What are your top tips for packing and cooking Eurocamp?

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We have 5 kids from 16 to 18mths and have booked an espace 4 bedroom tent near Narbonne (but on the coast) mid Aug. We are travelling in a 7 seater. Low on boot space but do have a roof box and I have booked the baby pack. Any tips for packing or not packing and will I need large pans for cooking for everyone ? Thanks in advance

Are you sure you mean a tent? I thought the Espace was a mobile home and I don’t think they do 4 bedroom tents. On their website, it appears that the Espace range has 2 or 3 bedroom options. Which camp are you at? And how long?

We stayed in a similar Eurocamp cabin. They are pretty well stocked. But they don’t give you fitted sheets for the beds. So I always take them as the flat ones never stay on, especially on a double.

We took decent kitchen knives as they ones provided aren’t sharp. I can’t remember on the size of the pans, but I don’t remover them being small. I always take a small paddling pool for the decking from home. They cost a fortune in the camp shop. Always keeps the kids occupied

Take things for 1st night if shops are shut eg loo roll, matches, couple tea bags. Take tea towels. Think we've hired bedding to save room before. We take bbq tongs. I find eurocamp accommodation a bit tired and shabby, but have not tried the tents only mobile homes. Last time our pitch was poor I complained on arrival and we moved to a better one with a free upgrade so do speak up if you're unhappy on arrival. I'd take a roll up doormat to stop mud or rain being traipse through tent. Do they supply washing up bowl and water carrier? Swimming nappies are hard to find sometimes in France.
Lots of layers it can get really cold in a tent in the evening and at night, extra blankets
Pillows
Towels plus beach towels
Flip flops for communal showers of you're in a tent
Check their list of what they supply.

Thanks for the tips so far. Its is def a tent, I'm not expeceting much to be fair it was really cheap and just saves us having to put a tent up when get there! Its Camping Blue Bayou @ vendres plague. We are there for 10 nights, we may well have killed each other by the end. I didnt book the extra beding as I thought it might still be warm at night but might re think that. They supply a washing up carrier. Also have just seen they allow mini tents within the pitch so I might take tiny 2 Man tent for extra space. Sharp knives good idea but night buy these there. Washing line ? & pegs ? I'm going to take microfibre towels and a few normal ones. All tips much appreciated.

Yes to pegs. In the mobile homes they supply a fold out airer, so check whether you need a washing line.

A small amount of cooking oil
A small amount of washing up liquid
Washing up bowl (if you're in a tent)
Decent knifes
Tea towels
Dish clothes
Possibly 1 large pan

Look at the contents on your booking form. I think we had to take bedding, towels, tea towels and the pans were tiny so take your own for that many people. Take herbs & spices, ketchup, pasta maybe, tea bags etc. Depending on budget, location of nearest supermarket and likely arrival time the first nights meal is a good idea

Shower mat and a plug - sinks in washingup blocks never seem to have one.

We take our Cadac Carri Chef and cook on it every night. Most campsites sell chips so we often send the kids for chips whilst the other things are cooking. We usually have lovely salads with beautiful French lettuce and radish. We always have fancy cakes, tarts from the fabulous French patisseries followed by an extensive cheese board if there is still room in tummies. If we can't be bothered to cook then there are some really good quality frozen paella type meals in the supermarket freezers. Just re-read your post - I would definitely take a massive frying pan as you are unlikely to find one in the tent. Or, you could easily buy one when there if necessary.

Eurocamp don't wash the blankets they provide in between customers so I would avoid putting those straight onto your skin in August, they would have had a lot of use by then! They should have board games etc in their reception to borrow so you shouldn't need to pack those.

Yes i wondered about buying a cheap big pan when we get there. I'm planning on cooking really simple and lots of fresh salads and fruit salads. We will be really tight on space so the less we have to pack in the better. Im not taking much for the kids to wear either its not like we'll going out just planning on sticking to beaches and pools and trips to supermarket (mainly for wine). Does anyone know how likely rain is in mid august ? Really excited.

@fantasticmissfox do you think sleeping bags will be to warm (mid Aug) We have loads of fleecy blankets

We had really bad rain one day in August, tents got flooded. The rest of the time was sunny. I think you'll. Be unlucky to get significant rain tbh.

