please tell me about campsites on the Cote d'Azur

[fatsatsuma]

I just don't know where to start!

Have looked at Siblu, Eurocamp, Canvas, Vacansoleil, but what I need are proper MN recommendations

We want to camp, but not take our own tent. Ideally would like to be near beaches, but are NOT bothered about kids' clubs, discos etc. Pool definitely necessary. Spacious, shady pitches preferred!

Do you get the picture? Somewhere low-key, simple but clean facilities, quiet but handy location. Am I hopelessly idealistic?

We have stayed with Canvas at their site in Port Grimaud. It was walkable (downhill) to the beach, through another site that was right on beach (but VERY busy so glad we weren't there).

The area was great but VERY bad traffic (July/August) and was better to walk to Port & get a boat than drive. Driving to Supermarket (or anywhere) was a nightmare. Pool was Olympic sized and great for my Teens, but out of depth for a lot of small kids. A lot of the sites are pretty crowded around there.

We also had a few days at a site inland which was a great site but would have been a long way to the beach (we used it for the Gorges etc).

I am very glad we got to see this area, had some great trips (St Tropez, Monaco etc) but would not go back. We preferred the Languedoc (have been 3/4 times) and are going to Spain this year for another change.

We have been happy with Canvas & Siblu (+ Matthews but they don't go there). This year we are using Thomson Al Fresco for the first time.

Bumping anyway for other views for you.

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Thanks very much for these replies.

Milliways - your comments are really helpful. I'm looking at Cote d'Azur because I have very happy memories of holidays there as a child and want my kids to experience the clear warm blue waters of the Med - quite different from the Irish sea which we usually swim in on holiday!

But I don't know the Languedoc at all, and think we would prefer it too if it's less crowded - I hate the sound of the overcrowding round the Cote d'Azur.

Could you tell me how the beaches etc compare in the Languedoc?

The other thing is, we want to stay in a tent rather than mobile home to keep the cost down. I don't think Siblu or Thomson do tents, and Eurocamp and Canvas have very few. Anyone know of any other companies that have sites with tents in the south of France?

VacanceSoleil do tents (looked nice ones as well). Also Keycamp and French Freedom Holidays.

The beaches around the Languedoc are great. Long & sandy with warm shallow water.

At La Carabasse (Siblu site) you can wade out, swim over a small dip then walk again for a v.long way (kids love that!) DH moans about the lack of waves (he likes surf) but we spent hours in the water just playing ball etc. Vias Plage IS a v.busy resort though, but traffic is manageable unless going to Cap D'agde where it snarls up. You can also walk to restaurants & shops (& beach). There are loads of other sites to choose from though, a smaller one should be quieter, but my Teens like a busy site.

Oh, and for another year, if you want CHEAP look at Matthews Holidays. Lots of MNers will recommend them. You can get a holiday in one of their Vans for less than a Tent with the other companies BUT they don't do the SOuth.

For a quiet holiday with great pool & direct beach access look at their Bretignolles site. We loved it there, and you can do it in 4/5 hours from Cherbourg/Caen.

This Siblu site looks quieter, and good pools!

Milliways - thats the site I've just booked for next August!!! Hope it's as good as it looks!!! Selectcamp are another cheap coampny with good vans. Friends have booked with them for 2 weeks in Aug school hols to Nautica Almata in Northern Spain - just over the border from languedoc - site is tents only and looks fantastic. Think it was £500 for the 4 of them here

Can't wait for Le bois du valmarie tho!!

I can recommend a fab campsite in Italy - but you want the South of France....

Tbanks Milliways - will follow up Keycamp and French Freedom, and have a think about Languedoc.

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