Boat Launch Campsites

Set amongst grapevines and fir trees, Camping l’Océan is only 600 metres from a beautiful sandy beach, while the village centre is also within walking distance. A warm welcome awaits you at the modern reception area which is well stocked with local information. Of the 532 pitches, 140 are for touring, all with 10A electric connections (Europlug) reasonably close, of a good size, separated by bushes (and in some cases vines) and with some mature trees providing shade. They are located in two main sections and you are largely unaware of the many mobile homes and tents, mostly for hire, on either side.

This attractive, high quality site, ideal for families with young children, is in a rural setting and well situated for exploring the less well known eastern part of the Loire Valley. Two lakes (one for boating, one for fishing) and a pool complex have been attractively landscaped in 18 hectares of former farmland, blending old and new with natural wooded areas and more open grassland with rural views. There are 245 large, level grass pitches with 120 for touring units. All have at least 10A electricity, 15 have water, waste water and 16A electricity, and some 30 have hardstanding. Eight have individual en-suite sanitary units beside the pitch.

A pleasant tree-lined approach road gives way to avenues of palms as you arrive at Torre del Sol. This large, well-designed site occupies a good position in southern Catalunya with direct access to a 800m. long soft sand beach.

Le Grand Large is a well-established, quality family site with direct access to a long sandy beach within 20 km. drive of Cherbourg. It is a neat site with about 120 touring pitches divided and separated by hedging, giving an orderly, well-laid-out, attractive appearance. Almost all have electricity (10A Europlug), water and drainage. There are 50 mobile homes to rent in three separate areas.

This site is now part of the Yelloh Village group, and standards on their sites are consistently high - Camping La Plage du Dramont is no exception. Check-in was efficient, and English was spoken; there is a large waiting area, and once you pass through the initial barrier, you will then be given directions to your pitch. There are 113 touring pitches, which have electric hook-up points available. These are generally open plan, under tree shade, but very dry and dusty due to the Mediterranean climate. 

Sitting on the terrace in front of the restaurant – a beautifully converted Catalan farmhouse dating from 1908 – it isn't easy to believe that in 1982, this was still a farm with few trees and known as Mas Roque (literally, Rock Farm). Since then, the imaginative planting of thousands of trees and gloriously colourful shrubs have made this large campsite most attractive. It has an impressive range of high-quality amenities and facilities open all year.

Camping Roche is situated in a pine forest near white sandy beaches in the lovely region of Andalucia. It is a clean, tidy and welcoming site. English is spoken but it's a good place to try out your Spanish, German or French as the staff are very helpful. A family site, it offers a variety of facilities including a sports area and swimming pools. The restaurant has good food and a pleasant outlook over the pool. Games are organised for children. An extension provides further pitches, a modern toilet block and a tennis court. There are 300 pitches which include 104 bungalows to rent. The touring pitches all have electricity (10A) and 76 also have water and wastewater. There is free WiFi across the site, but the connection can be unreliable. There are pleasant paths in the area for mountain biking and this is an ideal base for visiting the cities of Seville and Cádiz.

Alpenblick is an all-year site in a stunning setting, located at the heart of the Bernese Oberland just 100 metres from the beautiful Lake Thun. A Swiss chalet-style building houses the reception, shop and bar/restaurant that is very popular with campers and locals alike (try the ‘schnitzelbrot’ and dine on the terrace in good weather). There are around 100 touring pitches and a further 80 residential pitches. The touring pitches are mostly grassy and level, with moderate shade, and all have 10/16A electrical connections. Some good hardstanding pitches are available for motorhomes.

Yelloh! Village le Sérignan-Plage is a lively and vibrant Mediterranean site with direct access to a superb 600-metre sandy beach (including a naturist section). When you arrive at this site, the reception is very modern and efficient, and a map is printed to show you and direct you to your pitch. This is one of the largest sites I have visited, but as it is spread over such a large area, it does not feel like you are on a large commercial site. Touring pitches, number 293, are separated from an even larger area of mobile homes for rental. Pitches are generous and divided by low hedging and have direct access to the beach. There are approximately 571 mobile homes and chalets for rental, plus some privately owned units and a good number of tour operator pitches. 

This site lies within the Parque Natural Bahia de Las Dunas and is adjacent to the long and gently sloping golden sands of Puntilla beach. This is a pleasant and peaceful site (though very busy in August) with some 539 separate marked pitches, 260 for touring units, with much natural shade and ample electrical connections (10A). Motorhomes park in an area called the Oasis which is very pretty. Tent and caravan pitches, under mature trees, are terraced and separated by low walls. This is a spacious site with a tranquil setting and it is popular with people who wish to ‘winter over’. A 2 km. unshaded walk takes you into the bustling heart of Puerto Santa Maria.

