France camping novice... advice please!

[Diorissimo1985]

I am going round in circles looking online and would love some recommendations on where to have our first camping holiday. It will be me, DH and DD (18 months) going mid-June and we will get the ferry to St Malo.

I would love -

• fairly relaxed site with family vibe
• nice pool with a toddler splash pool
• any other play stuff for toddlers would be a bonus
• on site bakery / fresh croissants (this is essential)
• near a pretty village or town
• not too long a drive from st malo
• hopefully as warm and sunny as possible!

Not fussed if inland or near a beach, and language isn't a problem as DH is fluent. We will take all our own gear too.

Would love some tips please as I feel overwhelmed by choice! TIA

We've done lots of camping holidays in France (technically not camping as we stay in one of the very glamorous mobile homes on campsites!) - back again this year as we love it! How far are you willing to drive for the sun - Brittany is lovely but the weather does not always match so depending how far you want to go, I'm happy to suggest some places for you to look at!

I don't know that area well but we have stayed in many Yelloh campsites and they have always been of an excellent standard. There are some near st Malo: Yelloh

I haven't been to many campsites but we love La Croix Du Vieux Pont! Onsite bakery, lovely pools, lovely inland beach/lake, usual bar/restaurant and take away, little shop, quite a few playparks near each camping area as well as large ones in the centre of the site, lots of extras on site, bike hire, archery etc etc
5/10mins walk to the local village which is very picturesque and a short drive to Paris, Disney and a few castles (which the Merlin TV series are filmed in).

We usually book through Breakfree via Euro amp but you can book direct and don't need to use Eurocamp/Thomas Cook facilities. Highly recommended this site

DH and DS will only go to this and a couple of other sites because they don't enforce the Budgie smuggler rule that all other French pools adhere too. They allow board shorts as neither of them would ever wear speedos

Oh No,Sorry OP I've just seen you need close to St Malo, I've no idea how far it is

Sorry I should have said I think we could probably drive a maximum of 3-3.5 hours from the ferry at st Malo.
I looked at some in Brittany but thought the weather could be too much of a gamble?
I will google those other suggestions now, thank you!

I haven't been there but Dol De Bretagne is often recommended. It's close to St Malo.
St Malo and nearby Dinan and Dinard are all lovely places to visit. Mont St Michel is not too far away (though rammed in summer.)

The weather in Northern Brittany is not terribly reliable me though. I've camped twice on the Normandy coast and had good weather but it isn't guaranteed. To be honest, you'd have to drive at least 5-6 hours from St Malo for reliable weather.

La Garangeoire in Vendée ticks those boxes. We've been there since DD was two. She's now 14.

Just seen your update. You could get to the Vendée in 3 hours. Loads of campsites around St-Julien-des-Landes. We considered the Flower Camping site near there - I can't remember it's name I'm afraid.

I always read on MN that the Vendée has a micro-climate and has good weather. Sadly the only time I stayed there in the summer it rained for two weeks!

Weather is such a gamble isn't it!
Do you think it would be warmer inland as opposed to Atlantic coast?

I think inland generally has less rain - this is based on my observations from watching the national weather forecast every day while I'm on holiday!

We've done Southern Brittany or the Charente the last few years and its mainly dry although we've always had one or two wet or drizzly days and a range of temperatures from 21 to 40 degrees!

We always travel to St Malo. Southern Brittany is about a 2.5 hour drive, the Charente was about 5 hours (much longer on the way back when we got stuck on the Nantes ring road).

This year we are going to the Loire valley, which I think is around 3 hours from St Malo. I've been there once before in summer and it was hot but I think it can also get some rain.

Thanks Dippy - do you have any site recommendations?

Usually we stay in a gite so I can't personally recommend any sites. This year we are staying at a Castels site - L'orangerie De Beauregard in the Loire. I've never been there before and it's quite a new site so I don't know much about it but looks like it has stuff for kids without being too noisy, which are our main priorities!

Thanks Dippy - just taken a look, looks lovely and hope you have great holiday!

@GU24MUM if you have any recommendations to share that would be fab

@lemonsole thank you - do you go to st Malo and how do you find the drive?

OP, I'll send you a PM!

We go on the overnight boat to St Malo, drive off, stop to buy croissants for breakfast and bread and cheese for lunch, and arrive on site around midday.
Most sites won't give you your pitch before then, anyway.

We stayed at this site last year, it would tick a lot of your criteria. It has a pool ideal for toddlers, bouncy castles, lots of space. It does do bread and pastries to order, although there is a bakery in town which offers a bigger (and slightly better) choice. It's 3 hours drive from St Malo. The nearest town is Sonzay, it's more functional than pretty but it's nearby to many Loire attractions, such as Langeais, Amnoise and Chinion. Nearby is lulu parc which makes a good day out.

We take our caravan to France regularly and have stayed at the site below a number of times:

www.lodgeclub.fr/?lang=EN

It is in S Brittany, on the Rhuys Peninusla near a town called Sarzeau. The peninsula is between the Gulf of Morbihan and the sea, and is a lovely area, with beaches, harbours, boat trips into the Gulf, castles, the city of Vannes all nearby.

The site itself was privately owned when we first went (2007?), it is now part of a group, and has more statics, but there are plenty of facilities for all. Lovely pool including a toddler pool. Bread on site but also short walk/drive into Sarzeau (pretty town with weekly market) and a local SuperU .

We have been lucky with the weather generally but even if it rains, it tends to be short lived and still warm.