Campsites near La Rochelle

[Calisand]

My wife and I are heading off to France in a couple of weeks and want to spend a few days in the Vendee region near La Rochelle. Our main priorities are good toilet/shower facilities, and if possible either, on site restaurant, or within walking distance nearby. If it’s also walking distance to beach and or small town that would be great. We’ve got the ACSI guide but would much prefer recommendations from the good folk on this forum.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[bigmac77]

Are you interested in crossing over to Il de Re? If so Camping Les Varennes near Bois Plage and Camp du Soleil near Ars both accept the ACSI discount card. Both are nice but Les Varennes is the nicest.

 

[Calisand]

Are you interested in crossing over to Il de Re? If so Camping Les Varennes near Bois Plage and Camp du Soleil near Ars both accept the ACSI discount card. Both are nice but Les Varennes is the nicest.

Thanks bigmac 77. Just had a look at this site and it looks great. Never been to Ile De Re but heard very good reports so we will give this site a try. We haven’t booked any sites but have chosen sites near Honfleur, Angers and now Ile de Re. This is our first time abroad in Cali and the first time we’ve aver been brave enough just to book crossing with no accommodation booked in advance. Hope we don’t regret our bravery/foolishness!!

 

[westfalia]

Hope we don’t regret our bravery/foolishness!!

Not at all. This time of year you can always find
somewhere good to stay.

 

[Calisand]

Not at all. This time of year you can always find
somewhere good to stay.

Thanks Westfalia - that’s reassuring.

 

[Bellcrew]

Thanks bigmac 77. Just had a look at this site and it looks great. Never been to Ile De Re but heard very good reports so we will give this site a try. We haven’t booked any sites but have chosen sites near Honfleur, Angers and now Ile de Re. This is our first time abroad in Cali and the first time we’ve aver been brave enough just to book crossing with no accommodation booked in advance. Hope we don’t regret our bravery/foolishness!!

Get the French ACSI app on your phone, any site with a rating of near 8 or above we have found to be excellent and of course under 21 euro a night including electricity.

 

[Bramco]

This time of year you can always find
somewhere good to stay.

We've been here a week, no prior bookings, have found acsi sites but there are others. Currently in Camaret-sur-mer. Will move on to Chatelin tomorrow before heading into Finisterre and the down towards Ille de Rei.

There's been plenty of space in all the sites we've been in and they're not really worried if you stay a day or a week. We generally say we'll stay a couple of days and either stay if we like it or move on if we don't.

One thing you'll find is that most if not all the camp site restaurants are shut now and a lot of the bars too, so you might want to find sites close to towns of villages. Having said that on the north coast west of Roscoff there wasn't a lot even if it had been high season!

Mind you the beaches are superb as well as the coastal paths. So plenty of baguette, cheese, rillettes etc and wine evenings .

We'd add some photos but you'd all be coming here and spoiling it!!!

 

[westfalia]

We'd add some photos but you'd all be coming here and spoiling it!!!

I like that.

 

[altvic]

Are you interested in crossing over to Il de Re? If so Camping Les Varennes near Bois Plage and Camp du Soleil near Ars both accept the ACSI discount card. Both are nice but Les Varennes is the nicest.

Intended to spend a day or two at Camp du Soleil in town of Ars en Re in June this year but site was so nice, and town / area equally so, we ended up staying eight days. Site very clean. Take bkes (or rent) as brilliant cycling area all on flat.
You have to pay to get on the Island over the bridge but free back. We got a local bus (5 euro) at the end of the road and spent the day in La Rochelle and had a great day out.

 

[2haw]

I'd really recommend a trip to Puy du Fou on the way down, amazing place and you can camp overnight in their campervan carpark for €9.

Also we stayed here on the way back which was a perfect stop over place. Open all year and run by a English couple. We turned up last Friday at 10pm and they still had a few pitches.

 

[bigmac77]

Thanks bigmac 77. Just had a look at this site and it looks great. Never been to Ile De Re but heard very good reports so we will give this site a try. We haven’t booked any sites but have chosen sites near Honfleur, Angers and now Ile de Re. This is our first time abroad in Cali and the first time we’ve aver been brave enough just to book crossing with no accommodation booked in advance. Hope we don’t regret our bravery/foolishness!!

Not foolish at all, you’ll have no problems we are stuck with the school holidays for our euro trips and we don’t book much, there is always another campsite.

 

[Aidy P]

We’ve just had three nights at Camp Du Soleil in Ars en Re too. We got the last pitch as the empty nesters are now out in force now most kids are back at school. It was still hitting 28’C. Lovely site. Cheap bike hire. Avoid the pastries in the morning though unless they’ve learnt how to not burn them.

Great little seaside cafe at the end of the road and L’Ocean near the church was also a good place to eat. Mmmm Roquefort Moules

 

[bigmac77]

I can recommend La Boulang'Ré which is by the church in Ars for pastries and bread. Delicious

 

[Brian’s Dad]

I'd definitely recommend Ile de re. We stopped there on the way back to Roscoff. (there is a toll fee for the island). We only spent 24hrs there and loved it. Lots of beaches easy cycling. We went to St Martin de Re. It's v pretty town lots of restaurants around a harbour. The town beach is walking distance, there are better ones further away. We stayed in the Town campsite which sits within the town walls. It's got good facilities, plot size is limited being a town site, but I'd guess it's getting quiet now.

 

[B J G]

Stopped at Camping Au Port-Punay last year. ACSI ID 1606. Dutch owners. Food good and just off village centre which was being rebuilt then with numerous catering outlets. Coastal path/cycleway up to La Rochelle.
Closes 23/9.
Clean site, usual toilets with no seat. Access at end of a village street which goes against your driving instincts.

 

[Frank L]

Stayed at Camping Les Varennes on Ile de Re both last year and this year. Loved the site. Nearby beach is good, town close enough to walk and has great market with food hall. Cycled to Le Phare (lighthouse), flat country, cycle route off road for most part, fun and scenic - recommended!

 

[Calisand]

A huge thanks to Bigmac 77 and others who recommended Ile de Re and camping Les Varennes. After spending a couple of great days in Honfleur at Camping Catiniere, we travelled to Camping Les Varennes with the intention of spending 3 days there. A day after arriving we asked if we could extend our stay to 1 week. The site is so brilliantly located, clean, friendly and for us, just the right size. We spent a glorious week walking into St. Martin, La Flotte, La Couarde (a marvellous 3 mile walk each way along the beach) and enjoying long lazy lunches to reward ourselves for the walks. We also cycled to Ars en Re (about 10 miles each way - again with a nice lunch stop).

From there we travelled to Saumur staying at Camping Ile D’Offard which again is another lovely site with an easy walk into Saumur.

We didn’t book any site in advance merely turning up mid afternoon.

This was our first adventure abroad in our Cali and the longest we’d spent living in her. Throughout she was faultless and we had the most wonderful 12 days. Already planning the next trip and only got home 2 hours ago.

Many thanks to all who responded to my original post - your replies gave us the confidence just to book the shuttle and go!

It worked out brilliantly so thanks once again.

 

[bigmac77]

Excellent, are you planning the next trip?

 

[Calisand]

Next overseas trip we are looking at Switzerland & Austria probably May/June next year.

Also looking at Holland, Norway/Denmark for September.

During winter 2018/2019 it will be 2-3 days at a time in UK as there are so many wonderful places we’ve yet to visit. We’ve bought the ‘winter essentials’ so hopefully can enjoy what ever the weather.