Author Archive for Patrick Clarke
My Long Weekend In Brittany With Al Fresco Holidays
My Long Weekend In Brittany At Domaine Des Ormes
The temptation with Domaine des Ormes is to treat it as a convenient stopover point on the journey to warmer climes further south or the same heading back to one of the Channel ports. It is less than 20 miles from St Malo, no more than about 100 miles from Ouistreham (the port for Caen) and just a little further to Cherbourg. If you’ve had a long journey getting to France or a long one travelling further south, it can be worth doing that as I’ve done myself in the past.
This time I decided to have a longer stay and have a long weekend in Brittany at Domaine des Ormes with Al Fresco Holidays. There’s certainly plenty of activities on offer there.
The first thing I noticed about Domaine des Ormes is that it is more a country estate than a camping park. The camping park forms just one part of the estate, along with an hotel (3 stars), an 18 hole golf course, a fishing lake, a chateau and an equestrian centre.
The golf course is set in the chateau park and is one of the most renowned courses in Brittany. Certainly there seemed a sizeable contingent of enthusiastic golfers staying at Domaine des Ormes during my visit. A round can be booked on a one off basis per round.
The Equestrian Centre is open all year to both experienced and novice riders. Lessons with a certified riding instructor are also available.
Both these facilities are extras and need to be booked at least a day in advance but of course campers are very much welcomed and encouraged to use them.
Other sports available on the site include two tennis courts, 3 table tennis tables, a volleyball net, a basketball court, an all-weather soccer pitch, boules, fishing and many others. You quickly see why Domaine des Ormes is one of the most active and lively camping parks in Brittany.
As with all top camping parks Domaine des Ormes has “top of the range” water amenities, both covered and outdoor to cater for all weather conditions. There are 5 pools in all and no less than 6 waterslides. As there was a bit of a nip in the air during my stay (it was in early June in overcast conditions) I opted not to sample them, though I’m sure any children you are holidaying with will be made of sterner stuff!
The camping area was well laid out and no part seemed unduly far from the amenities. For my stay I was offered a 2 bedroom Rossini Riviera mobile which more than comfortably met my needs. There are plenty of other options for accommodation though, including smaller and larger mobile homes, erected tents and safari tents and even treehouses.
The main restaurant faces the lake and normally needs to be booked a day in advance as it is often very busy and was during my stay. There is also a restaurant at the hotel and another in one of the 2 bars. There’s also a takeaway pizza service and a small supermarket.
Places nearby worth visiting include nearby Combourg, which has a lively market on Monday mornings and also a chateau in which the 19th Century French statesman and writer Chateaubriand spent some of his childhood. Nearby Tinteniac has a distinguished old church for a small community, which sadly was closed when I visited.
More well known places to visit include Dol de Bretagne, Dinan, Dinard, St Malo itself and of course legendary Mont St-Michel.
All in all, if you opt to have a stay at Domaine des Ormes, you would have a holiday with something for the whole family to enjoy. Certainly much more than a quick stopover!
Here is a list of the main companies offering holidays at Camping Sequoia Parc, with links:
Al Fresco Holidays
Canvas Holidays
Eurocamp
Hoseasons
KelAir
Les Castels
Les Ormes Domaine & Resort
It is impossible to say which of the operators will have the most competitive offer at a particular time. That will depend on a number of factors including loyalty bonuses you may have accrued from previous bookings and time related special offers available at a particular time. Please note that KelAir are based in Ireland and Les Castels in France and that with Hoseasons you will be booking privately owned accommodation where you will need to liaise with the accommodation’s owner during your stay.
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An Extra 20 Per Cent Off Remaining Vacancies In France
Al Fresco Holidays Extra 20 Per Cent Off Remaining Vacancies In France
This week Al Fresco have an offer to highlight the great summer of sport in France including Euro 2016 and the Tour de France. The eyes of the world are on France and naturally there has been an increase in interest in holidays to France.
