Where we Stopped

Campsite La Bien Assise

Usually our first overnight stop on reaching France. Food available for most of the season, decent shop, and nice big pitches. Bus service to Calais. Internet costs money, but is not stupidly expensive and is reasonably fast.  Accepts discount card.  Motorhome waste dump.

Camping au Bord de l’Aisne

Handy second stop on the way south.  Not the cheapest place, but not outrageous.  Food available but no shop.  Small supermarket and Gare a short walk away.  Internet costs money, and not that fast, but not too bad.  Motorhome waste dump.

Campsite Château de l’Epervière

Been coming here for years and it is a great place, and getting better.  Now 19 Euros on the Dutch card, nice pizzas, nice wine, nice everything really, and an Auchan in the local town.  They have improved their motorhome point since 2016.  Free internet at the bar but nothing site-wide.

Camping de Tournon HPA

Basic no-frills campsite on the river.  Typically small pitches for a town-center site, although the ones looking on to the river were rather nice.  Free internet, but not site-wide.  Short walk to the shops.

Camping le Luberon

Came here after failing to find a suitable pitch at Apt.  Very pleasant campsite with pools,  bar, reception selling wine, and nice views over the hills.  Not much to do here and no public transport, but a relaxing place to spend a little time.  Good internet speed but you have to pay for it (5 Euros per day). Moved on from Apt, as it was packed, apart from a small area where electric leads where everywhere, with no capacity left for us.

Camping du Pont d’Avignon

This is not our first stop here – we were here seven or eight years ago and thought the toilet facilities were a bit poor, and the whole site rather tired.  At that time this campsite was expensive, whereas the campsite next door was on the discount card.  Camping Bagatelle, next door, was a bit better back then, although the toilet block was like something in a Victorian railway station, with lovely urinals, but we should have moved on from this.  Also the pitches were a bit haphazard, with hookup cables going over the access roads.

Now, Camping du Pont d’Avignon, has improved a lot, toilets nice and clean, and the motorhome points (there are two) are easy to use and have plenty of room.  Of the two campsites, this is the one we will come back to.  Internet 12 Euros for three days and reasonably quick.

There is also an aire between the two sites, but at twelve Euros a night with no electric, or 15 Euros a night at the campsite, why would anybody go to the aire?

Camping Les Hautes Prairies

Another site we have been to before, when it was rather gloomy with trees in the middle of some of the pitches.  All changed now, as this place is very much updated with great toilets  and rogue trees removed.  They could do with sorting out hookup cables going over the access roads, but that will come in time, as the new owners are clearly investing money in this place.  Good, free internet.

Camping de l’Ouveze

We were going to the ACSI site next door but got confused.  We thought this has changed a lot since our last visit, then noticed we were on the wrong campsite.  This is a small campsite, pretty much in the owner’s back garden, but the pitches are spacious, and the sanitary block spotless with everything you need.  There is even an electric BBQ provided.  Nice, fast, free internet.

Campsite Le Riou-Merle

Nice campsite a short stroll from town.  Food and bar not open Monday and Tuesday out of season.  OK Toilets and showers, which were clean but a bit open plan.  Six amp electric.  Wi-Fi free and fine.  Pitch where you want if reception is shut and great views, we will be back here.  Annoyingly, the train station has no trains due to line upgrades, but overall nice campsite, and nice place.

Campsite Municipal les Lucs

This is across the river from Camping de Tournon HPA, and is really a much better campsite.  Big marked out pitches, excellent heated toilet block, Lidl and Netto across the road, so no reason to go hungry.  Tain-l’Hermitage is not as pretty as Tournon, but has more caves,  and chocolate.

Camping municipal Saint Vital Cluny

Campsite on edge of town. Reception staff very friendly allocated a pitch which we could change if it wasn’t suitable. She gave me a map of the town and marked the route into town and marked the abbey and bus stop. The pitch was large with water right by pitch.

The toilet block was in a covered block with an ordinary light switch rather than a movement sensor controlled switch. The facilities were old but immaculate. The washing up area had lots of sinks only one side was working but endless hot water. Again these were in an enclosed building so good to use in all weather.

The electricity was 6 amps so needed to boost heating with gas and remember to turn electricity off before boiling the kettle.

