Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

Can anyone recommend a lovely Dordogne campsite?

22 replies

RooTwo · 21/06/2010 12:07

We are planning to go camping in the Dordogne in August - can anyone recommend any good campsites? We are looking for somewhere beautiful, ideally by river, with pool - stuff going on for kids (we have two DCs, 4 and 2) - though don't want anything too full on, somewhere lively but quiet-ish would be good! We are beginner campers ... Have been looking at La Palombiere and Soleil Plage - has anyone been to these ones?
Thank you!

OP posts:
Lucycat · 21/06/2010 14:53

Soleil Plage will be full on in August - teenagers will find lots to do.
If it's by the river you want then lots of people like Port de Limeuil.This is their website It's just across the river from the village and is located where the Vezere and Dordogne rivers meet.
Another popular site is le Capeyrou here also on the river at Beynac.

Have you looked at ukcamping - check out their reviews section.
hth

Songbird · 21/06/2010 14:57

This was where I had my first furrin holiday aged 5 and it's still fantastic to this day. My parents are still in touch with the family who run it (now taken over by one the sons), and it's just got a lovely feel to it. It's got a lovely communal bit and a river running along the bottom, good pool etc. They do canoing etc I think as well.

Lucycat · 21/06/2010 15:03

I canoed past that site last year Songbird!! It did look nice, I can't remember how easy it was to access the river from the site though. I was too concerned about trying not crash into trees with the canoe

Songbird · 21/06/2010 15:24

lucy - we went canoing at the place where the Dordogne and Vezere meet last year! It's great as they just take you up-river as far as you want to go and you just dawdle back to the village. The guy who took us up to our drop-off was extremely professional and helpful, and full of canoing tips.

He dragged the canoe to the water, barely glance at our life-jackets, gave us the oars, pointed downstream and said (only words uttered the whole time) 'that way'. Was great! Luckily DH used to be a canoe instructor!

Songbird · 21/06/2010 15:26

My parents live in the dordogne now, and have a gite they let out, so we're all set!

Lucycat · 21/06/2010 16:14

is all I have to say to that Songbird. we shall be dragging our trailer down there again, hoping for the fabulous weather that we had last year.

I wish my parents would move to the Dordogne! in the nicest possible way of course.

The canoeing on the Vezere was amazing, really shallow in places where dd2 would lean sideways out of the canoe to try to catch the blue dragonflies that kept landing on us.
We stopped for lunch on an island in the river at la Roque St Christophe and chilled our Perrier in the water. Happy Days

larry5 · 21/06/2010 19:14

I can also recomend le Paradis. We have been going there off and on for over 20 years and are going there again at the end of August. The place is kept absolutely spotless and the family who run it are very friendly.

Dd is going off to uni in September and has requested that we go back for her last holiday before leaving home.

milkybarsrus · 21/06/2010 20:48

Hey sorry for hijack, but want to ask SONGBIRD if her parents let out their gite through agent or do they do it themselves? would be interested if you could let me know any details please?

Original poster
RooTwo · 22/06/2010 14:53

Thanks v much everyone: Lucycat the Vezere one sounds really lovely - I don't know up there very well, we have been canoeing a lot on the Dordogne but not on the Vezere. Sounds really nice ...

OP posts:
Songbird · 23/06/2010 12:37

oh, just seen your post milkbars. This is the link to ma and pa's website. It's a gorgeous little house, the main bedroom is so lovely, really simply decorated and bright and airy. The 2nd room is a fun quirky twin room perfect for kids. It's got a big beam running across the middle of the room that you have to duck under or climb over - dd loves it! Mum and Dad live next door so it's all very friendly and handy if there are any problems.

LilRedWG · 23/06/2010 12:40

We're off here in August. PIL chose and they usually make excellent choices.

ivykaty44 · 27/06/2010 20:09

Rocamadour is beautiful - but we wild camp near a lovely small river

millyvanilly · 20/07/2010 13:01

We're going to this site in August. I went there every year as a child and had some v special times there along with a group of dutch boys we used to meet up with every year. Can't wait to go back. There's a tributary of the dordogne that runs through the site which you can swim in and now a pool and restaurant (weren't there when we used to go) the nicest thing is that they only allow camping around the edge of the fields so there's plenty of room in the middle for the kid to run around/play football etc.

2babyblues · 21/07/2010 22:32

Hello, we have been to La Palombiere before. It is a nice site, we stayed in a chalet but the pitches look a reasonable size and were quite shady which would be good as it was boiling in June so August will definitely be hot I think. It was quite handy to get to Sarlat too. Site is quite steep at the entrance so you have to walk up a hill to the shop/ bar/ restaurant and the pools are on 2 levels. This year we are trying St Avit Loisirs and are actually camping this time. We are playing it a bit safe choosing a key camp site but booking direct as it is our first big trip in a tent!!! It has really good reviews so I am hopeful! I really wanted to book a site with river (St Avit doesn't have one) as well and loved the look of Soleil Plage but it was already booked when I tried. We have 2 boys - 3 and 6 years old. Let us know what you book and best of luck with your holiday, may bump into you there!!! x

2babyblues · 21/07/2010 22:33

Sorry - just re read your post and I would say that in June La Palombiere was quite quiet but I expect it could be different in August.

pinklolly · 17/07/2013 19:12

Hi there. we are booked to go to campinglesormes.com/ in the dordogne in August and I am really struggling to locate recent reviews... has anyone been? can you help?! any opinions at all from any recent campers would be really helpful. thanks!

alisonjjo · 22/07/2013 23:03

Agree with 2 babyblues on their choices especially La Palombiere but if you want one on the river try Port de Limeuil

Chicksy · 26/07/2013 00:45

Just back from La Palombiere. Site was busy with plenty going on. We loved it. I have two boys aged 7 and 5 and they had a ball. There were tears when we were leaving. Dordogne is fab.

alisonjjo · 28/07/2013 20:26

Talking about la Palombiere, heres a great offer take a look

nearlyreadytopop · 29/07/2013 08:26

sorry to hijack but lots of canoeing happening on this threadSmile just wondering what the lower age limit is for this (ds is 2)? also temps in sept?

Lucky13 · 01/08/2013 10:28

we stayed at Soleil Plage last year in june and have a lovely time. It was quite busy then, so I can imagine it would be heaving in August. The temperature at the end of June was in the mid 30s.
We a couple of the days canoeing with our DD who was 4 at the time. I can't remember a lower age limit - it was just whether the life jacket fitted. If you had your own for him I guess that would be ok? Decathlon do small children's ones.

Sixtiesqueen · 18/08/2013 22:41

Lower age limit has just changed to 5

We are currently in the area with a 4 year old. Gutted!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page