For 2 weeks only Al Fresco are offering an amazing extra 20% off all bookings at their camping holiday parks in France. The discount code to use if you want to take advantage of this offer is ‘SPORT20’. If you use it, it will give you an extra 20% off the current selling price of all remaining vacancies with Al Fresco in France for 2016. This is only valid for bookings that have been confirmed by 27th June 2016.
Al Fresco’s holiday mobile homes in France are on some of the best French camping parks in Brittany, Normandy, Vendee, Champagne (near Paris), Dordogne, Loire valley, Charente Maritime, Aquitaine, Languedoc/Roussillon and the Cote d’Azur
Full details can be obtained via the following link: http://www.alfresco-holidays.com/france-sport
Le Val D’Ussel in the Dordogne is one of the destinations qualifying for Al Fresco’s Extra 20 Per Cent Off Holidays in France Promotion. Click Here For More Details
A Week At Camping Sequoia Parc
My Complimentary Week At Camping Sequoia Parc
One of the most onerous tasks in my business is sifting through offers to stay at some of the camping parks I write about and review. Indeed, why shouldn’t I experience the same hardships as those choosing to spend their hard earned cash or savings on a holiday at one of these locations?
Joking aside, I couldn’t have been more delighted with my choice of Camping Sequoia Parc, near Marennes on the west coast of France, just a short drive from the lovely island of Oleron. My stay was organised by Al Fresco Holidays and although I arrived over an hour before the established check-in time of 4pm, their onsite reps Vic & Bren were quickly on hand to process my check-in.
One thing worth remembering with Al Fresco is that on arrival you must hand over £50 or 60 Euros as a returnable deposit in return for cleaning up after yourselves and leaving your accommodation in a clean and tidy condition on departure. Nothing too onerous is required, it’s mainly making sure all the crockery and cutlery is cleaned, that litter has been disposed of, the kitchen, bathroom and toilets are clean and the floors brushed and mopped, all of which can easily be done within about half an hour if the place has been kept clean throughout your stay.
To make things easier when it comes to cashflow it’s worth thinking about having a cheque for the deposit made out to Al Fresco on arrival as a cheque is acceptable as well as cash. It will be handed back to you on departure unless something has gone badly wrong.
Considering the bad weather in other parts of France, which had caused flooding in parts of Normandy and Paris and generally disappointing weather for much of the 2016 spring in North West Europe, the weather throughout my stay was very agreeable, the only day of persistent heavy rain being the Sunday of my departure from Camping Sequoia Parc. The previous Friday had about half a day of drizzle but all the other days were generally warm and sunny, certainly more than warm enough to end 5 of the 7 afternoons of my stay with an hour unwinding at Camping Sequoia Parc’s excellent water park complex.
The pool complex at Camping Sequoia Parc, far more than a mere swimming pool, it’s good enough to rival a water park.
There are no less than 4 outdoor pools at Camping Sequoia Parc, of differing sizes and depths, all clustered in one compact area. Flumes and water slides add to the enjoyment of the water complex.
For food and drink there is a large bar, a restaurant and a takeaway pizza service. I used the restaurant on 2 occasions during my stay and enjoyed an excellent meal on both occasions. There is live entertainment for much of the season, though as I arrived during a quieter part of the season there was none during my stay. There were television screens to follow the French Open Tennis and European Football Championships.
I enjoyed 2 excellent dinners in the restaurant at Camping Sequoia Parc during my stay.
There is also an onsite supermarket, open from 8AM, which had fresh bread and croissants available every day. Intermarche and Leclerc supermarkets are just a few minutes drive away in nearby Marennes.
Although Camping Sequoia Parc is a large site with over 600 pitches, I never got the impression that any of them were unduly far from the entertainment and other facilities areas.
Cycle hire is available onsite. There are also 2 tennis courts, 4 table tennis tables, as well as areas for playing football, basketball, volleyball and boules.
