I am writing this as we drive home from Dover following a few days at Eurocamp Paris in the Picardie region of France. 

Eurocamp has Parcs across Europe with lots in France but also some in Portugal, Croatia and Germany to name a few. They vary in terms of size, how close they are to the beach or a city and how busy they are in terms of activities on the parc so there’s plenty to choose from.

We plumped for La Croix Du Vieux Pont as it wasn’t too long a drive (2.5 hrs from Calais)  and given that we only had 5 nights wanted to make the most of our downtime.

The fact that it was close enough to Paris for a day trip was a big draw too. We considered a day trip to Disneyland Paris too which is less than 90 minutes away and would have been 100% doable but as we’ve been before decided we wanted to make the most of our time at the parc itself this time around.

We got the ferry from Dover to Calais and frankly the queues and the delays were a real pain. Having driven to The Alps in February half term Le Shuttle was an absolute breeze- really quick, slick and efficient (if lacking in views) so if we were to go again that’s the route we’d take. If you are going for the ferry, ideally try and go a day before the school holiday madness kicks off because boarder waits were significant.

For longer crossings though we would absolutely recommend the ferry. You can find out more about this at Direct Ferries which- if you have a child that doesn’t like flying (us) or you’re trying to cut down on the carbon footprint (I say this is us but it’s mainly a!!) it has a huge amount of info to help you plan.

Arriving at the site very late due to the delays in Dover made it really difficult to find our accommodation- we were lucky reception was still open but we were directed to the wrong pitch, signage wasn’t great and the map reception provided was teeny. Eventually we pulled up (having actually had to knock on someone’s door for directions) and remembered that you have to make your own beds!! A blow after a long day! 

Sunday however was a gorgeous day and after a good nights sleep and some delicious pastries from the shop we got our bearings around the Parc. 

La Croix du Vieux Pont is a gorgeous, large and well established parc which feels really spacious and mature. The pitches are well screened but as the season was not yet in full swing there was a bit of building and maintenance going on – lawns needing cutting and bushes needing tidying etc.

There is a great choice of accommodation options from pitching your own tent or parking your camper to Safari tents which are around £250 for a weeks stay, Mobile homes which we had all the way up to the Ultimate Premium holiday homes which cost £1600 for a week during the May half term (this accommodation level does have TV’s).

We stayed in a comfort XL Mobile Home which says it sleeps between 6-8. However, if there had been 8 or even 6 of us it would have been a real squeeze to be honest, particularly if the weather is questionable. 

It isn’t necessarily the sleeping, more the living and eating space as well as storage of belongings, drying of towels, swim stuff etc- you know what I mean. We unpacked and put cases, bags etc back in the car but when it was raining and we needed to hang up towels and cozzies we were struggling.

The sense I get with Eurocamp both from this holiday and a previous one in Domaine des Ormes (another fabulous family parc in Brittany) is that the aim is to encourage you to live life outside embracing BBQ life and time around the parc. This is a big draw for me- I love time outside enjoying the long evenings and without the option of TV and screens and this is a brilliant plan, but when the weather isn’t playing ball, space for people to lounge and read, play games etc and not get under other peoples feet is useful VITAL for maintaining civil relationships so make your selection wisely – an outside space with awning is a must.

We spent much of our time at the pool complex which is a real draw of the site; it has a large indoor pool with retractable roof so usable whatever the weather and a lovely outside pool which we loved even in the rain- when you’re wet you’re wet right?! There is plenty of outdoor seating around the pool as well as outside the bar and restaurant so if you have older children you can sit upstairs with a beer, a book or both and watch the action without getting drenched!!

We opted for family all pool madness because at 11 and 12 I have no idea how much longer the girls will be happy to be seen being silly with us so we soaked it up while we could and LOVED IT!

The pool bar is the area which hosts the discos, karaoke, bingo etc and is also home to an arcade which is great for teens and tweens as there is enough separation from the parents whilst knowing where they are if needed (mainly for more change for the air hockey!) The bar loans games if you’ve not brought your own and they have a good selection. We enjoyed Tension but there’s lots to choose from.

On Monday we spent the day in Paris. We drove to Compiegne station for the 07.59 direct train to Gare du Nord, a 45 minute journey. Trains go regularly throughout the day and it is well worth having a day off the parc to experience the capital.

The parc also offer a shuttle bus to Disneyland Paris in peak season but it is easily drivable (around 90 mins and parking for the day is around 30 Euros but we opted against this having been before when the girls were younger. 

The weather for our day in Paris was great but the remainder of the break was pretty damp and overcast. Northern France in May is not going to offer guaranteed sunshine 24/7 so pack accordingly and remember to select accommodation with a covered decking or outside space – it will either shield you from the sun or rain; either way it is a plus!

Emma has written a brilliant packing list for a camping or Eurocamp holiday – take heed of this. The accommodation is not as well stocked as an air bnb or even a Haven so remember your loo roll and kitchen equipment- your enjoyment whilst you’re there will directly correlate to your planning and packing before you go. 

We ate out at one of the Parc restaurants which was lovely- great food and drink choices, lovely staff and reasonable prices. Bethan tried snails and the waitress patiently showed us how to free them from the shells- she made it look far easier than we did!!

There is also a take away on site as well as a small supermarket with a much larger ALDI and Intermarche, about 10 minutes away if you do forget anything or want to leave the shopping until you arrive. We generally got pastries from the shop for a late breakfast, an ice cream and drink in the afternoon and ate in the mobile home for dinner which worked well for us and meant things weren’t too expensive.

On Tuesday and Wednesday we chilled around the parc enjoying the beach which was fab- we have a young niece at home and she would have absolutely adored it!  It is a wonderful space for multi generations or families and friends with mixed age groups. The littlies can splash around the edges, the biggies can enjoy some volleyball in the deeper bits and everyone else can grab a lounger or a space at the bar and enjoy the view.

It was lovely for us to watch the girls act their age- childhood seems so short these days so messing around at the pool and the ‘beach’ chatting to neighbours and making acquaintances so easily was a huge joy and made my heart smile. When you’re in an all inclusive with free WiFi and TV’s in every room it doesn’t always happen as easily. It’s often towels over the head to keep the glare off the screens.

During the peak season the parc has holiday clubs running 6 days a week which are free. We used them in Domaine des Ormes and the girls had a blast- they offer chocolate parties, circus skills and loads of sporty type activities. The parc has so many activities to enjoy- we didn’t take advantage of even half- bike hire, football pitches, tennis courts, laser tag, fishing… if you want to you could be busy 24/7.

Here are 25 Things to do at La Croix Du Viuex Pont.

After 5 days at  La Croix Du Vieux Pont all we wanted was 5 more (with a bit more sunshine) so Eurocamp, we will be back but next time we’re taking Le Shuttle and maybe heading a little further south.