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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

can anyone recomend a site in italy/france for anxious stressed out first timers

5 replies

theseventhdwarf · 08/01/2012 21:09

Hi we have a 2.5 and 4.5 yr old (will be 3 and 5 by summer) and would love to try camping with them this year.
I ve been googling and looking at campsites... but I m totally lost. I dont know what we need I m nervous of booking something and then us all being misreable in a mobile home together!
I guess we need somewhere nice was hoping to find somewhere in Italy but if France is overall better for camping then france it is!
I would love somewhere with toddler friendly pools and somewhere not too rowdy at night so we can all get a bit of kip (yes sleep is prime commodity in our house Grin)
love the notion of a friendly village nearby or somewhere we can get out of the camp-site to (more so for my sanity i suppose .... so maybe with shops restaurants etc)
Can anyone recommend somewhere and thank you for taking the time to read this and if you do , replying too.

OP posts:
luciadilammermoor · 08/01/2012 22:25

Depends whereabouts in France of course, but we have had lovely holidays in Brittany here www.camping-bretagne-atlantique.com/piscine.htm. The campsite has swimming/paddling pools, a mini farm, campsite based in an old orchard, with hedges between the emplacements and best of all, IMVHO, a 5 min walk through a lovely wood to get to a stunning, shallow sandy beach. You can hire bikes and cycle round the local lanes and there is a Breton festival just at the end of the road in August. lots of activities, probably more for older ones.
The pizza takeaway in Fouesnant is fab (opposite the tourist office) and there are lovely sheltered beaches at Cap Coz and night markets etc locally. We like to head round to Concarneau, which has a port with clippers and fishing boats as well as an impressive city-fort in the harbour to wander round. There's a lovely creperie in the Ville-close, one of the best we've found in Brittany. www.creperie-lepennti.com/
There are artist villages close by to wander round, fishing at the Point Mousterlin, we've done daytrips to Brest Aquarium Oceanopolis (well worth it) and the Breton village museum Poul-Fetan sagemor.com/visites-animations1.html and Carnac standing stones.

Alternatively, we had a super short break here the year before last www.campinglavallee.co.uk/, 1 km away from the beach in Normandy. We took the children to the races at Dieuville, pottered on beaches, visited Pegasus bridge and went on the little tourist trains in the Edwardian style resorts. very relaxed atmosphere.

Or for a very different place www.camping-le-ruisseau.fr/ this is in Biarritz and you can travel into Spain to Bilbao or take the children to the many large caves with evidence of neolithic dwelling. Campsite is lovely, has animals to visit (poneys to feed etc) and a super paddling pool complex. Very different feel to the Med, fab food.

We tend to take the Portsmouth - St Malo ferry as it means it's only about 6 hours drive to Biarritz from there.

The Castels and Camping website gives some family-based campsites which are quite luxurious/'safe'. Can be pricey.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

luciadilammermoor · 08/01/2012 22:30

Just thought, have you looked at Canvas Holidays et al? Could be useful to start out with it all a bit more organised?

www.canvasholidays.co.uk/

Sorry, have no experience of camping in Italy with children.

makemineapinot · 08/01/2012 22:31

here is perfect! Got everything you've asked for. Was my 'freedom' holiday after my divorce with my 2 dc(5 and 6) and was unbelievably perfect - we went back the following year and we will go back next year x

theseventhdwarf · 09/01/2012 00:07

Thank you all so much for taking the time to replyGrin i really appreciate it
Busily sifting through site here - thanks ever do much for the links and replies they are so very helpful and informative

OP posts:
tim6587 · 09/01/2012 10:33

Hi, we've been Les Mouettes several times and it is brilliant for children of all ages. Its also really good for those first timers as its very close to the ferry port and has everything you need either on site or very close by.
I would say that France and Italy are very good just depends on how far you want to travel to get to your campsite. Just for your info we have 3 children and we have been with 2 and all 3 at varying ages from 8 months up to 7. The pools on most campsites have various pools for most ages and its worth checking out the companies special sites for those with children. You will find all three major companies have various sites especially for toddlers with selected pitches away from the busier roads and water.
Hope it helps

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