Camping Sequoia Parc was an excellent location for visiting the beautiful nearby island of Oleron. In my opinion Oleron loses nothing in comparison with it’s more glamourous and better known neighbouring island of Ile de Re. As the bridge to drive into and out of Oleron is entirely free, unlike the penal charges levied for driving onto Ile de Re, I visited Oleron on four occasions at differing times of the day. It has interesting historic settlements such as Le Citadel, some lovely sandy beaches, yachting marinas and charming restaurants.
The sun just beginning to set on another, deserted Oleron beach.
Marennes itself and the coast a few miles south of the town are worth a visit, as most certainly are Brouage with it’s extensive walled ramparts and the beautiful villages of Mornac-sur-Seudre and Talmont. If cities are your thing, Saintes is a very attractive city and La Rochelle is not much more than half an hour’s drive away. Fouras is another attractive setting, with a sandy beach, a promenade, some nice catering outlets and an historic fort, Fort Vauban.
From Fouras, you can travel by ferry to Ile d’Aix, where Napoleon surrendered to the Royal Navy after fleeing there after his defeat at Waterloo. As well as historic sights, there are also some very pleasant walks to enjoy. There are also plenty of other attractive villages within easy driving distance of Camping Sequoia Parc, too numerous to mention, though nearby St Just-Luzac should get one, as it is the closest one to Camping Sequoia Parc.
There were certainly plenty of options to keep me occupied for a week. Families with children might also enjoy La Palmyre Zoo, a highly rated attraction, though I didn’t visit it myself. The campsite itself also has it’s own animal farm where children can feed the animals under supervision from campsite staff.
Here is a list of the main companies offering holidays at Camping Sequoia Parc, with links:
Al Fresco Holidays
Canvas Holidays
Eurocamp
Hoseasons
KelAir
Les Castels
Sequoia Parc
It is impossible to say which of the operators will have the most competitive offer at a particular time. That will depend on a number of factors including loyalty bonuses you may have accrued from previous bookings and time related special offers available at a particular time. Please note that KelAir are based in Ireland and Les Castels in France and that with Hoseasons you will be booking privately owned accommodation where you will need to liaise with the accommodation’s owner during your stay.
It is also possible to turn up with your own caravan, motorhome, trailer tent or tent to use a pitch but do note Sequoia Parc is a very popular destination so advance booking is recommended in peak periods.
If you are travelling from the Channel Ports, there is a drive of several hours so an overnight stay about halfway, perhaps in the Loire Valley might be a good idea, depending on your arrival time. The nearest ports are St Malo & Caen/Ouistreham, both of which are over four hours drive away if you have a clear run.
I often combine a camping holiday with a Brittany Ferries holiday. Provided you book a Brittany Ferries holiday location for a minimum of 3 nights you become eligible for a substantial reduction in your ferry price. It’s also a great way to get extra enjoyment from your holiday if you have the time. To find out more, please refer to “Holidays in France and Spain via ferry”
Do feel free to use the Facebook link below to comment or ask questions on this article. It would be great to hear from you.
Siblu June Flash Sale
Siblu June Flash Sale, Save up To 40% In June
You need to complete your online booking by 31st May to get this discount.
Click Here For More Details
With summer now just around the corner by booking online by 31st May, you can get up to 40% OFF a June holiday with Siblu, up to 35% OFF a July holiday or 30% OFF an August holiday. Siblu now have 15 camping holiday parks across France, all well known for their outstanding facilities, including huge water complexes and great bars and restaurants.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Here are a few suggestions if you are tempted by this offer:
1) Le Bois Masson, St.Jean-de-Monts, Vendée
Le Bois Masson, 7 nights from 18 June, Was £413 / Now £290.
Click Here For More Details
Le Bois Masson is a large and lively camping holiday park. Possessing both indoor and outdoor swimming pools and slides and a popular bar and restaurant complex, the indoor and outdoor pools at Le Bois Masson have been revamped with a 500,000€ investment to restyle the pool-sides and add a new heating and air extraction system for the indoor pool. Le Bois Masson enjoys a reputation as a well appointed camping park with plenty to do, including bike hire. Nightly entertainment is laid on in peak season and the beaches and amenities of St.Jean-de-Monts are just a short drive away.
