The Best Small Cool Campsites in France

Stay at these small cool campsites in France for an excellent camping experience!

Have you ever taken a road trip around France?  As you all probably know, we do love our road trips and it’s the best way to explore the country.  Whether you have only a weekend or a week, consider driving over and staying at any of these small cool campsites in France.  Explore France and see what it has to offer … from beautiful views of lakes, rolling hills to staying at the bottom of Mont Blanc – and don’t forget the food!

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t have a great experience with camping when I was a child.  My memories include taking ages to pitch up the tent, feeling cold in my sleeping bag and it raining overnight usually resulting in wet groundsheets and anything left on the floor – which sometimes was me as I didn’t have a campbed!  It totally put me off camping for a long time and I would rather stay in comfortable hotels than stay outside.  But then Ian suggested we hop over to France and go camping, and I have to admit I was not entirely enthusiastic.  However, after our cool camping adventure, hands down I can say that you will have a fantastic experience as long as you take some time to pick some great kit. 

We bought a pop up blackout tent for 3 people – you really do need that extra room.  A super comfortable large air mattress, with a double sleeping bag, and inflatable pillows.  A windup lantern, a couple of comfortable folding chairs and cooking equipment – there’s nothing like a fried breakfast cooked outdoors in the countryside!

Our little road trip through France was 10 days which took us through Brittany, The Alps, Burgundy and Provence.  Drive along the small country roads and admire the countryside views and the rolling hills.  Even driving through France is a great experience, as there seems to be less traffic on the roads.  Just beware of tolls if you decide to take the major roads as they can really add up.

Typically, we didn’t book any camp sites in advance and thought we’d see where the journey takes us.  With each camp site, there are ‘glamping‘ options, however we went for the more adventurous route being close to nature!  Let’s share with you the 5 best small cool campsites in France which we stayed in during our trip .

Le Brévedent

Imagine staying on the grounds of Louis XVI hunting lodge with a 6 hectare wooded park.  The drive onto the grounds was something … we had never been to such a high class camp site.  Who would have thought you could stay here!  Choose a spot near the lake, where the surrounding trees are reflected off the water.  There’s also spots amongst the apple trees, if you prefer to be shaded from the sun.  This camp site was slightly busier compared to the other camp sites we stayed in and seemed pretty popular too.  I mean who wouldn’t want to stay here,  beautiful views to wake up to and really peaceful too.

Le Brévedent has been used for camping for four generations.  The Guerrey family often entertain the guests in the bar in the lodge and there are live sessions in front of the house.  Don’t worry, the live music doesn’t continue throughout the night.

It’s difficult to have a lie in, since you’ll be woken up by the wonderful aroma of fresh bread or the sweet smell of the pain au chocolat taken straight out of the oven.

On site facilities include:

• A restaurant offering home made pizzas and a take away service
• Shop
• Café open during the day
• Bar in the hunting lodge
• Laundry room (washing room and dryer)

The shower blocks and toilets are super clean.  There’s also plenty of hot water for the showers.

Places nearby to visit:

• Hire a bike and explore the villages in Pays D’Auge
• Stroll along the sandy beaches of Côte Fleurie
• Sample the local liqueur at the Calvados distilleries

Price: €10 – 23 for 2 people for a simple pitch

Open: Late March – Mid September (Low season – Late March to May; High season – 30th June to 1st September)

Address: 14130 Le Brévedent

Forest View

Forest view is located in the Perche Valley of Lower Normandy, between gorgeous views of the farmland and Forêt de Saussay – a lovely small camp site for those who seek tranquility and to recharge their batteries.  Pitch your tent either by the lake, with lakeside views or amidst the cider apple trees.  Just be careful the plop of the apples doesn’t wake you up in the morning!  We think the pitches around the 1.5 acre lake are definitely worth the views.

The site is small with only 25 spacious pitches …. it’s so quiet you don’t event notice the other campers.  Why not enjoy a quiet picnic underneath the apple trees or watch the sunset with a glass of wine in hand.  Enjoy a bottle of local cider and relax at the back of the farmhouse.

Facilities include:

• Separate male and female shower and toilet blocks
• Washing machine and hand wash sink
• Fresh water points dotted around the site, perfect for drinking
• On site restaurant (open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights)
• Take away pizzas available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights

Places nearby to visit:

• Hire a bike for the day and explore the valleys and hills in the Perche region.  Cycle along the Voie Verte and stop off in one of the villages for a quick bite to eat. (Price: €15  per bike).
• Pop into the village of Villeray and visit the restaurant in the old mill.

Price: €21.55 a night (minimum 2 night stay) for a lake view pitch

Open: All year

Address: L’Espérance, 61110 Dorceau

“Step into the Void” – The highest attraction in Europe! - Chamonix.net

Le Grand Champ

This was our favourite cool spot to camp at the foothills of the famous Mont Blanc.  Unzipping your tent in the morning and waking up to beautiful views of the mountain was incredible.  Here you’ll experience 360 panoramic views of the mountains being 1000m high up.  Everywhere you look, you’ll see the snow peak of the mountains and it’s so perfectly silent.  Breathe in the fresh mountain air and you’ll be sleeping like a baby!

Le Grand Champ offers pitches on soft green grass and each pitch is separated by trees and bushes, to ensure privacy.  There were a few campers on site but you couldn’t tell.  We felt as if we were the only ones there.  The camp site can accommodate up to 50 campers.  During the summer, enjoy the smell of fresh bread delivered daily to the camp site.