There was no swimming pool but municipal pool next door and free to campers. It looked good but being outdoors and October it was unsurprising closed.

You can get a bus to a nearby chateau, Macon and Chalon Sur saone.  Great butchers in town need to practice asking for goodies. The boulangerie sold excellent cakes. Back on the campsite we could relax watching British TV via our portable sat dish.

Camping Municipal Montbard

The campsite is located next to the municipal swimming pool. The reception opened just after we arrived if it had been closed we could have chosen a pitch. After booking in the receptionist gave me 2 free tickets so we could use the swimming pool next door which would be open at 5pm. She also was gave me the code for the pedestrian door which would be locked after 10pm.

The next step was to find a pitch they were all spacious. We selected a hard standing pitch {there were about 5) which was surrounded by tall hedges. The electricity is 16 amps and you don’t need a long cable. Filling up with water is easy as there is a tap on the pitch.

The nearest toilet block is not fully open at this time of year. This wasn’t a problem as the main facilities block really isn’t far to walk to.

The block is fully enclosed with a main area with sinks for washing your dishes, sinks for washing laundry and 2 washing machines and a dryer in There are two doors at the back. On the left hand side the door leads to the mens facilities and the door on the right to the ladies.

I checked out the ladies and found several toilet cubicles with toilet paper but no seat. The shower was a push button and seemed to be roomy, There were several washbasins and 2 hand dryers.

I was going to get tokens and do washing and drying but chickened out as there were 10 options for the dryer and wasn’t sure what to choose!

After dinner it was time to test out the dishwashing facilities. There were plenty of sinks and for the first time this trip a plug!. The taps were great and lots of hot water.

As it is only a one night stop we watched french tv.  The tv reception wasn’t too good so we switched from watching an entertaining French Bridget Jones type movie to watching men in black which we could follow having seen it at home.

There was an internet connection if we wanted to pay to use it. Earlier in the season there are more services available . e.g bread, bar and takeaway. On Friday mornings a shuttle bus takes you to the market for a small fee. it provides a return service.

Camping Port Plaisance Peronne

This is a campsite we last visited 5 years ago. If you arrive when reception is closed you can select your pitch and book in when reception is open. There is a small shop which sells wine, beer and basic supplies. You can order bread, pain au chocolat etc  by 7.30 pm the day before. You collect your order in the bar the following morning from 8 am until 10.30 am In high season there is a snack bar with takeaway open. The bar was open from 4 pm til 8.30 pm. Internet access is available via an external supplier which gave you a choice of tariffs.

The sanitary block was heated which was a bonus in the cooler evenings. The toilets were accessed via the washing up and laundry building which was confusing as there wasn’t a sign on the door. The washing up facilities were good lots of hot water.

The campsite was well lit at night. The rubbish containers were outside the entrance to the campsite. If you wanted entry after 8.30pm you needed to use the code for the pedestrian gate. Unlike a lot of campsites there was no entry barrier.

Our pitch was large and we had easy access to a water tap. On connecting to the electricity there were plenty of choices which is just as well as I managed to overload it. Although we thought it was 10 amp it was probably 6. The motorhome service was in front of the sanitary block and easy to access.

Camping Municipal Wimeraux

Again this a campsite we have visited many times. The reception closes at 1 pm and reopens at 3 pm. As there isn’t a lot of space to wait  you need to ensure you arrive as near to 3 pm or arrive by 1pm.  Access to both entry and exit are controlled by a code operated barrier. Normally when booking in you are allocated a pitch. As it was not busy and near the end of their season we were allowed to select our own pitch. This was great as in the past some pitches were difficult to move onto and pitch due to trees, hedges and shape made for some challenges.

There is no shop but this isn’t an issue as there are shops not far away. You can also get the bus to Boulogne with a frequent and cheap service. (1 euro each).

There is no internet on pitch but you get internet in a room by reception there may have been a charge but we didn’t use it. The electricity was 6 amps. Both the water and electricity were on the edge of the pitch so that was easy to set up. As we were staying for a couple of days we used our portable satellite dish and we got british tv. The rubbish bins were at the entrance of the site.

