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Hi,

We are a family of 2 adults and 3 chn. Our chn are aged 7, 6 and 3. For the past three years we have had a trailer tent and travelled to The Vendee.  This year we have our first caravan – very exciting -  and we are hoping to travel from Callais to Montpellier in Late July this year for three weeks.

We'll be arriving at 9.20 ish to Callais on the Friday morning and will start to head down to Montpellier over two days. On Day 1 we want to travel for about 5-6 hours south towards Montpellier and we were wondering if anyone has done this before and could recommend any campsites for us to stop after our first day of travelling.  We usually stay on relatively quiet sites with pool. slide etc for the kids. No sites with gangs of teenagers etc and we’re not interested in late entertainment.

Depending on the site that we find above, maybe 1 or 2 days and then on to complete the rest of our journey down to Montpellier.  Again we are looking for a campsite in Montpellier with pools and quietish entertainment, if any in the evenings. 

Do you know of any campsites we could book into for one nights stay the night before our ferry home in Callais?

Any tips and recommendations of campsites would be gratefully received.

There are several sites near Calais, but the larger ones, Chateau du Gandspette at Eperlecques, and Le Bien Assise at Guines are quite expensive for an overnight stop, especially with three children.  There are smaller sites, but we haven't stayed at any of them, though others recommend them - Pommiers Des Trois Pays, La Chaumiere, and La Buissiere are others I've seen recommended.

On the way south, presuming your route will be the west of Paris route, via Abbeville, Rouen, Evreux, Chartres, Orleans, Vierzon, Clermont Ferrand, then the free A75 south, you could reasonably get to Parc des Alicorts at Pierrefitte sur Sauldre, which has good pools and slides - or in the same area, but without the pool and slides, Camping de Sologne at Salbris, or the sites at Nouan le Fuzelier - and many others.  The second night you could spend in Millau - some lovely sites with pools and slides, in a beautiful setting on the side of the river Tarn or Dourbie. 

I presume you meant the beaches near Montpellier, though,  rather than Montpellier itself?  It's an area we love - but we holiday earlier in the year, or in late August/early September.  There are resorts all along the coast there starting at the edge of the Camargue (beware mozzies) - Port Camargue, Le Grau du Roi, Grande Motte, Palavas Les Flots, Frontignan Plage, down to Sete.   It can be seriously hot down there in July - I hope you like heat.  It can get into the very high thirties, or even 40 and above down towards the beach resorts especially as the breeze can fool you into thinking it's cooler than it is.

I'd say many of the campsites in that area do tend to be a bit 'full-on'.  We used to like Domaine Le Boucanet, but the last time we were there the larger pitches had all been replaced with mobile homes.  One person, who I recommended the Grau du Roi area as a good 'French feel' Mediterranean resort, hated it, in July, and couldn't wait to get away - though he did love the Millau area!

 In fact if it were me, that's perhaps as far as I'd go in July with such young children.  I'd then do a day trip down to the Med on a weekday when the crowds on the beaches are slightly thinner. 

Thanks for that Ollie.  We'll definitely consider these.  The pools and slides look perfect for ours.  Not too much but enought to keep them occupied.

Another idea for stopping over is Lac de Liez. Nice pool and lake. Restaurant good and no entertainment.

Le Boucanet at Grau du Roi is good. Right on beach too.

If you take the eastern route via Troyes have a look at Kawan village Lac d'Orient which is just south of Troyes. Indoor and outdoor pools and lovely shower blocks.

I looked on the website however and noticed that at the time you are going the rate for you with the 3 children would be €46 per night which is pretty expensive but when you are forced into going peak season most sites are expensive. There is availability at that time. Lets hope the € keeps going the way it is.

Couple of shots of the Lake for you.