France camping advice please - bell tent, warm weather, eco/natural/basic/wild swim

[victoriasmith123456]

Hello, please help!!!

We are planning our first trip abroad with our sons 5 and 3 and would like to do some camping in our bell tent in France but have no idea where to start, I feel like I am sinking in camping organising sand!

Here is a list of what we would ideally like:

pool
warm weather - but not a HUGE drive on the french side, so not right down in the south east
eco, natural, not to commercial
rivers to wild swim in
close to small village

if anyone has any recommendations or advice I would really appreciate it.

many thanks
V x

oh please help me mumsnetters!!!!

I absolutely adore this place (we are going back for a third time in August):
www.chateau-de-chanteloup.com/

It doesn't quite tick all your boxes. It is a shortish drive (4-5 hours from Calais, 2 hours from Dieppe, 1 and a bit from Caens) so not very far south but, being inland, the weather seems to be pretty good (or has been so far). It has a pool that is divided into three portions: toddler and main pool (both heated) and deeper diving pool that isn't heated. 90 pitches so not overcrowded. Very generous pitches. Clean – facilities housed in converted outbuildings. A play park for the children with trampoline and bouncy castle. The use of the chateau for the bar and a salon (games room). Terrace … boating lake (you can't swim in it). Our neighbours found a place nearby where you could go kayaking. Utterly charming hosts – family run. Basically they are a campsite 3 months of the year to pay for the upkeep of the chateau. In a village called Sille le Philippe that I must admit we haven't explored but it is on our list. We drive to the supermarket but a bakery visits every morning, and a butcher on Thursdays. Small shop and restaurant on site. It is about 20-30mins out of Le Mans which is a very beautiful Plantaganet city. There is a kids club for an hour each morning in high season. Some organised entertainment but nothing pushed at you (such as a BBQ every Sat where you bring your own food and they provide the bbqs, wine and cheese). I could go on … really special place!

I am tempted by this place in Normandy.

No idea about camping but we have a mobile home in Charente near La Rochelle and the weather can be astoundingly shit or astoundingly good. If you want guaranteed weather you need to go further south. Ours is 9 hours from Calais....