Recommendations for Pyrenees/French campsites please

[CaliMo]

Hi everyone.

We are thinking of booking the ferry to Bilbao in the school holidays next summer, with a view to driving up through the Pyrenees and France back to the UK. Not sure of exact route yet but looking at approx 2-2.5 weeks total with two kids aged 9 and 6. We want to do some family freindly mountain biking and walking and wondered if anyone could recommend some sites for us please?

Thanks all, this will be our first big road trip in the van so want to make it a good one!

 

[rod_vw]

I don't know if you can manage being totally self sufficient but if you can there is a beautiful peaceful Aire adjacent to Lac de Payolle at 42.93767E , 0.29248N Google maps http://g.co/maps/sktq9 . There are no facilities at all on this Aire.
However there is a campsite a couple of Km NW of the above location.

There are lots of websites providing information on Camp Sites and Aires, here are a few...

http://www.i-campingcar.fr/accueil.htm
http://www.camping-municipal.org/index.htm
http://www.campercontact.com/en/

Rod

 

[Skylark2.0]

Don't underestimate how hot it could get. We went over to Ainsa one august and it was so hot we walked from 8 am to 11am and then had long lazy lunches in air conditioning until it cooled down.

 

[Gavinskii]

I can highly recommend https://www.camping-glaciers.ch/en/

Met up with my bro-in-law and his young family for 3 days on our way back from Croatia in the Summer

Edit - doh didn't read post properly.....but if you get to the Alps, this is a cracker

 

[briwy]

If you can go and see the Ordesa valley, it's like a baby Grand Canyon. Stay at Torla and either walk up the canyon bottom or along one of the edges.
Back down to Ainsa and then through the Bielsa Tunnel into France (very good cheap wine in the supermarket before the tunnel). A must is Gavarnie and over the Col de Tourmalet. Take the cable car up to the Mid and the observatory. Up to Cauterets and the Pont d'Espange.
Can't really help with specific sites but the Pyrenees on the French side is full of them. Plenty with pools if that's what you want.
Pretty much wherever you go in the Pyrenees is great. But then again I'm biased.

 

[leightonjthomas]

Camping Lac D'estaing - wonderful location for walking and cycling. See avatar photo.

 

[Loz]

If you can go and see the Ordesa valley, it's like a baby Grand Canyon. Stay at Torla and either walk up the canyon bottom or along one of the edges.

We went canyoning there and drove across the river at the abandoned village at Ainsa.. Awesome area.

 

[The Blue Merle]

Hi

You should check out Espot that is in the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, its gorgeous there.
There's a few campsites in the village and you can go up the mountain in a landrover defender if you don't fancy the 2hr hike up
I was there in July it was in the high 30s, but don't forget the Tour de France is on if you go around then so campsites can be busy.

 

[Kevin&Becci]

Hi everyone.

We are thinking of booking the ferry to Bilbao in the school holidays next summer, with a view to driving up through the Pyrenees and France back to the UK. Not sure of exact route yet but looking at approx 2-2.5 weeks total with two kids aged 9 and 6. We want to do some family freindly mountain biking and walking and wondered if anyone could recommend some sites for us please?

Thanks all, this will be our first big road trip in the van so want to make it a good one!

Hi, we are intending to do the same trip. I just searched forum and saw this thread. We are hoping to get the Bilbao ferry July and the return via euro tunnel end of August. So far we have booked final week in Britanny and a week in Loire Valley before that. We are now looking where we would go at the start of the trip. Thanks to all those that have made suggestions here. Sounds like it will be hot which may be a struggle with our 7 and 4 year old children.

 

[bigmac77]

Hi, we are intending to do the same trip. I just searched forum and saw this thread. We are hoping to get the Bilbao ferry July and the return via euro tunnel end of August. So far we have booked final week in Britanny and a week in Loire Valley before that. We are now looking where we would go at the start of the trip. Thanks to all those that have made suggestions here. Sounds like it will be hot which may be a struggle with our 7 and 4 year old children.

We found that if the weather is hot the inside of the Cali can be sweltering especially with 4 sleeping inside. Opening all vents to get some air flowing really helps but if there is no wind then it doesn't make much difference in these situations we used a couple of USB fans plugged into the Cali's 12v power supply these really helped. We also tried to stick to the coast as we headed further south in France.

 

[CaliMo]

Thank you so much to everyone's recommendations so far, some amazing looking places to visit! We have booked the ferry so we are on our way! Got a cabin overnight from Portsmouth - Santander, eye wateringling expensive but it will be an adventure, especially for the kids! Can't wait, now to plan the route and campsites!

 

[Leffeblonde]

We are doing the same thing, via Bilbao in September and returning via Northern France; so thanks for the post! Obviously a popular trip. We have booked our Spain Ferry but not the return yet as several options and may decide to avoid Calais. Heading for St Vincente, Ordesa, Col Du Tourmalet etc.

 

[briwy]

We are doing the same thing, via Bilbao in September and returning via Northern France; so thanks for the post! Obviously a popular trip. We have booked our Spain Ferry but not the return yet as several options and may decide to avoid Calais. Heading for St Vincente, Ordesa, Col Du Tourmalet etc.

If you are going over Tourmalet you will pass through Luz. Go up the valley to Gavarnie and walk up to the waterfall. Absolutely stunning place. Also from just outside the village take the road up towards the ski area and park up at the end. Half hours walk to the Spanish border along the old road. Incredible geology in the rocks up there.

 

[Leffeblonde]

If you are going over Tourmalet you will pass through Luz. Go up the valley to Gavarnie and walk up to the waterfall. Absolutely stunning place. Also from just outside the village take the road up towards the ski area and park up at the end. Half hours walk to the Spanish border along the old road. Incredible geology in the rocks up there.

Excellent. Thanks for the tips.

 

[MrP]

I can highly recommend https://www.camping-glaciers.ch/en/

Met up with my bro-in-law and his young family for 3 days on our way back from Croatia in the Summer

Edit - doh didn't read post properly.....but if you get to the Alps, this is a cracker

View attachment 18029 View attachment 18030

Hi Gavinskii, noticed you and other Cali both have toppers on. Do they work at helping to keep the heat out of the roof?