French campsite - any better ideas?? I have found a lovely one BUT...

[georgeousgeorge]

www.camping-indigo.com/en/noirmoutier-indigo-campsite-france.html

This campsite would be perfect for us EXCEPT no pool, and the DC's do love a pool....

It looks beautiful, beachside location, quiet, not too touristy etc etc....

I'm happy travelling this far but not really any further south, want to be no more than 6.5 or 7 hrs max form Calais.

Anybody have any other ideas?

TIA

[Asheth]

Have you tried this website?
flower camping
Most of these seem to have pools, often with slides and they're all over France so there should be one near where you want to go!
I've not been to any yet, but have booked some for this summer. So hope they're as nice as they look!

[Nobloomingideapgornot]

We stayed at Du Letty in a Benodet...if you get the ferry to st malo or roscoff it's only 4 hrs or an 1 hr travelling. The money you pay for the ferry is the same once you add petrol up for the return journey of going back to Calais...we did that last yr!!

X

[Youdontneedacriminallawyer]

Google Camping Le Paradis in the Dordogne.

[Fannydabbydozey]

I've been there and I had to leave a rather unhappy review on uk campsite. It was NOTHING like the pictures: the place was rammed, tents and motorohomes and cars jammed in all over the place. There was poo on one toilet wall the whole time we were there and because it was so cramped the showers etc were horrendously busy. I've used their sister chain huttopia and couldn't fault them (Huttopia Rille is amazing) but I'd be very, very wary of doing a beachside Indigo again. There were a few pitches right by the beach which were nice but the rest were terrible. I think being in cool camping went to their heads - we braved the week there but two british families we met were gone within a couple of nights they were so disappointed.

This was in 2009 so perhaps they've learned the error of their ways and stopped shoehorning hundreds of people in... Beware.

[Flossiechops]

Along with many Mumsnetters last year we went to Lesvalades. Not only does it have a pool but also a lake which the kids swim in, a lot of the pitches were large and private. There is entertainment each evening, our dc loved toasting marshmallows on the open campfire. My only gripe was we were the for the last 2 wks in August, the first was fab but the second was like a ghost town. Lots of Brits, French and Dutch. Would highly recommend it.

[IDugUpADiamond]

This place is fantastic
www.chateaudesormes.com/?gclid=CMzfkNWV970CFe6WtAodmFYA-A

[dingit]

Good that is where we are going Any tips?

[IDugUpADiamond]

You talking to me?

[georgeousgeorge]

Thank you so far everyone... I was a bit about camping indigo as have seen another bad review (not yours btw different situation)

However we went nearby last year and it looked a nicer location than the place we were in - although where we were was pretty good - en.camping-les-ecureuils.com/

However mainly the DS's "MUST HAVE" (their words not mine!! ) a beach and a pool.... I didn't really want to go to the same place again...

[georgeousgeorge]

I like the look of huttopia - I had a look at the site before as there's one in versailles which looks interesting!

I am very tempted by lesvalides!!! if I can persuade the ds's away from the beach!

[dingit]

Yes sorry idugup

[hz]

We are going to huttopia rille. Pool and lake with beach but nice and natural. Hoping it will be good anyway!

[beachyhead]

Interlude on the Ile de Re is fantastic.

[Bigtallkath]

I stayed at Des Ormes as a little kid and also went there a couple of years ago. A great site, with lots to do, but take waterproofs as the weather in that area of France is very unpredictable. Also, the site is huge, so maybe take bikes and/ or scooters. There are so many lovely beaches and towns nearby - recommend Dinard on market day.

[IDugUpADiamond]

Dingit what Bigtalk said is spot on. The site is large, beautiful and clean, have your scooters and bikes to get around within the site but also for bike rides in the area.

There are activities in the camp such as pony riding, zip wire, archery, rock climbing, mini golf... You do pay for these activities but they're reasonable.

Dinard is absolutely stunning, also go to St Malo (the beach is lovely), Dinan but also tiny St Leonards which is walkable. Also go to the supermarket there.

Fresh bread and croissants from the on site shop, well worth it for breakfast but you do have to queue.

The evening entertainment is dire but even at night, the place is safe and friendly for older kids (9+) to de their own thing independently with other kids. HTH.

[dingit]

That's great Idug. We have been to France many times, but never this area, but we always go with raincoats, much to dds disgust.
There are 7 of us in an 8 berth mobile, 4 teens. Maybe I should be asking you about local hotels

Gorgeousgeorge, we have always been with Keycamp, and always been to great sites. One you may not have looked at is lac du Chalain in the Jura. 7 hour drive, beach (lake), even a circus. You can go up into the Alps, and into Switzerland, the toboggan run is amazing.

[poorbuthappy]

I would disagree slightly with the comment about getting the ferry to St Malo and doing the shorter drive V the long drive from Calais.
We priced up the ferry and it was £700 return without a cabin for the overnight crossing. The tunnel cost plus tolls and fuel comes nowhere near £700.
Luckily we don't mind driving and the kids are used to it.

[Nobloomingideapgornot]

Hi Poorbuthappy

Initially we got ferrys in at £700 for the longer ferry/shorter drive. We have found and booked portsmouth to st malo for £300 return! It's overnight and we have decided to loose a night of camping as it saved £150 on the ferry versus a £20 pitch fee.
It took a lot of looking but we got there so along with our pitch fees, total for 13 nights inc ferry is £750

Good luck

[poorbuthappy]

Does that include cabin on the ferry?
And being really nosey is that in school holidays?

[Nobloomingideapgornot]

Hi

No we have allocated seats that recline, one parent will sleep whilst the other keeps eye on son and then we will swap. Whoever has the most sleep will drive the other end and again swap half way.
It's only a four hr drive the other end and we worked out, sleep wise and versus the 9hrs it took to get from Calais to Benodet last year, we will cope!!
Yes also school holidays...16th august
Cheers

[poorbuthappy]

Off to google now!! Thanks for the information.

[Cereal0ffender]

You must have a pool! That is the whole point of camping in France. We stayed at this crappola campsite last year and felt completely conned. It was just a campsite without a pool and the beach was miles away and really windswept.

[millimat]

OP we went to the huttopia site in Versailles. Tbh it wasn't great. Lots of money for what was there and not the green, earthy feel I expected. Location was great though.
My dcs love pool and lake with a beach. //www.laribeyre.com was amazing - best site we've ever been to and amazing weather, but maybe further than you want to go. We're hoping to get the same feel this year in the jura - staying at le fayolan.

[millimat]

//ww.campinglefayolan.fr/www.campinglefayolan.fr/DOMAINE.htm looks v similar to domaine de chalain, but beach is sandy not shingle. Glad area is fab, dingit

[dingit]

If you want to be near Paris, try Berny Rivere. You can do a day trip to Paris ( by coach) and Disneyland. Although we went to Parc Asterix which is fantastic, and not busy when we were there at Easter.