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 Topic: Bordeaux/Dune du Pilat
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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
07/12/2007 at 4:48pm
Location: Lancashire
Outfit: Coachman 460 VIP; VW Tiguan
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Joined: 31/7/2003 Diamond Member 
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Hi Bonzo65
It is the Camping Panorama du Pyla you refer to, I take it? Yes, we have stayed there now 3 times, it is a fantastic site. It is a rather big site, but the way it is laid out, you don't really have the idea of being on a large site. Toiletblocks are very good, swimmingpool lovely, it has a good restaurant, and the views from the front of the site are superb.
Most people try to get near the front, but it is terraced anyway, so there are still views to be had from further back.
It is right next to the dune and you can climb up on to it straight from the site, BUT it is a very steep climb! Nevertheless, well worth it, once on top of the dune, you can walk all the way to the other end, it's like you are in the desert, all you can see is sand!
On the other hand, there are steps on one side of the site, down to the beach, or you can simply walk down and back up.
You haven't said what you are in, tent, caravan or motorhome, but a lot of the pitches are quite sandy, the time before last we saw a motorhome being towed off the pitch by the tractor. He did bring it on himself though, tried to get sideways on a pitch with about an inch to spare either side, then found he couldn't manoeuvre out of it. We have a motorhome and never got stuck there, all it takes is a bit of common sense.
The area is lovely, Arcachon is really nice, as are the lakes near Biscarrosse.
Forgot to mention: there are loads of cycle-paths in the area, although from the site in one direction it is a fairly steep hill (and of course a nice downhill the other way!). We have cycled for miles around there, it's fantastic for cycling. The sea, being the Atlantic, can be a bit rough of course.
We never stay anywhere for longer than about 3/4 nights, but the first time we stayed here, we stayed for 6 nights, a record for us! We have been back twice since then.
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Ina
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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
07/12/2007 at 6:43pm
Location: Lancashire
Outfit: Coachman 460 VIP; VW Tiguan
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Joined: 31/7/2003 Diamond Member
Forum Posts: 3243
| Site Reviews Total: | 35 |
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Hi Bonzo65
The pitches are a good size, they vary in size though, but when we have been there (June and September) we were able to pick our pitch. That said, people can, and do, reserve a specific pitch in advance, but they are always clearly marked with the name of the person plus the dates the pitch is reserved from/to. When we were there in June, some pitches were not reserved until late July and August, so if your stay doesn't 'encroach' on the reserved dates, you can still have that pitch.
Yes, there is plenty of tree cover. The picture in my gallery shows our pitch, which was right at the front, there is virtually no tree cover there. But when you go further back into the site, there is very heavy tree cover.
As for letting the boys loose on the beach - it is all downhill TO the beach, but a good climb back up! So they should be suitably tired out afterwards!
If you are into towns, then Bordeaux is within about an hour's drive. But there are also plenty of smaller towns and lakes closer to, and as I said earlier, the town of Arcachon is quite close, and lovely, with a harbour and a beautiful area around the seafront.
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Ina
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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
07/12/2007 at 6:51pm
Location: Lancashire
Outfit: Coachman 460 VIP; VW Tiguan
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Joined: 31/7/2003 Diamond Member
Forum Posts: 3243
| Site Reviews Total: | 35 |
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| Site Reviews 2024: | 2 |
| Site Reviews 2023: | 8 |
| Site Reviews 2022: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2021: | 0 |
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| Site Reviews 2018: | 2 |
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| Site Nights 2024: | 8 |
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Forgot to mention also: the area is very popular with paragliders, in fact, there are a couple of schools very close to the site. In the right weather conditions, there are LOADS of them going forwards and backwards, right in front, and below, the site. You can watch them from your pitch and it is really good.
There is also a model flying club which uses the Dune, and OH takes his (small) model aircraft (he is into that in a big way - nerd!) and flies it off the Dune. It is very good I am told. I don't bother going with him when he goes flying, I'd much rather sit by the van with a glass of something suitable and a good book.
Also, as the site faces west, we have seen some absolutely fabulous sunsets. People come from every corner of the site to the front, to watch them and take photographs.
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Ina
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08/12/2007 at 12:10pm
Location: Lancashire
Outfit: Coachman 460 VIP; VW Tiguan
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Joined: 31/7/2003 Diamond Member
Forum Posts: 3243
| Site Reviews Total: | 35 |
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| Site Reviews 2024: | 2 |
| Site Reviews 2023: | 8 |
| Site Reviews 2022: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2021: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2020: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2019: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2018: | 2 |
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| Site Nights 2024: | 8 |
| Site Nights 2023: | 22 |
| Site Nights 2022: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2021: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2020: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2019: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2018: | 6 |
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Hi Bonzo
The distance from Le Havre to the Dune of Pyla seems to be around 440 miles, are you going via Le Mans, that way? That seems to be the shortest distance. Personally, especially with 2 young boys, I wouldn't like to do that distance in 1 day. That is not to say you shouldn't do it, but don't forget that when you get there in the early evening, you then have to start looking round for a pitch, then when you have found one you like, you have to start putting the tent up, get it all set up etc.
But everybody is different and when you only have a set number of nights to spend, you want to make the most of it. We have the luxury of not being tied to anything and being able to go for about 6 weeks, so we can just potter. It is perfectly possible to do that distance in 1 day, but it also depends on what sort of roads you will be using: motorways are of course the quickest, but also more expensive of course.
Weather: when we were there for the first time in September last year, it was beautiful all the time we were there, lovely and warm. That was from the 22nd to the 28th. June this year was not so good, but then it wasn't good anywhere. September this year was lovely again, we were there just for 3 nights that time, that was from the 11th to the 14th. The last 2 weeks in August should be lovely.
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Ina
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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
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