Eurocamp

[NewAdventuretobemade]

Happy New Year everyone!
This will be a long post- I need ideas please First time mum!

I am thinking about doing my first eurocamp holiday on the 1st week of September 2024. I will have a 4 month old baby, we do drive but never driven abroad before.

I am wondering if any one can recommend a good beachy Euro camp a family of 3 to go. IDEALLY without driving as it will probably be my partner having to do most of the driving, if I am breastfeeding and because we will probably both just be absolutely shattered from a lack of sleep with a 4 month old. I have a few friends who go to France often for Disney and said it was a super was journey, to get into France, so this is where I have been looking for today.

Also if you have been to eurocamp do you recommend them for a little 1 week getaway with a 4 month old or would you stick to a package holiday such as BA or Tui? - We do usually go a typical package holiday with TUI, BA or First choice but I like the idea of a eurocamp abroad and the prices are much cheaper!

The 2 options so far are- there are more but so far out or not near a beach its over an hr walk to a beach & im not sure what transport is like in these areas ( if we dont get a car hire), so dont want to risk it.

LE DOMAINE DU CLARYS - LE CLARYS PLAGE- 10 hours journey ( by car) - Nearest airport is Nantes 76km ( 1 hour by car) and nearest port is- St Malo - 257km. (3hrs drive) I have found cheap ryanair flights to nantes from stanstead and is only a 1.5 hour journey but the issue is I can not seem to find any car hire's from the airport to the campsite. I dont know if this is because its too early or if I just wont find any!

Domaine les Charmilles- 12hr journey( by car)- I feel this will be way to long for a 4 month old and also way to long between me and my partner we will already be getting little to no sleep so I cant imagine us doing a 6hr journey each
or La Rochelle airport is g 31.2km ( 25 mins away) or the nearest port is Saint-Malo - 340km (4hrs by car)- Again same issue I cant seem to book any car hire from La Rochelle & can only find 1 flight from stanstead to la Rochelle which is leaving at 3pm and the flight back is at 6pm- I believe check out is 10am for eurocamp,, so normally I would love the free time before a flight but with a 4 month old it feels like it will be terrible.

Does all this journey all sound to long winded with a 4 month old? Help please! :)

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MNHQ update: If you’re short on time, here’s a selection of the best Eurocamp sites that Mumsnetters are recommending on this thread:

😎 La Chapelle, Roussillon, France

😎 Marina di Venezia, Adriatic, Italy

😎 Le Sérignan Plage, Languedoc, France

😎 Le Châtelet, Brittany, France

For more inspo, check out our guides to the best Eurocamp sites in France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, all featuring recommendations from Mumsnet users.

Can’t help with those two sites but I did do what you are suggesting when mine were small
consider Yelloh Villages Serignan Plage
it is very close to Beziers airport. We hired a car but you don’t technically need one, it’s an easy taxi ride from the airport (20 minutes?). Right on the beach, lovely (large) campsite. We drove around a bit but you could just stay put. We had one of the “cabanes” that were literally on the beach just over the dunes from the water.
you could hire bikes (with baby seats etc) to go to the nearest town which was about 15 minutes cycle- flat and very little traffic, quite safe.

There will be other lovely ones but that’s the one we loved. I wouldn’t book via eurocamp, choose your site and book direct (Yelloh village website worth a look). It’s cheaper! I think the only advantage of going via eurocamp is kids clubs for British kids. But your dc will be too young.

but in terms of the ones you suggested I’d be astonished if you can’t hire a car at Nantes or La Rochelle airport. Try some sooner dates.

Eurocamp is great for kids and teens as there's loads to do for those age groups. It's not exactly slumming it, but these holidays are far from luxurious and it's entirely self catering. It'll also possibly still be fairly busy when you go. I love Eurocamps, but I'm not sure it'd be my first choice with a small baby, especially with such a long drive.

Of the ones you suggest the Nantes one looks better with the distance etc. all the usual car hire companies are at Nantes airport. Have you looked on holiday autos? Basically a price comparison site. I always look there first.

I wouldn’t drive with a baby either but I would (and did) fly and hire a car.

We took our five month and our four year old in the car to one of the Brittany sites a few years ago. It was absolutely fine, we got the overnight ferry so broke up the driving nicely.

A good way to do work in life.

@driftingdownintomiami Thank you for the feedback. Good to know someone done it with a baby- I will check out Brittany. Im so used to lovely summer holidays so just want to make sure my little boy will actually be able to go for his first paddle at the beach ( not that he will remember anything! lol) . Ill check out that area though. Thank you

@Clearinguptheclutter Ok noted about the driving. I looked on travel supermarket and skyscanner. Nothing popped up as being available and Ive never been to these airports so no idea if they are small little local airports that wont have taxi services/ transfer available outside. Thanks for saying it will have these thats good to know. I dont have a preference on location as mentioned its only because everyone I know who has driving across Europe always said france was easy and quick to get too but a 10+ journey sounds horrible for me and terrible for my little boy. I just had a look at that website you suggested and they have car hire available! Thank you very much!

@AuntieSoap Thanks for the reply, the idea of self catering and staying in caravans is fine and I actually dont mind at all.. You mentioned it not being something you would think of with a 4 month old- why ? do you think for our first family holiday we should just do a normal package holiday in a hotel?

