campsites in France?

modmo

I'm thinking of booking a holiday to one of the French campsites.
We are a family with 3 boys 16, 13 and 9.
We have never been to any campsite holidays and was wondering if somebody could recommend any.
We are thinking of going at the end of June/ early July.
Thanks is advance.

CelticRambler

You need to be more specific as to where in France - it's a big place! (Several very different countries under one flag really)

For boys of that age, I'd recommend an adventure-type holiday (windsurfing, kayaking, orienteering, treetop trails, zip-wires, mountain walking etc, so locations off the usual tourist trail. Look at the area between the two motorways running south from Vierzon (south of Orléans) - Indre (esp. Vallée de la Creuse)/Cher/Limousin(esp. Chabrières in Creuse)/Auvergne (esp Volcania) ... then loads of places in the Dordogne (forget the plastic Lascaux, go to Ailwee instead!), Lot-et-Garonne, Tarn ...

merchant of ennis

I'd recommend having a look at "ukcampsite.co.uk" and looking in the Site Search bit. There are loads of good sites on Ile d'Oleron with sea, sand, safe cycling routes which might be good for the lads.

modmo

thanks guys for the advice so far. I'm thinking maybe going to a campsite in Brittany so we dont have to drive too far after getting the boat (I have never driven in France before).
Not sure what the weather will be like in Brittany at at end of June.
Anybody been there at that time before?

CelticRambler

Yep. Just like Ireland - sun, wind, rain, sun, rain, sun, wind, sun, rain. Sometimes all in one day! :-)

Are you bringing all your own camping gear? If so, then you've got a huge range of sites available that aren't promoted to the "Anglo-Saxon" tourist market (from a French perspective, people who aren't French are either Arab, German or Anglo-Saxon, none of them particularly welcome ... ) but often better equipped and more fun than the big corporate sites.

I'll admit to being very biased on this subject - spending more than 2 hours at somewhere like Les Sables d'Olonnes with a load of French people on holiday is my idea of hell. Fortunately my children like a bit of drama in their lives and prefer cliffs, rocks and caves to sandy beaches.

Re driving in France. It's not a problem, except in the tourist areas where you've got to cope with drivers who don't know where they're going and what side of the road to be on. Another reason why I avoid those areas in the summer. If you're not bringing your own camping gear, think about flying to Ryanair to Rodez (Aveyron) and hiring a car. Amazing scenery, hardly any tourists, great weather, quiet roads (except 5th&6th July when the French get their holidays), cheap accommodation, loads to do.