We were surprised to find that there was an additional facilities area the on we usually used was closed. This one had separate ladies/gents showers with a unisex toilet area. The dish washing area was great enclosed and with lots of hot water. This is a typical french campsite where you needed to provide your own toilet paper which is not a problem. All the facilities were clean but it would have ben nice for them to be heated out of high season. The site was well lit at night.

Brighton Caravan Club site

On arrival we were greeted by friendly smiling wardens.  The site was busy and there not many pitches to make our selection from. We pitched not far from a service area. To get the electricity working the connector had to be twisted (this is common on cmc sites).

After letting the reception know what pitch we had selected we got the directions to walk to the marina and the bus including a timetable booklet. The shop sold some basic provisions water, milk, bacon …

The site was a typical caravan club site with good hard standing pitches, 16 amp electricity and heated facility block. The site was not well lit on the first night as a light was not working near our pitch but it was fixed the following day so the lighting  was ok.

It was a 10 minute walk to the bus stop, a small coop and a fish and chip shop. It was a slightly longer walk to the marina which you accessed by walking across a large Asda car park.The access road to the campsite was surrounded by playing pitches. When the floodlights were on they provided enough light to see the road. There was a cafe nearby which was open 9-5. The road was busy with coaches and cars.

The campsite had external catering in the form of a fish and chip van on Thursdays and a wood fired pizza unit on Sundays.

Littlehampton Caravan Club site

Another friendly welcome where we were given a map marked with the pitches available. The site had lots of hedges and was lovely. Again the facilities were excellent. At this site there was a separate bin for glass which is different from most club sites.

There is a bus (number 9) which goes into the town. We were given a map so we walked to town it felt longer than 25 minutes. There is a small convenience store within 5 minute walk with a large Morrisons slightly further away.

On leaving the campsite there was a box to return the barrier card next to the barrier. This site had a sperate entrance and exit barrier.

 

Chichester Camping and Caravan Club site

This site doesn’t have much space for parking so the advice is don’t arrive before 1pm as pitches aren’t available until after that time. On arrival there were a couple of motorhomes in front us and not much room behind us.

The welcome was very warm and friendly. I was given the campsite leaflet, a code for the barrier (it is automatic on leaving the campsite), and a slip giving the bus departures from the site.

The barrier was lifted so we could move onto site ready for being shown to our pitch. Our pitch was next to the road. The warden checked where our bed was located and advised how to pitch so at night we further away from road noise. As we had not been here before the site layout was explained.

The site is next to a building site (however the noise didn’t disrupt our stay), a doctors surgery and a pub. The bus stops were near the campsite. Within a 10 minute walk there was a well stocked coop and a Chinese takeaway (the golden chopsticks – we enjoyed our meal from here). The train station was within a 15 minute walk and had frequent services to Portsmouth harbour Portsmouth,  Chichester and London.

The facilities block was heated and very clean. There are lots of flowers in planters and borders. There are a couple of benches which were placed in pleasant areas on the campsite. At night the site is well lit. The dish washing and laundry rooms closes at 10 pm.

Moreton in the Marsh Caravan Club Site

This is a busy caravan club site. The staff on reception were very friendly and did the usual checking with leaflet and explanation of where facilities were. As usual we could choose our pitch. The site is in 2 halves and we choose the lower site with a hard standing pitch near the facilities and the water/waste point. There is an entrance and exit barrier at this site. The exit is automatic and there is a box for you to place your card in before you leave.

The site has a bus stop outside the entrance where you can get a bus to Stratford upon Avon. It is a short walk into the village but if you want to go out in the evening take a torch.

The facilities block in the lower part of the campsite is closed from 2 pm to 4 pm.  The block was nice and heated and had plenty of showers, toilets and  hairdryers. AS usual cleaning was excellent

A big advantage of staying here if you want a break from cooking are the takeaway vans that frequent the site. On Wednesdays and Saturdays it is the fish and chip van – which we did use £15.60 for the best fish and chips so far on the holiday. On Fridays and Sundays there is a wood fired pizza van which visits the site. At weekends you can also buy fresh croissants and pan au chocolat from the reception. The reception sells some caravan themed novelty gifts and a small choice of groceries, cakes, milk and cold drinks.

Chapel Lane Wythall Caravan Club Site

This a site we use regularly. The welcome is superb and we are always made to feel welcome. The site has an in and out barrier which are both controlled by card.

