Eurocamp La Garangeoire review: chilled, Vendée vibes with excellent family activities

Our verdict

La Garangeoire is a beautiful, family-friendly campsite in a peaceful corner of the Vendée countryside. The manor house and tree-filled estate give it far more character than a standard holiday park, and the remote setting makes it feel like a genuine escape. A car is essential, but shops are close enough for easy self-catering and Nantes makes a brilliant day trip.

Our Premium accommodation was comfortable and predictable, with a dishwasher and a fantastic covered terrace that made a real difference, particularly in rainy weather. The missing oven, unmade beds and lack of a vacuum cleaner were frustrating, but they were relatively small drawbacks compared with everything the site offered.

The activities were the real highlight for us. The sandy lagoon pool was beautiful, the free pedalo trip across the lake was fantastic and the excellent-value pony ride was an experience our daughter Isabella will remember for a long time. We also loved the playground, table tennis, live music and cheese-and-wine tasting. There was more than enough to keep us entertained without leaving the campsite.

Overall, we would happily recommend La Garangeoire to other families and would return. The only thing we would change is the journey: rather than driving down from Calais again, we would take the ferry to Saint-Malo and enjoy a much shorter onward drive.

How we tested

I travelled with my husband, Dean, who is 37, and our five-year-old daughter, Isabella. I am 35. This wasn’t our first stay at either a Eurocamp site or a holiday park, but it was our first time trying a different Eurocamp site. We had stayed at La Vallée several times previously, and we had also been to Center Parcs.

How we got there

We drove from Poole to Dover, took the one-hour ferry to Calais and then drove down to La Garangeoire. The French leg is around six and a half hours without stops, but it took us roughly eight hours because we stopped twice to charge our electric car. Each stop took around 30–40 minutes and the whole charging process was seamless.

We used the toll roads, which cost about £100 each way. Avoiding them would have added roughly another two hours, making the French drive closer to 10 hours with charging stops. France turned out to be really easy for electric-car travel. There were plenty of chargers at regular points along the route, and we used the Octopus Electroverse app to see our options and Chargemap to plan the journey and schedule our stops. Charging was also around 30–40% cheaper than in the UK.

We had been hesitant about taking our electric car, but it worked out really well. Even so, doing the whole journey in one go was a lot, so I’d recommend either breaking it up with an overnight stay or sailing to Saint-Malo instead. The onward drive from Saint-Malo is only around three hours, which would be much more manageable. We drove our own car, so we didn’t need to pay for a transfer.

What's the accommodation like at La Garangeoire?

We stayed in Eurocamp Premium accommodation. It included upgraded outdoor furniture, a covered terrace and a dishwasher, all of which made the stay feel noticeably more comfortable.

The accommodation was a really good size for the three of us, and Isabella had her own room. We could comfortably have fitted another couple of people, although filling every room would have felt tighter because we tend to travel with a lot of luggage. We have previously stayed in similar accommodation with five people and found it manageable, just more compact.

The kitchen was well equipped for a mobile home, with a dishwasher, microwave, hob and a good range of utensils, including useful basics such as scissors and tongs. The dishwasher was an absolute godsend after finding hand-washing everything quite exhausting on a previous stay. There was no oven, although there was a gas barbecue outside. For cleaning, we had a broom, dustpan and brush, but no vacuum cleaner. Toiletries were not provided.

The gated terrace was particularly useful for families. Its little lock meant we could relax outside without worrying about Isabella wandering off. Being able to park directly beside the accommodation was also really convenient, and there appeared to be enough room for more than one car.

Were there any extra costs in terms of accommodation?

We paid extra for bed linen and beach towels; otherwise, we would have needed to bring our own. The linen was supplied in sealed packages, but the beds were not made. After arriving at around 9pm following such a long journey, making them ourselves felt like more of a task than usual. We did not pay for end-of-stay cleaning, but I definitely would next time.

Did you make use of the outdoor space?