2) La Carabasse, Vias Plage, Languedoc
La Carabasse, Vias Plage, 7 nights from 25 June, Was £553 / Now £332.
Click Here For More Details
La Carabasse is one of Siblu’s biggest camping holiday parks, with a huge pool, a large outdoor stage that plays host to lots of local bands and performers, playgrounds and sports pitches. There are three children’s clubs for different ages, and the closest beaches are a short walk away.
If you love cycling, there are 90km of cycle paths divided into 5 circuits following the Canal du Midi and further afield nearby. The departure point for all these circuits is close to La Carabasse. There will certainly be plenty to do at La Carabasse, although if a quiet holiday is your preference, Siblu sites are probably not for you, except in low season.
La Carabasse was the winner of a 2015 Certificate of Excellence from leading review site TripAdvisor
3) Domaine de Soulac, Soulac sur Mer, Aquitaine
Domaine de Soulac, Soulac sur Mer, Aquitaine, 7 nights from 25 June, Was £504 / Now £303
Click Here For More Details
Le Domaine de Soulac is Siblu’s exclusive new camping holiday park for 2016. Set in the heart of the wine-rich region of the Médoc in Aquitaine. it has two heated, outdoor swimming pools. There is a superb, sandy beach just two miles away. Reports from holidaymakers indicate that the bar is lively in high season, with plenty of entertainment, though things will be a bit different if you opt for a quieter period outside of peak season.
A Health & Wellbeing Centre is another feature of Le Domaine de Soulac. The site has been upgraded with new accommodation since coming under Siblu’s management.
Camping Argeles-sur-Mer
Camping Argeles-sur-Mer, A Top Choice For Beaches & Sunshine
For beaches and warm sunshine, Camping Argeles-sur-Mer takes some beating. Located in the driest and sunniest part of mainland France, you would be exceedingly unlucky to miss out on warm weather. Most years see over 300 days of sunshine and only Corsica has hotter weather in France on a consistent basis.
The wettest months are usually November and May, though even then it’s rare to have more than 7 days of rain in the entire month.
As such Argeles-sur-Mer is a very popular camping destination. In fact it’s something of a camping metropolis, my last search on Google revealing over 140 campsites in this area. Eurocamp alone offer 7 different choices within 7 miles of Argeles-sur-Mer. But which of them is the best option?
Camping Le Bois de Valmarie
Poolside at Camping Bois-de-Valmarie, a camping location that consistently scores very high in review ratings.
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With consistently high reviews on both TripAdvisor and Reevoo Camping Le Bois de Valmarie is a very popular choice.
This top class camping holiday park has spectacular views over the Bay of Argeles, with the local beach just a short walk to get to and the main beach in Argeles-sur-Mer only 5 minutes away too. It also has a very impressive water park of it’s own with a split-level pool complex linked by waterfalls and waterslides. The location also has it’s own restaurant and bar. Gas BBQs are provided at no extra charge.
Camping La Sirene
Camping La Sirene is a large site. Although reviews suggest that accommodation is close together a good level of privacy is still maintained. Click Here For More Details
Camping La Sirene is one of the largest camping locations in Argeles-sur-Mer. It has a wide choice of amenities and facilities, including a large, tropical style, pool complex plus a covered swimming area for smaller children, a huge flume and slides, and an epic bucket drop (which starred in one of Eurocamp’s latest TV ads).
In high season, be prepared for the site to be busy but with plenty of facilities to cope with the demand. The town itself and local beaches are only a short distance away should you wish to get off site. Camping La Sirene scores very highly in most holidaymakers’ reviews.
Camping Le Brasilia
Camping Le Brasilia is just across from the yacht harbour at Canet-Plage and enjoys direct access to the beach.
Click Here For More Details
Camping Le Brasilia is a large and lively camping park in Canet-Plage across the harbour from the yacht harbour. It enjoys direct access to the sandy beach that it is located along. Canet-Plage is north of Argeles-sur-Mer, approximately half an hour’s drive to the north. This is probably not the camping park to choose in high season if you like your evenings to be quiet and peaceful. If you like plenty of entertainment and a party atmosphere you will probably love it here.
