Looking for any recommendations as there are sooooo many sites out there. We're looking for something with a French feel with activities on site or nearby for the kids, but not somewhere were Brits are there to get smashed in the bar...... no offence intended to alcoholic Brits :D
Pool would be nice..... maybe forest trails or countryside. Just a nice site for a week or so.
Any tips appreciated thanks
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It's 3 hours not 2 hours, but I did a one night stopover at Camping le Colombier in Normandy last year (http://www.camping-lecolombier.com/en/). Very nice site in a lovely setting with pool, creperie, restaurant open some nights, small grocery with breakfast pastries. There is a playground plus various activities such as mini-golf which you pick up the equipment from reception FOC. There is evening entertainment but very low key - it was a bonfire the night we stayed.
Depends on the age of your kids. Mine are 9 and 7 and they loved it. It is in the middle of nowhere, so no walking into the nearby town. It was pretty quiet in the middle of August and no bar as such. We ate and drank in the creperie - I don't know whether you can just drink there, but there were no smashed people, British or otherwise!
Yes if towing a caravan its a good 3+ hours I would suggest to Le Colombier but I agree its a nice site. We did an overnight years ago and tnen spent an out of season week there where it rained lots but site was very nice and could still swim even in May as pool is heated and in lovely setting.
Sanitaries were OK and clean, local town of Moyaux has some nice shops and local restaurants with full 3 courses for about €11 - a bit of "proper" France. Nice Calvados shop just out of entrance alos and yes you can just go for a drink in creperie
Oddly enough you will get more 'French feel' on a campsite 10mins from Calais or Dunkirk docks than you might get 700miles south. Mostly the only Brits you will get on campsites nr Calais are overnight stoppers before & after ferry.
The majority of users of these campsites are French who might live a bit inland & have seasonal caravans on the site or just French campers generally along with a few Belgians & Dutch.
If you go down the coast from Calais an hour to somewhere like Berck it's as French as you like.
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In thirty five years of camping and caravanning in France we have only experienced one incident with drunk Brits - and even that must have been fifteen years ago as our son was with us at the time!
What about somewhere like Champ Neuf which has a fantastic indoor pool (just in case you get 'British' weather!!!!)
It's in the Parc Marquenterre - a real bird-watching area and part of the Baie de Somme. The countryside around is mostly flat, good for cycling, and walking, and there are some amazingly long beaches with activities. One of the site reviews mentions lots of organised family activities, and it's within your driving distance of Calais.
Champ Neuf gets my vote. We had a three generation family holiday in August 14, and there were few Brits on site. It's really nice, lovely pool area, walking distance of the bird spotters paradise!!
I would also recommend Champ Neuf. It was a recommendation to us on here and it was perfect. We went for may Half term so made good use of the fun, indoor pool on bad weather days. On the good days we made use of the free tennis court, bouncy castles and play area on site and off site there are way marked cycle trails (mainly off road) right from the site entrance.
The owners were lovely and helpful too. Great site and only an hour. We did a day trip to Amiens too.
you could do a lot worse than listen to val, we"ve done champ de neuf for the last two years at the may half term school break, appox ihour drive from Calais, lovely peaceful area, the town of rue with eateries, supermarket10mins drive from the camp, berck sur mer a wonderful sea side resort, is an easy drive, and you can use the acsi camping card, 15euros a night last year, for a quality campsite, regards the boozy brits, I started holidaying in france in 2006 to get away from your brits abroad statement, never looked back, couldn't see me doing spain or other euro package hols again,never known val to recommend anywhere bad yet
Thank you all for your advice and recommendations. Quite a tricky task for a first timer. Maybe one day I'll know France as well as I do Yorkshire & Cornwall :)
Anyways, Champ Neuf seems to be the place by all accounts.
Thanks again x
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A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: French Feel Within 2 Hrs Calais
