Discussion
I'm looking at the Loire next week with the camper, wife and 3 year old. As there may be other PHers who have camped in the area before, I wondered if anyone had any recommendations. I'm going for a fortnight so not sure how many bases it's good to make use of to see the area and get plenty from the holiday.
Domaine de la breche is one of them I've looked at
https://www.camping-castels.co.uk/mobile/en/campin...
https://www.camping-castels.co.uk/mobile/en/campin...
We have spent much time over the years in the Loire. (mainly in a two man tent and a sports car of some description (Mk1 MR2, VX220 and Smart Roadster). We now have two kids and an aircooled T25 camper which we are going to Normandy in the summer.
As mentioned the island campsite in Saumur is great and great location. All the main towns offer a lot and we have journeyed up/down the Loire visiting Nantes, Angers, Tours, Blois. We also enjoy going down the Vendee coast - St Jeans de Monts, La Tranche sur Mer, Ile de Re and Ile de Oleron.... these are a little further to travel to, but we have loved camping and travelling round that region.
I always made sure we drove down the Mulsanne straight and then turning right towards Arnage. Great fun - shame I have never been to the real event!!
Have fun, I won't make any particular campsite recommendations as we have not camped in France for over ten years and they may have changed a bit...
Mike
As mentioned the island campsite in Saumur is great and great location. All the main towns offer a lot and we have journeyed up/down the Loire visiting Nantes, Angers, Tours, Blois. We also enjoy going down the Vendee coast - St Jeans de Monts, La Tranche sur Mer, Ile de Re and Ile de Oleron.... these are a little further to travel to, but we have loved camping and travelling round that region.
I always made sure we drove down the Mulsanne straight and then turning right towards Arnage. Great fun - shame I have never been to the real event!!
Have fun, I won't make any particular campsite recommendations as we have not camped in France for over ten years and they may have changed a bit...
Mike
I can definitely +1 the recommendation for Il de Re and we also spent the summer before last in La Tranche sur Mer. Make sure you have a bike for Il de Re, it is easily the best way to get around the island especially as it is pan flat. La Tranche has much more going on as beach resort and you would certainly be able to keep a 3 year old entertained. The two are only an hour or so's drive apart you could always do both 
We stayed at Chateau des Marais on the way down in the Loire, it broke the journey up perfectly for me from Yorkshire to the Vendee
We stayed at Chateau des Marais on the way down in the Loire, it broke the journey up perfectly for me from Yorkshire to the VendeeChicken Chaser said:
Domaine de la breche is one of them I've looked at
https://www.camping-castels.co.uk/mobile/en/campin...
Hey OP.https://www.camping-castels.co.uk/mobile/en/campin...
We've stayed at this campsite for the last 3 summers, and are going again in August.
It's a fantastic family campsite and brilliant for kids with lots to do.
It's a short drive into Saumur (10 mins).
Saumur is fantastic, we love it. The whole region is brilliant.
We split our time and stay here on the way back (also part of the Les Castels group):
http://www.chateau-de-chanteloup.com/en/
Another fantastic site, although with less to do locally and less activities on site.
Have you decided where to stay?
Have a look at the Grand Saumur brochure, follow this link: http://www.ot-saumur.fr/LE-GRAND-SAUMUR-invitation...
Scroll down and there's a PDF brochure you can scroll through (if you had time you can get one sent in the post but you don't!).
Have a look at the Grand Saumur brochure, follow this link: http://www.ot-saumur.fr/LE-GRAND-SAUMUR-invitation...
Scroll down and there's a PDF brochure you can scroll through (if you had time you can get one sent in the post but you don't!).
Think we will stay at Domaine de la breche and then head for La Rochelle or one of the sites on the coast recommended above. I'm looking for somewhere to head towards for a few nights on the way back so that we are a bit closer to Zeebrugge. I was tempted with Normandy beaches (last year we did the Somme on the return from the Alps) but its still a bit of a trek back to Belgium and looks to be a slower route. I might have to just head back a bit further up Loire towards Orleans and accept a 4hr+ drive back.
shatter said:
I can definitely +1 the recommendation for Il de Re and we also spent the summer before last in La Tranche sur Mer. Make sure you have a bike for Il de Re, it is easily the best way to get around the island especially as it is pan flat. La Tranche has much more going on as beach resort and you would certainly be able to keep a 3 year old entertained. The two are only an hour or so's drive apart you could always do both We stayed at Chateau des Marais on the way down in the Loire, it broke the journey up perfectly for me from Yorkshire to the Vendee
Where did you stay at La Tranche Sur Mer? Looking at heading for the coast midway through the trip now and a recommendation would be great. We stayed at Chateau des Marais on the way down in the Loire, it broke the journey up perfectly for me from Yorkshire to the VendeeChicken Chaser said:
Where did you stay at La Tranche Sur Mer? Looking at heading for the coast midway through the trip now and a recommendation would be great.
