Showing posts with label Best French Campsites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best French Campsites. Show all posts

Friday, 26 December 2014

The Dordogne Area of France - A British Favourite !

The Dordogne département is found within the Aquitaine region of the southwest corner of France. The region is often referred to as Périgord, a name used for the region before the French revolution. It is a lovely area to visit and there is much to see as well as just taking in the lovely countryside.

The rocks of the area are made of limestone, a relatively soft rock, and rivers have cut through the rocks leaving fantastic cliffs and vast systems of caves. Some of these caves have been found to contain prehistoric cave paintings. The area is famous for its cuisine, including truffles and foie gras and you will also find that duck and goose are a favourite in this region.
There are many chateaux to visit in the Dordogne. The Dordogne is just inland from Bordeaux, which is famous for its wine ! There is a famous dessert wine produced at Monbazilac, and cheap, drinkable reds are produced around Bergerac.
There are many places you may want to visit including the Lascaux caves, the Marqueyssac gardens, medieval Sarlat, Chateau Castelnaud, the prehistoric caves in the Vezere Valley and the Gouffre de Padirac caves.
If you are energetic, you may want to try canoeing the Dordogne. There are also lovely towns and villages to visit with the most popular being Bergerac, Brantome, Excideuil, La Roque-Gageac, Le Bugue, Riberac, Rocamadour and Sarlat.

Cave Paintings - The famous Lascaux caves The original Lascaux cave was closed to the public in 1968 to preserve it but a brilliant replica has been built 200 metres away. Everything has been reproduced as accurately as possible, including the temperature which is kept at 13 degrees C. The animals depicted in the paintings are mainly horses, deer and bulls. The caves are one of the most renowned archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. They were discovered in 1940 by teenagers when one of their dogs chased a rabbit into the caves.
A fantastic, realistic online version (the best thing I've seen on the internet so far!) of the caves can be viewed here : http://www.lascaux.culture.fr/#/fr/00.xml

Sarlat
Sarlat is the capital of Perigord Noir. It has 1,000 years of history in its buildings, with fine examples of medieval and renaissance buildings built in the yellow limestone with grey roofs that is typical of this region. Another fine example of architecture is the cathedral, which was erected in the reign of Henry IV.
There is an excellent market that takes place on Saturdays in Sarlat. It takes place in the "Place de la Liberte" marketplace which is surrounded by mediaeval buildings. The market stalls also stretch down the Rue de la Republique. The market stalls with their colourful canopies sell a selection of local produce including  foie gras, walnuts, wine, cheese, mushrooms, bread, pastries, herbs, spices, fruit and vegetables, sausages, cakes, biscuits, oils, vinegars, wine and, depending on the season, possibly even truffles!  The smells and tastes of the food make this a must on a visit to this area.  There is also a smaller market on Wednesdays, mostly in the area around the Place de la Liberte, and there is a covered market daily in the former Saint Marie church also on the Place de la Liberte. Sarlat has a Christmas market in December and in January or February there is also a truffle and foie gras market at the Place Boissarie on Saturdays mornings.

