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Cheepest "ready put up tent" holiday company in Europe?

39 replies

LynetteScavo · 29/12/2012 19:58

Please save me hours of research.

£1,300 sounds like a lot for a week in a tent in Northern France.

Would I be better off buying a tent and struggling to put it up?

I want to go as far/hot as I can for as little money as possible. Smile

OP posts:
rumbamama · 29/12/2012 20:30

We have used Venue in the past, they were fine, but did not have many choices of destination, I think Keycamp, Eurocamp and Canvas have more, though £ but holiday clubs etc are included.

SizzleSazz · 29/12/2012 20:31

There are mobile homes here for ?710.00/£580.00 a week

We camped here in the summer and it is the cleanest campsite i have ever stayed at. The pool is lovely and it is c0.5k from beach - easily walkable (with our 4 and 3 year olds)

I saw inside a couple of the mobile homes and they seemed really nice.

SizzleSazz · 29/12/2012 20:33

I would say though that there is not masses of child entertainment - pool, huge bouncy castle, football area, kids play area and a small 'clubhouse'. Perfect for young children or if you are happy to go out and about rather than having everything 'on site'

Ponders · 29/12/2012 20:39

it does sound like a lot, I agree - which company was it with?

as well as kids' clubs though the price usually includes Dover-Calais crossing, & also it does mean you only have to take a relatively small amount of luggage - we once stayed with 4 kids on a Eurocamp site in Normandy in August with our own tent, & it was way cheaper, but we had an 8-seater MPV at the time & even with a roof rack it was rammed with stuff!

LynetteScavo · 29/12/2012 20:41

Thank you!

There are 5 of us, which seems to put the price up.

Youngest DC is now 7, and eldest will be 14...he want's to go "Wild and poo in a ditch Shock Hmm" I, obviously would like something more refined.

I can do camping, as long as it's warm.

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 29/12/2012 20:43

It was Canvas.

While a pool with slides would be nice, we don't need kids clubs or evening entertainment (my idea of hell). The quieter the better, really. (Although I do like the availability of a washing machine /launderette, just in case).

OP posts:
MoppingMummy · 29/12/2012 20:46

We have also used venue before in southern brittany. We booked quite last minute & had a mobile home for 10 nights for around £1400.

We went to southern Brittany again last yr with Keycamp - we stayed at La Grande Metairie & it was absolutely fab. We paid a bit more, but it was worth it for the facilities & kids clubs included.

Our prices included ferry crossing (Plymouth / roscoff - as we prefer a shorter drive) for 5 people, 3 bed accommodation & kids clubs on site.

MoppingMummy · 29/12/2012 20:51

I think Venue have accommodation at Raguenes in southern Brittany - i heard that is a nice quiet site.

Ponders · 29/12/2012 20:57

book Canvas via \link{http://www.topcashback.co.uk/canvas-holidays/\topcashback} & you get 10% back Smile

Eurocamp & Keycamp give 4%

(if you do go with one of those be very careful to do a full new booking - don't use a saved quote)

Ponders · 29/12/2012 21:02

I just did a quick search on Canvas & found 10 nights in a 3-bed mobile home in the Dordogne for just over £1000 - 2 or 3 children doesn't seem to make any difference

what are your dates, Lynette? (I love doing searches!)

LynetteScavo · 29/12/2012 21:06

Any time during the six week school holiday. Smile

OP posts:
Anifrangapani · 29/12/2012 21:09

A tent isn't that hard to put up....... £1400......... blimey.

overthemill · 29/12/2012 21:12

Venue is cheapest I think but I did find someone else that was pretty cheap too. Will look when I can get near the laptop, am on phone. Canvas is brilliant but the frills are expensive!

Ponders · 29/12/2012 21:12

where are you coming from (roughly) & how long are you prepared to drive the other side?

do you mind starting midweek or does it have to be a Sat for work hols?

do you care if you're in striking distance of a sea beach, or would a lake/river beach (or none) be ok?

is Dover-Calais ferry crossing ok or would you rather use a different route (will cost loads more though, unless you have Tesco vouchers for Eurotunnel - Canvas only knock off £40 for accom only, & a self-booked ferry would be a lot more than that in July/August)

Ponders · 29/12/2012 21:14

oh, and, would you rather have a mobile home or is a tent ok?

v little price diff between cheapest mobile home & tent though (I think)

LynetteScavo · 29/12/2012 21:19

Coming from the midlands.

The shorter drive the better, but I understand that a longer drive is necessary for better weather. I am also considering train (would enable a night in Paris, which would be nice) and hiring car at destination for a couple of days, although I'm guessing that's silly as no one seems to do it.

Just had the French rule on swim shorts conversation with DS1 and DH, who say like hell are they wearing Speedos! (DH in Speedos is a very scary image I now need to wash from my mind!)

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 29/12/2012 21:21

Tent would be fine if the weather is warm.

My idea of hell is being in a tent in the rain for a week.

If we need to stop of over night on the way down/ way back it's OK.

Ideally I would like to spend under £1000 on accommodation and travel. Is that asking too much?

OP posts:
EightToSixer · 29/12/2012 21:25

Watching because I'm looking for exactly the same thing for my family of four. First year we've had to avoid term time and it depresses me how expensive it is :(
Brittany would be ideal for us with Plymouth-roscoff crossing

overthemill · 29/12/2012 21:29

It is French freedom. We spent £ 688 fir one week in tent in Royan with venue last time then did week in dordogne with private rental for another £400. We are 5 people. If you book with company for tent you can get stop off accommodation in their sites on way Down. Much cheaper. You just need to have overnight bag so you don't have to unpack whole car! Cheap hotel chains like formula 1 or. B&B are good too. Tunnel usually around £80 return if you book well in advance.

MrsMc82 · 29/12/2012 21:32

how about select camp? think thats pretty cheap........

Ponders · 29/12/2012 21:35

tents can be fairly hideous if weather is hot, actually (although not so bad if site is shady) - but a week of rain is highly improbable, unlike eg Cornwall Grin

anyway

you could have 7 nights in the Vendee \link{http://www.canvasholidays.co.uk/campsite-overview.aspx?id=VE17T\here} in a 2-bed mobile home for £983 - that includes an off-peak ferry crossing (ie early or late, not sure of details) or a tent \link{http://www.canvasholidays.co.uk/campsite-overview.aspx?id=VE01S\here} for £775

those are both for a midweek mid-August start (10th was what I put in)

c 400 miles from Calais. Is that too far?

Ponders · 29/12/2012 21:39

off-peak is 10pm-6am, but peak sailings are only an extra £9 each way if you avoid Fri & Sat

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Ponders · 29/12/2012 21:41

oh, it's Fri-Sat outbound, Sat-Sun inbound

cheerup · 29/12/2012 21:46

Look at dutch companies ie selectcamp or tentsettersent or rent a tent or roan or at the sites own accommodation from around 20th august when prices start to drop. Use Google translate. Also check out Flower campings and their accommodation. Using Tesco vouchers for Eurotunnel really helps and DFDS also do discounts sometimes.

cheerup · 29/12/2012 22:11

Camping les Iles Beaulieu Sur Dordogne in a funflower tent for 580 euros 10 nights 21 to 31 Aug. Check via michelin route planner for petrol and toll costs but I would estimate 300ish. Don't forget you'll also need euro breakdown cover, high vis vests, bulb kit etc so allow an extra 100 for incidentals.

Definitely do-able - bonnes vacances!

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