French Campsites and What to Expect
There are many French campsites that have top rate facilities, numerous activities to keep children amused for hours and lots of other children to meet up with.
Some families form friendships for life from people they have met on a camping holiday in France.
If you have not stayed on a French campsite before, you will be curious to know just what to expect and hopefully as you read on you will find the answers to many of the questions you may have.
For first timers, somewhere not too far from the channel ports like Brittany would be a good choice or the Vendee which is just that little bit further on.
There is not much traffic on the French roads and they have a very good net work of direct routes to make the journey to your destination easy.
Campsites usually have staff who speak several languages, so if your French is a little rusty or very basic, it will not be a problem but if you can say thank you or hello in French then the effort you have made will be appreciated.
Water Parks on campsites can be truly amazing.
It would be difficult to think of a hotel that would be able to offer your children water slides and themed swimming pool complexes such as you can find on a French campsite, and if you were to stay in a villa the chances are that any swimming pool would be very basic by comparison.
Children's Activities.
During the main school holiday period, which for the French is July and August, campsites provide activities for children.
These activities are professionally run and offer a wide range of interesting projects, challenges and competitions appropriate to the age of the child attending and these activities are free.
Camping Atlantique at Beg Meil for instance, offers a very wide range of activities from football, to archery, water polo, etc.
, as well as water sports that adults can join in as well.
Camping Palmyre Loisirs at Royan has an Ecole de Cirque where children of all ages can learn some of the tricks of the circus juggling, balancing, etc and the children put on a weekly show for their parents.
This is hugely popular.
These are just two examples.
Camping Chateau des Ormes at Dol de Bretagne and Camping Ty Nadan at Arzano offer more specific activities, such as go carting, paintballing, tree and zip wire adventures and there is a charge to participate.
If your children want a daily adventure then these two campsites are both highly rated by our regular clients.
Evening Entertainment Each campsite has a bar where you can meet up in the evenings with other holidaymakers.
In addition during July and August, this is usually the area where evening entertainments are held.
This can range from family discos, to an evening with a magician, live music, karaoke, etc.
, but always aimed at giving enjoyment to families because in July & August it is mainly families that are on the campsites.
Cooked Meals Service All of our campsites provide this service.
Two or three Plats du Jour which are the daily specials will be prepared so that if you do not want to cook, you can buy dishes to take back to your mobile home to enjoy.
You can buy just a bowl of chips which is very handy if you are having a salad and want something hot with it or you can buy a fish or meat dish plus vegetables.
It is a very useful service and makes providing an evening meal very easy.
Campsite Shops.
These are usually very good value and will save you the need to go off resort to a shop each day.
As you can imagine they stock up with fresh croissants, pain au chocolats, and baguettes for the morning so that you can have a very continental breakfast to start the day.
They also stock all the day-to-day items that you will need, as well as fresh vegetables, fruit and cheese.
They will also stock a good selection of wine and beer, and they will usually have several bottles of wine at a very reasonable price.
Emplacement.
This is the area that you are given for your stay on the campsite.
If you are staying in a mobile home you will be able to park your car beside your mobile home and there will be room for your outside table and chairs so that you can have most of your meals outside, if that is what you would like to do.
Eating outside is one of the pleasures that makes this type of holiday so appealing.
Launderettes.
Each campsite normally has a small launderette with at least one washing machine and a tumble dryer and a charge is made for their use.
An iron and an ironing board is usually provided as well.
Hopefully you will not be doing much washing, but the little that does need to be done is made easier if there is a launderette on site.
Access For safety and noise reasons most campsites operate a barrier that comes down around 22.
30 in the evening and is not normally raised until about 08.
00 the next morning.
This means that if you are arriving late on a campsite, or departing early in the morning when the barrier is likely to be down, you will need to park your car on a designated area by the campsite gate and walk with your overnight things from your car to your mobile home and likewise to do the reverse if you are leaving before the barrier goes up in the morning.
Some families form friendships for life from people they have met on a camping holiday in France.
If you have not stayed on a French campsite before, you will be curious to know just what to expect and hopefully as you read on you will find the answers to many of the questions you may have.
For first timers, somewhere not too far from the channel ports like Brittany would be a good choice or the Vendee which is just that little bit further on.
There is not much traffic on the French roads and they have a very good net work of direct routes to make the journey to your destination easy.
Campsites usually have staff who speak several languages, so if your French is a little rusty or very basic, it will not be a problem but if you can say thank you or hello in French then the effort you have made will be appreciated.
Water Parks on campsites can be truly amazing.
It would be difficult to think of a hotel that would be able to offer your children water slides and themed swimming pool complexes such as you can find on a French campsite, and if you were to stay in a villa the chances are that any swimming pool would be very basic by comparison.
Children's Activities.
During the main school holiday period, which for the French is July and August, campsites provide activities for children.
These activities are professionally run and offer a wide range of interesting projects, challenges and competitions appropriate to the age of the child attending and these activities are free.
Camping Atlantique at Beg Meil for instance, offers a very wide range of activities from football, to archery, water polo, etc.
, as well as water sports that adults can join in as well.
Camping Palmyre Loisirs at Royan has an Ecole de Cirque where children of all ages can learn some of the tricks of the circus juggling, balancing, etc and the children put on a weekly show for their parents.
This is hugely popular.
These are just two examples.
Camping Chateau des Ormes at Dol de Bretagne and Camping Ty Nadan at Arzano offer more specific activities, such as go carting, paintballing, tree and zip wire adventures and there is a charge to participate.
If your children want a daily adventure then these two campsites are both highly rated by our regular clients.
Evening Entertainment Each campsite has a bar where you can meet up in the evenings with other holidaymakers.
In addition during July and August, this is usually the area where evening entertainments are held.
This can range from family discos, to an evening with a magician, live music, karaoke, etc.
, but always aimed at giving enjoyment to families because in July & August it is mainly families that are on the campsites.
Cooked Meals Service All of our campsites provide this service.
Two or three Plats du Jour which are the daily specials will be prepared so that if you do not want to cook, you can buy dishes to take back to your mobile home to enjoy.
You can buy just a bowl of chips which is very handy if you are having a salad and want something hot with it or you can buy a fish or meat dish plus vegetables.
It is a very useful service and makes providing an evening meal very easy.
Campsite Shops.
These are usually very good value and will save you the need to go off resort to a shop each day.
As you can imagine they stock up with fresh croissants, pain au chocolats, and baguettes for the morning so that you can have a very continental breakfast to start the day.
They also stock all the day-to-day items that you will need, as well as fresh vegetables, fruit and cheese.
They will also stock a good selection of wine and beer, and they will usually have several bottles of wine at a very reasonable price.
Emplacement.
This is the area that you are given for your stay on the campsite.
If you are staying in a mobile home you will be able to park your car beside your mobile home and there will be room for your outside table and chairs so that you can have most of your meals outside, if that is what you would like to do.
Eating outside is one of the pleasures that makes this type of holiday so appealing.
Launderettes.
Each campsite normally has a small launderette with at least one washing machine and a tumble dryer and a charge is made for their use.
An iron and an ironing board is usually provided as well.
Hopefully you will not be doing much washing, but the little that does need to be done is made easier if there is a launderette on site.
Access For safety and noise reasons most campsites operate a barrier that comes down around 22.
30 in the evening and is not normally raised until about 08.
00 the next morning.
This means that if you are arriving late on a campsite, or departing early in the morning when the barrier is likely to be down, you will need to park your car on a designated area by the campsite gate and walk with your overnight things from your car to your mobile home and likewise to do the reverse if you are leaving before the barrier goes up in the morning.