There is a small information room which also has herbs outside which you can pick and use for cooking. If it is Christmas, New Year, Easter or Halloween the site staff dress up the reception accordingly and it always looks good.

The facilities are typical caravan club site – heated facilities block which are immaculate. The shop at reception sells a small amount of items e.g brown sauce, washing up liquid. Like other caravan club sites you can exchange your empty calor gas bottles but remember to have some cash with you.

One of the attractions of coming here is the excellent Beckett’s farm shop and restaurant where you can obtain a 10% discount with your membership card (valid in the shop and restaurant). If you like transport museums there is an excellent bus museum near the campsite and on event days you can ride on the older buses.

There is a bus (2W) which runs from outside of the campsite hourly in the daytime but not on Sundays. The bus now accepts contactless payments so you can get an all day all bus operators ticket which gives you a good choice of day trips. You can change bus at the maypole and get a bus to the centre of Birmingham or to Northfield. The 2W bus goes to solihull but it does take an hour you could do this journey quicker by changing to the 49 bus at Maypole. From Solihull there is a connection which takes you to the NEC. You can also get a train from Wythall to either Stratford or Birmingham but you have to wait for about 20 mins or you could walk to the station which takes about 30 minutes.

If you like walking there are several walks you can do from the campsite and the reception can sell you an OS map or direct you.

Riverside Tourer Park – Penrith Cumbria

This was our first experience staying at a caravan club certified location.  You need to book in advance. This is done easily by phone and a deposit is required at time of booking as we were staying the following night it was easier to pay the £20 via credit card at time of booking.

On arrival at the campsite the board had our name listed and which part of the site we were to pitch on. Each of the pitches had great views and hardstanding. The toilet facilities were most unusual – they were located in a small wood cabin. The quirkiness continued inside with books, magazines and posters. The facilities were superb and a light came on outside so you could easily see if the toilet was free. The shower was in a similar cabin but we didn’t use it on this occasion. The recycling and rubbish were located next to the facilities. Acround the site there were lots of feeders for the birds and squirrels that visit the site. There was free wifi.

Moffat Camping and Caravan Club site

We have stayed at this campsite before. The first thing we noticed was the access road to the site had been relaid so no more uneven surfaces and large potholes.

We were shown to a pitch and checked that it was ok for us. It was next to the field and had rubbish bins/water point next which was fine and didn’t ruin the experience. The toilet block is great – warm, bright and modern. The washing up sinks were on one side which weren’t open to the elements.

There is a co-op nearby and an outlet store. Moffat itself has several pubs, restaurants and an excellent fish and chip shop.

Strathclyde Country Park

This is the first time we have stayed at this site. It is a caravan club site with the usual immaculate facilities.

There are lots of pitches and again you can choose your location. The amenities block was again a high standard with heating which was much appreciated as it was very cold.

The site is within the large country park so it was nice and convenient for a walk to see the ducks on the pond. There is also an amusement park which wasn’t open when we where there.  There is a hotel/restaurant/pub within walking distance. The site is well situated for access onto the motorway. In high season there is a bus nearby which goes into Glasgow. There is public transport within a 20 minute walk/

 

The Woods Alloa

We have stayed at this site before. On arrival the reception is now housed in a portacabin as the original one had burnt down after an electrical fire.  This is a very popular campsite so it is advisable to book in advance particularly if you want to stay on a Friday/Saturday.  This site is an affiliated site to the caravan club site so remember to take your card and get a discount.

The welcome was friendly and there was a small selection of groceries and lots of local maps you could buy. We were given a map and shown which areas of the campsite were open.

We could select our own pitch and we choose pitch 25 which had an amazing view of the Ochil hills.  The views from the site overall are fabulous. The electricity was 10 amps but you were given a helpful leaflet listing the amps which would be used by your electrical items. The site is updating its electricity supply over the next few months so from Easter all pitches will be 16 amps.

The toilet block has won awards and it is one of the best on sites we have visited. There are TV screens which show the news and piped music. There is a hairdryer and a chair so you can sit down whilst styling your hair. There is plenty of space and the lighting is bright. Om entering the toilet block there is an information point and washer/dryer facilities. The dish washing area is outside and is not completely covered from the elements.

