With many UK holidaymakers watching the pennies, Jane Archer checks out four regions of France that are great for cheap camping breaks
As the credit crunch starts to bite into families’ holiday budgets, camping and mobile home holidays in France are becoming an appealing option.
According to Keycamp, this summer’s bookings have been buoyant as Brits seek out family holidays that don’t break the bank.
Marketing manager Dave McKenna said Keycamp’s mobile homes offer “menu-style” pricing, which allows clients to build a holiday that suits their wallet.
He said: “They can select lower-cost travel options such as Dover-Calais crossings, which are included in the price of the holiday, and choose various accommodation types, ranging from luxury tents to lavish mobile homes.”
Clients who want to go camping or take a mobile home holiday in France have a mind-boggling choice of regions and sites. Here’s our guide to the most popular places.
Brittany
It’s easy to get to and has plenty of sea and sand, and the sun does shine in a good year. Many campsites are beach-side, but most have great pools with water slides and plenty of on-site activities for those who don’t want to stray far.
Getting there: Brittany Ferries’ service from Plymouth to Roscoff goes straight into Brittany. St Malo, also served from Portsmouth, is an easy drive – just 122 miles from the port to Quimper, in the west of the region.
Sample product: Siblu has seven nights’ self-catering at Domaine de Kerlann, Brittany, from £578 for two adults and up to three children from October 25, including return ferry crossing from Portsmouth to St Malo.
Paris and the Ile de France
There’s only a small choice of campsites, but this is a low-cost way to visit Paris and grab a few thrills at Disneyland Paris Resort and Parc Asterix, both just outside the French capital.
Camping operators sell tickets to the theme parks, as does Disney, which has launched a just-for-Brits one-day Hopper ticket, offering 15% off the gate price.
Getting there: Le Havre, served from Portsmouth by LD Lines, is the nearest port to Paris – 124 miles. Clients can also travel with SeaFrance or P&O Ferries from Dover to Calais. Paris is about four hours’ drive from Calais.
Sample product: Keycamp has seven nights in a Villanova mobile home at Camping International, 20 minutes by train from Paris, from £550 for two adults and up to five children in May 2009, including return Dover-Calais ferry crossings.
The Vendée, western France
A favourite with the British for its sandy beaches and many campsites. Away from the beach, visit the marshlands of the Marais Poitevin, the beach resort of La Rochelle or the villages on the Ile d’Oléron. Spend a day in the Futuroscope theme park or Puy de Fou, an adventure park with Roman chariot racing and viking raids.
Getting there: Brittany Ferries’ Portsmouth-St Malo crossing brings clients closest to the region – about four hours’ drive. Caen and Cherbourg, from Portsmouth, are about six hours by car.
Sample product: Brittany Ferries has seven nights in a mobile home at St Jean de Monts in the Vendeé, from £658 for up to five people including return ferry travel on any Brittany Ferries’ crossing.
Aquitaine, southwest France
Clients can while away their days on the beach – but this is the Atlantic, so remember there are powerful waves and currents – or go horse riding or kayaking, or hire bikes and explore the surrounding areas.
The swanky French resorts of Biarritz and St-Jean-de-Luz make a good day out.
Getting there: St Malo, served from Portsmouth by Brittany Ferries, is a 10-hour drive. An overnight crossing from Plymouth to Santander in Spain brings clients three hours’ drive from the region.
Sample product: Thomson Al Fresco has seven nights at Le Vieux Port in Messanges, Aquitaine from £840 for two adults and up to five children at the end of August, including return ferry crossing from Portsmouth to St Malo.
Selling tips
Brittany Ferries holidays general manager Christiane Barker gives her top tips for selling holidays in France.
- Advise clients to book early – camping and mobile homes in France are very popular and fill up fast, especially in school holidays.
- Clients can save money by being flexible with their holiday dates and times of ferry crossings.
- Offer to book a hotel en route for clients, especially those with children, with a long drive between the port and campsite.
- Recommend clients choose a site near the Channel ports so they can cut down on fuel costs.
- Get a list of your clients’ interests so you can match a site to their requirements, whether that be windsurfing or wine tasting.
