South of France, any advise !!

[shazwee]

Hi bit of advise needed we have a touring caravan and next year we want to venture to South of France. Can anyone recommend any good kid friendly camp sites with pools etc...plenty to do etc...we have no knowledge of France at all so any help or placed to avoid would be welcome x

Just back. Stayed at Domaine de Massereau near Nimes. Our first camping trip ( well we were in a mobile) and we really liked it. A couple of pools on site, we rented bikes and went to the local town. There is an adventure park near by and also canoeing depending on your kids ages.

@Girlundercover, we're heading to the same site in the summer - any particular recommendations of places to visit or restaurants etc?

Been to this campsite twice now, three years ago and again last year.

www.campinglesprades.com/

We had pitches 64 and 65. Which are riverside and give fab views and partial shade. Far enough away from the main play areas and pool so peaceful. Their wardens control noisy teens in the evening, no nonsense.

There's a beach area at one end and a kayak launch at the top end of the site. Kids launch themselves on inflatables and glide down river to the beach then walk back up to go again.

The restaurant does very good main meals we found the desserts hit and miss.

Pool with slides, tennis court, lovely play area, but its not what I'd class as a bells and whistles site, just neat and well laid out and in a good location.

We did Roquefort caves, the castles and loads of the local villages, its a very pretty area especially driving up the gorge road, just tuck in wing mirrors on windy roads.

We booked this as Dh wanted to go over (and under ) the Millau viaduct which is definitely a must.

If its general advice about camping/travelling in France you want, things we've found out over the years ...

• travel during the week if possible, tolls are a nightmare on weekends. There are more lorries but its just less traffic.

• we have one overnight on way down, we aim to get south of Paris to Orleans on our first day which is good going from South Wales.

• keep travelling while the French are eating lunch.

• camping-wise I like to have two pitches next to each other, I had teens when we started out camping in France and after our first trip to the Ardeche realised space is the only real luxury while camping, its still cheap.

• take rock pegs, as well as a mallet take a proper hammer to pull out the buggers at the end of holiday.

• take an awning mat carpet, the larger the better for laying down outside in frint of tent. There's never grass and those carpets keep the dust/dirt from coming inside.

• mozzies ..... mesh doors, loads of repellant, those electric swat bats from the cheap shop.

• we take fans, big ones

• our own table tennis bats and ping pongs so they can just go on the outside tables without havjng to faff about borrowing stuff.

• check what the swimwear restrictions are on site, some only allow budgie smugglers.

Thanks jellyshoes, that's really helpful!

Google La Baume / La palmerie in Frejus.

The campsite is very clean, loads of pools, beach is not far away.

Theres also plenty to do nearby, like day trips etc. cannes, grasse, gorges du verdon, Nice/monaco St Tropez.

@aalyasecura
We were there end of May, there were a few cloudy days so went to the Pont Du Gard and Nimes, Both really great. Another day we went to the seaquarium www.seaquarium.fr/

About 40 min drive from the site.

Cycled into Sommiers a couple of evenings, but just got snacks so can’t recommend any restaurants. Lovely shopping though and there is an intermarche for groceries etc. The shop on site is reasonable though if you forget anything. The restaurant is nice but we didn’t eat there more than once. I think they have a pizzeria in peak months.

Enjoy we would love to go back.

We have just returned from a 4 site stay in France. The first site I thought would be great for families of all ages. It was
The Beach Garden, Marseillan Plage - part of a group of 3 sites that you can use the facilities of.
Direct beach access, fantastic huge play area, large pool and walkable to a town with lots of shops and restaurants.
Our pitch was at the edge with just a small wire fence between us and the beach.
We were out of season with an ACSI card and could have had a pitch with EHU for €19/night but paid extra for the beach pitch.