Facilities include:

• The shower and toilet block are rustic and clean, with hot water available 24 hours 
• Sinks and washbowl
• Free Wifi
• Washing machine
• Indoor picnic area
• Drinkable water points across the camp site
• Massages available e.g. acupressure, reflexology and soft osteopathy

Places nearby to visit:

• Visit the nearby ski slopes
• Take the cable car and enjoy the breathtaking views
• Visit Aiguille du Midi Skywalk and ‘Step into the Void‘ (a glass room with a glass floor, perched at the top of the 3482m peak).  A unique experience!
• Hop onto the red railway train which will take you high up into the mountain to the foot of the Mer de Glace glacier
• Hike the well maintained trails in The Valley or the famous alpine trek ‘Tour du Mont Blanc’ 

Price: €6-8 for a pitch, €5.20 per adult and €3.00 per child

Open: May to end of October

Address: 167 chemin du glacier de Taconnaz, Les Bossons, 74400 Chamonix 

La Fôret du Morvan

La Fôret du Morvan is located in Burgundy amongst 24 acres of meadow and forest.  This family run camp site offers 25 spacious pitches, spread out in the lush green fields with trees and hedges between each pitch.  All the pitches are south facing, which means a good amount of sunshine and beautiful views of the national park.

The site is very clean and has kept the rural character of the natural surroundings.  Although there isn’t a swimming pool, there are two spring fed swimming lakes, perfect to cool down during the Summer months.  The barn is also a live music and disco venue!  If you fancy testing out your singing skills, there’s also a karaoke machine.

The owners were ever so friendly when we arrived late in the evening … they even cooked us food for our dinner accompanied with a glass of wine!

Facilities include:

• Rustic toilet and showers in the barns
• Small shop selling essentials and fresh bread
• Plenty of activities to keep the kids entertained e.g. playground, table tennis
• Free Wifi

Places nearby to visit:

• Explore the Parc Naturel Régional du Morvan
• Try your hand at kayaking along the river Chalaux and Cure
• Hire a bike and cycle the nature reserve
• Discover the incredible landscape in a hot air balloon

Price: €13-25  a pitch for 2 people

Open: April to October

Address: 58370 Larochemillay

La Camassade

La Camassade is located in the 11th century medieval town, Tourrettes sur Loup – famous for the artists’ studios, chapels and violets.  The family run camp site is perfectly situated close to the coast and mountains, and of course the famous French Riviera.  The leafy oak and olive trees shade the well-spaced pitches from the peak sun.  So peaceful and the wind blowing softly through the rustled leaves is the only sound you’ll hear.  If you’re seeking tranquility, then this is definitely the place to be!

The site holds 40 pitches each at 90 sq.m, fairly spacious compared to some of the camp sites in the U.K.  We stayed at La Cammasade at the beginning of September and the weather was gorgeous with the sun beaming down.  Luckily the olive and oak trees kept us cool during the day.  Splash around in the swimming pool if you get too hot.  There’s also a small shop which sells homemade fresh bread and croissants daily.  I love the smell of fresh bread, don’t you?

Facilities include:

• Toilets and heated showers
• Swimming pool
• Launderette
• Grocery store
• Free Wifi

Places nearby to visit:

• Visit Cannes only 10 miles away.  Catch the film festival in May
• During winter, ski or snowboard down the ski slopes, which are only 45 minutes away
• Hike the Gorges du Loup where you’ll find spectacular views of the waterfalls and cliffs
• For the thrill seekers, view the beautiful countryside in the air by hang-gliding and paragliding at Les Courmettes and Gourdon
• Visit the world’s perfume capital, Grasse.  Why not take a tour of the perfumerie and museum

Price: €6.90 – 14.50 for a pitch; €4.75 – 6.85 per person, €4.10 per car

Open: All year

Address: 523 Route de Pie Lombard, 06140 Tourrettes-sur-Loup

Tips

1. The roads in France are usually quieter than the roads in the UK.  Motorists drive on the right and give priority to the vehicles on the left.
2. Once you have arrived at the camp site, choose a good spot to pitch your tent.  Preferably a site with some shade, since the tents can heat up in the sun.  Ideally you don’t want to be too close to the amenities, so you can enjoy the tranquillity of the countryside.
3. July and August are the busy times to go camping in France.  We stayed at these cool camp sites at the end of August to beginning of September and found them to be fairly quiet with plenty of pitches available when we arrived.  Try and avoid the French school holidays.
4. If you get lost, call the camp site and they will be happy to help and direct you to their camp site.
5. Just be aware of the speed limits in France; 50 kph in built up areas, 80 kph outside built up areas, 110 kph on dual carriageways, 130 kph on toll motorways.  You check the tolls and play for the tolls here.
6. Similar to the UK, the price of petrol is more expensive on the motorways.  Opt for filling your car in the towns.
7. The majority of camp sites will sell fresh bread and/or croissants daily.  Pop to the nearest market for your ingredients and cook your meal over your camp fire or stove.
8. Check with the campsite if there are water points suitable for drinking.
9. Remember to place your rubbish in the bins on site and don’t feed the wildlife.
10. Respect the countryside!

Getting There

There are numerous ways of heading over to France.  If like us you wish you take your car over, then book the Eurotunnel and drive onto the shuttle from Folkestone.  The journey from Folkestone to Calais is super quick and is only 35 minutes. 

Another route is to take a ferry across with your car.  There are a number of ferry companies to use, such as P&O Ferries, Brittany Ferries and SeaFrance Ferries.

Fly into France using one of the many airlines and hire a car once you’re over there. 

Camping Gear Essentials

• Tent
• Tent pegs
• Sleeping bag 
• Pillows
• Lantern
• Camping stove
• Airbed
• Chairs
• Camping cookware kit

Check out our favourites:

Have you found any cool camping spots in France? 

Comment below and let us know.

 

 

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