Best Campsites in France or anywhere in Europe infact.

[naughtynoonoo]

Just about to book another camping/caravan (keycamp/canvas holiday) and would like to know where you would recommend going.

What do you want from the campsite?

Lots of children for yours to play with, a swimming pool and beach, or inland with a little more tranquility and a bar on site with food to order for the nights you don't want to cook or eat out?

Keycamp - St Jean de Monts is very nice, although it was when I was 13 so could be different now I'm 30!!! Gorgeous, clean beaches though and they won't have changed much!! Brilliant night markets too and although the area is quite flat (a bit like the Netherlands), there are some lovely castles, water parks, towns etc to visit.

The camp site was spacious too with lovely pools.

Oh my that makes me feel old! I was there 15 years ago with my own dc

We have two dc 4 & 6.
We have been to the following and I have rated them in the order that I liked them

Loire Parc des Alicourts (pierrefitte)
Loire Tours Parc de Fierbois we really liked
Berny Riveriere which we really did like
Cote De Nacre in Normandy, this was better for us
Loire Chambord was ok, but way too many midges
Brittany to Chateau Des Ormes - too big and busy for us

looking at them I liked the fact that DH could go fishing and perhaps take 1 or 2 of the children, we like the idea of a beach as well as a swimming pool. We would like a nice swimming pool complex. DH has said that he wants to go somewhere where there is a point of interest so we can go for daytrips. A nice bar is very imortant to us as well and good childrens clubs.

naughtynoonoo wasn't Parc de Fierbois busy too?

we looked at that for this year but it looked a bit too 'English' for us so we've opted for Chantepie in the Loire instead.

I know tyhat ivykaty really liked it as I've seen her threads on it - so here's hoping for gorgeous weather!

We used Parc des Alicourts as a Stopover & stayed 2 nights - but were disapointed. Probably because it was the end of the season, but you had to drive to get to anywhere off site - NO local walking shops etc, and the shop on site was tiny & no stock! The takeaway was also dire, but the restaurant was nice.

On the plus side, the lake & beach were lovely, as were the pools, but we prefer sites where you can walk to a range of restaurants etc in the evening.

we LOVED La Sirene, free bus to the beach (on the Med), mini train to the town, great on-site shops & takeaway & the BEST onsite entertainment ny far. We watched Lion King (full costumes - even the elephant through the audience),Cats, Grease, A Beatles tribute and numerous others. Musicals were funny as all dialogue in French with all songs in English

Oh yes I liked Chantepie, red wine lovely view good cheese and swimming.

We were at Martracny (phonecly spelt) near the tepestry place.

Well there was a French chap there - nice family - and he recomended

Loire Tours Parc de Fierbois we really liked naughtynoonoo' 2nd fav.

We didn't make it there and went to one we had been to before near St Malo, Dol de bretagne - used to be run by mad french woman with bike and garlic - great fun she was. Her son runs it now and they do there own cabins really good site and close to lots of attractions.

Dol de bretagne is a lovely French town with castle and long long market twice a week (saturday and another day??) good bars for food etc. Not really any beaches nearby though. Swimming pools on site were good though.

Ivykate, is Dol de bretagne also known as Parc l'atlantique? I think that's the one we're looking at booking for this year.

And last summer we went to Zeeland and I really did enjoy this, the dutch know how to do camping, cycling and family holidays. The beaches in Zeeland were really good.

When i came back I found my after school care person had also been to nederlands on the coast and had a ball.

We stayed at this campsite here www.eurocampings.co.uk/en/europe/netherlands/zeeland/zeeland-camping-westhove-100800/

Actually my dd2 and I cycled to the next campsite from this one!! dd2 was only 8 and thought this was wicked

This was the campsite that school club person went to www.eurocampings.co.uk/en/europe/netherlands/south-holland/vakantie--en-attractiepark-duinrell-10131 9/ They really liked it and said how good it was - strangley we had looked at moving to this site but liked it in Zeeland so much we never travelled further north.

You can hire bikes - and the travell systems to pull the dc along behind you or they can sit in front on some systems - lots and lots of cycle paths so really good for dc.

ah no, the one I'm thinking of is Beg Meil. Dol de bretagne is 2nd choice so far... Anyone been to both and can compare?

This is the campsite we stayed at Dol de bretagne

www.campingplus.com/campings-en-bretagne/camping-le-vieux-chene-a-dol-de-bretagne/

pootleflump - I like the look of Beg Meil, I would pick that one as the beach is near.

Whereas dol doesn't have a beach nearby.

We go away most years - never book any sites before we leave home and wander around and always seem to pick nice places, have had a couple "off" sites but then we just move on again and only stay one night.

Thanks for the vote of confidence for my choice, ivykate I haven't holidayed in France before so a bit hesitant in making my decision.

Another vote for La Sirene in SW France...beautiful, spacious site with great facilities and amenities situated in wonderful area of France. We went in Low Season (May) though, and I've heard it gets very busy in August.

Only downside was the surly staff in shop...obviously hated Brits and stuck a trail of Union Jack laminated footprints on the floor leading us knuckle-dragging Neanderthals to special Brit aisle stocking Ready Brek, Branston Pickle and Fray Bentos pies...

pootleflump - I hope you enjoy your French holiday. I have travelled round france quite a lot and really have enjoyed my time there and the people. Always found the french really good with my two dd's from an early age and they often were given lolly pops by french woman in shops etc - much more child friendly than the english tend to be.

Which port are you sailing to? Cherbourg or St Malo?

naughty noonoo have a look at baden - camping Mane Guernehue, most operators go therea nd do kids clubs. Pool complex is fab and great fro LOs - they also have an adult only pool. restauarant/takaway/bar was excellent and there are a few fishing lakes which you said DH would love. Down by the lakes there are ducks and a couple fo fields with donkeys and goats which the kids loved! It's a lovely cam site - we really loved it there and it's a short walk into the village with a restaurant, fab butchers and bakers, PO and tourist info. You have to drive to a beach but the choice is amazing and you can go sailing in the Gulf of Morbihan. Nearby towns are gorgeous with great shops and little trains which give you a tour - kids adored them!! Auray is lovely witha fab old port area. vannes is wortha visit too. Have a look at it , it's fantatasic!

ivykate- planning to go Poole-St Malo, seems to be quite expensive but would keep the driving to a minimum.

St Malo is really very nice, what I have done in the past is book the Sunday ferry home and on the saturday morning leave the campsite where ever I was and drive back to St Malo.

Book into a b&b when I got to St Malo and then explore the city. It really is worth while, lots of lovely fish resaurants (had several birthday meals in St malo) You can walk all the way round the city on the wall. There are lots of small french shops and on the outskirts of St malo there are supermarkets where you can pick up treats to take home [yum yum emotion]

thanks for your replies I have made a list and will have a search on your recommendations - no doubt I will be back to ask more questions!

Naughtynooonoo, my DC are similar ages (although I have an extra one in the middle )
Went to Fierbois a couple of years ago, and enjoyed it, especially the pool, although found it a bit 'in the middle of nowhere'.
Last year, Camping Villages Les Mouettes in Carantec. Lovely site and small town. Unfortunately the weather was iffy as it's north coast Brittany.

Have booked Acapulco in St Jean de Monts for this year (had limited choice as paying with tesco clubcard deals). Leslaki has recommended it on here, so I hope it's good! Have you checked the kids club minimum ages - Canvas & Keycamp start at 4, Siblu is 5 IIRC, which ruled them out for this year.