Is a BBQ provided?

I always take a large frozen bolognaise for the first night.

Yes bbq provided. We are travelling from up North so taking 2 days to get there. Will buy food on the way from supermarket in france.

Definately flip flops for to & from showers/toilets.

Fleece blankets for sitting out in the evenings.

I would think sleeping bags would be fine in August.

It sounds like you'll have loads of fun!

We bought sheets in the local hypermarket when we went to a Eurocamp place 2 years ago -the "sheets" provided (at an additional cost) were basically disposable and wouldn't stay on beds. We left the double for our bed behind, and DD took her single one home (as she had chosen a black one!).

Camping/travel towels would be useful - Decathlon do them cheaply - both as towels and as spare bedding/blankets/rugs if necessary. The travel type take up very little room.

In terms of kitchen, I have a "camping/selfcatering box" which tends to travel if I have room, and a few selected items from it if space is at a premium.

1 decent sharp knife (I have 3 decent ones, each with a cover on the blade, for out of the house use)
Corkscrew - waiters mate type
Peeler
1 wooden spoon
Silicon oven gloves (small size)
100ml bottle of washing up liquid (squeezy travel bottle filled at home)
Salt and pepper mills (the type that are glass jars with a mill in their top - disposable ones in supermarket - or I might buy on arrival)
Some seasonings - especially if I can get some sachets of vinegar etc

Pack of cards, a travel board game (monopoly or connect 4 or similar)
Proper teabags (I drink Barry's tea, and only Liptons comes anywhere near it on the Continent, but its easiest to bring a box of 40 or a handful in a Ziploc bag)
Camping coffee plunger (plastic so unlikely to break)
And a couple of toilet rolls for day 1, just in case
(Any particular items from home that we are unlikely to get in FR that DD or DH really want - maybe a couple of tins of something particular - tastes change over the years, the tiny concentrated squash as FR don't do Robinsons have been recent ones etc)

I tend to assume I will go to local hypermarket/decent supermarket on day 1 to get lots:
1 mug for decent cup of tea (DH and DD will live with the tiny cups!)
a couple of kitchen implements if really needed
Basics like
Olive oil
Salt and pepper (I might bring small ones, or buy on arrival)
Coffee grounds
Jam
Butter
Crisps
Matches
Kitchen towel
Toilet roll
Milk
Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel etc - much easier to buy on arrival!
Pack of j cloths or a pot scrubber or wash up brush - expect to leave this behind
Ketchup etc

Great idea thanks, getting a box together with all the usual herbs and spices and stock cubes.
Think I'll get a cheap big pan there even if we leave it behind.
What do you think about taking a mini tent ? I thought even if we use it for extra storage cause there is so many of us ?

One of my fellow Scout Leaders brings a blue Ikea bag per person camping, as their organizing (Everyone can rummage easily and find their own things, its easy to throw things back in the right bags and keep the tent clean, and easy to move them around as necessary).

Having a spare tent for storage, or to allow the older ones some space on occasion, might be handy.

If there is a BBQ, bring/buy a roll of tin foil! You can cook all sorts on the BBQ not just steaks/burgers.

Packs of veggies, diced up. Whole mushrooms with butter.

Sweetcorn on the cob.

Baked potatoes
Diced potato, carrot, onion and salmon.

A chocolate brownie type dessert in an orange peel.

A banana in its peel with chocolate stuffed into a slit.
An apple with the core taken out and stuffed instead with sugar and raisins (and cinnamon)

Marshmallows on sticks, served between 2 biscuits (if something like choc digestives, even more of a treat)
The long bamboo skewers are great for kebabs of veggies, diced meat or fish, or fruit for dessert.

I usually bring:

• bedding (fitted, duvet covers and pillowcases)
• a sharp multipurpose knife
• washing up liquid, a few plastic bags, 2-3 washcloths, a tea towel
• some basics like jam, butter, salt pepper, olive oil, ketchup, etc which we don't want to buy and leave. I also bring some things like bread, milk and cereal so we don't have to worry about foraging for breakfast on the first morning.

My husband thinks I'm bonkers, but I also bring my little Nespresso pixie and a collection of pods.