There is a full programme of cabaret acts and discos in high season. Options for dining include a restaurant, which has a terrace, a pizzeria and a takeaway. There are also two bars. There are plenty of options for your own shopping, including a bakery for fresh bread, a butcher’s shop, a grocery and a sizeable minimarket.
The pool complex has no less than five swimming pools so that all types of visitor, from toddler to adult, are catered for. Waterfalls and waterslides built into the rocks will keep the more active swimmers busy.
Visitors to Camping Le Brasilia generally report it to be a pristine and well run camping park, fully deserving of it’s five star rating. There are over 400 pitches for tourers and almost 300 static caravans of various sizes and grades. For a bit more space why not book one of the larger more spacious Verdi or Vivaldi ranges for a bit more room.
You can book through Al Fresco and Eurocamp if you want to use a UK operator, or use Yelloh! Villages if you are happy to use the French owners of the site. Booking details are at the end of this review.
Camping La Chapelle
Poolside at Camping La Chapelle. There are 7 pools in total here, as well as a long, sandy Mediterranean beach just 200 metres away. Click Here For More Details
Camping La Chapelle is another highly regarded camping park. Besides it’s fantastic water complex and a nearby sandy beach, local bands provide great evening entertainment. Set in the foothills of the Pyrénées, Camping La Chapelle is also perfectly positioned to enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding vineyards and towering mountains. There are also plenty of bars and restaurants along the adjoining promenade and a very popular night market. If you want a break from using your car, especially after the long drive to get here, then this will be an ideal location.
A tennis court, four table tennis tables, a volleyball net, a basketball court, a trampoline and a playing field are amongst the sporting facilities here as well as two playgrounds for smaller children to enjoy.
Trips Out
The historic walled town of Carcassonne is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the whole of France.
The historic picture postcard walled medieval town of Carcassone lies about an hour and a half’s driving inland. Besides it’s historic buildings, there are plenty of bars and restaurants catering for the many visitors during the holiday season. It’s one of the busiest tourist attractions in France.
Heading south from Argeles-sur-Mer, Barcelona is just over two hours drive to the south, if you are feeling adventurous enough to try it. If you’d rather not, there are many scenic small coastal towns and villages along the route to look at instead, such as Collioure.
Practical Considerations
Travelling to Argeles-sur-Mer will involve a very long journey if you are travelling from the Channel ports which are all over 600 miles away. Another option is to travel from Bilbao or Santander but they too are around 400 miles away and of course involve a longer sea crossing from the UK across the Bay of Biscay to the Spanish coast. A third option is to fly, Perpignan airport is less than 20 miles away. Depending on availability your travel operator will assist with other stays to break the journey, which will be extremely long and busy in peak periods.
A further accommodation option is to refer to Booking.com who probably have the most comprehensive directory of online hotel and other accommodation choices. A hotel stay in either direction may be the best way to enhance your holiday so that you arrive and get back home more relaxed than would otherwise be the case if attempting a very long journey in one go.
The UK holiday operators with the widest range of choice for Camping in and around Argeles-sur-Mer, together with a link to a summary of all their camping holiday parks in this area are:
Eurocamp (http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/)
Al Fresco Holidays (http://www.alfresco-holidays.com/)
Canvas Holidays (http://www.canvasholidays.co.uk/)
Hoseasons (http://www.hoseasons.co.uk/)
Yelloh! Village (http://www.yellohvillage.co.uk/)
Please note that it is impossible to say with precision which camping operator will give you the best price as there are so many factors to build in such as loyalty bonuses for previous bookings and the timing of particular special offers so do compare between different operators if this is important for you.
Hoseasons will often have the lowest price if no offer is available but will not have their own on site representative. You will be getting privately owned accommodation which the owner has opted to market through Hoseasons.
