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Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Holidays
French campsite recommendations please
Chewbecca · 26/01/2022 18:41
Only one real criteria - easy walking distance to a town with a choice of places to eat. We like to eat out and enjoy a glass of wine or 3 and don’t want to drive back?
Any places you’ve enjoyed please? We’re thinking mid France but not set in stone.
MissAmbrosia · 26/01/2022 19:10
La Carabasse - Siblu. Everything is in walking distance - the town, the beach, a huge fun fair, minigolf
Chewbecca · 26/01/2022 20:14
Ooh, thanks. Ticks the location box but south coast really too far. You’ve made me realise that at least!
Fivemoreminutes1 · 27/01/2022 05:25
Chateau La Foret
Huttopia Beaulieu sur Dordogne and Les Chateaux
Chewbecca · 27/01/2022 14:50
Thanks all.
This thread has made me realise I DO care about where in France because I don’t want to go to Brittany or Normandy either - weather wise would rather head south than drive West.
The Dordogne site looks perfect but it is too far?
So thanks again, I have narrowed my search down!
snowballupahill · 27/01/2022 15:12
Have you tried looking at Les Castels (?sp) which are a group of campsites all over France tend to have swimming pool, restaurant etc in good locations. Often canvas, eurocamp will also have booked sections on those sites. In terms of overall location you could try the vendee - further south than Brittany but not too far south - often weather is better in the vendee than in Brittany/Normandy. I also went years ago to La Grande Metaire (sp) also in Brittany close to Les Menhirs campsite mentioned by earlier poster
Hoolihan · 27/01/2022 15:22
Stayed here summer just gone, was fabulous: camping-dordogne.net/en/
Have also stayed at Bel and Baie d'Aunis campsites in La Tranche Sur Mer in the Vendee - both good and easy walking distance to town and beach.
Verite1 · 27/01/2022 15:25
Was also going to recommend Benodet but see you have ruled out Brittany.
TheHuntingoftheSnark · 27/01/2022 15:28
Domaine de Chalain inthe Jura in eastern France. Excellent scenery and beautiful lac to swim in
mocktail · 27/01/2022 15:30
If you reconsider about Brittany I agree with those recommending Benodet. This site ticks all your boxes: www.escale-stgilles.fr/en/
lemontingle · 27/01/2022 15:31
OP will you actually be camping or staying in the holiday lodges that some of these sites offer?
Chewbecca · 27/01/2022 15:51
The holiday lodges rented out - usually direct from the campsite.
I have looked at the chains, I tend find the websites can be quite tricky to work out if the site is in town or not, they’re focussed more on the site itself.
We’ve been to that Jura site! Maybe we should just go back! We ate very well round there and loved the area.
Fivemoreminutes1 · 27/01/2022 16:29
The Huttopia site in the Dordoge is about 7 hours from Calais. When we went, we did an overnight stop at Puy du Fou on the way down, and Futuroscope on the way back.
FleeceNavidadFromTheSheep · 27/01/2022 18:12
Puy du Fou is worth a detour if you like history. It is slightly bonkers 
OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 06/02/2022 17:33
Thanking this thread, we've booked for Beaulieu sur Dordogne for this summer. Not far from my stomping ground as a child as my family is from around there so I'm gong to be taking my kids to all the places I used to go to!
I also love Puy du Fou, not been since dc3 was a couple of months old and he's 10 now! Would love to go again but would be too much of an indulgence this time. We are in NE England so by the time we've driven to Dover we spend the night in Calais rather than drive further into France.
We've stayed in Huttopia sites before and they do tend to be excellent. Lac de Carcans is nice. Another Carcans Plage and Maubuisson are other old stomping grounds as my grandmother lived in Bordeaux. Seriously outing should anyone who knows me stumble upon this but the last time I went to France was just before covid kicked off and was for her funeral so excited but sad to be planning a visit without her being there. We've got the camping at Beaulieu then 5 nights in a chalet in Maubuisson and will be visiting Bordeaux too.
RonCarlos · 08/02/2022 08:22
We have stayed at this one in Saumur, which is walking distance to the town.
www.saumur-camping.com/
RonCarlos · 08/02/2022 08:24
Sorry, this link is better
en.flowercampings.com/campsite-loire-valley-central-france/camping-l-ile-d-offard
Chewbecca · 08/02/2022 22:12
That looks fab & Saumur is lovely (if I remember rightly). We're now thinking we may head straight down to the Beaujolais area, given our love of their wine.
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