Camping Les Brunelles - Longeville Sur Mer

[Adria542Chick]

Hi
We are thinking of staying at Camping Les Brunelles at Longeville Sur Mer in August next year.
It will be our first trip abroad with the caravan, and any advice would be much appreciated with regards to the campsite and the surrounding area. In particular for anyone that has stayed there, what are the toilet blocks like and is it safe for children.
I do believe this is a favourite of Deli Dave, and know that he has posted something about the campsite a while back when the old forum was in place. I have searced through and have not managed to find any posts. Sorry Dave if I have got this wrong

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated with regards to the campsite, area and first time in france.
Thank you
Sam

 

[DerekBrad]

Sam,
Sorry for the tardy reply, but we stayed there for two weeks in June (a pair of old fogies) and found the site to be well kept, clean and well run by helpful staff. Toilets etc were immaculate being quite new.On some nights there was noise from the entertainment but we accepted this as the park is ideal for families. Superb pool complex which was alive with children having the time of their lives from 10 am to 7 pm!! Everything you need in fact and plenty of places to visit in easy reach. About 256 miles from Ouistreham (Caen) and easy drive via. Rennes and Nantes. Anything further I can help with, just post.
Regards
Derek

 

[Adria542Chick]

Hi Derek
Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post, it is always nice to speak to someone who can give you first hand experience off a site. It will be our first time abroad with the caravan next year, so am a little anxious and very excited at the same time. Just one question please, if you do not mind answering it for me, what is the security like on the campsite and is it safe for the children to ride their bikes around the campsite. I have read some scary things about security in France and on campsites, I have actually posted a neurotic post on the Oversea forum

Thank you for all your advice, it is much appreciated.
Sam

 

[DerekBrad]

Hello Sam,
We felt that the site was secure,although there didn't seem to be locked gates at night etc (we've never seen these in France anyway). I would say though, that the site was child friendly and there were kids with bikes around. I wouldn't get too het up about safety etc or you will not be relaxed enough to enjoy the holiday!. My daughter and family (3 kids with bikes) go to La Garangeoire about 20-ish miles North of Les Brunelles which they really love (last 3 years) but you would need to book really early to get in. If you have any concerns about Les Brunelles, just E Mail the staff there and you will find them to be very helpful. If you need any more info just post.
Regards
Derek

 

[Adria542Chick]

Thank you Derek.
We are going to get the Dover to Calais ferry crossing, just to keep the cost down and would like a stopover half way down.
Looking at the map, are we best to follow the route to Rennes and then down to Nantes etc. Where would you recommend that we stop half way. I think it will be a long drive with 3 children, so we will definitely need a stop somehwere along the way.
Thank you once again Derek, I really appreciate all your help.
kindest regards
Sam

 

[DerekBrad]

Hello again Sam,
Sorry, I cannot recommend stopovers on the route from Calais as we always use the Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistreham) route. I'm not too sure of the mileage involved so cannot think where would be a reasonable halfway stop. There's sure to be plenty of places and most towns have a perfectly adequate municipal site. If you can get hold of a Caravan Club continental site directory you would be able to find a suitable site.Hope you all have a good trip. Safe caravanning!
Regards
Derek

 

[Adria542Chick]

Thank you Derek

 

[LesleyRussell]

I would aim for Camping Halliotis just off the motorway past Avranches. Very good clean site with large grassy pitches. Directly opposite is a Carrefour when you can stock up on shopping and fuel.

 

[DeliDave_]

Hi Sam,
Sorry didnt see this post ,your quite right we love the site,great for kids its safe good play areas nice take away,the pool complex is brilliant better than most hotels with slides for children separate from adultsindoor pool.We go in June/July with camping cheques but well worth the money.The grass is a bit sparse at times but so are most French sites in summer.We stopped at Pontorson
http://www.camping-haliotis-mont-saint-michel.com/english-version-camping-haliotis-mont-saint-michel.html which was a very good site,unusually didnt have a dinner break so when we arrived sorted and pitched at 1.30 in the afternoon,we could also travel on the tollfree roads which saved a lot of cash and stress,the Nroads were surprisingly very relaxing and easy to use .We have done it in a long day from the tunnel but it is hard work and with young children its not really practical.Pontorson are used to overnighters,we are looking to travel on Friday next year ,stay over weeken and get to Les Brunelles on Monday,do the same returning.
If you need any more info,am happy for mods to pass on my email.
Best wishes
Dave & Linda

