As part of a feature on camping breaks in France, Jane Archer writes about a recent stay at La Pointe St Gilles in Benodet
For me, there are three things to look for in a French campsite – a good location, with plenty of places to visit nearby, a good beach, in case the sun decides to shine, and a town within walking distance so you don’t have to cook each night.
That goes against the grain of a self-catering holiday, I know, but even mum needs time off now and then.
La Pointe St Gilles in Benodet, in southwestern Brittany, fitted the bill and it was one of the few places in Brittany where Keycamp had space when we booked.
Being fond of my creature comforts, accommodation is always a priority. When it comes to camping, this means a mobile home with enough bedrooms for all, so you don’t have to make a bed up in the lounge every night.
We had a Villanova midi with two bedrooms, a kitchen/lounge, a shower room and separate toilet. The walls are thin, but as I looked at the campers in a tent opposite getting drowned in the rain, it was much better than being under canvas.
Benodet is one of Keycamp’s medium sites – not too big, not too small, but with a kids’ club, tennis court, fair-sized swimming pool, and on-site cycle hire, shop and bar. It was disappointing to find that you had to pay for tennis – and it wasn’t cheap if you wanted to play daily.
Benodet town was a 20-minute walk along the sea front and had plenty of family-friendly restaurants that didn’t break the bank.
As the weather wasn’t on our side, we occupied our days with cliff walks, a boat ride along the River Oder to Quimper, the region’s big city, and kayaking inland.
Sample product: Keycamp has seven nights at La Pointe St Gilles, Benodet, from £494 for two adults and up to five children in a Classic Midi mobile home in May 2009, including return Dover-Calais ferry crossings.