We have stayed at Bel twice www.campingbel.com although we met some friends out there who stayed just down the road at www.camping-baiedaunis.com . Bel was a bit more spaced out but they were very similar in terms of faciliities, and both close enough that you could walk to the supermarket beach and the town in no time at all.If you're going in to Zeebrugge, don't ignore Belgium. We had a brilliant few days there early May, the beaches are fantastic, 77Km's of the best sandy beaches I've seen and the locals are really friendly and helpful At least have a look at Knokke, and then take the coast road south towards Calais. Plenty of places to stay and some really good campsites.
BTW, we're off in our motorhome tomorrow, the plan is Calais and turn right this time, we did the left turn last month. Will work our way to Brittany and probably the Loire valley, our fav wine is from Vouvray so we'll no doubt go back there for a few bottles. No plans where to go, really enjoy the wandering in our m/h.
BTW, we're off in our motorhome tomorrow, the plan is Calais and turn right this time, we did the left turn last month. Will work our way to Brittany and probably the Loire valley, our fav wine is from Vouvray so we'll no doubt go back there for a few bottles. No plans where to go, really enjoy the wandering in our m/h.
Edited by ColinM50 on Monday 12th June 22:11
Tada,made it to Saumur. 
As others said it is a lovely site. I'd guess half the campers here are Brits, 1/4 Dutch and the rest French and Germans so a heavy Brit population but so far really nice quiet folk. Somebody on an adjoining pitch put a pop radio station on yesterday late pm and got told very soon by Mum or dad to pop in the ear buds, so there's no noise or disturbance at all. We're off in a few minutes to get the little train which stops outside the site every ten past the hour to tour the town.
Journey yesterday from Mont St Michel was long but easy. Being a Sunday there's no trucks allowed on the road and little in the way of cars so a steady 63 all the way . It was a bit warm, 32 degrees and as we passed Le Mans at 14:00 I was tempted to do a detour but decided I didn't really want to see the scalextric cars going round and round.
Will report back impressions of the town later but so far it's pretty brill.
Do a Google image search for Saumur, you won't be disappointed.
As others said it is a lovely site. I'd guess half the campers here are Brits, 1/4 Dutch and the rest French and Germans so a heavy Brit population but so far really nice quiet folk. Somebody on an adjoining pitch put a pop radio station on yesterday late pm and got told very soon by Mum or dad to pop in the ear buds, so there's no noise or disturbance at all. We're off in a few minutes to get the little train which stops outside the site every ten past the hour to tour the town.
Journey yesterday from Mont St Michel was long but easy. Being a Sunday there's no trucks allowed on the road and little in the way of cars so a steady 63 all the way . It was a bit warm, 32 degrees and as we passed Le Mans at 14:00 I was tempted to do a detour but decided I didn't really want to see the scalextric cars going round and round.
Will report back impressions of the town later but so far it's pretty brill.
Do a Google image search for Saumur, you won't be disappointed.
We're staying at the site on the Island, Ile D'Offard. Really nice but two of the girls on reception seem to be sharing a brain cell - defo not the sharpest in the book.
Anywyay we're just back from a petit train journey round the town and up to the chateau. Takes about 40 mins and quite good trip. Train's driven by a Brit, he's been here fifteen years but giving up and going back to Whitchurch in Oct, says everything's too expensive and he can't make enough money so calling it a day/ Sign of the times eh?
Din't wander around town, it's 35-36 today so just too hot. Off to the pool. Tough eh
Anywyay we're just back from a petit train journey round the town and up to the chateau. Takes about 40 mins and quite good trip. Train's driven by a Brit, he's been here fifteen years but giving up and going back to Whitchurch in Oct, says everything's too expensive and he can't make enough money so calling it a day/ Sign of the times eh?
Din't wander around town, it's 35-36 today so just too hot. Off to the pool. Tough eh
Tada, we also made it to Saumur today, rattled past Le Mans around 4pm after an all day trip across from Zebrugge. No fun at 34 deg without air con though! We are stopping at Domaine de la breche which is a fair bit further out of town but has some good pools, nice restaurant and the site is nicely laid out. Looks like we are in for a few hot days. Plans to be busy look like they're out of the window.
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