Camping in France – where to go
With the approach of spring and warmer weather many people start to think about where they will spend their summer holidays and for many families with young children, this means a camping trip. For children who like to run around and make a lot of noise camping can be a great holiday option, and there’s none of the formality you sometimes have when staying in a hotel. With camping, the world really is your oyster.
One of the most popular places to go camping in the EU is France. The whole country is set up to welcome campers, whether they are in cars and caravans, campervans or simply with a tent in the boot of the car or attached to their backpack.
Pretty every much commune will have a campsite somewhere and these will often be a ‘camping municipal’ meaning that they are owned and maintained by the local commune (or council). Although this kind of campsite doesn’t have a big swimming pool and entertainment programme, they are always scrupulously clean and well maintained. It is such a vast contrast to many campsites in the UK.
The commercial campsites in France also make a great choice – especially if you have children who are confident enough to go and join in with the entertainment provided. Once you set up your site and introduce the children to the ‘animateurs’ who run the entertainment programmes, you might not see them except for mealtimes and bedtime!
Where to go
Camping near to the Dune du Pyla is a great place to spend a summer week. You have easy access to the beach, and most of the campsites are set in the shady pine forests that are just behind the beaches and dunes. This way you have the best of both worlds – beautiful sunny beaches, yet a shaded place to camp, so that at the end of the day you don’t have to go into a baking hot tent or mobile home.
If you’re a single traveller or a couple, then the most economic option is to take the car and throw your sleeping bags and tent in the boot, so that you can go where you want, but only need to pay the site fees for a tent rather than a caravan or the cost of hiring one of the fixed mobile homes that campsites hire out. Of course, the other option is to hire one of the fixed tents that the campsites also have on offer – far superior to anything that will fit in the back of a car! It really depends on how long you want to stay in one particular place or whether you prefer a holiday on the road.
About the author of this article:
Steve is a camping enthusiast who enjoys taking off for the weekend with his mates and their fully loaded rucksacks.
Category: France, Travel Tips