Another vote for riverside sites! I wish we had discovered them when our kids were small - they would have loved them. But at the time we were convinced of the need for the sea and tended to go to Brittany and Ile de Re. We love these areas too but we now go to a real mix of sites and I will take grandchildren (when we have them!!) to rivers - they are such fun for kids. Swimming, building dams or channels to float down on their rings, canoe etc etc and the landscape is just so dramatic in places like the Tarn or Ardeche. We really enjoyed Camping Chantemerle near Florac and would recommend it for a family with children your ages. This site is also considerably cheaper than seaside places we stayed on.
------------- lizzie
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Hope to spend 1st week of August 2016 in south west France, then 2nd week in northern Spain.
Can anyone make recommendations for small friendly campsites max 2-3 hours drive from Bilbao (both on France & Spanish soil) that allow dogs & good for children (beach not important) but not too far from shops?
Quote: Originally posted by Val A on 20/8/2015
You will find sites in France quite different to British sites, and trying to find one 'like Gwithian Farm' (for instance) won't be easy. Go with an open mind, the last two weeks in August, apart from on the very largest sites, you won't even need to book. We've been going at that time for years and years, with children and without, and never booked a site once, nor found that sites we wanted to stay on didn't have pitches.
There is every type of site - from just a few pitches in an orchard or vineyard, (Camping a la Ferme or Aire Naturelles) to mega-sites with pool complexes (look up the earlier post I made about recommendations of the twelve best in a French caravanning magazine) and you should find something amongst the almost 10,000 campsites in France which suits you.
I'd second Ollie's recommendations of the Tarn Gorge, or the Ardeche - both fantastic areas for families, but if you don't want to go so far, and are open minded, then you can just book a crossing and head off in the direction of the area with the best ten day forecast, find a site which suits you, and explore!
Good luck. If you're anything like us you may be going every year for the next thirty-five years - and have children who absolutely love France and can't wait to holiday there each year on their own now, or with their families!
Use the time between now and your holiday to have a look at Tourist Information websites for the various regions of France, and decide what you like the look of, then look at the sort of sites in those regions, or ask for ideas when you've a better idea of what sort of thing (area and type of site) appeals.
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If you mean the post about swimming pool complexes,then here's the list:
1. Les Sables d'Or in Agde (Pirates of the Caribbean theme)
2. La Sirene in Argeles sur Mer
3. Le Brasilia at Canet
4. Le Sequoia Parc at St Just-Luzac
5. Les Alicourts at Pierrefitte sur Sauldre
6. Airotel l'Ocean at Lacanau
7. Le Pommier at Villeneuve de Berg (Ardeche)
8. Domaine de la Rive at Biscarrosse
9. Mer et Soleil at Agde
10. Les Mouettes at Carantec
11. Airotel Le Vieux Port at Messanges
12. A brand new pool at Domaine d'Inly at Penestin
And here's a link to the thread, as others have added their own preferences.
Another vote for lake annecy, although most campsites on the lake are too commercialised for me, we stay at camping l'horizon in talloires. Lots to do in the area, especially if you like to ping in the mountains!
------------- Doing whatever the rice krispies tell me to.
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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: France - help please