Rocamadour
It is well worth a visit to this fantastic village built on a hillside.
Bergerac
You can visit the old town of Bergerac with its 14th, 15th and 16th Century buildings.
Aquarium de Perigord Noir 
Europe's largest private aquarium with more than 30 separate aquariums displaying over 3,000 fish from all around the world.
Château de Castelnaud 
The most popular château in southern france. Built high on a hill in the 13th century it changed hands many times. The Château has been home to the Museum of Medieval Warfare since 1985 where you can view such things as siege equipment and trebuchets. Demonstrations of the trebuchet are sometimes given in the summer which should prove popular !  There is a magnificent view from the chateau over the Dordogne Valley.
Le Gouffre de Padirac 
The Gouffre de Padirac is a natural limestone cave. 103 metres down to the river - by lift or stairs - to the start of the tour. The visit lasts 1.5hrs and is 2km long
Restaurants shops and picnic area.
Le Gouffre de Proumeyssac
This is found to the south of Le Bugue, near the village of Audrix.  You can view the stalactites in this impressive cave as well as some interesting crystalline formations. It is in a spectacular position, high in a cliff, and can be accessed by a man-made tunnel.
Grotte de Pech-Merle
These caves include paintings of dappled horses and outlines of human hand prints from 25,000 BC.  Guided visits are given from Easter until October and numbers are restricted to 700 a day so its definitely advisable to book ahead during July and August. The guided visit lasts an hour and is done on foot. The access stair to the tour has 40 steps down and back up. The tour distance is around 400m, broken up by stops to view the panels and paintings. For more information about the caves please visit their website at : http://www.pechmerle.com/
Musée National de Préhistoire 
The National Museum of Prehistory which reflects ever expanding archeological research. It is the most important collection of items from the Paleolithic era in France.
Prehisto Park 
Theme park which traces the evolution of man from 1500BC. You can watch craftsmen using only the tools which would have been available at the time.
Le Thot - Espace Cro Magnon
Situated 7 km from Montignac this centre is a valuable first stop before visiting the numerous prehistoric sites in the Périgord. You can view animals here which are similar in appearance to the species which lived in the wild in this region during the Upper Paleolithic Age and which you are likely to see when viewing the art of that time in cave paintings. You will be able to see animals such as reindeer, the European bison, the aurochs, the Przewalski horses, the Tarpan horses, the ibex, the red deer and the fallow deer. There are also replicas of extinct species such as the mammoth and woolly rhinoceros. There are often activities to take part in such as art workshops and replica archaeological digs.
Quercyland 
This waterpark at Souillac has 6 pools and a variety of slides as well as mini golf, trampolines, pedal boats etc. and a restaurant. There is a high ropes course adjacent to the waterpark. For more information please visit their website in advance to plan your activities: http://www.copeyre.com/en/index 
The same website will also show canoe hire on the Dordogne River with Copeyre Canoë, who offer various options to canoe along the river. There are also details of a corn maze "The Labyrinth of the Hermit", 10 minutes from Sarlat.
Les Jardins de Marqueyssac 
The "hanging" gardens in the grounds of the Château de Marqueyssac are some of the best kept gardens in France. They were modelled on Italian gardens by Julien de Cerval who inherited the property in 1861. There are 6kms of walks and wonderful views. There is a candlelit walk which takes place in July and August on Thursday evenings.
Château de Milandes 
Old home of Josephine Baker the famous musical hall singer. Built 1489 in a wooded region between Castelnaud & Berbiguiéres. Falconry displays several times per day. Restaurant on site. Night flights to observe the chateau from the house's own captive hot air balloon.
Château de Hautefort 
One of the most prestigious châteaux in southwest france, classified as a historical monument. Built between 1630 and 1670. Surrounded by superb gardens.
Château de Monbazillac
Visit this chateau with its vineyard and its fantastic views over the Dordogne Valley.

For more information about Camping in the Dordogne : Go to Best French Campsites

Wednesday, 9 January 2013

Win Tickets to The Spring Caravan & Camping Show at the NEC

We at Best French Campsites offered a great new competition to help you start the New Year with a resolution to try something new and get into Camping !  Or if you are already a fan, you are sure to find something of interest at this fantastic show.

We had three winners of our competition, including Mr Brooks, Mr Doran and Mr Y. who each won a pair of tickets to The Spring Caravan & Camping Show at the NEC, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham in February. Well done to them and we hope you enjoy the show !  Let us know how you get on !
The Spring Caravan & Camping Show will welcome newcomers to camping, caravanning and motorhoming as well as existing enthusiasts looking to buy or browse all the latest 2013 models, leisure accessories, camping gear and to research new holiday destinations, attractions and service providers.

The show will feature the latest in new season tents, caravans and motorhomes, which are ideal if you are planning to camp in France, Europe or the UK this year.

The Show is supported by the industry's main manufacturers, brands and dealers, including ABI, Bailey, Coachman, Elddis, Lunar, Swift, Trigano, Auto-Trail, Chausson, Autosleepers, Willerby, Omar, Wessex Homes Group, Eterniti, Fifth Wheel, Carthago & Globecar, Frankia & Bavaria, Hobby, Rapido, Pilote, Vantage, Lowdhams, Chichester Caravans, Brownhills, Glossop Caravans, Raymond James and Wandahome South Cave to name but a few – full exhibitor list available on the Show website.

Both The Camping and Caravanning Club and The Caravan Club will be attending the Show and entertaining visitors with new initiative launches, expert towing and motorhome manoeuvring tuition and celebrity guests.

Newcomers to camping as well as families over the half term break will enjoy the four interactive feature areas which include a 'drop zone' climbing wall, campfire cookery, the UK's largest indoor kayaking pool, 'one to one with wildlife’ and 'rod and reel' angling pool. Each feature will benefit from a visit from a special celebrity guest throughout the Show week.

Advance tickets are now on sale and start at £7.00 for seniors (60 + years) and £8.00 for adults. Children under 16 years are admitted free of charge when accompanied by a paying adult. To book tickets visit the show website www.springcaravanandcampingshow.co.uk


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Saturday, 14 April 2012

Dont worry about missing this Summer of Sport while Camping in France !

