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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.

Original poster

Camping in France

20 replies

rebus1 · 02/05/2017 11:54

We are hoping to take our own tent to France this Summer. I've been browsing websites and they all seem very expensive, the price for 2 plus car is ok and then rockets once I add in our 4 DC!

Is this normal practice in France? I can't seem to find anything less than about £350 for a week in our own tent, even for the last week of the holidays. We haven't got any fixed place in mind, would like to have a day in Paris so maybe somewhere near or do a stopover on the way home.

At the moment it is looking cheaper to go with venue and stay in one of their tents in Annecy.

OP posts:
profpoopsnagle · 02/05/2017 16:54

We have 3dc, and I have definitely noticed a trend in the last few years of sites (here and abroad) adding a surcharge for more than 2 people as well as charging for the pitch/electric etc. Like you say, for larger families it does start to add up, on average we pay £30-£35 a night to camp. However, I also appreciate that my children also use the facilities- showers/loos, pool etc if there's one, so the cost is reasonably fair.

The euro exchange rate is also not helping ATM with France and other places.

stripeknee · 02/05/2017 21:40

it certainly seems to add up, we found that on most sites, dc over 5 were classed as an adult which made price quite high, there does not seem to be any deals around, but we always get chatting to other families and a lot of dutch always seem to tell us they find a deal, which is a lot cheaper than the price we pay ! which is frustrating but i think its like the cc in holland

Original poster
rebus1 · 02/05/2017 23:40

I wouldn't mind £30-35 per night so much but the sites I've found seem to be more like £50, which is a lot to pay for sleeping in your own tent!

OP posts:
Heratnumber7 · 03/05/2017 00:04

Well you're not really paying for sleeping in your own tent are you?
You're paying for use of the facilities, rubbish disposal, use of the pool and lifeguards, security and any on site entertainment that's provided. Probably other stuff too that I can't think of at this time of night.

Original poster
rebus1 · 03/05/2017 06:23

I get that but still think £350 for a week on a campsite is really pricey. Some of the places don't have pools or entertainment either. I guess I'm going to either have to suck it up or stay in the uk this summer.

OP posts:
FrenchLavender · 03/05/2017 06:34

When you put it in the context of paying more like £1000 + a week in peak season for a house or a mobile home then I think £350 a week for a pitch on a site with great facilities is good value.

What kind of holiday could you hope to do for less?

clearsommespace · 03/05/2017 06:51

You could try Forest View in Dorceau Normandy. Looking at the website, they only charge for DC over 12. (It's not a recommendation because I have never stayed there but the reviews are good.)

profpoopsnagle · 03/05/2017 18:24

Sorry, the £30-£35 p/night was for UK sites.

Just checked our France one, and it's 54Euros/night which works out as @£47. All of our children are over 7 which can also make a difference too. This is in the middle of August, so some of the dates are high season and some shoulder season. Site has pool/playgrounds/restaurant and a minimal entertainment programme.

I do think the exchange rate isn't helping but there's not very much we can do about that.

Original poster
rebus1 · 03/05/2017 20:02

The forest view campsite looks nice and very good value clearsomespace, thanks. I think I'm just used to fairly cheap UK campsites FrenchLavender so I think I'll have to stop being such a tightwad!

OP posts:
BrieAndChilli · 03/05/2017 20:06

It pays to book in advance as far as possible. We are staying in a eurocamp mobile caravan in south of France in may half term. Cost £230 for the 5 of us as I got a 50% code from kidspass
I think it was 15% off during August which may help bring the cost down a bit if code is still available??

To be honest camping prices are just the same in the uk and worse weather!! Years ago you could camp as a family for £10, now you are looking at nearly £50 for the five of us!

loubielou31 · 03/05/2017 21:57

you need to look for some of the municipal campsites. we've booked a week for six of us near le mans for less than €200. the second week is in the vendee at a commercial site with a pool etc, that's more like €500 and you can easily pay more. Teenage boys requiring more entertainment a week in two different types of sites is our (expensive) compromise.
We've stayed in a few always on recommendation, wash blocks are more basic, you will need to take your own loo roll and there's no soap for example but I don't mind that.

Heratnumber7 · 03/05/2017 22:41

French campsites are, by and large, far superior to British ones.
Take a look at Camping Le Paradis in the Dordogne region, near Sarlat. Can highly recommend this site, though not sure what prices are like. It's been a few years since we were last there.

TheSconeOfStone · 04/05/2017 17:32

We paid £350 for a week in Cornwall last year. Where are you going for less than that in school summer holidays? I might investigate for next year.

Original poster
rebus1 · 04/05/2017 19:07

We went to St Ives Bay the last week of hold last year Scone £210. Right behind a lovely beach, clean facilities, basic pool, nice staff. Big site so not as personal and friendly as some but that didn't bother us. I also like the Camping in the Forest sites and Avon Tyrell in the New Forest. If you want a total bargain try Calbourne Mill on the Isle of Wight. Beautiful setting, very basic but it was a great base. We paid £7 a night in the summer hols last year!

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Fourmantent · 04/05/2017 19:32

We haven't looked back since our first camping trip to France. The campsites are much better than the campsites here and the further south you go, the better the chance of good weather. The price will increase with the amount of facilities - a good swimming pool (indoor, outdoor, lazy river, flumes) is always near the top of our list. The motorways are much less crowded than here. The bread, cheese, wine and cakes are amazing. Try booking direct with the campsite and the last week of the summer hols will be the cheapest because the French and Dutch go back to work. Have a look at Vacansoleil website. The last couple of years we have stayed in a chalet/mobile home. Good luck!

ivykaty44 · 04/05/2017 20:39

Book the last two weeks of August, as it will be cheaper - with the last week usually much cheaper.

Get acsi book to make camping cheaper after 21/8 for many sites but not all

Or use municipal sites, they usually have municipal pool sites next to them and you get in for free if camping

ivykaty44 · 04/05/2017 20:45

I've stayed at forest view camp site and it is one of my favourite

But I wouldn't stay there with children more than 2/3 nights

The couple that run the site are English, he was in tourism for many years and has set up a wonderful campsite and embraced french living.

The food is also wonderful, they cook twice a week and you can book to eat there.

A good place to stop on the way south or visa versa. Great wild swimming in the local village at the river

Original poster
rebus1 · 04/05/2017 20:50

Thanks for the recommendations, off to waste a few more hours on google!

OP posts:
GnomeDePlume · 04/05/2017 21:43

Our experience was that the campsites in the well known resorts were always expensive compared to campsites in the less well known areas. The campsites used by the big firms like eurocamp were the most expensive of all.

This website is very comprehensive:

www.campingfrance.com/uk

7Days · 04/05/2017 23:24

Placemarking to read properly tomorrow

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