AFTER a summer of warm weather here in the UK, now is the time when thoughts start switching to planning a holiday abroad for next year.
And if you’re looking for an affordable break away – either as a couple or somewhere for whole family – then one of Eurocamp’s sites could be the one for you.
Eurocamp has 145 campsites across 11 countries on mainland Europe, so there are plenty of options to choose from.
Having holidayed on the west coast of France growing up, we chose Le Pin Parasol, a site on the banks of the Lac-du-Jaunay in Vendee and just a short drive from the coast.
After a quick drive down to Portsmouth, we took the overnight ferry crossing to St Malo. Waking up fresh the following morning – and despite neither of us having driven abroad before – it was a straightforward three-hour-ish drive down to Le Pin Parasol.
We were welcomed to France by temperatures of 39 degrees, so it was a relief to find three fans inside our Azure XL cabin.
The cabin itself was spacious, with a main bedroom and ensuite shower, two twin bedrooms with another shower, and a kitchen/living area.
The kitchen was well-equipped, with a fan oven and hobs, a dishwasher, and plenty of storage space for after our trips to the shop.
Outside, there’s a decking with chairs and tables under a canopy so you can make the most of the warm weather without worrying about getting burnt, along with sun loungers and a gas barbecue – which would definitely be getting plenty of use over the coming week.
Once the temperature had cooled down a little we went to explore the site.
There’s a small shop on site for the essentials, as well as a takeaway offering a wide range of pizzas amongst other things, and a bar at each pool at either end of the site.
The pool on the main site is ideal for families, with a splash park area suitable for younger children, a main pool, and multiple slides into two dedicated splash zones.
The bar here has an outdoor terrace where you can sit and unwind in the evening, with a wide range of cocktails – including a cocktail of the day added to the menu by the bar staff – which it would’ve been rude not to sample.
There’s also a well-stocked games room, where I quickly learnt I was pretty rusty at pool. Table tennis, table football and other arcade machines were also on offer to keep visitors entertained.
And the staff across the site were welcoming and extremely helpful, and were patient with us and my not-so-perfect French.
The campsite is cashless, however – with the exception of the games room – and you are encouraged to load money onto a wristband. But if you have a travel currency card, you can use that instead.
The Nature & Sens area at the other end of the park is part of the site’s leisure complex.
There, there are two pools which are open to everyone after midday – being private to those staying in that area of the park in the morning – as well as a restaurant and bar area. Due to the off-season hours, we weren’t able to make it to the restaurant, but after browsing the menu it is definitely on our list for next time.
The Nature & Sens area was where we spent most of our pool time, away from the noise and excitement of the main pool area. Does this make us boring? Maybe. But we were certainly glad for the cool waters when the temperature topped 40 degrees on our second day.
There’s also a gym – which, given the heat, I avoided – and a wellness and spa area.
Also in this area of the park is a smaller fishing lake, and if you carry on through the park, you come to the activities area. Here, there’s a huge play area for kids, as well as mini golf, volleyball courts, a football pitch, and even a BMX track.
Even during the off-peak season, there were plenty of activities on for children – including swimming, mini golf, pedal karting, arts and crafts, quizzes, and karaoke.
Being on banks of the Lac-du-Jaunay, there’s splendid views out across the lake, as well as the option to take a pedalo out onto the waters, and any keen anglers can try their luck fishing.
The site itself is around 15 to 20 minutes away from the town of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie – where you will find your nearest beach, and a selection of large stores – and of course this meant trying out different sweets, biscuits and crisps that we don’t have in the UK.
We spent a day exploring Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, browsing the shops in the quieter part of town before heading over the river to the busy main street.
To wind down after a busy day shopping, we took a walk along the beach. As you’d expect from this area in France, it was a flat, sandy beach which stretched on for miles, and would be perfect to spend the day relaxing at.
We decided to head for a day out at Puy du Fou, a historical theme park around an hour from our site.
The park explores different time periods in French history, with stunning live theatre performances from each period. It’s the perfect day out for any history nerd, and is also great entertainment for families.
When our week came to an end, there was still so much that we hadn’t had a chance to do, and that’s not even considering all the activities which are on offer for families.
Le Pin Parasol has safari tents from £330 per party, or cabins suitable for five people from £358 per party for seven nights in June – at the time of writing. As you’d expect, the price does rise in July and August the price does rise in July and August to around £1,200-£1,500 for seven nights, but there are still cheaper options to be had at the start of July and end of August.
You can find out more about Eurocamp, and what each site offers, by visiting eurocamp.co.uk.
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