If you are worried about missing the major televised International Sports Event this summer (25th July - 12th August) while you are on your French Camping holiday, then dont worry any more. The following campsites are just some of the ones which Keycamp and Eurocamp go to which will be catering for a summer of sport !

This is a selection of some of the campsites which Eurocamp and Keycamp go to and which will show the Event on Big Screen television :

Le Ranc Davaine (in Auvergne or Ardeche) ,
La Bugue (St Avit Loisirs) in the Dordogne,
Le Vieux Port in Gascony, Domaine de Chalain in the Jura , Club Farret, Domaine de Massereau and Les Sablons in Languedoc
Esterel on the Riviera
La Pointe St Gilles, Les Deux Fontaines and La Grande Métairie in Brittany

In addition, some of the children's clubs will offer a Mini Sports activities and some of the sites are even getting adults involved with the entertainments - so if sport is your thing you should have a fantastic summer !

Keycamp and Eurocamp are offering a two hour Fun Sports session per week as part of their Children's Clubs and these sesssions which will aim offer a combination of traditional events such as Javelin, Hammer, Discus, Shot, Long jump, Relay race and Short individual race as well as fun events as well such as bean bag races and obstacle courses.

For more details of all of this please check the Eurocamp and Keycamp websites :

          

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Friday, 11 November 2011

A Room with a View - or...a Caravan with a View or a Mobile Home with a View ?

Les Criques de Porteils, Collioure
When you book a camping holiday abroad it can be difficult to visualise exactly what view you are going to get from your mobile home, tent or caravan. You can arrive at your campsite and if you have booked with Keycamp or Eurocamp or similar companies often you end up following your rep - who is often on a bicycle ! - and you await with trepidation to find out which part of the campste you are going to spend the two weeks of your summer holiday !

However wiser travellers get booked up well in advance and if you want to guarantee that you will have a fantastic Sea View or Lake View from your holiday mobile home or caravan then this is entirely possible to do.

Eurocamp and Keycamp allow you to book certain zones in some of their campsites and some of these zones offer a view.

We can recommend one in France on the Mediterranean, one in Spain also on the Meditteranean and one on Lake Garda in Italy.
Les Criques de Porteils, Collioure
In France near the border with Spain you will find the small Les Criques de Porteils Campsite overlooking the Meditteranean Sea.

This site has numerous sea view plots to either take your own caravan or tent or you can book a mobile home with Eurocamp by clicking here.

Nestled on the rocky coves that typify this small corner of France, this terraced Castels parc has direct access to several small pebble beaches. Criques de Porteils is ideal for a quiet family holiday or couples seeking a cultural retreat from the hustle and bustle of the nearby resorts of Argelès Plage, which is a short drive away.

Read our review of this site on Best French Campsites at http://www.bestfrenchcampsites.com/campsites/collioure/lescriquesdeporteils.html.

Cala Gogo, Playa d'Aro, Costa Brava, Spain
Cala Gogo in Spain has a Beach Zone that is bookable. Eurocamp don't guarantee a view from every mobile home on the Beach Zone though but if you can manage to book one like the one photographed here then surely that is a dream holiday !

Click here to view the Cala Gogo campsite with Eurocamp
Camping Eden Lake Garda






In Italy you can visit the popular Lake Garda area and why not make sure you have a view of the Lake by booking one of the mobile homes with a view at Camping Eden on the Western side of the Lake. 






You can also read our review of this site at http://www.bestitaliancampsites.com/italiancampsites/campingeden/campingeden.html.



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Friday, 22 April 2011

Interesting French Camping Statistics from FFCC

Here are some interesting statistics from the Federation Francaise de Camping et de Caravanning (FFCC).
I may not have got my translation entirely right so if you want to check for me the original stats can be seen at http://www.ffcc.fr/53/html/campings/chiffres-cles.aspx

Camping is the No.1 type of holiday in France with the most numbers of "tourist beds"
French camping is the 2nd largest in the world after the United States.
France is the most popular place in Europe for camping.
People slept a total of 103 million nights in French campsites in 2009 (and increase of 4.2% over 2008)

There are 6 million French campers and 2 million foreign campers who come to France each year, with the majority being Dutch, Germans and British.

Camping in France employs more than 13 000 permanent employees in 10,430 campsites.

There are 83,051 mobile homes available for rental.

