If I liked Les VALADES where would I like in Le Vendee?

[Chimpola]

That's it really

Camping le Garangeoire at St Julien des Landes. Merveilleuse!!!!

Thanks for replying really, I'm just worried it looks a bit big and busy?
What did you like about it?
(We have 5 & 7 year old)

I would recommend going a little further to the Charente Maritime - easily do-able in a days drive and better weather and scenery.

You could try 99www.matthewsfrance.co.uk/royan.html Palmyre Loisirs]] or a busier Atlantic park ?

In the Vendee, we stayed at small Campsite at Bretignolles with Mathews, not many English people but it was right on the beach and had an indoor pool with slides as well as the Outdoor pool.

We were in royan 2 years ago, lovely but we fancied a different region this time

We stayed in Les Ecureils, St Hilaire de Riez with Eurocamp, lovely, very clean campsite with great pool/slides/lazy river. Our boys 11 & 9 madr friends with some Irish lads and we hardly saw them. Also lovely childrens couriers on site (activities were a bit too yoing for ours but the younger kids seemed to be having a great time)

Le Garangeoire is big, but somehow feels much smaller. It's clean, spacious, lots to do on site and in the local area. My kids are always asking to go back there

Le garangeoire every time. Massive pitches, lots to do, strict rules, family who run it very hands on. Got to book very early.

Please tell me about Les Valades Chimpola - we will be there next week but weather not looking great and not sure where to head for activities-days out wise. We have asked for a pitch near the lake -- will we need to take a tarp or is there enough shade?

They are 11 and 8 and outdoorsy so delighted with the lake etc ... Less deleted I have told them the only time they will see screens is in the long drive down!

Sorry to interrupt kitchenfairy but we will also be there next week. You will have lots of shade by the lake. We were on pitch 60 last year and will be along same strip this year (going on thurs). Lots of things to do in the area - caves, castles maze gardens. Also check out the local markets - I think the les Valades brochure which they have at reception lists them. The owners are very helpful and will point you in the right direction re activities. Have a great time. How long are you there?

we are looking at campsites for next year, and having read this thread, have fallen in love with la garageoire and parc atlantique, however la garageoire seems to be full??? ( only used online availability checker) and parc atlantique is v expensive- would be £750 for a pitch for a caravan with 5 of us.
Is this normal? Im guessing these are the top end parks and there will b cheaper ones?
This is our first year of caravanning and we paid half that this year in cornwall.

La garangeoire gets booked up quikly but they don't sort it out for next year until november so you should get something especially if you can be a bit flexible with dates. If you phone up (not on a Saturday as very busy in reception) and ask for Marie Helene, or Jon Luc or Tim (all speak Englis, Tim is english) they will sort you out. You will need to fill in the booking form and send it in. You need to do it asap. We handed ours in last week!

ah right, thankyou, I thought it was unlikely to be booked up already!
do you have a touring caravan? any idea of the prices?

We have a folding camper but you pay per the pitch and then can put anything you like on it. We had the camper, awning, day gazeebo thingy, two two man tents for the boys and the car. The pitches with direct water connection are more than those with just elecric hook up. We paid extra to hire a fridge and a table and chairs so that bunged on about another 200 euro to the price. Without that then for two weeks with electric hook up would be around 750 euro from memory.

Hi Hillbilly
DH thinks it will be too much shade but I think we will be fine
Manic week trying to wrap up work and pack and etc etc but... We are off tomorrow arriving Saturday after. Stop in .Nantes. 2 week stay. Can't wait to get us on that ferry! not sure I can do the caves but always love a local market experience and looking forward to exploring some of the river beaches.

Sorry I forgot about this thread, booked les ecureils (sp) in the end, going tomorrow although been in the south all week, weather not been great.

Thekitchenfairy I'm sure you will love it. As for things to do there was an aquarium we went to nearby when the weather wasn't great, and a fantastic crazy golf place which was the highlight of the DCs holiday

I meant ferme du latois