French trip advice needed: must be cheap and nice

[onetwoflea]

Hi,

We'd love to go to france, for a short trip, cheaply (dc is learning french) in the summer holidays. Have tried to get a campsite near a surfing beach, but all I can find is eurocamp which is too expensive. So I will settle for anything but it must be vaguely nice, and would like somewhere to go so we get experience of french village/ town so she can say "un pain chocolate svp" in the bakery. Is there anyone who can pass on their french holiday wisdom? Thank you!

Have you looked at vacansoleil? We stayed on a site like you describe in a much more French resort than the typical haven sites.

no i haven't and yes i will thanks!!!

What dates were you thinking of? How old are your DC's?

The Kawan sites are good too- can camp or take caravans but also do fixed caravans

1st or 2nd week of summer holidays, dcs are 6,4 & 1. we will either take our tent or could hire one (if there's a cheaper version of eurocamp)

Not sure Kawan hires tents but it is on euro camp lines (kids entertainment, pools bars etc). Been to one in Normandy and one near champagne - both lovely

If you can bring your own tent then it would be much cheaper for you to book your own site.

Try www.campingfrance.com to find the site you want then book direct.

As an example I checked out a campsite we have been to - camping Bel in La Tranche sur Mer, with Eurocamp (in one of their tents) for a week with 2 adults and 2 children it would be £630. If you take your own tent the same site is £308 for the week.

Sorry www.campingfrance.com

Have you looked at Holiday Rentals?

£500 would get you this for a week and would seem to tick all the boxes. this one is even cheaper.

Oops just noticed there are 5 of you! What is your budget?

Does it have to be school summer holidays? If you could go Whitsun/Jubilee instead it would be much cheaper especially if you take your own tent. In early June most sites that are Camping Cheque/ACSI camping card scheme members offer their special rates ie below £15 for a tent + two people + electric & in some cases up to 3 kids under 6 too. Also, there are some 6 for 4, 7 for 5 deals as well so it is possible to get a pitch for the whole family for around £100 for a week. If you want to rent a mobile/ready tent, French campsites & companies (check out websites for Yelloh/Kawan/huttopia) won't be charging their high season rates at this time (although Eurocamp and the other British operators will). Start of the summer holidays will be the most expensive time to go, whoever you go with. If you could go for the last week, I'm sure you'll find whatever it is you're looking for cheaper especially booked direct as campsites drop their prices rapidly as the 'rentree' approaches.

For example, this site booked using ACSI camping card (£13.95 for the book including the card) is 12 euros a night including 3 children under 6 until 7 July or from 25 August. In high season it would be over 27 euros a night just for two adults & the pitch.

www.campeole.co.uk/camping-campeole-montalivet-gironde-747.html

Also, is surfing really important? Petrol/diesel aren't cheap and tolls can add up so if you want to keep it cheap maybe somewhere closer to home. Baie de la Somme is supposed to be nice, looks v French and is less than an hour from Calais.

thanks everyone, been too busy at work to post replies - really sorry - you've all been so helpful!!

yes we have to go during school holidays as that's the earliest DP can go.
Budget - hoping for under £300, so I think I will have to ditch the surfing ideas as it's too far / too much petrol money, and go for a shorter holiday normandy / brittany somewhere. I may post again to look for lovely french villages near the coast, and take our own tent!!

I'll look at all the sites you've suggessted thanks and post back when I've booked!!!

Merci!!!

will look at baie de la somme - sounds just the sort of thing I'm looking for....

By the way, don't you just love the camping section on MN - everyone is so nice here!