Campsites are currently graded in a star rating rather like hotels. Basic campsites, perhaps offered by a farm, might have for example just shower and washing facilities would have a 1 or 2 star rating, while if you stay in a four star campsite you might expect to find a restaurant, swimming pool, shop, tennis courts etc.
1 and 2 star campsites represent 40% of total emplacements but make up only 30% of nights, with their clientele being three quarters French.   3 and 4 star campsites make up 70% of nights and host 40% of tourists visiting France from elsewhere

The more basic campsites also tend to be smaller with 1 star campsites covering an average of 1.3 hectares while the 3 and 4 star campsites are larger, with the 4 star campsites covering an average of 5.5 hectares.

The number of emplacements in France has increased from 165,000 in 1960 to 900,000 sites late 1980.

Since 2005, camping has become very "trendy" or "chic" if we are to believe the media.

The FFCC believe that the popularity of camping has increased for a variety of reasons :
  • Economic reasons - its a low budget holiday,
  • Camping gets you closer to nature,
  • The excellent facilities offered on many campsites, and,
  • There are all sorts of varied new types of accommodations on campsites to satisfy the demands of consumers - so you can now find such things as kids' tree houses, gypsy caravans, log cabins and yurts on campsites.
A new system of classification of outdoor accommodation was launched on 1 July 2010 to replace the classification of 1993 which no longer reflected the quality of provision of campsites today.  Professionals have until July 22, 2012 to comply. Plans are to have a new grading of  "five stars" to keep up with some of the huge improvements seen on many campsites.

I hope you have found some of these statistics interesting !  I didn't realise camping was so popular in France !

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Monday, 21 February 2011

How to Change Stations in Paris

France has an excellent, fast train service, with the TGV "Trains a Grand Vitesse" (literally very fast trains !) which can take you from the North to the South of France in 3 hours in comfort. A definite alternative to air travel or taking your own car to your campsite for your camping holiday !

If you need to change trains in Paris then this website has some excellent information :
http://www.greentraveller.co.uk/blog/french-connections-how-change-stations-paris

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Wednesday, 1 December 2010

2 Great Christmas Present Ideas for Francophiles and Lovers of French Holidays !

Here are some great Calendars as Christmas present ideas for people who love France. There's the 365 Days in France Calendar 2011 which is a Picture-A-Day Wall Calendar with full colour photographs from all over France accompanied by some texts. And if you know someone who is interested in learning more about French language and culture then the French Daily Phrases & Culture Desk Calendar 2011 would be perfect with a whole year of different phrases, cultural comments and trivia for each day of the year !

             

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Monday, 22 November 2010

The France Show 2011

If you would like a "Taste of France" during the UK winter then why not visit The France Show at Earl's Court, London from 14th to 16th January 2011.

There will be exhibitors showing the best of French travel, holidays and food. And if you are thinking about buying Property in France you can find out more here.
http://www.thefranceshow.com/
 
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Sunday, 14 November 2010

Planning your 2011 Holiday ?

There's a good website looking at Brittany from the Brittany Tourist Board at http://www.brittanytourism.com/

And if you would like to enjoy a glass of French wine while you are browsing the tourist brochures for next year then have a look at http://www.frenchconnectionwines.com/

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Friday, 22 October 2010

Monday, 18 October 2010

Tour de France 2011

Why not plan your campsite this year so you can have a day watching the Tour de France ! We did this two years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the great carnival atmosphere surrounding it all. There is a parade beforehand -"the Caravane" which travels an hour ahead of the Tour and throws out various goodies to the crowds. All good fun. We nearly missed the actual cycltists in the end as they went whizzing past !
The tour this year starts in the Vendee on the Ile de Noirmoutier ! The cyclists will travel over the narrow causeway which should be a great spectacle. So why not camp this year in the Vendee or find out the route of the rest of the Tour !
http://www.letour.fr/2010/TDF/COURSE/us/grand_depart_2011.html#zone4

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Thursday, 30 September 2010

Some Interesting News from France !

Three interesting pieces of news !
Firstly, the not surprising news about a positive drug test for this year's Tour de France winner.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11441045

There were more protests against cuts yesterday across Europe : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11432579

and finally some thieves have stolen 30 tonnes of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from a vineyard ! I wonder if they will try to make them into wine ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11442633

(Picture of grapes by Stasi Albert from Stock Xchng photo site)

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Friday, 17 September 2010

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

September Sun Selection from Eurocamp

September holidays are becoming more popular for Eurocampers every year. It's a great time to get away. For exploring, excitement or escape, whatever your reason for getting away you'll find some great options in Eurocamp's September Sun Selection.

More details of this offer can be found here:

Link to Eurocamp

Don’t forget there are great savings to be made if you book your 2011 holiday or at least reserve it. You can make savings of up to 30% off next year’s holiday.

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