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Topic: France - Dordogne or mountains?

itssummerinengland

05/2/2012 at 1:00am
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Vango 4 person tent

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We went camping to France for the first time last year and got the bug. We did Normandy and Brittany and stayed in 2 fantastic and very different campsites. Now looking for a campsite in August this year- perhaps Dordogne or mountains (Lake Annecy?) for something different. Hubby wants to go canoeing, kids want swimming pool with slide, I want peace and quiet, stunning scenery, good food, sunny but not overly hot - and plenty to keep everyone entertained. We do like a campfire, but not many French sites seem to allow them.
Also, if we go to Dordogne, should we drive from Calais or Ferry further west? (Last year we went to Le Havre - cheaper than some other crossings and not too long)

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feeblecat

05/2/2012 at 9:03am
Location: Scotland
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The Tarn Gorge or the Ardeche areas ticks most of your boxes. Been to both and loved them. Both areas are great for canoing or just splashing about in rivers. Gorgeous scenery, pretty quaint villages, good food. Depending on when you go it could be fairly hot though. And, someone could correct me if I'm wrong but I think you'd be hard pushed to find a site that will allow campfires in addition to all your other requirements, especially the more South you go.

TethersEnd

05/2/2012 at 10:29am
Location: Welsh in the Cotswolds
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Soliel plage on the Dordoge ticks all those boxes so long as you go down the pebble beach for the campfire.

Likely to be plenty of other Brit kids there
its not cheap

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Huw

atko

05/2/2012 at 12:23pm
Location: Kent
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soliel plage, dordogne or la ravoire, lake annecy both lovely holidays. Try one this year and another next.

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atko

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

David Klyne

05/2/2012 at 12:42pm
Location: Milton Keynes
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Both are beautiful but suspect the Dordogne would be considered more comfy!

David

jandjstott

05/2/2012 at 12:52pm
Location: Ross on Wye
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Both the Dordogne and Annecy are lovely places.We haven't stayed there but Le Revoir at Doussard on Annecy gets good reviews. Haven't yet uploaded photos of Annecy but have some of the Dordogne which I'm putting on.

Can highly recommend Le Paradis campsite at St Leon sur Vezere in the Dordogne. Its right on the river and you can canoe from the site or they take you upstream to Montignac and have a leasurely canoe back to the site (nice stopping off points for a picnic if you wish). Leave your canoe by the landing stage and walk back to your pitch.

Foliage at Le Paradis

482

Pool complex at Le Paradis

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Reception at Le paradis

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river Vezere from near campsite

384

Kelper

05/2/2012 at 1:13pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480

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Dordogne is, of course, a lovely area ...
A little further south ... and more neglected ... The Lot valley is much less touristy, but offers tons to do and see.
Entraygues has a superb 'municipal site' right on the river junction of the Lot and Truyere rivers ... also a very short walk into the small town.
We canoed from the campsite regularly ... you can hire if you don't take your own ... we had inflatables ... I'd drive 20k down river, park the car, cycle back, then we'd paddle down to the car and drive back ... made a great day.
Some gorgeous nearby towns and villages including Conques, Espalion and others ... Rodez isn't far.
It really is an area to explore with rivers, good cycling and walking, plus lots to see.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

paul+julie

07/2/2012 at 7:02pm
Location: Otley W. Yorks N Yorks border
Outfit: Swift Challenger 584 and Volvo XC60

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Been to both sites annecy and soleil plage and both excellent. August will be busy if you are driving. theres a great cycle path from la ravoire up to annecy so you can leave the car and the scenery is spectacular. Great canoeing from soleil plage and also some good scenery at Domme or Rocamadour and sarlat is a good place to viit too. we plan to go back here on way home in Sept as we loved it so much last time.

Both times we sailed calais - dunkirk. days drive to Eguisheim then about 4 hours next day to annecy. We did the dordogne in a day but that was about 15 hours with plenty of stops and probably would not do it in one go again, saying that we got caught in lengthy traffic jam. which ever you choose it will be great. J x

TethersEnd

07/2/2012 at 11:22pm
Location: Welsh in the Cotswolds
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To be fair to places where the scenery really is stunning I'd not describe Dordogne or Vezere as stunning like tarn or Ardeche

but if you want to canoe for first time they are a good place to start and - although not stunning - they are very lovely areas. I'd suggest not having 1st canoe experience on Ardeche

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Huw

itssummerinengland

10/2/2012 at 1:04pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Vango 4 person tent

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Thanks everybody - I'm now thinking Dordogne- looks like lots to do and a good choice of excellent campsites. We will probably stop for a few nights on the way there and back.

TethersEnd

10/2/2012 at 2:00pm
Location: Welsh in the Cotswolds
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How old are your kids itssummerinengland?

If they are old enough to play in the river then don't forget the water toys

In August the river is clearer and warmer than the N Med

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Huw

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

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