Recommendations for western France?

ChrisGillTW
ChrisGillTW Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited December 2016 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for campsites in western France? We would love to stay on Ile de Re, or Ile D'Oleron but would look at anywhere on the west coast. We are a famiy of four with two girls who will be eight and six when we travel, and are looking for a fairly quiet campsite that has good sized, fairly private pitches with a good swimming pool and decent bike rides and places to visit locally.

We have spent time in Brittany in Benodet, and last year went to a great site called La Foret in Notre Dame du Mont which was really good. The thing that impressed us was the way it was run, really clean and tidy with a fantastic owner who checked that the site was quiet after 11pm, which we need as our girls are really grumpy if they don't get a decent nights sleep.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as we are struggling to find one for this year.

Comments

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #2

    Chris, beware of advice from people who go to those two islands in June and September - in the school summer holidays they are overrun. You might do better to look at the 20 campsites around La Palmyre on the mainland.

    I can find you a  quiet site there -  Atlantique Foret, but it has no pool. I can find you one with a good water park - L'Oree du Bois, but it isn't quiet. A compromise might be Camping Beausoleil which is close to the village, the zoo, the cycle paths and the sea, but the swimming pool is rather ordinary.

     

  • GrandadTeacup
    GrandadTeacup Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited December 2016 #3

    Hi,

    Have a look at Le Logis du Breuil which is at Saint Augustin near Royan. It is a quiet site with very large pitches a good swimming pool and lots of bike rides straight from the site.

    Have stayed many times never any problems, very helpful site owners.

    It is site A04 in the CC Venture Abroad book.

  • crissy
    crissy Forum Participant Posts: 154
    edited December 2016 #4

    If you're interested in the Vendée , there are a lot of busier sites on the coast between St Gilles Croix de Vie and Saint Jean de Monts. Quieter sites inland. Les Charmed at Apremont is a nice site, small swimming pool but swimming in Lake Apremont. 20 minutes from the coast.

  • meecee
    meecee Forum Participant Posts: 304
    edited December 2016 #5

    Camping La Foret at St. Julian des Landes (inland Vendee approx 12 miles from Les Sables or Bretignolles) is a lovely site with good pool, facilities etc. Also La Garangeoire also inland similar distances is another good site.  I think both have websites.

  • knilly
    knilly Forum Participant Posts: 62
    edited December 2016 #6

    We go to la guyonniere in the Vendee off early morning ferry at st Malo and pitching early afternoon.This is a 5 star site,back again next year,roll on 2017 3 weeks there can't wait 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #7

    Chris, beware of advice from people who go to those two islands in June and September - in the school summer holidays they are overrun. 

     

    EuroT - Not just overrun in school holidays. We turned up at a site on Ile de Re in mid September this year and had but 2 pitches to choose from! The island was packed.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #8

    Thanks for the warning, Wherenext. It's the lure of the sea and island life I suppose.

    By contrast in mid September 2016 we ourselves were on a good quality site three miles inland from La Palmyre with something like 196 empty pitches out of 200. 

  • cody
    cody Forum Participant Posts: 123
    edited December 2016 #9

    La Foret lovely site but so expensive now in the school hols,  I've been to Chateau Deffay several times ticks all boxes and very good value.

  • ChrisGillTW
    ChrisGillTW Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited December 2016 #10

    Thanks for the responses everyone. I should have added that in an ideal world we would like to be near the sea I.e. Walking distance as we do enjoy evening strolls on the beach. 

    Some of the sites do look just what we were after, so any more recommendations are much appreciated. 

  • MDD10
    MDD10 Forum Participant Posts: 335
    edited December 2016 #11

    La Garangoire as listed above...amazing Castel site, family run and did have free evening childcare if you eat in the restaurant....but may be booked by now. You need to be booking in September or October for school holidays

  • crissy
    crissy Forum Participant Posts: 154
    edited December 2016 #12

    Have you considered Noirmoutier. Almost an island! We found a couple of lovely sites when exploring on a day out in November. Lovely beaches , loads of cycle routes and the mainland can be accessed by Le Gois causeway or a bridge.

  • ChrisGillTW
    ChrisGillTW Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited January 2017 #13

    Hi Crissy,

    Yes, we spent quite a bit of time on Noirmoutier last year as we were just down the road on Notre Dame du Monts, however we viewed quite a few campsites and couldn't find one we really liked. Also we do like trying different areas each year. 

    I know the campsites in France aren't usually the same standard as our Caravan Club sites in England, but that is the kind of thing we like, so the closer to that style the better.

    We have a couple of options so far, Camp du Soleil, Camping Essi, and La Domaine d'Oleron being the main ones. If anyone has been to these or similar ones around the same area could you please let us know what they are like?

  • 2blackcats
    2blackcats Forum Participant Posts: 44
    edited January 2017 #14

    Ile de Re is fantastic but as mentioned very busy but not to be missed even if you only go for a few days. The cycling is fantastic and it's beautiful. We stayed on two sites in Ars en Re (Camping Le Cormoran recommended - well run and very good pool/bar area, need to book in busy times, we went september) a lovely village with a great market and harbour. Inland we love the 'Venise Verte'' near Coulon in the riverside village of Damvix (Camping Les Conches).under Maillazais in Club Guide. Lovely quiet site with pool and family run. The cycling here  is exceptional.

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