Single mother. Please advise on best Europe camping!

[lovemenorca]

I would love some guidance

Never been camping but I think my two children (9 and 7) would love.

I’m thinking camping next year.

Pre reqs
Hot and sunny
Pre erected, glancing kind of experience
Great swimming pool
Walking distance to a beach

And here’s the core one.... taxi distance from airport or ferry as I don’t want to hire a car when out there (nervous driver)

Can anyone help please?

Ours was Camping Club Farret, Vias Plage- I just checked.

I'll have a look at the map and see, I think they've built more since we were there last in 2015.

lovemenorca if you click on this link and scroll to the blue box on the right there is 'Campsite Map'.
Hit that and if you look at the map we stayed in the Quartier Robinson. First time we were one of the ones overllooking the pool, so you had some of the pool babble during the day-but it wasn't bad. Lovely and quiet once the pool closed in the evening though-maybe at 7ish?
Second time we stayed right where it is pointing to, the blue line. We overlooked that small meadow. Kids palled up with a lovely French family and played there, even though they had no English and we very little French. Boys were pen pals, and recently they got in touch asking about arranging an exchange!
The theatre masks are the stage where they have music etc in the evenings and the square is there so can be a bit busy/noisy in the evening. We had a toddler so weren't doing late nights!
The hammock on the porch was my spot, just rocked and looked up at the trees...

@EleanorLavish

Such a help. Thank you
I’d like to book for August 2020 but not possible

Do you know when it’s possible to book with yelloh for the next summer?

Euro camp itself has gone down hill at some sights do read reviews and see if it isn't cheaper to book direct with camp site.

South of France near Nice Airport you can get train to cannes or Monaco or beyond.

I would caravan not camp, and go for Pula, Croatia.

Re the toilet thing, Eurocamp and Cancas holidays used to let you hire a toilet tent ( basically a portaloo attached to your tent) so no stumbling across the campsite in the dark.

I have no intention of camping! Sorry should have made that clear

I’m looking for a two bed, own bathroom, a/c cabin.

Essentially “my” version of camping, which is not really camping at all!

We have been here many many times
Camping Panorama 50 Km from Bordeaux. You can fly to Bordeaux, then get a train to Archachon, then a bus to the campsite. It's right at the end of the Dune du Pyla, which is a thing of beauty. We have Benn going for 15 years and absolutely love it. It's a lively bussy campsite with pre erected tents or cabins . The whole area is great

www.camping-panorama.com/

Not sure when we booked, we usually book around January time, and we went first two weeks of July. I'll double check with DH.
Could you email them and ask?

I'd go with emailing them lovemenorca, we booked in Jan but it does book up quickly.
I hope you enjoy it. Just looking at the pictures has made me nostalgic, had such good times there.
I think I heard about it from Mumsnet actually. When I was there I spoke to a lady in the laundry room, and she said she had been holidaying in campsites all along the med for 30 years, and she thought it was the best one she had been to. So hopefully you will like it too.
We went to Beziers for a day and it was gorgeous, and Serignan is lovely,nice market in the square some days. And went horse riding with DS1.

Blimey, menorca!

You say in your op

I’m thinking camping next year.

Then right at the end of the fred, after copious camping recommendations from lots of posters, you say

I have no intention of camping!

Make your mind up lovely!

I think she meant going to a campsite with pre erected tents/cabins as opposed to having to actually ‘camp’in the old school sense.

Check out Yelloh Village Ilbarritz, south of France. 10 mins from Biarritz airport (we got extremely cheap flights to and from over the summer hols just gone), stones throw from a gorgeous little beach, great indoor and outdoor pools and facilities on site and locally. Plus free bus passes for guests, so you can hop in and off the public transport which will take you directly, and frequently in and out of nearby Biarritz and Bidart in a matter of minutes. Biarritz itself is beautiful, with miles of sandy beaches, a great aqaurium, zoo nearby, lots of shops and sights. On the site there's a range of different lodging options, from tent pitches, static caravans, wooden lodges, and fancy bungalows depending on your budget. We stayed in a lodge, and it had everything you could have needed for a perfect self catering stay. It is very "French" but we absolutely loved this as it felt really authentic. We're planning on returning next year, and we aren't the type to go back to the same places again, we just loved the whole experience, and ease of it all.

Plus, I say "very French" but the reception staff were very helpful, and had great English, they organised us a taxi back to the airport, booked our aqaurium tickets for us, directed us to the bus stop and told us where to get it back from etc.

Don't discount the trains - we've been to a Eurocamp holiday in the South France and we went by train (Eurostar to Paris, Paris to Montpellier). Leave yourself plenty of time to for the connection. They release French train tickets six months in advance and you can get some amazing deals for that leg of the trip.

If you want to keep the cost down, the August holidays in the Sun £9.50 deal should be available in January. We had an air conditioned 2-bed chalet with toilet, shower and kitchen for under £150 for a 7 night stay. The site we were at wouldn't work for you as you need a car to get there but there are plenty of others. Good luck!

Make your mind up lovely! please don’t

Thank you all for fantastic recommendations. I’m sold on the yelloh villages. I rang and I can book from November.

She said 10% discount if I book before 2020. Do prices fluctuate though. Best to book early?

Eleanor... you’ve been invaluable.

Shops on site - decent? We generally eat very simply - but do love lots fresh fruit and veg.

@Boatsexer

Train sounds brilliant fun!
Plus the yelloh village Serignan Plage only an hour from montpelier
Any thoughts on cost in August to get to Montpelier given your experience? Plus how long from London to Montpelier?!

The butchers/bakery were very good. There is a fruit and veg shop too, and a mini market. Probably a bit more expensive than a large supermarket but zero hassle. Chuck it on the back of the bike and off you go.
There was a fruit & veg stall out on the main road like a 15 min cycle that I think was cheaper?
We hired a gas BBQ-ask via email, they’ll give you details. Think was €25 a week?
I am veggie and was very happy with salads and cheese etc, pasta.
The patisserie is to die for!!

@lovemenorca. If we'd booked the tickets from Paris to Montpellier when I told DH to they would have been about £100 all in for the return ticket for 2 adults and 2 children. (We booked later, it was more, less said the better). I think Eurostar was about £65 each.

Timewise, Eurostar is about 2 hours, Paris to Montpellier 3 and a half ish. You need a couple of hours in Paris to get from Gare du Nord to Gare du Lyon. It's an easy metro ride bit it'll be stressful if you make the transfer time too tight.

Hi, just checking if anyones booked yet for next year. I highlighted this thread as looking for the same as OP.

Hi OP, have you booked anything yet?

Bump