Moving from eurocamp mobile home to tent- what to expect?

[electricslide]

We've used mobile homes at the same eurocamp site (la tranche bel) for five years, and are really used to arriving and unpacking and knowing what's what.
This year if we are to have a holiday, it's tent or nothing, so we've booked a tent. DD is beyond excited and we are kind of looking forward to it. What I want to know is what do we need to bring? And importantly, how cold is it in a tent in the Vendee in August? Will eurocamp blankets be enough at night or do we need sleeping bags? Thermals?

We've stayed in both Eurocamp caravans and tents and I don't think there's much in it warmth wise although I suspect you'll notice it more if it rains in a tent as you're not raised off the ground like you are in a caravan. It helps that the tent beds are proper beds not airbeds so they won't conduct any ground cold upwards. I actually prefer the tents - it encourages the family to spend more time outside so you don't get that cramped caravan feeling and I'm convinced there's actually more usable space inside the tent because you don't have the fixed furniture to work around. Eurocamp have upgraded all their tents this year and the new ones look great, with camping wardrobes and things they never had before. We've got our own tent now so I won't get to try them although we're having a short break in one of their safari tents at Easter so that'll be my Eurocamp fix for the year Their prices do seem to have shot up this year - especially during the summer holidays. I had a look to see how much we're saving having our own tent and was gobsmacked

You would be really unlucky to need thermals in the vendee in August. We've camped in the UK in October and coped fine with ordinary sleeping bags and PJs. Went to the Vendee in June 2009 and had lovely weather, sitting out in shorts plus denim/fleece jacket until midnight.

happy tenting!

Sorry burbled on but didn't really answer your questions. I would definitely take sheets and pillowcases and maybe extra blankets or sleeping bags depending on how many of you there are. Eurocamp usually give you enough blankets for full occupancy i.e. 6 so if there's only 3 of you, you'll already have 2 each. I'm a little bit 'eugh' about having their blankets next to my skin though (plus they're itchy) so like a layer in between. Apart from that you get the same inventory as caravans apart from oven/grill & associated kitchen wear. Erm, only other thing you might want to take is a bucket/potty for night time 'visits' (sorry!)

YOu won't need thermals. We were in the Vendée last summer at the end of July and it rained non-stop (bear in mind it rained in the south too!) but we were warm in our tent (not eurocamp). We had sleeping bags and normal pjs, I had leggings and a long-sleeved t-shirt or a short sleeved tshirt for warmer evenings.

I did need a fleece and a raincoat for the evenings (it was windy too).

We are thinking of doing Eurocamp this year (probably in a tent) as DS1 and 2 are really keen to go abroad on holiday and this is looks like it would be affordable. We have got our own tent but don't really fancy having to lug all the stuff that goes with it for a 10 day break.
Any advise?
Any particularly good/bad sites? (thinking France)
Any essentials that I'm likely to forget/not think about otherwise?

Not Eurocamp, but I take my kids camping here every summer. We actually live under 2 hours from there (in the French Alps), but my kids love it there and demand we go back every year, no matter what other destinations I suggest!

Prices are very reasonable, they have a kids' club in the summer and lots of activities in the evening for families etc. A good mix of nationalities (lots of Dutch, who generally speak good English). We French are often a minority, which means my kids get to practise their English :)

If you book long enough in advance, you should have a choice of chalet, caravan or tent pitch (we bring our own tent and bikes, but I think you can rent both).

It's also a good base for days out if you're into that - you have Dijon/Nuits St George, Macon, Lyon, Geneva, Mulhouse... within a couple of hours' drive. It's also on a lake, so there are beaches, watersports, fishing, a water theme-park etc on-site! Definitely a great holiday!

Looks nice - we might use it as a stopover on our way to Toulon to catch the ferry to Corsica.

If you are in France vitaminC, where did you buy your tent from? Decathlon only seem to have their own tents, which are a bit flimsy...

Lol, from Decathlon! It's our 3rd Decathlon tent (I downsized last year from the HUMUNGOUS one my exh made me buy, to a normal-sized one :) ) and I've never found them flimsy.

This one's actually tiny, but all we do is sleep in there. I have an awning thing for eating and cooking under and we do everything else outdoors....

Believe it or not, I drive a tiny Renault Twingo, and still managed to take my 3 kids, all our bikes and camping gear there last summer :o

You can rent a fridge there for a few ? a day, which is handy!

Hi there,

We were at Camping Bel last summer - we have our own tent, so can't comment on the Eurocamp ones other than they looked fine! As someone said they have raised beds, so that is even better.

We have blow-up air beds - we slept with just pj's on and I occasionally had a thin fleece blanket over me but we were there in June and there were a few days when it was noticabley cooler. Don't think you would have too many probs in August. We had a pitch in quite a shaded area, which is good because full sun when you are in a tent can get a wee bit hot inside! If you are worried, maybe bring a think fleece (either blanket or top), so if you get a little cold you can put it over you. Hope you have a lovely time!

we once stayed in tents with Eurocamp, in Normandy & Jura, in May/June. A couple of times in Normandy we used the gas stove for extra warmth when stting around in the evening, but generally it was fine (& the kids had a junior tent next to us to sleep in & they were plenty warm enough)

Vendee in August shouldn't be a problem at all

Wow I'm impressed vitaminC. My sil's decathlon tent let in water through the velcro-ed groundsheet last year - that's what's worrying me. Mind you we are specifically going to Corsica for good weather so maybe don't need to worry about that right now!

What is your awning thing? that's what we were missing last year for setting up our cooking stuff - instead we had to put it away each time in the boot of the car! Was thinking of a tarp arrangement this year but sounds a bit technical.

Sorry for the hijack!

Just a tarp roof with corner poles. ?15 from the supermarket!

Meant we could still eat outdoors when it rained... We don't pack anything away and nothing's every been pinched (including electric bbq/grill)!

It's really a lovely place to stay :)

Second the bucket or pot or something for night-time wee purposes, otherwise they're pretty well equipped.

went to north vendee last year in july/aug and hot during the day and cold at night. we put the heating on in the mobile one morning it was so cold. rep said it had been like it all season and it was normal for area. so strongly recommend fleece and jeans for evenings. didn't see 1 mosquito though all holiday. can you take sleeping bags?

Thanks everyone. We're flying to la Rochelle so luggage limited but will possibly bring sleeping bags. Will consider adding bucket to the first Super U shop!
We've had a good nose around the tents over the years and they do seem more spacious than the mobile homes. There are only three of us so we'll have a bit to spare too.

It's a given that fleeces and jeans will be brought, we've had enough chilly evenings shivering outside the bar to ever travel without them!

Thanks vitamin. Hope you have a good holiday Electricslide.