Any advice on Eurocamp type holidays?

[LaserShark]

We have a house in Normandy in the family and go there every summer holiday. It’s lovely but the weather is unreliable and I am absolutely desperate for some guaranteed sunshine and a sandy beach. We are always on a tight budget - I’d love a week on a Greek island but it’s out of reach at the moment.

So, I was considering driving down to the South of France from Normandy whilst we’re there and staying at a Eurocamp type of place. I want a static caravan/mobile home rather than a tent, I want a pool, I want a nearby beach and I want hot weather. My children wouldn’t go for kids’ club and I’m definitely not interested in any kind of sporting activities. The children would love the water park/slides though so that would be a big plus.

The only thing I’m worried about is noise - I really want peace and quiet on a holiday and I’m a bit put off by the descriptions of all the Eurocamp parcs as ‘lively’. Is there likely to be a lot of noise from discos and so on at night time?

If anyone has been and has any specific recommendations, I’d really appreciate it. We have a pretty wide scope in terms of area - anything within a ten hour drive of Normandy would be doable. I just want a peaceful sunshine beach holiday on a budget!

We stayed at the Camping Club Farret Yelloh Village (Google should find it from that in full) twice, though it was about 8/9 years ago. Pools are good and we had no problems with noise. The Eurocamp holidays we've done are nothing like the UK static caravan park holiday parks really - far lower key, far less noisy, caravans tend to be new, everything tends to be in good condition.

Italy might be too far if you don't want to fly but in more recent years we've booked direct with various independent sites around lake Garda and had great holidays. The Bella Italia site is one of the biggest and has all the facilities including multiple pools, but is also probably the most expensive. We've stayed there twice and again no noise issues ever.

Following!

La Sirene in Argelés-sur-mer is fab.

If you check on the eurocamp website they classify sites "full on fun" sites are more likely to be noisy and busier, smaller sites will tend to be quieter. Sites without kids clubs tend be be quieter etc. I can't remember all the different phrases they have to describe them but I think there are ones that say things like "authentic Europe" and they tend to be less hectic.

I've only been to a Eurocamp in northern France, so can't help on the location, but it was pretty quiet around the accommodation at night time. We had the most basic 2-bed mobile home - teeny little kitchenette. 1 double room and 1 room with bunk beds. But I was impressed with the level of privacy on the plot - they were all screened off from the neighbouring plots with high hedges, and it was really peaceful to sit out on the decking at night.

In my experience, any chain campsite with entertainment will be noisy until about midnight. There are smaller independent sites with pools that are nicer.

@hobbes8 southern France won't be like this at all on most of the sites. Space is at a premium there and pitch sizes are much much smaller with far less privacy. It's why we tend to go west and north.

Never had a bad Eurocamp holiday, although the campsites do vary a lot.

If you look on their website, you can avoid the more lively sites. It's not just the kids clubs, it's the entertainment, and groups of teenagers hanging around the playground at midnight. These suit us, as I'm always up for kareoke and have a teenager, but they are quite lively.

I've been to very peaceful sites (Annacey was lovely, and don't think we went to the bar once).

We tend to get a brochure, and cross them off until we find a site that ticks our boxes.

Thanks everyone! I really like the look of Les Sablines which is small and says ‘relaxed’ as opposed to ‘lively’ - however, I guess there will still be nighttime entertainment and maybe teenagers hanging around whereas I have small children... I wouldn’t mind noise til midnight, it would be if there was a festival type atmosphere through the night.

The Yelloh Village sites looked lovely but all booked up or only available for full weeks whereas you can book Eurocamp for just two or three nights. I’ve tried looking for smaller independent companies but can’t find anything. I might give it a go, given it will be three nights out of a long holiday which we are already spending in a tiny rural village so even if it is busy and noisy, we still get our peaceful and relaxing holiday anyway!

Sorry,y post makes it sound like I want a teenager-free holiday, I don’t object to their presence!

Ooh, Annecy looks amazing!

We always used to go to La Siren when I was a child, it's not a small site though.

Laser teenagers hanging about really aren't a thing on Eurocamp holidays - there are small children everywhere! For teens over about 14 they would be a bit boring I think. Its lovely for pre teens because they can have a bit of freedom and make friends often, but there are very few older teens, and those there are are usually in family groups with smaller kids.

We have done a lot of that style of holidays when our kids were under 12 (the first time we wen't to the Yelloh Village we had a nearly 3 and a nearly 1 year old), but are moving to other things now the eldest is almost a teen, and that seems the norm. Its not a holiday I'd recommend for someone with a 13 and a 15 year old, say - much more younger kids orientated.

It depends on your parc. We're going back to one this summer that we've been to before. DS1 made friends, and is still in contact with, a group of 25 teenagers, aged between 13-17 years. English, French, Dutch, German etc. They're all going back this year.

The French, in particular, still holiday as a family, so lots of French teenagers.

We do two a year, various parcs.

Don’t just look at Eurocamp though. There are similar operators such as Canvas

Try Siblu or flower camping

Tuesdaynightname - which sites did you visit and could you recommend for 13 or 14 year olds. We have booked a summer holiday now so wondering about May half term or next year. We wouldn’t be drive though as almost live in Scotland. Have you visited any sites for en did May and would any work without a car? Thanks

Marking place, just found out I get a discount on Eurocamp holidays through work.

Never been to France in the car, thinking we would start somewhere in northern France..any recommendations?

We’ve stayed in Club Farret before and loved it, just booked Les Mediterranean Beach Club through Al Fresco (Toscanini brand new mobile) yesterday which isn’t too far up the road. It’s a beautiful area. Itll be me, DH, dd18, ds15 and ds11. €505 for 10 nights at the end of June.

We camp and use Eurocamp sometimes, even on the full on lively sites aren't that noisy after a certain time. Entertainment finishes then it goes quiet, unlike the UK we've never ever been kept awake in France. We are always south for the warmth.

Take a look at Venue holidays too - they often work out better value than Eurocamp.

Alfresco holidays are cheaper but owned by the same company as Eurocamp, so you're getting the same holiday but cheaper.

I only agree with that a little. You're getting the same holiday in an older van for cheaper. The accommodation in Alfresco isn't the same. It's totally fine but it's an older style van you're staying in.

That I’m not so sure, the reviews are always better for Alfresco. Ultimately if you’re after a top of the range van then no Alfesco won’t suit. If you want a more affordable holiday with a clean van on the same park for £500 less than Eurocamp (in the same van) it’s fine. It’s the same company, they’re going to want for you to go back as return customers.

Never again. Stayed two nights with Canvas and it was hellish. Tiny van, asked for something bigger and drove two hours to another site to be given a slightly larger sandwich box. Offered to pay for better.

I left and rented a farmhouse. It was cheaper than canvas anyway and did not have hordes of miserable looking British families failing to hide their abject disappointment.