camping france with own tent - needs to be cheap - with pool. HELP!!

[needtoleaveukforsunshine]

Hello. we are in need of some sunshine and a change of scenery this summer and have been looking in UK and Devon but the thought of camping (Tent) in this country for more than 4 nights isn't very appealing. This is due to previous horrors of getting soaked/being pitched next to loud, cider drinking brits/getting soaked/paying a fortune for very little in the way of facilities etc. Priced one in cornwall and it is £30 per night (without elec) and looking at the pictures it hasnt been updated since about 1972.

I have just priced a cottage (use the term loosely) in cornwall which would be £800 for 1 week (2 bedroom). I then went onto a website for caravan owners and thought I would get something for £400 for a week but these are all asking £600-£700 in late august.

I have just looked at a campsite in the vendee - didnt spend too long looking at details as just wanted a guide price and it turns out we could take own tent for 12 nights and it would be either £380 without electricity or £500 with electricity (including fridge and barbeque hire). I think for the increased chance of sunshine and of course being in another country we are going to look seriously at france - have been before but not with own tent.

Questions I would like to ask are.

1. Our car isn't fantastic so we don't want to go too far (or over too many hills) - going to look at dover/calais crossing and then thinking either dordogne or vendee - any suggestions/advice (even for other areas)

1. Does anybody have a campsite they would recommend for family taking own tent - we like a pool - but not keen on loud discos - kids are 10 and 12 and like tennis/cycling and swimming. We would like to be somewhere where we could do bit of culture some days and chill/cycle other days.

We are going towards end august (19th/20th) and then need to be back home for 2nd September - so hoping tariffs on campsites are going to be reducing a bit at this time.

Thanks.

How about la croix du vieux pont?? About 1.5 hours easy drive from Calais. Has pools, one site bakey and can take own tent. Would recommend asking to stay in le parc... Nice open field part rather than what I call streets of tents... Hth

The Dordogne is quite a long drive from Calais. Have you thought about Brittany. We have been camping to La Trinite sur Mer a few times. The beaches are lovely, there are some pretty towns to visit, good for cycling and it is fairly easy to get to.

en.camping-de-la-baie.net/

www.camping-plage.net/en/

Try the Loire. It's a day's drive from Calais and there's loads of places to visit. We like the area around Saumur. Have a look at www.campingchantepie.com/index.php/en. Or www.yellohvillage.co.uk/camping/parc_de_montsabert. You should get cheaper rates in late August. We always go last 2 weeks in August and rarely pay more than 25-30 euros a night on a site with pool etc. have a look at a low season programme such at the ACSI camping card.

Hi and Thanks for ideas.

Brittany site looks good - but just wondering about weather? Are we likely to be crossing the channel for same weather as here?

We have been to la croix du vieux pont in the past - when on a disney visit - and it was good - but don't really like to go back to same place.

Thonah - it is interesting you mention chantepie - I had just looked at their website and it looks really nice & even the pre-erected tents look reasonably priced - tempted - although really on a tight budget so will probably need to stick with own tent. My kids are 10 and 12 - do you think there is enough for them there?? They are happy in a pool and with a bit of cycling/tennis - they are not really into big organised kids clubs - but on the other hand they might like to mix with some of their own age group - have you stayed at chantepie?

I will look at the other one now. thanks.

We have stayed at Chantepie several times - it's a lovely site. There's a pool there, and mini golf, but I don't think there's a tennis court. The area is really good for cycling, the roads around the site are fairly quiet. It's not a massive site, and there's always a good mix of Dutch/ British and French on the site. Right at the end of August French sites do tend to get quite quiet, which we really like, but there will still be children around.

montsabert campsite - 235 euros for 11 nights!!!! - fantastic. I am also impressed by the ad for beauty treatments - a relaxing massage would be such a treat on a camping holiday.

I have got that on my list - just need to look at the area around it and see what else comes in from lovely camping mumsnetters.

235 euros - i cant believe that - it is fab

We love la musardiere at milly la foret (near Fontainebleau). No website, but think they can be emailed. Quite basic site, no shop but bread van and occasional pizza/chicken vans in evening. Lovely pool, speedos required, obsessively cleaned. Fab walking, cycling, etc and best rock climbing and bouldering anywhere - even for little kids. No entertainment to speak of on campsite, except climbers juggling, walking (or in my case falling off) slacklines or playing guitars. The bit without ehu is better - just pitch anywhere in the trees. Very chilled out. Also some mobile homes.

We always head to Dordogne. Try 'le paradis' near St Leon on the Vezere, just off the Dordogne. Cleanest, nicest campsite I have ever visited!

HettyD we stayed at Le Paradis a long, long time ago (1989 I think) I agree, it is a really lovely site. We keep saying we should go back but haven't quite made it yet!

End of Aug you can probably get away without booking anywhere so why not just book a crossing (Dover-Calais or Eurotunnel will be several hundred pounds cheaper than a Brittany Ferries one) and see what the weather's like. That way you won't spend money on petrol and time in the car driving off somewhere if the weather closer to Calais is decent. We had a glorious end of August at the Lac D'Orient using Camping Cheques last year - think it must have equated to about £20 a night for two adults and two children of 3 and 6. We also stayed at Le Prunay and Le Clos Cacheleux in May for 14 euros a night all in using the ACSI scheme.

Check out the Camping Cheque/ACSI Camping Card scheme websites - its very unlikely somewhere that participates in either scheme from, say 20 Aug, won't have space at the last minute (otherwise they would move their dates to get more people booked in at full price). Some of the sites I've contacted have even been happy to book us a pitch without asking for a deposit but these have been further south than you are looking to travel. I personally like the look of Au Bois Joli - ACSI scheme from 24 Aug, approx 5 hours from Calais).

BTW are you sure that's the right price for the Parc de Montsabert booked direct? The Yelloh site only quotes initially on one adult and the pitch. Adding in two children 7-13 and another adult plus taxe de sejour makes it 391 euro (still not bad IMO compared to UK sites) but obviously a fair bit more than 235.