EUROCAMP ETC IN FRANCE - NEVER BEEN, WILL I LIKE IT?

[willow2]

DH fancies going away to one of the Keycamp/Eurocamp places in France - probably Vendee area, although open to suggestions. If we do go we'll be booking one of the "motorhome" type things - can't face "proper" camping for various reasons. From what I've picked up on other threads, there are some cracking camp sites - but I am not a great fan of massive resorts, heaving with people. Nor am I big on organised entertainment/shows/themed nights etc. It's not that I am an anti-social git - far from it. In fact the friends we made on our last summer holiday are now really good mates who we see regularly. But I do like a bit of space and privacy at times. (To give you some idea of the sort of holidays we've had so far, for the last four years we've gone away with Simply Travel to small resorts with about ten little cottages and a communal pool - and we've had a ball.)

So, all you camping experts, what should I expect? Do the mobile homes tend to be rammed in with barely inches to spare? Do you reckon I'll like it or not? Are there any sites that you would particularly recommend that aren't too much of a pain to get to? DS is 6, so am sure he'll love it. Would be good if there was a kids club that he could dip in and out of if he wanted to.

Awaiting your expert opinion!

Ta v much.

[crunchie]

Look at the size of campsite when you are booking. You want a small site with max 200 pitches.

You also want LARGE pitch sizes, to give some privacy.

Popular areas like Vendee are hard to find small campsites, I go to the Loire (Chateau des Marais) which is a perfect size and not too small pitches. Anywhere high summer will be busy, have you thought of going in the whitsun week? We have had GREAT holidays then and almost prefer that to summer time.

[granarybeck]

Depends what kind of holiday you liked. We've habe been to sites of this kind lots of times and have really enjoyed it, is a very relaxed kind of family holiday. I think most sites tell you whether it is a small or large site, whether its lively or quiet and also how big each pitch is. We always go in the mobile homes, which are very comfortable, have tried the tents once. They are good for tents i think, but not not my thing! Last year, we actually booked privately to stay on a site in south of france that has eurocamp and keycamp mobile homes on We just searched on web and booked ferrys at aferryto.com or could get cheap flights. It worked out half the price for exactly the same holiday! We're going again this year!

[puddle]

Granary - details pls!

[bagpussmice]

never been with Eurocamp but have been to the vendee campsites for 3 years in row and loved it. Depends when you are going - we go beg. June and it's lovely and quiet but most things are open. beaches empty and weather usually v. good. This is our last year of being able to go that time as dd will start school in Sept.
Can give you more details if you are interested.

[willow2]

Cheers for replies so far. Would definitely like more details - bagpuss and puddle, which sites have you been to? Crunchie - and suggestions for smaller sites? How big is the one you go to? Which companies do you recommend - is Canvas any good (noticed they do a discount for MN'ers)? Been looking at keycamp brochure and so far all the pitches for sites I've looked at are described as medium or small. Don't think we can get away at Whitsun so will have to be summer hols.

[Milliways]

Check out Matthews Holidays - they have the cheapest holidays in the Vendee at Le Clarys Plage and Les Genets sites. We have stayed at Les Genets (Matthews) & Le Bois Masson (Haven/Siblu). It is a great area - loads to do. Search recent Travel threads - there is another one with Eurocamp in title recently where we have covered a lot of this.

[bagpussmice]

have stayed at Le Pomme de Pin in Jard Sur Mer with Carissma and also at Les Dunes des Sables in Sable d'l'Onne, think that's how you spell it.. each time in the mobile homes which are excellent.
This year we are staying in Jard again but with a different company - do a google on Angela Bird - she has a site all about the vendee - who rent the homes directly from the french and then you book your own ferry etc...
We preferred Jard Sur Mer as the site is within walking distance to a small village. The beaches around the area are all fab - you have to drive to most of them, but it's so worth it - they are gorgeous.

[calpopscalum]

In 2004 we stayed in a gorgeous campsite in Brittany which I would thoroughly recommend. It's Camping Masne Guernehue at Baden - they ahve a web site. We went with French Life cos we can use our Tesco vouchers to pay for it but you can book direct or go with Canvas, Keycamp, Matthews etc. We always stay in a 3 bed mobile which is bigenough for the 4 of us - we use the spare room as a storage room! Comes with shower room, toilet, fridge freezer, oven (proper cooker), BBqs provided etc etc. Couldn't do camping in a tent!!

The site is small and quiet but with plenty to do! It's within walking distance of the village which has a gorgeous bakers, butchers, PO, tourist info and restauarant and a small fruit market every few days. The site ahs the best pool complex I've seen on a camp site with a proper adult only smwiiming pool, big family pool which gently shelves so ideal for kids to wander in and out and a childrens pool. It also has slides etc. The restaurant/take away is beside the pool and food was fab! There is a bar but hadno tacky entertainment!! They ahve loads of play areas, a bouncy castle and 3 fishing lakes. Also a filed of donkeys beside hte lakes and a large pen of goats beside that so the kids loved it!! Kids clubs too. Can't recommend it enough! Although it's not vendee we loved it! Only drawback is that you have to drive to beaches but there are so many to choose form, plus boat trips round the Gulf of Morbihan and all the local towns are gorgeous with mini trains - guess what we did all holiday?!!

Sorry, have rambled on!! SOrry!! Oh, some pitches are down a big hill - others are on the level! Lovely and quiet at the bottom of the hill with fab views of the countryside but it was a hike to the pool.

[crunchie]

Personally I would get teh brochures (the paper ones!) as a good place to start as they usually give info on small/medium.large pitches etc. Also size of campsite at a glance rather than looking at one campsite and themn another IYKWIM on the net.

Vendee tends to be busy so pitches are smallish. We went to Clarys plage and it was fine, there was hedges between tent pitches, unsure about mobiles. Get all the brochures from all the comapnies first. then decide.

[willow2]

Thanks everyone.