De Roos is a family run site in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, truly a nature lovers’ campsite, immersed in an atmosphere of tranquillity. It is situated in Overijssel’s Vecht Valley, a unique region set in a river dune landscape on the River Vecht. The river and its tributary wind their way unhurriedly around and through this spacious campsite. It is a natural setting that the owners of De Roos have carefully preserved. The 275 pitches and necessary amenities have been blended into the landscape with great care. Pitches, most with electricity hook-up (6A Europlug), are naturally sited, some behind blackthorn thickets, in the shadow of an old oak or in a clearing scattered with wild flowers.

Camping la Ferme de Lann-Hoëdic is an attractively landscaped site with many flowering shrubs and trees. The 108 touring pitches, all with 10A electricity, are large and mostly level with mature trees which offer some shade. The 20 pitches with mobile homes are in a separate area. The working farm produces cereal crops and the summer months are an exciting time for children to see the harvest in progress. The owners go out of their way to make this a welcoming and happy place to stay. Located in the countryside on the Rhuys Peninsula, Golfe du Morbihan, it is an ideal base for cycling, walking and water-based activities.

Camping Détente et Clapotis is in the Rhône-Alpes, on the banks of the Lac de Paladru. The site has 212 grass pitches, of which 140 are for touring units and have a 6/10-amp hook-up point, and there are 32 chalets are available for hire. At the front of the campsite, the touring pitches are located. These are quite open, and most are in the sun, but the large open lawns mean you have great views of the lake and direct access to the water.

Le Champ Neuf is located in Saint Quentin-en-Tourmont on the Bay of the Somme. It is a quiet site, 900 m. from the ornithological reserve of Marquenterre, the favourite stop for thousands of migratory birds; birdwatchers will appreciate the dawn chorus and varied species. This eight-hectare site has 197 pitches, 79 for touring, on level grass with 6/10A electricity.

At Camping Porte des Vosges you are assured of a very warm welcome from the owner, Sylvie Drode. This spacious, clean and very well cared for site is situated in Lorraine, on the outskirts of the historic town of Bulgnéville and is just off the E21/A31 making it an ideal stopover as well as for longer holidays. The sloping site has trees and bushes which shade around 100 spacious touring pitches (70-150 sq.m) that are on gravel or grass and there are two equipped tents and a vintage caravan to rent. All the pitches have access to electricity (6A, Europlug) and water points are distributed throughout the site.

Domaine du Colombier is located between Cannes and Saint Tropez, alongside the main road 2 km. from the centre of Fréjus and 4.5 km. from the fine sandy beaches of Fréjus and Saint Raphaël. There are 18 touring pitches, ranging in size from 80-100 sq.m. and all with 16A electricity and 302 units of rental accommodation. Over recent years there has been much ongoing investment in high-quality facilities. An attractive heated pool complex (3,600 sq.m) includes a long river, paddling pool, waterslides, lagoon and whirlpool, all surrounded by sun loungers. Plenty of activities and excursions are arranged all season and the site caters principally for families.

Set in a secluded south-facing bay fringed by mountains, TAIGA Costa Cálida is a fairly large  site enjoying magnificent views and with direct access to a small sand and pebble beach. This part of Spain enjoys almost all-year-round sunshine.

Le Paradis is an excellent, well-maintained riverside site, halfway between Les Eyzies and Montignac in the Valley of the Vézère. The site is landscaped with a variety of mature shrubs and trees. The gardens are beautiful, which gives a wonderful sense of tranquillity. It is very easy to relax on this ecologically friendly site. Systems of reed filters enhance the efficient natural drainage.

Camping Larrouleta is an all year site located at the heart of the Basque country. The site has been developed around a 2.5 hectare lake which has a sandy beach and is ideal for fishing. On-site amenities include a swimming pool, covered in low season. There is also a bar/restaurant specialised in local cuisine and where occasional Basque folk evenings are held in high season. The 327 touring pitches are of a good size. Choose between the standard (80m²) with electricity (5A), or a number of ‘Grand Confort’ pitches are available (about 100m²) with 10A electricity, water and drainage.

Camping L’Orangerie de Lanniron is a beautiful and peaceful family site set in ten acres of a 17th-century, 38-hectare country estate on the banks of the Odet River, formerly the home of the Bishops of Quimper.