Alternatively, if you feel confident enough to do it and aren’t too worried about a holiday representative from the booking company being on site, you can also contact the particular campsite directly. Nearly all will now have their own direct e-mail addresses.
If in any doubt about any particular location, referring to TripAdvisor will usually give you the best independent guidance on what to expect there.
Al Fresco Extra 10 Per Cent Off
Al Fresco Extra 10% Off 2 Bedroom Mobile Home Holidays
Al Fresco have an extra 10% OFF 2 bedroom mobile home holidays at all 72 of their camping holiday parks in France, Italy, Spain, Croatia and Holland. The offer is available for summer holiday bookings, too.
You simply need to enter the code 2BED10 when you book online. You’ll then receive 10% off the selling price of any 2 bedroom accommodation for 2016.
This is only valid for bookings made between 3rd May and 9th May 2016. For bookings as well as further terms and conditions on this offer please refer to Al Fresco’s following link: http://www.alfresco-holidays.com/extra10percentoff
To assist you further, Al Fresco have listed all their camping holiday parks, together with location, size and a brief description, as well as a link to each park on the following page: http://www.alfresco-holidays.com/parks
Remember to enter 2BED10 on any booking you make, provided you do it by 9th May.
Camping In Brittany
Camping In Brittany, The Cornwall Of France
Camping In Brittany can be viewed as a French version of camping in Cornwall. A rugged coastline interspersed with lovely sandy beaches, picturesque fishing harbours, historic towns and villages, plenty of tourist attractions and perhaps the same unpredictable weather. Yes, as with Cornwall, it can rain rather a lot sometimes in Brittany, although it also has it’s fair share of warm sunshine.
Camping in Brittany can be the first tentative step to enjoying a family, camping holiday in France, as it was for me back in 1999, before venturing further afield in subsequent years, in my case as far as Portugal and Italy. It can also be a happy destination to return to year after year, leading perhaps to buying a holiday home there, or a destination to combine as part of a multi-destination holiday, perhaps with the Dordogne, so you have a beach and an inland river holiday all in the same camping trip.
As it is a busy destination, booking in advance is advisable in peak periods. Here are a few of my favourite destinations for camping in Brittany. Just like Cornwall, roads can be congested and busy at those times too.
1) La Trinite Sur Mer
Enjoy these beachside views by staying at La Plage Campsite in La Trinite-sur-Mer. Click Here For More Details
La Trinite-sur-Mer was my first destination for a family camping holiday in France back in 1999 and where I caught the Continental camping bug that draws me back year after year. As well as a superb location overlooking a sandy bay, to which there is direct access, there are plenty of amenities. The restaurant and bar overlook the beach, the pool has waterslides and there are also two tennis courts and three table tennis tables.
The chic resort of La Trinite-sur-Mer itself is just a short walk away. Facilities are also available at the neighbouring campsite of La Baie and vice versa.
2) Camping L’Atlantique, Beg-Meil
As well as the pool facilities and water slides, Beg-Mell is close to a lovely beach with rock pools. There is also a tennis court & 3 table tennis tables. Click Here For More Details
Camping L’Atlantique in Beg-Meil is another highly regarded camping park in South Brittany, though more to the western end. As well as enjoying the excellent range of facilities, including direct access to the local beach, it is just a short drive away from popular Breton towns such as Concarneau, Quimper and Benodet. It is probably better suited to families with young children rather than teenagers and is regarded as a medium sized campsite with 432 pitches.
3) Domaine des Ormes, Dol-de-Bretagne
Treehouses are one of several accommodation options at Domaine des Ormes, along with Safari Tents, Chalet Bungalows and pitch spaces for tourers. Click Here For More Details
Being less than 30 minutes drive from St.Malo, less than 2 hours drive from Ouistreham or Cherbourg if traffic is light and not much more than 2 hours from Roscoff, Domaine des Ormes makes for a convenient first stopover after arriving at one of those ports or to stay before the homeward ferry journey. Many use it for that purpose but it also has a lot to offer in it’s own right and is very much worth a longer stay.
