Hi, I live near Dover so it is easy for me to pop over to Nord Pas Calias areas for the weekend. I have google earthed all of the campsites on here and they all appear to have smallish pitches surrounded by hedges.
I personally prefer a more natural setting in open areas/fields with trees. I am not bothered about facilities as we tend to be self sufficient when travelling.
Can anyone recommend a site within two hours driving from calais please? (land Rover + Tent).
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Have you looked at Camping du Chateau at Bertangles, just north of Amiens? It's in an orchard/garden setting attached to the grand chateau itself. I'm sure they'll have a website with photos.
Many thanks for the prompt reply Berriow. Although the website looks more like the sort of open area I'm after, when I check it out on google earth it has the normal hedged areas I associate with French camp sites.
But I now know that Baron Von Richthoffen is buried in the cemetery there. You learn something every day.
What about Camping Les Piloteries, at Hardinghen. More like a CL in this country, with an open meadow area. Very many yearssince we were there, but we liked it then!
Mind you, the satellite view now apparently shows hedges - which weren't there at one time, and I think the meadow area is still used for caravans.
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Chateau de Gandspette has some open pitches and shouldn't be over busy outside, July/August and not too expensive using camping cheques, not sure about ACSI??
We got away just at the very last minute last August so stayed close to Calais. Look at Le Bois De Pins on the western coast of Picardy, about an hour and a quarter from the ferries. It does have light hedges between the pitches but they're not the typical French style. Sparce with lots of gaps and more just about marking the pitch than dividing anything.
They do a good job of separating the camping pitches from the fixed mobiles. There's a grand seaside town about fifteen mins walk away and supermarkets at a short drive. Overall we were more than happy with the place.
------------- John
May/June.....France
Aug.......somewhere else in France
In my experience that is the standard in French campsites.
If you want the "more natural setting in open areas/fields with tree" then your best bet may be to wild camp. I have seen others doing it when I've been out on walks/ bike rides. I would guess that they are doing it with the farmers permission but it is very basic.
------------- Ollie
2016
Monplaisir - Provence
Camping Les Gorges du Loup
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Your absolutely right Ollie, it is also my experience. The French do seem to prefer hedged boxes to keep us in. Really not my cup of tea, hence my post.
The only two campsites I am aware of in Nord Pas Calais with no hedges in the tented areas are...
http://www.campinglestremieres.fr near the village of Rue which has a lovely market on a Saturday Morning and is close to marquinterre nature reserve. Great number of cycle routes around the area too.
There is another near Hesdin where there is also an off-road site. But that is quite obviously noisey if your not there to play in the mud.
I have wild camped many times but only if I'm staying with the vehicle. Wouldn't fancy going for a ride out to find that my Oztent and Engel fridge have gone walkies. With the best will in the world farmers are busy people and could not be expected to keep an eye on things.
I was not aware of the eurocampings website. I have now registered and can already see some sites which meet my requirements. Love the fact that the gps coordinates can be downloaded.