The site has a bar/restaurant at the entrance which we didn’t use but is popular. There are walks within easy distance which take you into local towns or the outlet village via a bridleway/disused railway track. There are frequent buses to alloa/stirling within a 10 minute walk form the site.

Edinburgh Caravan Club site

This site is one which we have stayed at on many occasions. The facilities are excellent. There is a local minibus which will take you into Edinburgh and return for £5 each or you can walk a short distance to the bus stop. There are plenty of buses.

The site does sell some groceries/milk but not in low season. The information room here is very good. There is a morrisons within a 15 minute walk.

Henley on Thames

Typical caravan club site. We drove through Henley which was congested next we will come from Marlow direction.

The campsite is small, the pitches are organised on groups and not in traditional layout.  The reception has a good range of products to buy including items from local butcher who is excellent.

It is a short walk to Henley and buses run on the road outside the campsite.

Briare

The campsite has nice large pitches. The water points are dotted around the campsite but on certain pitches. Our pitch had some hedges around it making feel private.

The free WiFi is very good. The washing up sinks have no plugs but loads of hot water. There are 2 parts to the toilet block. A small modern part with shower, toilet and disabled facilities. The larger part is older and not as brightly lit. However the shower area is heated. The showers are roomy with preset temperature. You need to have your own toilet paper.

The croissants are really nice but the baguette really tough so don’t pre-order baguettes.

It is an easy walk to town.

Nevers municipal campsite

On arrival there is only room for one motorhome to park. We had to drive round the block. The reception is small but manned by friendly staff. You can order your bread for the next day. The shop/snack bar is on the ground floor of this building.

You are allocated a pitch on arrival which is helpful as not all pitches have electric but we were early and got a pitch with electric and a great view of the cathedral. The pitches are terraced with the facilities on the mid terrace. the toilets and showers were good which was a relief after reading some negative reviews. A bonus was the provision of toilet paper. The washing up sinks were outside no plugs but got water. Rubbish an recycling bins were by the entrance, The amps was 10 amp and the WiFi was free.

Donzenac

The campsite is controlled by an entrance barrier which would be ok if reception was manned. There was a note to call a mobile which wasn’t answered. A fellow camper let us in and when the campsite manager appeared we could book in. This is a lovely small site. There was no free WiFi, shop or bread ordering. this was not an issue as the supermarket is an easy 300 metres stroll away.

The electricity was 10 amps. The facilities block was excellent very clean and heated. Each pitch was spacious.

Montignan

The campsite reception staff were friendly. If the reception was closed you could choose your pitch and book in on their return. There is a pool at the entrance to the site. Next to reception is the bar. Near the bar is an information area which is situated next to a stream which is very pleasant with a seating area. Free WiFi is available in this area.

The amenities block was luxurious lovely flooring, lots of hot water, excellent shower, a hairdryer and yes the toilets had paper provided. There is also a room with a hot tub and sauna that could be booked at 10e for 30 minutes. Other facilities include laundry facilities, a library and games room.

Our pitch no 12 was great for people watching it was also bordered by hedges. At night we benefited from the floodlights of the sports ground behind us.

We do try the takeaway but sadly the pizza and chips were not great.

It was a very easy walk into a lovely village.

Cahors

The reception is open continuously. It also doubles as a shop where you can buy ice cold water and wine.

Booking is quite comprehensive and thorough they even wanted to know name of motorhome turned out they meant manufacture. I was given a booklet about the campsite which covered everything you wanted know including types of trees and animals you might see on campsite. There was a very useful city map and the receptionist marked where the free shuttle departed from (20 minutes walk) and where to get off. She also pointed out landmarks and where to get the tourist train. There was a handy map of the campsite. We were allocated a motorhome pitch which had a good view of the vines and the pitch was surrounded by hedges on both sides.

The facilities block was ok. The main positives were toilet roll was provide and there plenty of washing up sinks.

On collecting bread in morning you had to remember your pitch number. The croissant was inedible, the pain August raising chewy and the baguette was hard and crunchy.

We used the satellite dish and got a great signal and watched sky news and MTV via German satellite.

