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My family have been camping for over a year now, mostly weekends, getting a bit tired of doing our summer holiday which consists of a week in a caravan at Lakeland. Kids love it but I want to broaden both my and their horizons with camping abroad and would like information on camping in France during the first part of July.

Travelling from Edinburgh, only one driver, I am looking for campsites that are not too far away from say the ferry ports (never driven abroad before) for a period of around 10 days. Kids are 3 and 5. Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks

Brian

Hi Brian & Welcome to UKCS

Make sure you book - July is very busy over here...

There are loads of campsites in the north of France and I am sure that you will get plenty of advice on them.

Driving in France is easy - even I can do it!

If you need ANY help just ask & I'll see what I can do.

Welcome to the site Brian,

We've been going to the continent for over 20 years now. If you would like to drop me an e-mail, I'll try to give you some pointers when I get home (at work just now) if you can give me an idea where you would like to go and how far. I'm sure you'll get loads of advice on this site

Which ferry port are you using?  There is a site about 20 miles from Calais, Chateau de Gandspette (which has been reviewed on this website before) which might fit your bill.  It is friendly, good pitches, nice child-friendly washblocks (their own, with coloured animal doors, low-seat toilets, mini-showers, etc.)  There are two smallish pools, a reasonable restaurant, and the beaches are only a shortish drive away.  If you want further away from the port, what about Bois de Bardelet near Gien - similar recommendation about facilities - with the addition of an indoor play area which is super for littlies.  You might be lucky because Scottish schools have earlier holidays than the rest of us, and so you might just beat the French rush - but book if possible as it starts to get VERY busy.

Hello and welcome brian, i go every year to france, i go to Hull and arrive in Zebrugge, driving to France is real easy, after you get there for your first time you'll wonder why you were worried in the first place!

Bryan

We did our first camping holiday in France in 2003  when my youngest was 5 months so obviously did not want to drive too far into France. We drove overnight to Dover(kids slept) then on to Berny Riviere-CAMPING LA CROIX DU VIEUX PONT just east of Paris. It was only a few hours drive once in France but unlike some of the sites we have stayed in further north, did have more of a French feel. We stayed there as part of our holiday the last three years and pitched our own tent there for the first time last year. The pitch was enormous. They have a great pool complex(partly covered-you are not that far south) and play areas, boating lake etc. I see the reviews are mixed and certainly there is very little organised actvities if that is what you are looking for but we loved it for young children.

We live in West Lothian so had the same travelling distance as yourselves.