@Clearinguptheclutter oh that sounds nice not needing a car hire- If needed we can but we have both never driven on the 'wrong' side of the road, and dont particularly want my first time to be with my 4 month old in the car in case something happens. I will check Yelloh for sure- thank you for that & I do not have a preference at all on where I stay or what part of Europe I just had a look and those 2 looked good. Also as I have not done much europe travel- I usually do long haul holidays I really have no clue about how big/ popular these airports are to know if they even have taxi ranks outside or uber or something to call. Im used to package holidays or holidays where when you book it asks you to book on transfers to the airport and back lol, so this is all new to me but want to try it all out.

Have a look at Babyfriendlyboltholes website and find something that's not so far. They have gites and accommodation well set up for small children. We did Normandy (from Kent) when dd was 4 months old, and that was quite far enough to drive. We flew to Italy when she was 6 months old, and that was probably easier - though also in self catering accommodation. Much I love Eurocamp, there's no great advantage with a tiny baby - it's when they are bigger that all the pool and activities come into their own. I would go for a nice apartment somewhere, either flying or driving, somewhere you can put baby to bed and chill out, whilst doing things you enjoy in the daytime.

You just won't get the benefit of that holiday with a 4 month old baby. It's very much geared for kids and teens. I wouldn't say there's anything detrimental about going there with a baby, so there's nothing to worry about as such.

A 4 month old won't care about the beach either. Too young for paddling or building sandcastles. I honestly would book a holiday you would enjoy, maybe allowing somewhere you can put the baby to bed in the evening - so avoiding 1 room where you have to creep about.

Depending on where you are in the UK a ferry might be an option. We’ve done overnight ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland then onto a euro camp in the Netherlands which was less than 2hrs drive from the port.
We’ve also done eurotunnel to France, but that was more stressful as you have to stay in the car. With the ferry once you’re on board you’ve got a room and can wander about.
Both French and Dutch roads were in better condition than UK roads and very well signposted.

@MissAmbrosia Thank you, i will check that out. Ok after this thread and looking more. I think to scrap this idea for now. It does sound like a difficult journey for us all just because of how old our baby will be at the time. Thanks form your input.. Just seen your extra post- Yes very true he will be a little baby, ok nevermind the eurocamp idea im going to book a normal holiday that I would go on. no hassle and no stress- a nice package holiday to somewhere I know I can get transfers and meals included and just be able to travel and enjoy the first holiday as a mummy :) .. Thanks a lot!!

@IDontWantToBeAPieIDontLikeGravy Thanks for your reply.. Thanks to this thread Im actually just going to have a look at a normal holiday I would do. A nice package holiday with my transfers and meals included with no worry or fuss. I will try the eurocamp when our boy is older. Thanks again!

We love Eurocamp. We like the 'car optional' ones you can search on the website. Our favourite was flying to Perpignan, taxi to Argeles sur Mer, stayed at La Chapelle, but there are lots of options. The beach can be a bit windy, but the town is lovely, the pools are great and there is a road train to the old town which is definitely doable with a baby in a sling. Definitely consider a van with AC if going that far south though.

Does it need to be France OP? We had a Eurocamp holiday in Italy when my DD was nearly 3.
We used public transport from the airport to the campsite. The campsite backs onto the beach too.
https://www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/italy/adriatic/marina-di-venezia-campsite

I think that's a good plan

I'd just do all inclusive much easier

Also is there a reason why you're looking at the first week of September? The joy of young children is term time holidays!

I do love a good Eurocamp holiday ! We have holidayed at French campsites for years with and without kids. The kids when they were little loved them.

If you do decide to go when your little one is older, the season is winding down in September, so the campsites and accommodation can be tired and not as well looked after, restaurants start to close, the couriers who look after you are not so engaged as they are ready to finish. Plus the days are shorter in terms of sunlight and can get quite chilly in the evenings if you want to sit out.

We changed from going away in September to mid June for these reasons, still out of school holidays but sites are opening up so well maintained and staff more enthusiastic, and weather better with warmer light evenings.

Loads of places close to Beziers airport that you could just get a taxi too. Serignan Plage is nice, as is Camping Aloha beside it. Club Farret is even closer in Vias and is nice too. All of these are on the beach as well as having pools. Just outside the airport is Domaine de la Dragonniere which is nice, though not many British people at that and not on the beach.

Don't just search Eurocamp, often there is a mix of vendors on the sites but the main ones get the best pitches and choice of caravans. E.g. Yelloh or Sandaya are two large French sites.

@Jijithecat Hi thanks for the reply. I was actually looking at September because I don't have any time prior and the baby is due is last day end of April, so wont want to travel soon after having the baby and we will need to figure out a little routine before even considering travelling. September will still be warm and I am used to going away yearly so would love to squeeze in a little holiday.

I was actually looking again and found the SUN £9.50 holidays, the caravan will be £120 in total which is amazing! This is for Vilanova park villiage https://www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/spain/costa-dorada/vilanova-park-campsite?cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=17989253010&cq_con=142809891551&cq_term=vilanova%20park&cq_med=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwP6sBhDAARIsAPfK_wZOFiW1PQgX2DtfuMWldh7_D6jvzif8zmDyV3qDTv4q2KCu6mTR4RAaAlBREALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

This seems like a great option now and is 1 hour by car or public transport from Barcelona so could be a really good trip!

@MathsFiend Thanks for your suggestion, I will look at these options. I was actually looking again and managed to find a good deal on sun9.50 to Vilanova in Costa Dorada ( 1 hr by car or bus to Barcelona) so im now considering this. I have seen positive comments about this site and it will eb good to go sightseeing in Barcelona.

The accomodation will be £120 in total with the sun holiday deal which is amazing and I checked and there are a ton of flights and then im sure getting car hire will be so easy in Barcelona.

Thanks for