Anyone used Euro camp or something similar in Brittany?

[multitasker]

I know it's a bit early to be thinking about next years holiday, but I was thinking alot about France, and since I'm in Ireland we could ferry it across and drive to wherever. What's the best way to go about booking it and are there any places that merit a great recommendation,our dc are all under 8.

Look at Canvas - I found they were cheaper than euocamp (and keycamp)

We love camping in Brittany!!! I can throrughly recommend Caming Mane Guernehue in Baden Brittany - the pool complex is fantastic and it's a quiet chill out site with good facilities for young kids and a fab restaurant. It is hilly though and you have toi drive to some very good beaches. Would go back!! This year we're going to Les Deux fonataines which doesn't look brilliant in the brochures but the web site and campo site brochure are much better. Have had lots of recommendations for it too.

We also stayed in Le Guilvenic a few years ago at Village la PLage which is great location wise as it's right n a lovely beach but the park facilities were awaful - kids pool was too deep, dirty (dead mice and worse in it and no-one wiling to clean it!!) and had very high sides which wasn't great. Had a good holiday but wouldn't go back.
We go with French Life as we use Tesco vouchers but Keycamp are meant to be quite reasonable - older vans I think. Matthews are cheaper too but again I think they use older vans. Try the forum/discussion board on www.matthewsfrance.co.uk
it's fab and you'll get loads of info. Hover your mouse above a detsnation andit's on a drop down menu. Sorry can't do a link!!

Can also recommend places in the Vendee if you're keen!!

Do a search through old travel archives (search for Eurocamp/keycamp etc) and you will get MASSES of info.

There are loads of people who do this, probably visited every site in teh brochures between them!!

Brittany is fab. We went a couple of years ago and loved it, but ventured further south to the Vendee for better weather. We went with Matthews Holidays as they were cheaper than Canvas, but they don't have the childrens' clubs if that's one of your requirements. They do have a forum on their website which is helpful for finding out about the sites. The site we went to was L'Atlantique. The pool area was great and the campsite lovely and clean, and you could walk to the beach.

Good idea multitasker, there are some special offers at the moment too. I'd get all the brochures, find some sites you fancy and ring all the companies for quotes. If you want the kids clubs check the start dates,as some don't start until the english summer hols. Not much to choose between the companies IME - canvas, keycamp/eurocamp, thomson al fresco, camping life, all tend to operate from the same sites and all the kids clubs together in a field (keycamp/eurocamp share clubs). Point St Gilles in Benodet is nice.

Have done Brittany past 2 years and will prob go again next year. Benodet is nice foxtrot went there las year but my french is not good (non-exixtant)and found it a bit difficult. Went to Carnac this year and it was a bit more touristy (very shallow i know, but better for me cos menus had english translations, etc), to a campsite called La Grande Metairie and my dd loved it cos it's got a little animal park! Would go back again. BTW there were lots of Irish families there too. Went with keycamp BTW, who are much cheaper than eurocamp.

Thanks for all that. I will look through the archives too, it's good to know that Brittany sounds like a good destination so I have a definite starting point, merci! (thats the extent of my French)

www.benodetbreaks.co.uk have stunning vans -went to see one whilst staying in a keycamp. We paid keycamp enough in one week for two weeks in a far superior van - was gutted when I realised that.

Interesting reading these post - we found le Guilvenec to be a great campsite (out of season June/early July 2005) and really suited to a 3 year old.
Went to Benodet this year and was not impressed - DH described the pool as "human soup". But it is geared to older kids than a 4 yo and we went during the summer hols.

If your kids like body boarding try to get close to the Atlantic side - great waves - if gentle water is your thing the stick to the south coast

We stayed at a gite complex in Brittany for young families which was wonderful - pool, playground, sandpit, babysitting etc - here's the link : La Villeneuve

Chestnutter - thanks, that looks fab - it is definitely one I would consider. Would you go back? Did you get the ferry or fly?

We would go back. The gites were lovely and actually we were the only guests at the time (we went out of season) so they 'upgraded' us without asking to the most expensive one! Don't expect luxury, but everything you need is there, it was clean and in good working order. There wasn't much to do in the evenings but we just went out for dinner then went back and chilled out. When it's busier though I think people would probably get together and be sociable. The people who run it were just so welcoming, friendly and helpful and really put themselves out for us. I know in high season it gets full up. In my opinion it would be great for kids between 2 and 10 years old.
We got the ferry because we wanted to take the car. DD was 18 months and I was pregnant so we indulged in a cabin which was great (definitely recommend the extra cost). We went Portsmouth to Caen on the way there, and St Malo to Portsmouth on the way back (because Caen to Portsmouth was booked up for when we wanted to return) from Caen I think it took us about 2-3 hours but I can check with DH as I have mush for brains. St Malo was definitely further away.

We've been to Brittany the last two years and really like it. My parents and brother often stay with Eurocamp and like it (my brother used to work for them) although I haven't tried it.

The first time we went to Brittany we also stayed at La Villeneuve. I have to say I wasn't very impressed with the accommodation. The pool is quite nice and there is a children's playground but the house was very small and we had to go and buy a corkscrew, vegetable knife etc because they weren't provided or had been lost. It is designed for outside living but the weather wasn't great so we were inside more and there wasn't much floor space for the children to play and no surfaces in the kitchen to do any food preparation. The sofas were actually so uncomfortable I couldn't sit on them for more than a short time. Also no TV / video which I know is a bit pathetic but it does give the children a chance to relax a bit and us a bit of peace and quiet. However I should note that Ds2 has special needs so can't be left to roam around with the other children unsupervised, and I guess with neurotypical kids (especially older ones they would be all off playing with other kids outside.) For the same reason we struggle with things like only having a shower (no bath there) because Ds2 gets a bit hysterical in the shower. So I might not give the most balanced view. How long ago did you you go Chestnutter - I think it has changed hands in the last few years.

St Malo is in Brittany so closer to any destination within Brittany, but you can only get an o/n crossing on the way over then all day on the way back. Caen is another couple of hours driving but more choice of crossings. We usually do Portsmouth - St Malo there and Caen- Portsmouth back.