Fiox

The campsite reception is open at normal times for France or closing for the lunch period. This was fine for us as we arrived at 2pm. The entrance and exit barriers are controlled by entering a code.  You can choose your own pitch. Some pitches back onto the river and there is a choice of shaded or partial shady pitches. The amenities block has unisex toilets and showers. There is toilet paper provided you help yourself before selecting which cubicle to use. The shower block uses preset temperature and push button to control amount of water. A handy shelf is positioned so you can easily access your shower and shampoo in the drying area. The washing up sinks were ok but no lug or draining board. It was impossible to find any drinking water on site.

You can’t obtain bread for the morning or any other supplies due to no shop. However, across the road is an excellent patisserie the cakes were fabulous. As the campsite didn’t do takeaways just a 3 course meal in the bar/restaurant (plastic tables in a makeshift restaurant) we went to the pizza takeways across the road which was great result resu and they provide a sachet of pizza sauce. The shopping area has a bar/restaurant/takeaway, a butchers, home accessories shop, leaderprice (supermarket) and a wine cave.

The campsite has a bus stop at the entrance and there is a train station within walking distance.

It was disappointing to find there were no facilities for motorhomes or no toilet emptying facilities, fresh water or a grey waste dump point.

Camping Les Pins – Argelès-sur-Mer

This is a large campsite with mobile homes and touring pitches. On arrival reception will keep your identity card or acsi card. You are given a card to operate barriers and a map of the campsite with the facilities pointed out e.g toilets, bar, swimming pool. A nice touch was being given a voucher worth 5 euro to use buying a pizza (so pizza cost 4.50 not 9.50) from the bar which could be either takeaway or eaten in bar.

The facilities block was in 2 buildings next to each other and both were unisex. The first one contained toilets with paper being available outside, a chemical disposal point and dishwashing facilities. The second block was full of showers and washbasin cubicles. There were hairdryers which I somehow failed to notice. You could set the temperature of the team water yourself.

The pitch we selected was partly shady but with no dangerous trees. There were lots of birds who visited us. There was a water point not far away.

The site is located next to a row of shops with an excellent boulanerie, a pizza restaurant, fast food (closed) estate agents, bike hire, dog grooming, tattoo parlour and fish tackle shop. On the opposite of the road was an internal he. Further up from the campsite was a fishmongers, fruit and veg and a butchers.

It is an easy walk to the beach with shops restaurants and a bus service.

Balarac Les Bains municipal

The campsite is very French we were the only non French visitors. The lady on reception was very happy to practice her English. She gave me a map of the campsite and the town. She told me the market was being held the next day and showed me the location on the map. The campsite was busy and I was given the choice of 4 pitches. The electricity here is 6 amps and there was free WiFi.

There were 2 amenities blocks with plenty of showers, toilets and washing up sinks. As usual they were immaculate. There were plenty of water taps near most pitches.

There is a supermarket across the road and shops/bars/ restaurants within easy walking distance. There is a shuttle bus you can get to the commercial centre which is free. You can also get to sete in 20 minutes by bus for 1.30 each. The bus also serves  the train station which gives more options to explore the region.

You need to return the key fob on departure but note reception is closed on Sunday and Wednesday so there is box to use on those days.

Tarascon

This is another campsite which is very French. The reception opens at 4pm but we were in luck the campsite owner let us into the campsite about 2.30pm.

On registering it was a relief to find his wife spoke English as we had several conversations with her husband! (my French isn’t good enough to make out everything he said) I was given a map of the town and again a local market would be held the next day. The reception has a small shop selling a variety of food items, eggs from their chickens, wine, water and orange juice.

This is the first campsite where I was presented some ferns so a water bottle became a vase. The owner had been keen to introduce his 2 labradors to us. We had already met the small black cat and the chickens.

The facilities block had a mix of showers/toilets some unisex others designated either male or female. They were spotless. The washing up sinks didn’t have piping hot water but were ok. The lighting was poor after dark.

The electricity was 6 amps. Water was provided near the facilities block. There was a swimming pool, boules area, minigolf and a bar/restaurant. If you wanted to barbeque there were several communal barbeques along with fuel and sticks provided to use and once you had cooked there was a picnic area.

This site is a member of a camping group where if you stay for 4 nights at 4 different campsites in a 2 year period you get vouchers for 5 nights free camping in low season. We have the booklet so will check locations to include in our next adventure.