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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Campsite/holiday park in southern France please

14 replies

minxthemanx · 30/12/2011 22:07

Want to try France next summer, am fed up with the Med, Sky sports & Irish bars! Can anyone recommend the following:

small ish campsite (mobile home or lodge)
swimming pools
v near beach

Don't want anywhere too lively, or with evening entertainment, but am fantasising of lovely French holiday park, small, brilliant pool, maybe a few sports for the kids, near beach and lovely French town. Am I asking too much?!! Was thinking of flying - Perpignan or somewhere. Any recommendations?

OP posts:
cheerup · 31/12/2011 23:37

Le Dauphin - Argeles Sur Mer or Le Serignan Plage, Serignan near Beziers (not to be confused with Serignan Plage naturiste which is next door but completely separate). The first is smaller and located away from downtown Argeles which itself isn't exactly a nice French town but is very close to lots of lovely places in both France and Spain. It has a fantastic pool complex, new last year but is probably better for toddlers than teens as no sports/teen clubs on site. The latter is more of self contained resort very close to the beautiful town of Beziers and not too far from Carcasonne or Montpellier. It was quiet when we went in September but I imagine it would be great for teens in high season. Lots of facilities and activities and directly on a great beach. Eurocamp do both or you can book direct or with other operators (try Selectcamp for Serignan Plage). Airports in Perpignan and Beziers (or Toulouse for flights from Gatwick - about 2.5 hours away by hire car).

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 31/12/2011 23:48

Ah, depends on how close you want to be to the lovely French town. I was about to suggest NOT Serignan Plage, sorry. We liked Beziers, though more of a small city than a town. I found Serignan a bit bleak and characterless but the site was good, tbf.

How about further down into Rousillon? I haven't been though. Is that Argeles?

Original poster
minxthemanx · 01/01/2012 08:37

Thank you, ladies, I will start looking. The one near beziers sounds lovely.

OP posts:
cheerup · 01/01/2012 09:11

I know what you mean about Serignan itself but there are very few what I would call characterful beach resort towns in that part of France. Argeles is further down in Rousillion and tbh not the nicest if places but great weather/acess and lots of French campsites and campers. Coullioure sounds great but it was so busy when we went that it was horrible, people-soup. If the nice French town is important you might want to think about inland, there's loads of river and lake swimming in S France which I actually prefer to the beach.

muttimalzwei · 01/01/2012 15:24

I've been looking at this place
although we can't fly to Perpignon from the NW and I think if we fly to Carcassonne it will be too far without a car (my DH won't drive and I can't)

cheerup · 01/01/2012 16:23

Looks fab and gets good reviews. Is it worth driving to Stanstead? I would think that it would be too far without a car from Carcassone. The only flights that I can find to that part of France from the NW (ish!) are Leeds Bradford to Montpellier. Maybe this one...
www.yellohvillage.co.uk/camping/la_petite_camargue 25km from Montpellier Airport.

muttimalzwei · 01/01/2012 16:26

thanks cheerup but it needs to be Newcastle, Glasgow or Blackpool.

muttimalzwei · 01/01/2012 16:27

have just seen you can get to Beziers from Manchester. Not sure which site is being recommended though...

tim6587 · 01/01/2012 19:42

There are loads of campsites in france to choose from. If you want a small sized site then Hippocampe is quite small with a beach less than 1km away. Have a look here there are loads of campsites on offer with some of the most popular companies. www.gocampfrance.co.uk/campsites/campsites-in-languedoc-rousillon

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 01/01/2012 20:55

Yes Tim, there are loads. I think the OP was hoping for a personal recommendation.

Btw, I hope the gocampfrance website which you run is doing well but your viral marketing methods aren't subtle enough.

Original poster
minxthemanx · 01/01/2012 21:08

Thanks for that link - like the look of some of the quieter ones. Had blardy evening 'entertainment' keeping us awake on holiday last year, and want to avoid the experience!

OP posts:
Jenstar21 · 02/01/2012 05:01

Something different to think about....
We rented a gite in France a couple of years ago, nearish to Carcassone, which was lovely, and was in a beautiful area. You're not near the beach, but are near to river swimming, interesting towns, some activities (rafting, caves, historic towns, etc.) It is also in a town on the rail system to/from Toulouse. We flew to Toulouse, and hired a car, but it was also easy to use the train, which we did a couple of days. Here's the place we hired, to give you an idea - www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/carcassonne/10187
Info on the area is here - www.midi-france.info/030406_esperaza.htm
I should say that we went with OH's parents (over from New Zealand), and DD was teeny - about 4 months old. It was wonderfully relaxing, in quite a quiet area, but had a few local pubs/restaurants, and things going on.
Good luck with finding somewhere!

Original poster
minxthemanx · 02/01/2012 21:29

Thanks for that, yes I've been looking at rental properties as am a bit aghast at the price of campsites! Over £1000 per week, plus petrol and food!! I've used holiday lettings and owners direct in the past. Am still keen on the campsites, though, if I can find a slightly cheaper one.

OP posts:
makemineapinot · 05/01/2012 23:33

le bois du valmarie in Argeles sur mer is lovely x

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