult task. My son worked for one of the 'tour operators' offering static caravan holidays, and few of the staff had any childcare qualifications.
Chateau des Ormes was great for our kids when they were younger, and they actually met a few other children from Ireland. The site has good pools, and a take-way, so meets your other requirements. The town of Dol de Bretagne is nice too - very 'French' which many seaside towns aren't! You're also within a few minutes of long beaches, or small coves with little rocky outcrops, depending on which direction you go. You can also do a trip out to various other lovely places nearby. We liked it there. We've never been to the Vendee, though, so I can't help with sites.
One suggestion, about moving on, is that if your children make friends on one site, then it can be quite disruptive to them to move to a different site. When our sons were small we tended to stay on one site, after having had a couple of very 'unhappy experiences' when we'd moved and then they struggled at the second site.
Kids clubs don't 'take' under 4s but Eurocamp (& I think Siblu & Al Fresco) do do play tents for under 4s that parents need to accompany them to. Once the school holidays start, the toddler play tents close down to make room for the kids clubs. Well, Eurocamp's do at least not sure about the other operators.
We went to Les Eceureils in St hilaire de Riez in the Vendee with Eurocamp about 5 years ago. Would meet all your criteria - a really nice site, very manageable with small children and not a lot to attract teenagers (which I always think is a real plus unless you actually are or have a teenager!).
We went to Le Ranolien in Britanny, booked with Yelloh direct, in 2011. Again, a great site in a stunning location. No Eurocamp clubs but Yelloh ones and a really well kitted out play cabin for younger children as part of the playground.
Eurocamp will be a lot more expensive (i.e. 3 or 4 times the price) of taking your own tent in the school holidays. Your 5 year old would be able to go to most site run kids clubs and if you pick your site right (Yelloh or Castels maybe) there will be other English speaking kids. That said my just 6 year old last year was very happy as the only anglophone in her kids club as all the animateurs wanted to practice their English!
Personally, I would probably split the holiday into an 11 day main holiday and a 3 day stop off on the way home rather than 7 and 7. That way you have enough time to settle in somewhere and you still have something to look forward to when you're leaving your main site.
Thank you both :) lots of great thoughts that I'd not contemplated. Especially my 5yr old making friends and having to leave them. This would def ruin my holiday as she gets quite attached to people that she meets so def one to think of! Will have a look at the sites that you both mention and see where I can rule in and out!
Thanks again - it so scary planning something so different to normal!
Christie
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We did static first and then took our own kit. I have to say I enjoyed it more with our own kit, we like the social side of camping which you don't get so much with a static. We went to sites that were big with Brits as we weren't very confident. Years ago we did Normandy but it wasn't a great holiday for many reasons. Last year we did Eurocamp La Garangeoire, Vendee and Chateau des Marais, Loire. This year we took our own gear and went to Le Letty, Brittany booked through CC&C. Next year we're going to Le Pin Parasol, Vendee and booking independently. Tesco vouchers cover the tunnel and 12nights costs roughly €540, way cheaper than statics and I expect we will enjoy it a lot more.
Last year we had an overnight stop in Picardy, then 5 nights a La G, then 7 nights at C des M then an overnight in Picardy. We were tired from the travelling and only had 4 days at La G before we had to repack and travel again. I wouldn't do it that way again and would make sure we're at our first site for longer so can properly relax and wind down (our kids were 7 and 4 for that trip).
------------- From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!
Back in the late late 70's we did Eurosites down on the Cote D Azur that was in a pre-ercted tent, we were only 18 at the time, and my car just about made it there and back, for us it was a great adventure at the time.
All the other Eurosite folk had come on the coach, so we became the Eurosite taxi in effect, happy days indeed.
Anyway that was our one and only time with a firm like Eurosites, we got our own tent and did camping in France our own way, camping was quite basic back then to what it is now, so we moved onto hiring a static, which we did for a good few years through the 80's and 90's.
The statics were fine and we always dealt directly with an indipendant owner, but being in a tin tent in the South of France is not as nice as being under "Cotton" canvas imho, but the statics served there purpose and were great for our Son whilst he was growing up, now 27 he last came on holiday to France with us when he was 17..
Also prices for a fortnight in the South of France back in 2007 were getting close on £1400 and that was cheap compared to Eurocamp etc.
So in 2008 we took the plunge and updated all our camping kit, including getting a brand new "Cotton" canvas tent, compared to how we used do camping we now have a set up that's like a home from home, which includes a proper fridge, sat tv, 15lt fan assist oven! good double bed and mains electric lighting, it's all a far cry from how we used to do things.
But the great thing is we now only pay around £300 to stay on a 3 Star campsite in mid July for a fortnight down on the Cote d Azur, we could do it even cheaper by going out of season using ACSI card etc, but at the price we pay, the saving of say £150 is out weighed by the almost guranteed weather that you get in July.
Our first time in France was 2009 and we stayed in a static in Brittany.
We went with the holiday company called siblu. They do offer kids clubs over 5's and have a club for children 1-4 year olds, but you have to stay with them for the time they are there. As at that time our youngest was only 2 so we didn't see the point in putting the oldest into the KC as we still had the small one to entertain.
I don't really think any 'campsite' companies offer clubs for 2 year olds where they are left without parental supervision. I think you might have to wait a few more years for that.
Hi we had a eurocamp holiday 1 year where we did 4 nights at chateaux d'ormes and then 10 nights at St Jean de Monts. The first site we bigger and more expensive, we enjoyed the amazing pool complex and visit to Mont Saint Michel but I felt it was overwhelmingly big for the children. The second site was a "small authentic" site and I felt it suited the children better, they could roam about a bit more and not get lost! Site had some eurocamp facilities and also a parc animateur which we could also join in as well as pool, table tennis etc... As the site was smaller, roads were quiter so I was more comfortable with kids playing on their bikes etc... which is often where they met other neighbouring kids. The site was called La Yole. It also had fab touring pitches - right next to the children's playground! But like you we decided to use a company's facilities for our first few trips abroad before making our own way.
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: Advice for France in July 13
