Frenchcamp?

All the way back from Niccamp (apart from when engrossed in Robots) the boys were asking if we can do a “Frenchcamp” next year so I’ve been researching a bit and have a few ideas to get down partly so we can see if anyone else might be interested and partly so I don’t just add them to my long list of bookmarks I never look at again…

According to P&O website, ferry looks like being £50 – £60 for a return, using May as an example; the site was so slow I can’t face doing it again for June and September just now!

Camping le Brevedent – just over 1 hour from Calais; 1h 30 from Parc Asterix; works out at 30 euros/night for us (basic pitch, 2 adults, 2 over 7, 2 under 7) if we go in May, June or September. I like the sound of the orchard camping or the conservatory if we had a group to fit together 🙂 Pools, mini golf, children’s and toddlers’ play areas and baby baths in shower blocks all sound good too 🙂 Oh, and on Wednesdays there’s a coach to Paris, apparently, while on Saturdays there are concerts and on Sunday evening the owner opens her salon to visitors wishing to hear her family history…

Similar price, but rather nearer to Calais (and correspondingly further from Parc Asterix, which appears to come high on Bob’s list of things to do, never mind the boys’ 😆 ) is Chateau du Gandspette
 which has heated pools, games room, sports field and tennis courts but looks more traditional in layout as far as I can tell from pictures (ie individual pitches with hedges between).

La Paille-Haute is the other side of Arras (so about an hour and 20 minutes from Calais) and looks to have more open areas for pitching, but comes across as being more basic. There is still a swimming pool, though, and it’s a bit cheaper – 21 Euros 50 for 4 people (plus 2 Euros for each extra child under 7 so 25E50 for us) per night. There’s a playground, a children’s games room and apparently also a bouncy castle, although I’m not sure if that would be there out of season. They’re very proud of their family parties and soirees dansantes too – hmmmm 😕

Anyhoo, just putting down a few ideas for now 😀 Of course there’s always the option we used to go for pre-children, of getting the ferry, driving until we find a nice-looking town and then stopping at the camping municipal until we’re bored, at which point we pack up, find the mairie to pay our 5 euros or whatever and move on to the next town. Definitely the cheap option, but somehow less appealing with four small children in tow!

10 thoughts on “Frenchcamp?”

  1. Le Brevedent has an entry in the Cool Camping France guide, it was one of our possibles for last year, tho reviews on Uk Campsites are a little mixed.

    But it’s a lot more than 1 hour from Calais, more like 3? (188 miles according to Google Maps).

    P&O in mid September last year was about £100

    We might be interested, as a French trip is quite likley next year, but not really thinking about holidays yet 🙂

  2. You’re absolutely right! I was going by stuff I found on a website recommending it and didn’t double check 😳
    It’s considerably less than an hour from Caen, however, which is a much nicer ferry trip imo – but generally more expensive.

  3. We would be up for this if it was September rather than June. Don’t think I could have a baby passport sorted out by June 😉

    Can’t help on location choosing though, my knowledge of France is fairly limited.

  4. We’re a possible too although like Em I’d be no assistance at all on planning or suggesting as my knowledge of France is pretty sketchy too.

  5. we’d love to. I know it’s been mentioned as an idea before. We’re trying to keep holiday free next year so we can do as many camps as poss.

  6. we’d love to but depends on M’s work commitments. It is difficult being away from work the last month of every quarter as reviews are now quarterly and we have found (from bitter experience), that other people take credit for your developments if you are not around.

    Having said that, he managed a week in September this year with only a couple of audio calls scheduled in, although we were near to Gatwick so he knew he’d be able to go in if necessary.

    I think he would love to go to the Asterix place.

  8. Ah, we’re stuck now doing ‘proper’ holidays outside of termtime. 4/6 of us are going up to Melrose, but I think Violet might revolt if we went to France without her! Are planning on going in the summer holidays – can we persuade everyone else to go when it’s hot and expensive? No? 😉

  9. Quite possibly though depends on cost. We have friends who have 12 acres in France who keep begging us to come and stay!

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