 

[Adria542Chick]

Yay Dave!!!!
I knew it wasn't me going mad and that you had been there.
Thank you for the advice, we are really looking forward to going next year. Unfortunately, because we are going in August they only allow you to arrive and depart on a Sunday. We are going to get the ferry on the Saturday, overnight en-route and arrive early afternoon. We have 3 children ages 7, 9 and 14 so was looking for a site with something for all of them. It looks great, just hope the weather will be nice. What route do you take from Calais, do you go to Rennes and travel down from there? Any advice on the best route would be much appreciated
kindest regards.
Sam

 

[Adria542Chick]

Thank you Lesley for taking the time to reply, I will have a look at the site.
kind regards
Sam

 

[DeliDave_]

I have got my routes with and without tolls,I'll dig them out tomorrow and post,can't see you going wrong although I'm sure it will be busy,you would be very unlucky not to get good weather in August Camping Haliotis were letting large rigs stay in their carpark they are well set up for overnighters,there was a converted artic there in July with a set of steps into the trailer.
You have certainly got a good memory
Best wishes to you
Dave

 

[DeliDave_]

Hopefully us at Pontorson

I'll have another go tomorrow :-(

 

[Adria542Chick]

Thank you Dave, you are a star.
Unfortunately, the photos didn't come out but I looked at the campsite and it looks exactly what we are looking for.
They even have pitches with their own bathrooms ....... wow!!!
Thank you ever so much for taking the time to reply.
kindest regards
Sam

 

[DeliDave_]

Haliotis Pontorson

Les Brunelles

I couldn't find the exact route but we went through Rouen,Caen to Pontorson,running more or less parallel to the motorways,just set satnav to no motorways but I understand much of it is toll free anyway,when we went in a long day we used the A28,A10 A83 and the tolls were extortionate.From Pontorson was quite easy,only about 200 miles,about 5 hours.

Val A I think it is ,seems quite expert and will probably know a better route,we chose Rouen as we know our way through and my wife hates high bridges.

If you use the postcode to find les brunelles it doesnt work well as it is quite a bit past Longueville,it is off th D21 near La Raisiniere.

You are quite right about the bathrooms at Haliotis,they are very swish and great to get the kids ready quick,constant hot water and two basins in the one we looked in,it also has a nice bar by the pool.

If you decide to go I think you and the kids will love it

Best wishes

Dave

 

[Adria542Chick]

Thank you so much Dave, it is really kind of you to post all this information.
It is much appreciated. We are just waiting for the 2011 bookings to go live on the Les Brunelles website which I believe is going to be the end of October and we will booking. I can't wait, it all looks fantastic.
Thank you ever so much once again.
Sam

 

[Richard_Willis]

Sam,
Sorry for not repsponding sooner to your post but we have been to Les Brunelles twice in the last three years. We have been the last week in June and 1st week in July as they accept camping cheques which really does make the campsite a bargain.
I can highly recommend the site both for the facilities on site and the surrounding area. Our children are younger then yours but the pool complex is the best I have been to on any campsite. I can't speak for high season but the site has always been spotlessly clean with helpful staff.
When we have stayed the campsite has mainly had french and dutch people staying on it with only a few english unlike some of the other large campsites in France which sometimes feel more like England than France
If you have bikes I would recommend taking them as the surrounding area has some fantastic traffic free routes through the forest and the dunes, south to La Tranche Sur Mer and north to Jard Sur Mer.
We have done the journey to Les Brunelles from Calais and also from St Malo. We made two stopovers on the way from Calais, one by the Pont du Normandie and the other in the Loire Valley and we took both days quite leisurely so can't really comment on the best route with one stopover.
I am not sure if they will allocate you a pitch in August but the two times we have been we have been given a list of empty pitches and told to choose one, they do vary in size and some of the access on to them are quite tight
If you want any more info then just ask
Regards
Richard

 

[Adria542Chick]

Thank you for taking the time to reply Richard.
kind regards
Sam