Hi we bought a kampa croyde 8 last year and as it was our first year camping with our family decided to camp at home in Ireland and it just happened to be the only week of bad weather ,this year we were planning on going to france but were not sure if its just going to be too hard our kids are very young they will be 7, twins 4 and twins just 2 hubbys trying to convince me to hire a house and camp next year when the kids are older not sure what to do was hoping to go first week in june for 2 weeks to at bordeaux ???
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Hi we bought our first tent in August 2008 had one wet overnighter and that was it. After just a couple of weekends early 2009, we headed off to Vendee for two weeks that August with son aged two and daughter aged 4. Everyone thought we were mad but it all turned out well and life is much easier in the sunshine, they slept well and only went to bed around an hour later than at home. They had DVD players in the car and we stopped regularly for loo breaks and to relieve boredom but on the whole they travelled really well and have gone on to become brilliant travellers as they are used to it now and they know there is fun and sun at the end of it all.
We are off to Normandy. No guarantee of good weather but... The site has an indoor pool and it won't be as bad as the rain now.
We are also heading to Wicklow at Easter. It will be good craic even if it is lashing.
My kids are a bit older but I'll set da phone to share the internet to their tablets and they can watch netflix to the port.
I think this is a question that only you can answer as you know your kids and how they travel and behave.
I must admit that I'd not consider it with four kids under five unless they were very placid children!
However...we did our first ever camping trip to the Dordogne with 2, 5 and 6 year olds, and it was fine.
You need to consider:
Do they travel well? Consider DVD players, plenty of stops, loo stops (are the two year olds reliably toilet trained, or is it a bit hit or miss still? Consider that loos on French motorways are notoriously hideous apart from at big services)
What are their temperaments like? Consider five kids and two adults in a tent with full on twin toddler tantrums will make for grumpy neighbours
Can one of you put up the tent single handedly -or can the kids occupy themselves whilst you set up? Trying to put up a big tent, in the rain (which can happen and did to us twice in one holiday!!) with toddlers under foot can be a little fraught, trust me!
Can you cope with them free-reining at that age? With a tent there's not much to keep them near you apart from canvas, on a site it's easy for them to wander, so if you want to sit onsite and relax, you might be better in a house with an enclosed garden where you can be sure where they are! Consider your site carefully, maybe avoid rivers and lakes.
Food/sleeps etc was all just fine, all that fresh air and they slept like logs, and they ate what we did. We had a fabulous holiday and have camped every year since, in one form or other (although we prefer statics)
We took our first son when he was just a few months old, but that was only one child, and it made for a very easy holiday. However, five small children is very different - imagine all the toilet trips, difficulties showering them all, etc.!
Like Huw suggests, I would try the French campsite life, but hire a static. If you look at campsites own accommodation, rather than Eurocamp/Canvas holidays, you will find more moderate prices. Or have a look at www.holidaycheque.co.uk. That way you get all the facilities of a campsite - pool, playgrounds, sports facilities, possible other 'tinies' to make friends with, and can 'test-drive' the experience for when you take your own equipment - but you have the comfort of home, ready to move into when you arrive, a toilet and shower accessible and you don't have to take half as much equipment with you. I would also choose a site with an indoor pool - for those (just possible) rainy days.
The first week in June is a good time to go - low season, so lower prices, sites not full, and weather generally improving so if you do decide to camp you will have lots of places to choose from.
Have only two children so not really a major help however our friend has six aged 10 to 11 months and complete with vw bus and caravan on tow with awning every year as the number have grown they have still done Cheshire to France..its chaos at times but that would be no different wherever they are the beauty though is this.
Outdoors, decent weather, trip to beach many eyes needed but endless play, a quick shower they are dry in seconds less clothes to wash, eat outside paper plates less mess to clear away they will find other friends, its all these little things and there are many more that add up.
As has been said 2 dvds players minimum in car, collection of toys and our friend is away. Yes stops are frequent but regimented one for a toilet all for toilet so to speak.
------------- Mark
Uttoxeter (Race days)
Le Serignan Plage (clothed one) August and Scheveningen on way back
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Or consider a gite set up for families. We spent a couple of years going to this place which is superb for families and 4 other gites within same garden. Not quite as far down as Bordeaux but a lovely setting away from it all with plenty for young kids
In one word YES!!!!!
However only because the amount of equipment you would hav to take for so many young children. Personally i would do either a ready tent or a static.
have a look at tentsetters.nl who have amazingly cheap camping deals for the last two weeks of August, especially on the West coast.
Ours camped from three years old ... but that was only one child!
As OP's have suggested ... a static/mobile might be the best move ... unless you are very sure you can cope ... I see you have had a week under canvas ... and in bad weather ... which suggests you might find it much easier in better weather conditions .... only you can decide that!
One thing to condider ... the new ferry link from Rosslare to St Nazaire (LD Lines) puts you a good way down France, and therefore less driving to your destination ... personally I'm not convinced that Bordeaux would be best ... you'll find really good, young family friendly sites within two to five hours driving from St N.
Have you thought about any other areas?
I'd venture a guess that with that number of small kids your holiday will not require lots of site seeing ... more 'family fun' ... so water, activities, games etc.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We had 4 kids under 4 when we spent 6 weeks travelling through France,Italy,Slovenia,Croatia,back up through Austria/Germany.We used a mix of accomodation,some camping,some mobiles and an apartment.
Being honest the camping was tough,just the shere amount of hard work with the little ones,keeping feed and watered,washed and 2 (the twins) were still in nappies.They use to get very grumpy in the tent when it was hot.I didnt camp for quite a few years after that trip,just used Mobiles and large Gites which are usually cheaper than mobiles in August.
We often find with a bit of searching in low/ mid season (inc last 2 weeks of August) it can be cheaper to use an on site mobile or tent than to drag all your own equipment with you.
I tend to find intresting sites/areas through Vacansoliel.com then check the sites prices if booked direct.Good starting point.
Holiday checks ive been disapointed with,they have limited sites in only a few areas.
So to recap to camp with 4 younge kids,very demanding and not much fun,to gite or mobile home with them great great fun.
We actually found camping in France much easier with ours than camping in the UK - mainly because the weather was so much better and they all loved the site so much. We went to a great site in Finistere last year and are going to another one nearby this year - this year the children will be 13, 6, 3 and about 12 weeks old. Last year they were 12, 5 and 2 and it was the best holiday we've had. I was really surprised, I thought it'd be something we'd endure and then we'd go back to the easy UK trips but I was totally wrong and I'm looking forward to going back this year - although the newborn may be more work than the rest of them put together!
Holiday Cheques advertise 400 destinations in Europe - and with some prices from just 32 euros per night for a mobile home sleeping 6 (presuming the tinies can be fitted in somewhere) that seems like a pretty good deal. Even better are the 7 nights for 6 prices, or the 14 nights for 11 on some sites.
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: Am i mad ?