Domaine des Ormes is a large site with over 700 pitches. As such, it has plenty of facilities, including heated swimming pools, both outside and under cover and waterslides. There are two tennis courts, three table tennis tables, a basketball court and plenty of other sporting facilities. There are two restaurants, a takeaway facility and two bars. There is plenty to do here to have a memorable family holiday. The nearby town of Dol-de-Bretagne is an attractive town to visit and explore. The famous monastery Mont St. Michel is less than half an hour’s drive away.
Places To Visit
There are plenty of sightseeing options in Brittany including historic towns such as Vannes, Auray, the city of Quimper and the fishing ports of Benodet and Concarneau. Mont St.Michel is one of France’s leading and most visited tourist attractions. The megalithic stones of Carnac are another attraction known throughout the world.
There are also plenty of historic forests to enjoy if you love country walks or more serious hiking.
Many visitors love Brittany so much that they return year after year. It’s also a leading area for buying a second home or relocating to France permanently.
Historic Vannes is one of many towns in Brittany worthy of a sightseeing trip. Click Here For Further Details
May Half-Term Chalet Camping Breaks From £289
Brittany Ferries May Half-Term Chalet Camping Breaks Offer
Brittany Ferries May Half-Term Chalet Camping Breaks Offer will give 4 day breaks in the May half-term from £289 and 5 day breaks from just £353 per party. Cars are included in the price, plus up to four people.
Holidays are to either Brittany or the Vendee. Departures are on Sunday (May 29th), Monday (May 30th) and Wednesday (June 1st). The 4 day breaks are based on day time sailings, checking into your camping park on the same day. The 5 day breaks are based on an overnight outbound ferry sailing and a day time homeward return trip.
Click Here For The Current List Of Locations Available
Brittany Ferries state that all stays will be in comfortable chalet accommodation at four and five star camping holiday parks, with on-site indoor swimming pools, play areas, restaurants and shops.
If you have yet to book a family holiday for the May half-term this represents one of the best value offers, especially as ferry travel is factored into the price already!
Yelloh! Village les Mouettes, Carantec in Brittany is just one of the locations available in this offer.
Click Here For More Details On This Great Offer
Camping In The Vendee
Camping In The Vendee, Miles Of Blue Flag Beaches On Your Doorstep
If you go camping in the Vendee it’s most likely because it’s the sunniest part of France after the French Riviera with very similar levels of sunshine. It also has a wide choice of beaches, including some of the best blue flag beaches in the whole of France. There’s plenty to do and the journey involves a shorter trip than heading to the south of France. Specifically the Vendee is the strip of coastline west of the Loire Valley between South Brittany and the Pertuis Breton, a strait to the north of Ile de Re and La Rochelle.
Not surprisingly, it’s one of France’s most popular camping areas, with plenty of sites of all types. In peak periods such as early August, they will be extremely busy. Here are a few of the best camping holiday parks, as booking in advance is recommended at the peak of the holiday season:
1) La Yole
La Yole is a very pleasant, medium sized campsite situated between the coastal resorts of St Jean -de-Monts & Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. .Click Here For More Details
La Yole is a friendly medium sized camping park which would be ideal for a family with young children or older people without children looking for somewhere to stay out of the peak season periods. As well as a swimming pool it also has a well maintained tennis court over the road from the entrance and a restaurant that enjoys a good reputation. Some lovely sandy beaches are only a short drive away.
2) Bel Campsite, La Tranche-sur-Mer
An aerial shot of Bel Campsite at La Tranche-sur-Mer in the South Vendee. Click Here For More Details
Bel Campsite is a small campsite, probably best suited to families with small children. It is just a short walk from nearby La Tranche-sur-Mer, which comes to life during the summer season but is otherwise a rather sleepy resort. Excellent sandy beaches are nearby for indulging in windsurfing, swimming or just laying on the beach whilst your children amuse themselves.
