We're looking to camp in Aug next year in France. Got 3 kids under 8 and want to be able to get there without driving for days, be near a beach and some culture, yet have lots to do on the campsite ideally. We've just been to Du Letty in Benodet, Brittany which was perfect for us as the area was nice, and the site was fun without being too raucous. As a poor sleeper and having young kids who get up early, I'm very put off by bellowing nightly entertainment that keeps everyone awake all night - so trying to get a nice compromise. We want to try somewhere else this year, but the sites I've looked at are either too far, too focused on Disco's etc, or in an area that looks too dull or is too far far from the coast. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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Cherbourg is near coast a lovely place, I believe are some camping sites also, was so bosy last time there, did not have the chance to enjoy as much as I would loved to.
Cherbourg is the most northern ferry port serving the western side of France ... but the weather is ... well ... northern France .... not that much different to the south of England ...
So, it depends on how weather focussed you are ... most people who cross the channel go a good deal further south, to get good value for the crossing, by reaching the probability of warmer/sunnier weather.
Lots to do on the campsite tends to conflict with no evening entertainment/noise ... the all singing all dancing sites can be noisy but fun.
You may find it more productive to look for a site with a decent pools/slides/swimming set up and a variety of off-site activities such as rafting/adventure tree-tops/biking/boating/riding/hiking etc
If you can refine what you want a little more ... you may get more suggestions ... must you have a beach? Beach and Culture can be a tricky combination as an awful lot of the cultural sites are more inland ... no doubt others can suggest ones that aren't!
Loire Atlantique or the Vendee are within easy reach from Cherbourg with 3 kids under 8. Pornic on the Loire Atlantique is beautiful & the beaches are superb, (but be careful what you Google!), also lovely is St Gilles Croix de Vie on the Vendee coast; but a little bit further to drive than Pornic.
Have a wonderful holiday!
Thanks for the ideas! We loved Du Letty - not noisy at all, but we did have a pitch towards the back. Think if you book next to the beach, it might be noisy at night (teenagers hanging out etc), but it was lovely and peaceful generally. Very tempted to go back! Can't say better than that from an insomniac!! X
We spent 3weeks at Les abers this year still Brittany but stunning and superb value, no discos, food vans serving quality grub visiting on an evening. The sunsets were amazing and we had one half day of rain in the 3weeks.
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Love the location of Les Abers. Spot on for a chill out week.
St Jean Du Monts (and another touristy town further south) put us right off the Vendee but Pornic looks Handsome. We're into St Malo at the end of May. If the weathers fair we'll definitely have it on our shortlist.
------------- John
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Our 1st trip to La Vendee was to the south & after several holidays on Ile de Re it was disappointing. However,St Gilles Croix de Vie is very pretty & there are lots of nice beaches nearby.
Just further south from Pornic is the Ile de Noirmoutier. Not quite as stunning as Re, it is really pretty & again has some truly fantastic beaches.
Beauvior she Met, just before Noirmoutier, in the Loire Atlantique is another pretty, traditional French seaside resort.
For us though, Pornic will always be a favourite! The beaches around Ste Marie are amazing.
Happy holidays!
Does depend on what port you are arriving at as not sure you say?
Arriving at one of the western ports does mean you have within a days drive much of the west coast down towards Bordeauz sort of level. St Malo to La Rochelle area for instance is only around 4 hours easy drive on autoroutes
We are booked into L'anse du brick, just 20 minutes from cherbourg. Not bothered about the weather too much as there is tons to do in the area. It is right on the coast.
They don't do much evening entertainment, there are pools, bouncy castle, tennis and petanque.
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
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You could look at the indigo campsite nourmotier(sp?) we had agreat pitch right on the beach and local town was lovely but there is no pool and people who were towards the back of the campsite weren' t as happy everyone fronting onto the beach was v v happy.