France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

I’ve been using the Bip&Go Tate for around 8 years now and I’ve never had any problems with it. There is always a little apprehension when approaching the first toll booth each trip but as I said I have never experienced any problems. It works in exactly the same manner as the eflow tag here. The tag works at any of the booths so you can just choose the one with the fewest people.

Apart from Eurocamp, can anyone recommend any companies which are open for bookings for 2027 now. Thanks.

Wow. That's some drive. I wouldn't attempt that unless it was just me. We drove across France from near Bordeaux to narbonne a couple of years ago. That was enough in one day. Done in a fiat 500 rental. We had booked the campsite beforehand obviously and then the forecast was for solid rain for the week so we cut our losses and booked a different site from Monday to Friday in narbonne. Totally made the holiday for the little one.

Less than 3 weeks to go now. I can't wait to get away from this miserable weather

The beach within walking distance is amazing. Couple of cafes/bars at the entrance to it as well.

There's a very nice butcher in Labenne. Worth cycling/driving there for some quality cuts for the BBQ.

In terms of day trips, Biarritz is well worth it. It's a short drive and there's a car park right at the sea front. It's easily toured in a day. Bayonne is also supposed to be nice and the waterfront at Capbreton is also very pretty

Apart from that - Sylvamar is an amazing site. Pools are brilliant and the evening entertainment was also very good for the kids. The entertainment amphitheatre has to be seen to be believed. The restaurant on site is also good and the bar staff were very quick last year

Hi all. Newbie here! Really enjoying all the info so far. I've tried using the search function and haven't been able to find much info but apologies in advance if it has been covered. I'm looking for some recommendations of campsites or nice towns near the seaside, I think South of Nantes as far down as La Rochelle.

We are a couple with no kids, so able to take advantage of the off-peak times. Planning to travel first week in September. I would love to have access to a beach within walking distance, but also access to a town for restaurants (walking/bike/bus is fine) . From my research so far I'm thinking to head for La Rochelle area so that it's far enough south to have a good chance of good weather in September. Also I find sometimes that small towns can get very quiet very quickly when the main season is over so a big-ish town might be good.

Currently looking at: La Rochelle/Ile De Re; Trance Sur Mer; Sables D'Olonne; St Gilles/Jean De Monts

If anyone knows of any nice campsites near town/beach, maybe a bit more adult-orientated but am absolutely not averse to families and kids around too. Or if I'm missing something completely feel free to let me know.

Thanks for reading.

I'm here now in Ile de Ré and it's magical especially if you don't have kids (not saying they wouldn't enjoy it) but it geared more for getting on your hired electric bike and wandering around the island, stopping off in a hut sampling a few oysters or prawns and wash it down with a nice white wine. Really really relaxed place (but it is busy and very popular with the French) but that is a bit of the charm. La Rochelle is only over the bridge and a lot of people just fly in and get a Taxi to their campsite. The airport is literally at the end of the bridge only 10 mins and you are on the island.

If you are just a couple you will love this place. September will be a good time also. EVERYBODY cycles here and no beach is more than 10mins cycle away, I'm here for the week and only used the car once.

Go for it

Île d'Oleron will give you all that, and it's much quieter, flatter and cheaper

Anyone able to recommend a nice campsite with pool/slides that is within walking distance of a town for dining options. Somewhere south of la Rochelle as we'll be going in September, thanks

Yes I'm considering Oleron also. I was thinking it might be a bit too quiet in September, also an hour farther to drive, but you don't have to pay €16 every time you cross the bridge!

for anyone looking for breakdown cover - use the link on the Irish Ferries website it will bring it from €250 to €208, then add the code IRISHFERRIES and it will bring it to €104 (for my car, possibly less if yours is less than 8yrs)

oh not in the slightest, just a bit of a consideration. You're still in the shoulder season right now, the high rate doesn't kick in till the 15th June

Thanks. I think that recommendation was for @beggars_bush though if you have any that would be great too

Can't advise on the weather but would imagine it'll still be warm in September. We've gone in May to La Rochelle and La Tranche Sur Mer. We went to the beach in Sables d'Olonne as well. All nice places. Ile de Re is lovely but busy most of the time. Still very pleasant. Haven't camped there but would love to some time. We stayed in a little campsite in La Rochelle one year in April. Was handy for getting into the city and shops and things. Camping Beaulieu. Another year we stayed in Angles which is close to La Tranche Sur Mer (Camping Clos Cottet). It's not a long drive back into La Rochelle from there and it's a pleasant country area. Small quiet campsite. It's a great part of France. Bit of a drive down but worth it for better weather. One year it was quite cold up in Brittany but by the time we got down near La Rochelle, the sun was out and it was about 25-27!

French weather can be so strange. Just looking at places we've been and La Rochelle and Labenne are both up into the 30s next week but Vias Plage (where we're going this year and is on the Med coast) is cooler! 🤣

Just back and decided to just put up a short review of what we did.

Went to France for 10 days, flew Cork to Bilboa and rented a 7 seater for the 10 days.

Two years ago we took Setna Line to Cherbourg and drove to a place west of Nantes, but this year the flights plus the car hire were about the same price as the ferry to Cherbourg.

Plus we would have probably put another €1,000 into making sure our own 10 year old car was ready for the journey.

Spent the first few days in a small place called Ondres Ocean north of Bayonne, small spot but very new and clean and just beside the ocean.

Our kids are older so they are not too concerned about entertainment in the evening, they will go off and find something to do.

The beach is nice although the waves were very strong when we were there, a few restaurants and shops and it looked like they were putting up a few more seasonal shops etc for the summer.

Most of the visitors to the campsite seem to be German.

Spent a week then in Le Ruisseau.

It comes as advertised with the waterslides and what not, big pool was not heated but I believe it is in the busy season.

Again as it's low season they are not enforcing any swimming jammers rules, they are not even checking wristbands.

There were relatively speaking a good few Irish to there, either off the Bilbao ferry or off flights to Biarritz.

The kids played soccer and basketball ball with others from all places on the astro every night well beyond 11pm

The one thing I'll fault Le Ruisseau with was the cleaniness of the chalet.

In one bedroom there was what I think were insect droppings on the top of the wardrobe.

We found it the first evening we got there and It looked like it had accumulated for a while without being cleaned.

I cleaned it myself and put kitchen paper down, I also informed the staff and they came around and put powder down on it.

I kept changing the kitchen paper every day as there were new smaller accumulations each day, but it was obvious it had been missed in the cleaning between us and the previous clients.

Also we opened the dishwasher a few days into our stay and saw that there was standing water in it and we had to run a cycle to clear it.

How are these things missed when cleaning?

The weather was so so, one or two very hot days but the majority only in the low 20s and there were a few days of full on rain until evening time.

A few years ago at the same time of year the weather in Brittany was better.

Went to San Sebastian for a day and went into Biarritz for an evening, very impressed with Biarritz, going back there for a weekend away sometime.