Hi all

As in staying under canvas, sorry if you thought otherwise.

We want to take the kids away for their first foreign trip this summer and thought euro camp type options would be best, they are 3 and 5 and love camping in the UK. Mrs Stevew wants somewhere hot but as we are tied to school summer hol’s it can’t be anywhere blisteringly hot.

Would consider fly drive or taking our own car on ferry etc and happy for experiences of either. I know it’s gonna cost a packet anyway in the school hol’s but any recommendations on how to do this frugally will be we’ll received!

Oh, of course, needs to be near good riding to either take my own bike or hire whilst there – probably road bike not off road.

Thanks.

Steve

la rochelle, st jean de months – vendee area is good.

Loads of forest cycle routes too.

As kid, my favourite campsite was Val de Cantobre an hour or so from the coast, nestled in the gorges du tarn. Tons of stuff for kids, plus breathtaking scenery with every outdoor pursuit you could imagine.

A small village down the road, and guaranteed great weather.

Nearest town is Millau I think. Would take a couple of days to drive there…

Not 100% sure Eurocamp still operate there but i love La Foret in the Vendee. Its a fantastic site.

Ill be watching this with interest as only last week we were on about it. Ferry and Eurostar prices are very reasonable at the moment for the kids holidays. A mate goes regular, there are various ones on the coast and inland etc.

We went a few years ago to one of the Adriatic sites, Link Good beach, child friendly, lots for them to do etc. plus about a half hour boat trip into Venice.

We flew with Ryanair to Trieste and hired a car, I think it’s about 60km, but Ryanair call it “Venice Airport!!”

If taking kids and you don’t want to drive really far, Domaines Des Ormes site near Dol in Brittany is great. Loads to do on site inc activities and pool, good beaches nearby too as well as old city St.Malo and Dinan. Poole/Portsmouth – Cherbourg crossing good and quick with 1.5 hour drive the other side. We always used to use Canvas Holidays for best deals, waiting till last couple of weeks, and get them to arrange ferry too. By phone you can really haggle with them, we got 11 days all in in a large mobile home (far less hassle, wouldn’t camp) for a grand last year for 6 of us in a Kombi van, should have been double that. Stayed at Domaines Des Ormes(3rd time) for a few days plus similar at St.Cast and Le Ranolien sites also in North Brittany. Great places. Hope this helps

+1 for both Domaines Des Ormes and Le Ranolien. Stayed at both, twice at Le Ranolien, although it was a good 13 or so years ago

Did a couple of seasons Canvas so I’m biased, but I wouldn’t do that kind of holiday with anyone else. Where you go depends on what you want – des Ormes is (or was, back in the day) fantastic for kids and families that want a lively fun-packed holiday – my preference in Brittany would be St Cast, much more chilled and laid back. You’ll find everything in between if you look around. 🙂

If you’re not bothered about the beach bit there’s a nice campsite near me in El Escorial, pretty hot in summer though! Great road and mtb riding available, too.

If the camping bit is non-essential, used to go here as a kid: http://www.masforge.com/ Lovely part of southern France, in the Pyrenees. Prices seem reasonable, too.

Edit: should say I mention Mas Forge as it’s an informal, camping-like atmosphere. I realise it’s not what the OP actually asked for!

Me and the wife fancy doing the Euro camp thing so will be researching the places people have been to.

Assuming you take your own kit, if you fancy doing Disneyland while your in France, I can recommend Camping Du 4 Vents. Enormous camping pitches, pool etc. Not a lot else to do besides visiting Paris or Disney, but worth a mention as a possible stopover if your heading further South.

We love camping in France.

We stayed at interlude on Ile de re ( just of the coast of La Rochelle ) last year and loved it. Right on the beach, fantastic site and even better island, loads of great family orientated traffic free cycle routes. We liked it so much we have booked to go back in summer.

We’ve been to Camping Les Fontaines Lake Annecey every year for the last 4 years Camping Les Fontaines
Great views from the site and easy access to the mountains. There are also some down hill tacks from Semnoz and lift assisted in La Cluzaz. There’s loads of good riding from the campsite south towards Chevaline Saury and up into the mountains. leave the kids and wife to enjoy the pool while you go off and explore. We drove down, saves hireing a car and can carry all kit and bike etc.

Thanks to all for the recommendations so far, will have a good look through all later and start to plan it out.

Ta.

Steve

We stayed at interlude on Ile de re ( just of the coast of La Rochelle ) last year and loved it. Right on the beach, fantastic site and even better island, loads of great family orientated traffic free cycle routes. We liked it so much we have booked to go back in summer.

We did Il de Re in 2011 and Il d’Oleron in 2012 – both fantastic but Oleron gets the nod for us, 95% as cycle-friendly in terms of paths, but a bit quieter and a lot more picturesque. Plus the bridge is free. 🙂

Il de Oleron was superb. Drove down, parked car up and it didn’t move for the 2 weeks we were there. Cycled everywhere, including our 4 year daughter. Hadto get a bit creative when carrying surf boards, bucket and spade, but its a great place. Temperature was perfect although the beaches can get windy.

+1 for Canvas Holidays.
When the kids are 7+ take them to the Ardeche with PGL (one of their family weeks) for a week’s canoeing. Best family holiday we’ve ever had.

.

Soulac sur Mer was great in 1979………..!!
Just on the peninsula north of Bordeaux.
Awesome beaches and beautiful forests.