3) La Garangeiore Campsite, St.Julien-des-Landes
La Garangeoire Campsite is set in beautiful woodland in the grounds of an old chateau and is still just a 15 minute drive from the beaches of the Vendee. Click Here For More Details
La Garangeiore Campsite is a medium sized camping park with both outdoor and covered swimming pools, waterslides and plenty of other activities. Although an inland location it is still just a 15 minute drive to some superb, sandy beaches. There is also a modern restaurant and bar which overlooks the pool, plus a pub-style bar in one of the converted outbuildings of the château.
4) Camping Village De La Guyonniere, Lake Jaunay
Camping Village de la Guyonnière in the Vendee, next to Lake Jaunay, has a wide range of activities for holidaymakers of all ages. Click Here For More Details
There’s plenty of recreational activities to enjoy in Camping Village de la Guyonnière, including many sports activities, the resort’s swimming pools, a spa, and an animal sanctuary. Facilities at the resort include a restaurant, takeaway, grocery shop, and a bar, and there’s even free WiFi. The sandy, award winning beaches, resorts and fishing villages of the Vendee are less than 10 miles away.
Lake Jaunay itself is a setting where families can enjoy long walks across lush countryside, head off for a swim or a boat ride, or take to one of the many cycling routes around it, next to the camping village.
5) Camping Le Tropicana, St.Jean-de-Monts
Camping Le Tropicana is a few miles south of St.Jean-de-Monts and just a short walk from the beaches. Please note you will need to book stays here directly with the owners. Click Here For More Details
Camping Le Tropicana is one of several large camping parks catering to tourers on the outskirts of St Jean-de-Monts. It has 59 touring pitches which do sell out quickly in high season, as in the other camping parks in this popular area. If you haven’t booked ahead, arriving as early as possible on the day is advisable. For the record, Camping Le Tropicana has heated indoor and outdoor pools. There is a waterslide, a jacuzzi and a restaurant, amongst other amenities.
Places To Go
Le Puy du Fou
Le Puy du Fou is a great family day out if you want a change from the pool and the beach or if the weather isn’t quite right for those activities. It features a multitude of spectacular shows and should be a memorable day out. Otherwise, why would it have been voted the best park in the world?
Noirmoutier
Noirmoutier is an island just to the north of St Jean-de-Monts, linked by a bridge to the mainland. Parts of the island have been reclaimed from the sea. It has some of the best, unsung family beach resorts in France and is well worth a visit, even if just for a day trip.
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
Les Oceanides is rated one of the top four restaurants in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie on the independent review site, TripAdvisor. Click Here For More Details.
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie is an attractive seaside resort and fishing harbour, with an excellent choice of traditional French restaurants if you are looking to dine out. The Grand Plage has a beautiful promenade full of shops cafes and restaurants.
Al Fresco Holidays 7 Night Family Holiday Sale
7 Night Family Holiday Sale. Only £98 Per Mobile Home
Al Fresco Holidays 7 Night Family Holiday Sale. Click Here For More Details
Al Fresco Holidays have just launched a holiday sale where a family of up to 6 can enjoy a 7 night holiday for only £98! That’s for the whole family!
This offer is available for the following 5 very popular camping holiday parks:
Park Albatros, Tuscany, Italy
Altomincio Family Park, Lake Garda Italy
Domaine des Ormes, Brittany, France
La Rive, Aquitaine, France
CampingIN Park Umag, Istria, Croatia
Arrival on the above parks for this fantastic offer needs to be on any day between 12th April and the 21st May 2016.
CampingIN Park Umag is one of the five top camping holiday parks included in this offer. Click Here For More Details
The offer is for a 7 night stay in a 2 bedroom mobile home and is based upon accommodation only. Travel by ferry, plane or train is available at a supplement.
The offer is available for bookings made between 24th March and 4th April, when the offer is scheduled to expire.
For more details, including terms and conditions, plus current availability at each of the camping parks, please go to http://www.alfresco-holidays.com/98-april-may-holidays
Domaine des Ormes, one of the largest and liveliest camping parks in Brittany is another option a bit closer to home. Click Here For More Details
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