We really liked the outdoor space. It had a large sofa that was perfect for relaxing in the afternoons, as well as a table for six. We did not use it as much as we might have in better weather, but the covered terrace meant we could still sit outside comfortably when it was raining.

Did you have air-conditioning?

The accommodation did not have air conditioning, although a fan was provided. The weather was not particularly hot during our stay, so we used the fan but did not feel that air conditioning was necessary.

How far was your unit from the on-site facilities and amenities?

Our unit was around a five-minute walk from the main pool and central amenities, including the bar, restaurant, shop and entrance. The lagoon pool, on the opposite side of the park, was roughly a 10-minute walk away.

Was there anything you would change or improve about your accommodation?

The main thing we missed was an oven, particularly because we arrived late with pizzas and had assumed there would be one. A vacuum cleaner would also have made the end-of-stay clean much easier, as leaves and dirt were easily brought inside. Having the beds made before arrival would have been a very welcome touch too.

There wasn’t anything major that we disliked. The accommodation felt very similar to what we had previously experienced at La Vallée, which was reassuring: it is fairly basic, but predictable, and you know what you need to bring. The only frustrations were the missing oven, making the beds after a very long journey and trying to clean thoroughly with only a broom.

What were the pools like?

All of the pools were outdoors. The main pool complex had three pools and two water slides, while a separate lagoon pool sat at the other end of the park. The lagoon was a real standout: it had beautiful, fine sand and genuinely felt like being at the beach, with plenty of deckchairs and a few sun loungers for relaxing.

The pools never felt overly busy, even though we visited in August. The cooler weather may have helped, and the lagoon pool was particularly peaceful because it was tucked away at the far end of the park, behind the main amenities. It felt a little hidden, but it was absolutely worth seeking out.

How family-friendly were the pools and pool areas?

The two water slides at the main complex were great fun. One was a straight slide where you could race alongside someone, while the other was more twisty. Isabella tried the twisty slide once and found it a little scary, although she still seemed to enjoy it. The shallow lagoon was also brilliant for younger children: Isabella could make sandcastles, play with her bucket and spade and dip into the water while we supervised close by. There was a fountain, although it appeared to be decorative rather than a separate splash area.

What other family-friendly facilities are there?

• Playground: The large children’s playground was a real hit with Isabella. It had roundabouts, swings and plenty of standard climbing equipment, and she wanted to go back several times.

• Sports facilities: There was a football court with basketball hoops at either end. We did not use it, but it was a good option for older children. We did play table tennis, and there were around six tables spread between the entrance and playground areas.

• Kids’ club: We did not use the kids’ club ourselves, so cannot review it first-hand, but we often saw the children playing games and running around on the large field, and they seemed to be having a brilliant time.

• Pony rides: This was one of the highlights of the whole trip. For €14, Isabella had a pony ride lasting around an hour. We joined a group trail, leading the pony along a marked route to the lake and back. She was nervous at first but absolutely loved it, and it felt like incredible value compared with what we would expect to pay in the UK.

• Lake activities: Pedalo use was free once we left a deposit at reception and collected a life jacket. The pedalo was large enough for around four people, with two pedalling positions, and taking it out across the enormous lake was fantastic. Kayaks also appeared to be available, although we did not try them or confirm whether they were free.

• Mini golf: Once we had bought a golf ball for a small fee, we could return and play again without paying each time. We loved how many of the activities were free or very inexpensive.

• On-site shop: The shop was useful for everyday essentials and anything we had forgotten. It also stocked items such as table-tennis bats and had fresh bread and pastries each morning without needing to pre-order.

• Go-karts: Go-karts were available at set times, although we did not manage to try them during our stay.

• Evening entertainment: There was no children’s disco, which disappointed Isabella enough that we held our own mini disco back at the accommodation. There was, however, an excellent live band playing a mix of folk and pop. Listening as the sun set was a really beautiful way to spend the evening.

