Camping trip up west coast of France

[FeedingFrenzy5]

I'm starting to think about planning next summer's camping trip. I'm thinking about getting the ferry to Santander and then driving up along west coast of France and sailing home from Normandy, camping all the way. Would probably do it over 2 or 2.5 weeks and split our time across 5 or so sites. Has anybody done this? Any tips or recommended sites/stop offs? We have 3 kids, who'll be between 3 and 9yo.

We haven’t done that, but have stayed at a fair few sites on the west coast. I’d recommend Domaine de La Rive, Les Grands Pins, Les Mouettes and Le Chatelet.

That was our plan for this year but the weather wasn't good when we got off the ferry so we headed east instead where there was sun. We went to this site in Navarrenx initially for a few days which was lovely Beau Rivage - and had then planned to go to St Emilion. Ended up doing something completely different to our plans but had a lovely time.

If you take the ferry to Bilbao then book the club class lounge as all your food and drink (incl beer/wine) is provided. There's very little in the way of entertainment on the boats though if you have kids (we didn't) - no cinema or pool like the old days - we had a tv in our cabin that you could stream films but hadn't heard of any of them! Did see lots of whales and dolphins though which was a great experience - we were fortunate that it was a very calm crossing

If you don't use the club lounge, there isn't much in the way of food offerings: a sit-down restaurant (we got a free meal there as we booked our crossing before Christmas) and one other small tapas-style counter plus a bar. The ferry from Caen to Portsmouth was much better in that respect - had a couple of cinemas and more places to eat/sit - I was surprised by how small the Bilbao ferry was by comparison.

Following for ideas! I've just started a job in a school and I'd like to have an adventure with the kids (will be 13 and 8) next summer.

Thanks everyone, these are really helpful replies.

I sailed to Santander and then drive across northern Spain to Java and across the boarder to Auch, Brieve, Poitier, Samur, Vannes - well nearby

then sailed home from st malo

we took nearly 4 weeks, my youngest was 18m and oldest 7/8

tbh I never booked any campsites beforehand and we went where we fancied

there is a great campsite in St Emilion that my dd2 liked and I returned to last year, it’s the yelloh site

I came back on the Santander ferry last year, it had a swimming pool on board. A kind mumsnet we gave me her code and I got a discount when I booked - it’s worth asking on the board, the saving is well worth it.

Hello, I haven't been on Mumsnet, so hope it's ok to jump on here with a question. Is it possible to find somewhere to camp at the last minute? We're going in August and I want to go with the weather, (avoiding extreme heat rather than chasing the sun!!) I've read the West Coast can fill up, does anyone know? I was looking at most of the west coast, pyrennes, Alps, Jura, and Brittany if everywhere else is boiling!

Lac de St Cyr campsite and visit to Futuroscope totally to be recommended!

We're going the other way- ferry to Roscoff, then down the West Coast of France to Spain and back from Santander. We're having 2 nights in our favourite campsite in Brittany (Le Milin Kerhe), then a 1 night stop in Saintes which looks a really interesting little town, possibly a quick stop to see Arcachon and the Dune du Pilat, then about 4 days in the Landes, near Leon. I've found a little campsite called Camping du Toy which looks lovely.

Pollopollo. Never had problems finding campsites, apart from Vendee in August. We never booked anywhere and jyst turned up

We are planning this trip too and I am currently wondering how to balance if between Spain and France. Can anyone compare campsites in Spain, what are they like?

In what way?

If you get the ferry to Santander it will be more expensive than the ferry to `Caen.

The different campsite will vary in both countries, you'll find quite and out the way campsites or all singing and dancing campsite in both.

I would say the cost of living in Spain is cheaper overall than in France.

I did a 5 week trip camping through France and Spain to Portugal 18 months ago. The cost of eating out in Spain was around €10.50 for a 3 course meal - its there meal of the day which is tradition food and common place in restaurants.

I think there were probably more all singing and dancing campsites in France than there were in Spain - but I was using the main route through Spain towards the algarve, so my experience of looking for campsites was guided by my route.

Spanish motorways are great fro travelling upon as they are decent surface, free and empty

Yeah, having spent many happy hours googling campsites for our trip, I would definitely say there are more in France (maybe there isn't so much of a camping culture in Spain because of the heat? 🤔). But there are still enough, IYSWIM.

We go for the most basic campsites- "Camping municipale" or "Camping a la ferme" in France, "Camping rural" in Spain. They seem to work out at around 20 euros for me and the 2 DC in France per night, and 30 in Spain (Although one of the sites we're going to- in the Picos de Europa- has a POOL- unimaginable luxury!)

The municipal campsite in France (those that are left) are usually situated next to the municipal swimming pool - often open air pools. If you ask at the reception of the municipal site they'll give you a token for free entry to the pool as you're staying onsite.

Yessss! We experienced this in Chinon, in the Loire Valley. The camping intercommunale (like municipal but several councils together I guess?!) offered a discount on the pool next door, that was already inexpensive. I think it was 50 cents for each of the DC to swim!

(I would really recommend that campsite btw)

Two weeks seems too short a time to be unpacking and packing at 5 different campsite. I'd probably just choose 2 or at a push 3. Would recommend Cote D'argent, we found it cheapest to book directly with campsite

Great thanks, we have camped in France many times (caravanned) but this year we have booked the ferry to Santander and then are driving back up to the eurotunnel. So we are planning the balance of time in northern Spain / sw France. I'm imagining Spanish campsites to be not quite as fancy as French - I prefer small and rural overall so that is good.

Can you buy bread in the mornings?

Can you buy bread in the mornings?

I think you need to give more context, I’ve not understood bread to be something you can only purchased in the afternoon..?

inspain I found myself on more rural camping sites, but that maybe the route I was taking

I meant bread on the campsite - like in France when local bakeries drop off croissants etc for breakfasts