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Hi my family and I are thinking of travelling to france next summer - we have a 1 year old and our own tent etc but wondering whether to stay in a pre-erected tent or to take our own things with us....

also I am looking for a smallish site with good facilities where we could stay for 10 nights or so....i have been scrolling through the sites on the camp site search but nothing has taken my fancy yet.

anyone been on a eurocamp trip? they seem really expensvie!

Hi

unfortunately my oh works in education so we are limited to the school holidays which is disappointing.

If you want smaller sites, and are on a budget, then take your own equipment, definitely.  If you can go towards the end of the school holidays (last two weeks in August) then prices generally come down a little - but on some sites you can save quite a bit.

We use Camping Cheques, which cost £13.95 for a pitch for two people, car and caravan (or tent or motorhome), awning, and electricity.  I have a list of campsites which accept them during the latter half of the school holidays, and this can make a real saving.  Email me if you'd like a copy.

The Whitsun holiday is usually pretty cheap, esp. with Canvas we've found, and sometimes the last week of the school hols.

Otherwise in the summer I'd recommend you take your own equipment and if you want small and relatively quiet the municiple sites are usually great value. 

Hi,

We have two children 5 and 3 and we have stayed for the last two years with Eurocamp on the Vendee (West Coast), in La Tranche and Les Sables. We stayed in a pre erected tent which was superb for a young family. The childrens clubs are excellent (5 hours a day), with loads of activity, both my children loved it!

My wife is also in education so like yourself we are tied to school holidays. We have just booked for the first two weeks of August in 2011, which cost £1150.00p for the 4 of us accomodation only.

We choose to travel by eurotunnel which we use our Tesco vouchers to pay for. It saves alot so makes the holiday manageable.

Hope this helps.

Andy.

We have camped with these companies for many years with our four kids, even though we do have all our own kit. It is just so much easier having comfortable beds, fridge/freezer, proper tables, chairs and sunloungers - and having it all set up when you arrive.

One advantage of the design of the Canvas Holiday tents is the way that the kitchen area is partitioned off if you want to with a stair-gate so that you can easily keep toddlers out of the kitchen area.

We have also been with many of the companies many times over the last 18 years.   Out of school hols they do work out a lot cheaper.  June in the Vendee is usually quite warm too.    You will also find at this time that the price for tents and caravans is not much different.  Don't be put off with the reports of faulty units above.  Usually if there are issues these are minor amd for most people would not have any real effect on the hol.

It's not a small site but I would recommend Le Croix Du View Pont (or something similar) out of season.  Though large the actual pitches are very peaceful with lots littl parks dotted about the place, lovely grounds to walk in, a play beach (really a small lake with sand) ad nice facilities.  Out of main season you will find mainly preschool children and people whose children have now grown up. 

The vendee does have loads of family friendly sites too and is quite quiet in June after half term.   Though slightly dearer than taking your own unit you can save in petrol/fuel if pulling a caravan/FC etc   and if you normally take a tent, think of the spare room you will have!

We mainly did Eurosites (now gone) and Eurocamp but Canvas hols look cheap and we did do a short break with Mathews Caravans which were smaller than Eurocamp but still perfectly fine.  First 3 weeks in May and June are your best bet to keep costs down, or alternatively prices go way down come sept. 

Sorry just seen the education work post.   Should check before I reply.  Last week in August the prices do come down by quite a lot and for 8 years we were tied by my education job plus the kids being older teenagers so did do school hols at the end f august.   In fact this is the first year since the kids were small that we are not tied to school hols so are hoping to go September. 

Try all the companies as they seem to vary in price despite being on the same sites. Eurocamp has some special offers on at the moment for this year and these all seem to be at quiet sites.   It is possible to book caravans direct with sites too and then book your ferry separate.  Have done this too once and at the time was cheaper but you really have to trawl all options as things change all the time.