• Bouncy castle: A bouncy castle was available during the day, apparently until around 8pm, and Isabella loved it. It felt a little small for such a large field, and it would have been helpful to have it running while the band played to entertain the children, although we understood why it needed to close before dark.

What's the food like?

The on-site options included a shop selling fresh bread and pastries, a sit-down restaurant, a separate takeaway and a pool bar serving drinks and ice cream. There were also paid wine-and-cheese experiences, including an option hosted in the manor house with the owners. We did not try the restaurant, takeaway or manor-house tasting ourselves, although the restaurant was a beautiful space and the takeaway food we saw looked good.

We bought breakfast from the shop, visited the pool bar for drinks and ice cream, and booked a cheese-and-wine tasting. The tasting was a highlight and cost around €23 for three glasses of wine and five cheeses. The wine was excellent, it was interesting to learn about the cheeses and it felt like brilliant value. Isabella was welcome to join us and happily played with the board games and Lego provided for children. At the pool bar, the piña colada-flavoured ice cream was particularly good.

The on-site shop was very useful for essentials and anything we had forgotten. Each morning it sold fresh bread and pastries, including croissants, pains au chocolat and chocolate twists, without requiring us to pre-order. The quality was fantastic compared with what we are used to in the UK, and the prices felt very reasonable.

What are the kids' food options like?

We did not eat in the restaurant or order from the takeaway, so we cannot comment first-hand on the children’s menus. We did, however, find the cheese-and-wine tasting surprisingly family-friendly because Isabella could join us and had board games and Lego to keep her occupied. The pool-bar ice creams were also a hit.

How expensive is the food?

Everything we bought felt reasonably priced, particularly compared with the UK. The breakfast pastries, ice creams and drinks were good value, the wine at the bar was consistently lovely and inexpensive, and the €23 cheese-and-wine tasting felt especially good value for the amount and quality included.

We self-catered for most of the trip and enjoyed shopping at the large local supermarkets. They were enormous, with a fantastic range of fresh produce that seemed much better than we are used to in the UK, while still feeling very reasonably priced. Browsing the different products was almost an activity in itself, and we loved buying ingredients to cook back at the lodge.

What is there to do nearby?

A useful overview of family-friendly attractions within easy reach of the property. Please highlight walking/driving distance.   

Nantes made a brilliant day trip. It was easy to park, fun to explore and full of a mix of big-name stores and beautifully presented independent shops.

Some of our favourites were HEMA, where we loved the home fragrances and Isabella enjoyed the Miffy collection; Moulin Roty, a gorgeous children’s toy shop beside the Basilique Saint-Nicolas; and Les P’tits Papiers on Place Félix-Fournier, which sold stationery and an incredible selection of art prints. Moulin Roty was not cheap, but it was lovely to see a whole shop dedicated to the brand. I bought a beautiful A3 print from Les P’tits Papiers for around £30, which felt very reasonable.

We also ate at Big Fernand in Nantes and had fantastic burgers. The meal came to roughly €50 for the three of us, which felt good value compared with eating out in the UK.

About the author

Rebecca Warbis is a UX Designer at Mumsnet, where she works closely with the Tech and Product teams to make the site easier for parents to use and engage with. She is mum to five-year-old Isabella and a regular family traveller, with experience of Eurocamp stays and road trips through France and Belgium. Rebecca is also the author of the Date Night Cookbook, which has been published in Europe, the US and South Korea.

About the editor

Jenny Wonnacott is a Content Editor at Mumsnet, where she writes, edits and optimises family-focused content designed to make everyday parenting that bit easier.

As a mum of three, Jenny brings first-hand parenting experience to everything she writes, with plenty of trial-and-error along the way. Her family travels have ranged from UK camping trips to more adventurous long-haul breaks, giving her a clear understanding of what really matters when travelling with children - from location and layout to those small but crucial details that can turn an average family trip into the best holiday ever.

She regularly researches and reviews family travel options, combining expert insight with real parent feedback from the Mumsnet community to help other families plan holidays with confidence.

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