I need help to find the right campsite in france!

[jobnockey]

Hello MN,

I’ve already posted on the subject of which campsite to choose but I am still chasing myself round in circles trying to find the perfect site for our summer holiday – somebody help me!!! It’s so hard to choose by just looking at pictures on websites. This is our wishlist:

• a swimming pool
  
• direct access to a river or lake
  
• evening entertainment as low key as possible… i.e. no karaoke. Either that or evening entertainment which is easy to ignore/avoid.
  
• Trees/nature/ a feeling of wildness rather than rows of caravans
  
  We’re looking at provence/ardeche areas and can be quite flexible about where. Don’t mind being off the beaten track… don’t even really mind about facilities too much as long as the site is right in other respects. I can put up with grotty showers if I have to!
  
  It will be the height of summer heightness so I think ‘quiet’ will be too much to ask but would also like to avoid feeling like I’m in the middle of Disneyland. Nothing too ‘eurocampy’ in other words.
  
  I feel like I must have looked at every camping website for the ardeche in existence and none of them have jumped out at me so far as being ‘the one’. We’ll be there for 10 days and really want to get it right.
  
  really hoping someone out there will have a brillo recommendation for me!!!
  
  TIA

[hillbilly]

That site looks great job, we must like similar kinds of sites! You must come back and give us a full review. I'm going to be in that kind of area next summer so it could be a contender

[jobnockey]

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Hillbilly, we actually went to Les Valades last summer after reading a recommendation on here! Bloody loved it, lovely little site and in a great area too. Will definitely stay there again when next in the dordogne.

For this holiday, after much deliberation, we have decided to go for this place as it's in eAsy striking distance of Nimes and Montpellier. DP likes to do a couple of city day trips so that's him sorted! We're also only a couple of hours from the Camargue so might even be able to go and see some flamingoes and wild horses.

I really like the look of the Drome area and so am shelving the recommendations above for next year potentially.

On the site we've chosen there is a tree house you can stay in, DP and DS were both quite excited when they saw it on the website so I have booked it for us on our last night as a surprise... Shhhhhh! It's made the cheap campsite stay not quite so cheap but never mind.

Excited now. I think I love the planning on my holidays almost as much as the actual holiday!

[Quenelle]

Ah, see Asheth has already recommended Flower. Great minds Asheth...

[Quenelle]

Have you looked on the Flower Campings website? We stayed at one of theirs overnight a couple of years ago and really liked it.

La Chataigneraie in the Drome. The pitches might seem a bit too regimented for you but it's a small site high up on a hillside with beautiful views. The place had a very relaxed feel and the little bar and restaurant were fab.

This might be more you Lac du Marandan in the Drome.

I also like the look of this one Les Ramiers a bit further south in Provence.

Getting carried away now. I just love the Drome, Ardeche and Provence. Beautiful sights, smells and sunshine . What a shame we can only go as far as Brittany this year

[hillbilly]

No one has mentioned Les Valades yet. It ticks all your boxes although it's in the Dordogne. We are going for the third time this summer. The site is divided into 2 parts. The upper part has more regimented pitches although there is room for some free style in the trees camping, and then the other section is down by the lake amongst the trees (this is our favourite). Great pool, beautiful lake and free canoes to use. Not much in the way of evening entertainment. I think they have a singer one night and couple of other things going on.

[Asheth]

Try Flower Camping. There are sites all over France all with pools and or access to water. The sites tend to be smallish and we found all to be quite quiet when we stayed in some of their sites last summer holidays.

[easylife73]

Oh, meant to say as well, there was a good mix of nationalities, including quite a few Brits without it being like Eurocamp!

[easylife73]

Try Mondial Camping We went there last year and are returning again this year. It has a nice pool, direct river access and lots of trees so quite shady. There is entertainment (including karaoke) but it's very easy to ignore as it's all up at the top end by reception and the road. Walking distance into Vallon Pont d'Arc for the night market etc, and kayaking trips direct from the site down the river.

[cheerup]

It is very Dutch with a fair few French and some Germans/Danes. That said when we were there there were a couple of other English families and my dd made friends with a French girl despite the language barrier. The animateurs were great with her as the only English speaker at kids club too. The Dordogne probably a better bet for English speakers but the Dutch (IMO) pick the most beautiful spots!

[jobnockey]

Thank you for the recommendations. Must admit I have never considered huttopia as I assumed they were more of the holiday camp type place. Will def have a closer look.

Cheerup, that site looks very promising, just wondering if there's likely to be other English speakers holidaying there? The reviews I've read suggest it's all Dutch/French families. Doesn't bother me but kind of relying on DS being able to make friends and have lots of kids to play with, we only speak English typical Brits

What was it like in your experience?
Thanks!

[Minstrelsaremarvellous]

Suggest you look up Huttopia we've been to 2 of their sites, both as you describe!

[millimat]

Our favourite site ever. www.laribeyre.com/en/ Not in the region you said but lots too see and do.

[cheerup]

Camping l'Hirondelle, Drome. Ticks all those boxes. Go for a champs pitch (might be called grand comfort) with a view of the Vercours mountains.

[cheerup]

Camping l'Hirondelle, Drome. Ticks all those boxes. Go for a champs pitch (might be called grand comfort) with a view of the Vercours mountains.

[Milliways]

I have this riverside campsite bookmarked :Dorgdogne site

[hippospot]

Another vote for Les Castels, then again I am a mobile home type of person and won't do "real" camping in tents at all.

I find the Castels sites to be low-key re entertainment but still provide fab pools, playgrounds etc.

La Garangeoire in the Vendee was the best holiday ever, and the weather in Aug was perfect.

[mousmous]

have a look at les castels campsites.
they are big, but hsually a pleasant mix of tents, fixed tents and caravans/static caravans.

they have entertaiment but not usually the loud annoying kind.

[workJack]

We were thinking of going to the Ardeche but just couldn't find the right campsite. Spend hours looking, expecting to eventually find 'the one' but in the end decided it would just be too hot and commercialised. So not much help really! In the end we have decided to go back to Annecy. Have you considered there? Still quite touristy but there are sites that aren't as Eurocampy.