camping in France

Old Aug 26th, 2002, 02:38 PM
  #1  
gb
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camping in France

Has anyone stayed at a campground in France? Websites show cute little cabins, bungalows and mobile homes for prices between $300 and $400 for a week's stay. I was wondering if anyone has had experiences with these sites.
 
Old Aug 27th, 2002, 05:15 PM
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g
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ttt
 
Old Aug 27th, 2002, 05:23 PM
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StCirq
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There's one 4-star and one 3-star camping ground not far from my house in the Dordogne. They are immaculate places that transcend everything you ever thought you knew about campgrounds. Have I ever stayed in one? No. Just can tell you they look pretty cool compared to the campgrounds we have in the USA. They have restaurants, lovely pools, nice bungalows and rooms with kitchenettes. Only problem is mosquitoes.
 
Old Aug 27th, 2002, 11:44 PM
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Martine
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My family and I passed several times our vacation in a bungalow at a campground in France. I agree with St Circq: some of the bungalows are very nice, but 400$ a week is very little. You must count at the double (in high season) for a GOOD bungalow at a good campground.Than you will have 2 bedrooms + a bed in the living room, a full kitchen with dishwasher and a little garden or terrace with garden furniture. (there are bungalows that cost less but who are hovels).It is almost the same as what you would spend by renting a condo or a house. But a campground is nicer for when you have kids. Michelin has a good guide for camping in France and the ACSI guide even shows photograps.
About the mosquitos of St Cirq: in the interior there are, but at the coast there are not.
 
Old Aug 28th, 2002, 05:44 AM
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ingrid
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Any campground suggestions in Provence (or Ardeche, Drome)? The Domaine le Sagittaire looks cool on their website, but who knows...
 
Old Aug 28th, 2002, 05:06 PM
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gb
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We would be going in June, so it is before high season, so the prices are a little lower. Does the amount of stars make a difference?
 
Old Aug 28th, 2002, 05:12 PM
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StCirq
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Of course the stars make a difference, just like with a hotel. The 3-stars are usually very nice and well-maintained. The 4-stars can be positively luxurious, by camping standards. Given that they are pretty much a bargain to begin with, I wouldn't stay at anything less than a 3-star.
 
Old Aug 28th, 2002, 05:17 PM
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jared
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can you stay one or 2 nights?
 
Old Aug 28th, 2002, 07:44 PM
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gb
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I've been doing quite a bit of websearching on the campsites, and most of the interesting ones are 4 stars.
From what I could gather, rates for bungalows and mobile homes are for a week. A few have a three day rate. I figure even if we don't stay all seven days, it still is a good price. In July, the rates go up 1/2 to double the rate.
 
Old Aug 28th, 2002, 07:50 PM
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StCirq
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I don't know if you can stay 1 or 2 nights. Check out the websites of the campgrounds you're interested in and find out. I imagine if you're renting a cabin or appartment, you might have to rent it for a week.
 
Old Aug 29th, 2002, 07:15 AM
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Martine
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Mostly you will have to rent a week. In low season sometimes it is possible for a few days.
We once had a bungalow for two nights in high season. We were on our way to the south,and wanted to spend a 2 days at Futuroscope. We didn't book in advance and had the chance to find a camping with a free bungalow. Of course we had to do the cleaning ourselves.

Take care: sometimes the cleaning is in the price, sometimes not. The sheets are never included, but you can rent them.Towels are not provided.

When you choose a bungalow of 3 stars, the kitchen will probably exist out of a jumle of pots and pans and not very complete. The blankets will be old (however clean) and the shower will give you a sort of a little inclinated jet in a lightweight plastic tray with an old curtain with missing rings. Excuse me for my bad English, but you know what I mean? All this can be very amusing, and when you are young it really doesn't matter. We have all seen it yet, but be warned, you could be dissapointed.

I would look for a bungalow with more stars: 4 or 5 (also than you won't have to take all your towels with you, they take lots of place in a suitcase).
 
Old Aug 29th, 2002, 07:27 AM
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ingrid
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How did you find the camp sites? Is ther ean on-line directory? I have found a few by chance as well as a brochure I got from Europe.
Another question: The ones where they gave dimensions for beds listed them as 1.90m x 1.40m for the double and 1.90 x 70. Is that standard?
 
Old Aug 29th, 2002, 12:28 PM
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Martine
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Hi Ingrid

1.90m x 1.40m for the double ,and 1.90m x 80cm for a single bed is standard in a mobil home or a 3 stars bungalow. It it quiet small.

I found the bungalows in a guidebook (Michelin + ACSI). Acsi has a website(www.acsi-gids.com/) where you can order the guide or a CD-rom, but unfortunatly it is not in English.

You can order the Michelin guide at www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/2060003091/026-1877339-291217

Another site where you can choose campsites in France is www.Sites-et-paysages.com/gb.html

Good luck!
 
Old Aug 29th, 2002, 05:32 PM
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ingrid
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Thanks, Martine! Speaking of house descriptions: What size is a "French bed"? Is there a standard? Also, in some descriptions they talk about an American kitchen???
 
Old Aug 29th, 2002, 07:16 PM
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gb
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Thanks.
I haven't seen any with five stars. We aren't young, but we will have two teenage daughters with us. Will they feel okay, or are the campgrounds filled with really young kids. We're looking for a clean, safe place with at least comfortable beds. We'll be carrying our linen anyway because we might be staying at a few hostels. We're traveling for three weeks, and need to save on lodging wherever we can, since lodging for four adds up quickly.
 
Old Aug 30th, 2002, 01:19 PM
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Martine
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The stars I am talking about are the apreciations given by Michelin. In their guide they actually not give stars, but tents.

There are campings with wooden chalets or chalets in brick.Some have tv, others don't. The last years some more stars campings even have bungalows with airco.

We also have teenagers (16-13) and they like campings the most.They are free to see other young people, to go to the pool...

The best time we had, was in camping "La Sirène" in Argelès-sur-mer (Méditeranean- Roussillon)in France, near the Spanish border.
The bungalow was in wood, not so super de luxe, but they had 2 big pools (style subtropic amusement park) with palms, slides and falls.There was animation at night, possibility for diving, kayac and other sports. The kids liked it very much. And it was quiet at night. As the bungalows stood under the trees, it was never too warm.

The region is full of history. At one side you see the see and at the other side you see the Pyrénées. I really can advice you a week in that part of France. It is less mondain as at the Côte d'Azûr, but much more beautiful (my opinion).
There are lots of campings in that area.
 
Old Aug 30th, 2002, 02:15 PM
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g
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Thanks. That's a big help help. Do you have boys or girls?
 
Old Aug 31st, 2002, 02:21 PM
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heather
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We've stayed at a bungalow campground in Switzerland and it was adequate.
 
Old Aug 31st, 2002, 04:23 PM
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Martine
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To gb:
We have two boys.
 
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