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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.

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Original poster

Campsite near Calais - recommendations?

16 replies

Living · 20/04/2015 06:47

We're travelling from France to UK this summer and want to break the journey with a night at a campsite near Calais (we be taking the tunnel the next day). Any recommendations on where to stay? We will have a four and five year old with us but it's mainly a place to crash (and allow the kids to run off some energy) rather than needing fantastic facilities.

Thanks

OP posts:

Branleuse · 20/04/2015 06:52

la bien assise.

20 mins from calais

Original poster

Living · 20/04/2015 10:24

OK they've annoyed me by stating a price and then quadrupling it with 'extras'. Is this just the norm? I don't normally camp in Europe!

OP posts:

Original poster

Living · 20/04/2015 10:32

And thanks!

OP posts:

FrozenAteMyDaughter · 20/04/2015 18:06

We liked Domaine de Drancourt but it is a bit further from Calais than Bien Assise and part of the same chain, so I don't know whether it will be any cheaper.

TywysogesGymraeg · 20/04/2015 18:10

In my experience campsites near to the channel ports are pretty pants. Its better to push on for a couple of hours and find a Formula 1, Ibis or similar just off the motorway, if it's just for one night.

ivykaty44 · 20/04/2015 18:16

I would rather put pins in my eyes than stay in an ibis...

www.chateau-gandspette.com/campsite-france-nord-pas-de-calais.html

Stayed here a few times and my dad and dad stayed for two weeks..DC lived it here

fairyfuckwings · 20/04/2015 18:19

I was also going to suggest La Bien Assise. We went last year and we all really enjoyed it. It definitely wasn't expensive - we got a really good deal including the crossing with breakfree holidays.

Furball · 20/04/2015 18:34

We've stopped off at both Bien Assise and Gandspette. (a little further away)

Would recommend both. There's a pool and bar/restaurant at both and with both you could literally be anywhere ie you wouldn't know you were near Calais.

Branleuse · 20/04/2015 18:43

we just spent 4 nights at bien assise as a mini break, and it was absolutely fine, and the kids had fun. For a night or two as a stopover it is more than adequate. Its clean, there is a playground, a small heated pool, a bar, a restaurant.
I wouldnt spend a fortnight there, but it was great for a few days so would be more than OK for a stopover

fairyfuckwings · 20/04/2015 20:29

I think we stayed for 4 nights too when we went. We had a day in Bruges which isn't far and we all really enjoyed it there. The nearest town was incredibly dull but the campsite itself was nice.

Branleuse · 20/04/2015 22:13

i dont think we even looked round Guines.
We went to Boulogne (nausicaa aquarium), Wimereux, Le Touquet & De Panne.

Original poster

Living · 21/04/2015 04:02

Thanks everyone. Will check out the options. At the moment it's only looking about 20 EUR more expensive to stay in a b&b - was expecting the price differential to be greater. I'm willing to pay that to avoid the inevitable argument as we try to put up a new tent after a 6 hour drive!

OP posts:

FrozenAteMyDaughter · 21/04/2015 09:47

What don't you like about IBIS ivykaty44? We usually fit a night in in one on the way back from France and have found them great. A bit like Premier Inn over here I guess and for that reason obviously a bit soulless. But clean and reliable with (we have always found) nice breakfasts.

IBIS Styles are a new thing they seem to be doing and they seem to be a step up from regular IBISes by and large. We had a sort of suite last time we stayed in one - a bedroom for us and one for DD, two bathrooms and then a hall with a door to the corridor. It was nice not having to all share a room but at the same time not have to worry about DD being properly separate.

Sorry about going off topic.

By the way, if you are prepared to drive longer on the day you go for the ferry we stayed at a very nice site in Picardy at Easter - Les Etangs du Moulin - www.etangsdumoulin.fr/. Not expensive to camp (we didn't find) but quite quirky with a Wild West sort of a theme. However, it is a good 2 hour drive to Calais so not an option unless your boat is an afternoon/evening one.

ivykaty44 · 21/04/2015 15:22

I like premier inn but though ibis was awful and the facilities dismal, so much so I would pay more to stay somewhere nice or stick pins in my eyes..!

FrozenAteMyDaughter · 21/04/2015 15:45

That must have been a pretty bad IBIS ivykaty44! Can you say where it was so we can be sure to give it a wide berth? I must admit, there are definitely some that are better than others in terms of facilities (swimming pool, availability of a bar/restaurant etc) so I suppose I can see if you have a bad first experience it will really put you off going back for more.

Also you really have to avoid the IBIS Budget hotels. They used to be Etap hotels I think and are VERY basic. DH stayed in one once to try to keep costs down, and refuses point blank to repeat the experience!

FrozenAteMyDaughter · 21/04/2015 15:47

Novotels are in the same Accor chain and are a step up from IBIS. They tend to be much nicer but also more expensive, although sometimes with deals on, they can be comparable.

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