Best Co. for Eurocamp-style holiday - France?

[wickedfairy]

Hi there,

As above really! Used to go camping in France as a child and loved it (Vendee area). Looking to try it with our own family now DS 3.5 yo and DC2 due in 3weeks. Possibly thinking about going Sept time (if anywhere is still open) or getting something sorted out for next summer.

As we don't have our own tent and would like to try it first before committing to buying all the stuff, we thought maybe a Eurocamp-style thing would be good.

What companies offer this kind of thing? Obviously Eurocamp and Keycamp - are there any others anyone can recommend for France please? Also, any other advice re this type of holiday, as we have never done it before. We are fairly well travelled and backpacked around Thailand when DS was 2yo, so can cope perfectly well on holidays - I mean adive on this particular kind of holiday, where stuff is already set up for you (that's all new to me!).

Thanks :-)

my tip would be to check out lots of companies and their prices. We planned to have a tent holiday in May but got a good deal for a mobile home with Thomson Alfresco which was the same price. So, we chose a little bit more comfort!

Hi Wickedfairy, I second Kiwibella. It is worth shopping around as outside the peaky peak season all the different companies have different pricing strategies and some prices can be strikingly different from others.

My preference is now for mobile homes as we did all that tent business when younger and now my old bones wont take it and I like to have my own toilet!

Eurocamp & Keycamp are in fact the same company. Eurocamp has a wider range of campsites some of which are a bit more out of the way which we now prefer. Keycamp sites tend to be the larger ones. Canvas Holidays are also very good and have a good range of accomodation. Thomson Alfresco as Kiwibella mentioned are good as well. After that you get a number of smaller operators. Alan Rogers are interesting because they use the campsites' own mobile homes, chalets and tents. This of course means a lot more variability in terms of what is on offer. You pays your money and takes your choice! Next year your DS will be old enough for kids clubs so it is worth looking at those and taking them into the mix.

Just a warning - next year's summer holidays are already selling out!

I hope you have a lovely time whatever you choose.

I agree that a mobile home might be easier, esp if you do go this year.

The best approach might be to find the area/campsite you want to stay in and then see which holiday company has availability. Or if you are not bothered about kids clubs, book directly with the campsite (which often has the best accommodation...) - some campsites run their own clubs anyway.

A couple of thoughts about using the campsite's own accomodation.

The standard of accomodation should be good but be aware that French mobile homes often dont have ovens just a hob. Quite often they will have a microwave or a mini oven but not the standard British style cooker.

The check out procedure will be more strict than for Eurocamp/Keycamp style. We have had experience of the campsite rep running a finger along a shelf to make sure it was clean. It's fair enough but you do need to be aware that leaving the accomodation clean means just that! It is easier with Keycamp/Eurocamp type who just ask for the accomodation to be swept out and washing up done and keys left on the table.

we go with vacancesoliel,, much cheaper than camvas..

We've been with Canvas for several years, mainly as accommodation has to be of the same standard across all campsites, whereas Eurocamp/Siblu seem to have mobile homes that differ from brochure plan. Also Canvas reps have to have a high a-level standard of speaking the native language. Some companies don't even expect the reps to know a word of the language.

Tip: we're planning a holiday in Sept but as we have done previously, are waiting till end of July when prices are slashed. As long as you check daily and book as soon as they announce the price cuts, availability is good. This seems to be not just Canvas, but Thomson and Eurocamp also.

Not the case at all that Canvas couriers need to be able to speak the language. DS1 is a courier with them and sadly, languages are not his strength!
We have gone with Canvas so often we've lost count, and in the earlky days twice with Eurocamp. Eurocamp are the most expensive, but did one year undercut others when I told them the quote I got.

Canvas are absolutely the best for customer relations. The staff on the phones are infinitely helpful - and patient with ditherers like me - and the couriers the best - but then I'm biased!

From my experience I have found Eurocamp and Canvas to be on a level with each other. Many of the Eurocamp reps are Dutch which suits us just fine. As we speak a fair bit of French and tend to overplan we dont use the onsite reps much except for kids clubs when DCs were smaller and the occasional bit of maintenance.

I wasnt impressed with Siblu as I found the reps were distinctly unpleasant and lazy. This was just one site but it put us off.

My preference for going with Eurocamp/Canvas is that if anything goes wrong you are dealing with the rep who isnt really bothered either way and will get problems solved for customer service. VacanceSoleil tend to be repped by the onsite owners who may be more defensive about criticisms of their property.

Its all horses for courses and whichever company I would choose a campsite over a gite every time.

Hi wickedfairy we went on our first Keycamp family holiday to Camping Bel in La Tranche sur mer last year (google it). Was a nice quiet family campsite, no noise after 10pm

Couriers were fine, they seemed very young but we didnt have any problems so didnt have much contact with them, they were adequate

The campsite (not keycamp) had films and a clown for the kids once a week, and of course there was the kids clubs, but our 2 were too young to be left.

DCs were 3 and 1.6 when we went and the place was v well set up for families.
We stayed in a tent, and apart from it being a bit dusty and too hot some days (when it was 36C outside, would have been too hot anywhere without a/c) we loved it, we were close to the very clean washrooms (they seemed to always be cleaning them, honestly they were very clean

Pretty good beds and very well equipped, I dont think the mobile homes were that much better (for the extra money).

Good playparks, a good waalk to the town beach, and a wee drive 5/10mins to better ones. The large supermarket was very close

Thats my recommendation anyway

Thanks everyone for the advice - looking forward to checking out the deals!

Will be waiting until DC2 born to decide if we go this year, as will be at the end of season I htink, before I will feel ready for any travelling. Definitely want to go next year though, so good time to start thinking about it!

Thanks again

Have you looked at Selectcamp - they are a Dutch company but have an office in Manchester - we went to Duinrell in the Netherlands in may half term - Eurocamp were £480 for 4 nights, Thomson nealry £700 and Select £171!!!! yup!! Mobiles were ina fantastic loaction and were a bit smaller than others we've had (been with canvas, Eurocamp etc for years) but irt had more home comforts such as a cd player, microwave and big shower but didn't have an oven. Didn't need one as we had fab weather and BBQd every night.
I agree with poster who said to find your campsite then pick and choose companies. Don't go by kids clubs either as most won't be on in Spetember and your child may not want to go!!!
I took DD 'camoping' in a French Life (now canvas) mobile to St jean de Monts when she was 3 months old and it was fantastic - ds was 15mo!! So easy as we brought all their bits with us in the car! My most favourite campsite (ie the only campsite I've gone abck to) is here can't wait to go back again!

I.want.to.go.there.too.Leslaki!!

go go go! It's fab!

Leslaki, can I ask two questions about the Venice site? Did you go there with a company? and, how did you travel there? Thanks

we have just holidayed with Canvas and thought their reps and customer service staff were by far the best!

we camped in north america and when we have a car, now with 2 kids and without a car, hasn't thought of camping..
would anyone please tell me about those camping holidays as i think we could take the kids to camp now (3.5 and 1.5)?
1>do you need a car?
2>do you take your own sleeping bags/bedding/towels?
3>do you take a bbq or there is shared bbq to use?
TIA