Gosh. Chatting to a friend earlier who has just come back from a few days away on a ‘quiet campsite’. Well. Quiet until folk rolled in in a huge spanking new outfit who proceeded to have a massive, ongoing domestic, very noisy, involving camp wardens and eventually the police.

Pre pandemic it seemed that old courtesies which we emphasised to all of our children ( not running across other peoples emplacements, quiet after 10pm, cleaning up kitchen areas etc etc) were being ignored more frequently?

We’re used to children playing (not a problem) and to snorers up and down campsites (daresay I am one of the worst perpetrators) … but for the first time experienced disturbing electronic gaming beeps and music and laughter well past midnight in 2018 and 2019 in France which we had never done before.

Now we ain’t been anywhere for 2.5 years! … Post initial lockdown in 2021 there were many people new to camping exploring life in tents, caravans and and motor homes. How are people finding camping etiquette? Is there a big change? Are traditional quiet campsites still likely to be quiet on the whole? Just interested in what people are both thinking and finding…

I can only speak for our experiences last summer. We stayed on a very busy campsite in Amboise, in August. It was VERY busy. Full. But, the evenings were fine, apart from one family of travellers.....
We decided it wasn't for us, however, and we found a wonderful campsite 10kms south in Bléré on the banks of the river Cher, which was very quiet, friendly and just fine.
We also stayed in a wonderful little site on the river in a little town called Clécy in the Suisse Normande, 30 kms south or Caen. Busy, but lovely. One evening, people were a little noisy but nothing awful.
We spent a week on the island of Oléron at the end of August and that is always fine.
The rules on French sites are fairly strict and if people are noisy then you can poke the manager who will get people to shut up. It's only ever happened to us once, though. Perhaps earplugs are the way forward for you. Communal living will never be silent. My other half is an earplug man!

Prior to lockdown cycle toured with a tent for several years round France and experienced very few problems over masses of campsites. Like yourselves got to love certain areas and sites. Agree the main one in Amboise is fabulous situation but at peak times a bit too packed. Shall enjoy looking up some of the camp sites you both mention. A favourite of ours is Camping La Poterie on the banks of the Loire at Mosnes near Amboise. 2019 since last there but if still the same couple running it it is small, quiet, lovely cycling and walking and well off the main road…. think my original question motivated by the fact I suddenly realised it is over 40 yrs since we have stayed on a British camp site and wondering whether it will be a very different experience to that of French campsites. Looking forward to a little more comfort now knees have said a final no to crawling on the ground! And looking forward to passing the time of day with fellow campers again nearly 3 years after we last camped.

Many thanks for your thoughts. Shall look up the C5 network … and we have just received Caravan and Motorhome Club pack in today’s post, so lots to start reading there too. 😁

Islay Corbel We are staying on Oleron in June, at Camping Le Suroit , never stayed on Oleron before.

Sometimes it is not your campsite which is noisy but others nearby.

Last summer we stayed at the C & M Club site in Penhros on Angelsey. - we have stayed a few times before and it has been a nice quiet site. However when we went for a week this summer, to be near our daughter and her family renting a cottage, we picked a pitch at the top of the site.

We didn't realise that we were right next to a busy commercial site next door. This appeared to have no noise or curfew rules and noise from drunken campers went on until well after 12 most nights. They were not wild but didn't appreciate how noise carries from their awnings. .Like you we wondered if it was people who because of the lockdown were new to camping and knew nothing of the etiquette

It didn't spoil our holiday but if we go again we will avoid the new hill area and it made us think about checking the layout of a site before we piched the van

MikeT

We are staying on Oleron in June, at Camping Le Suroit , never stayed on Oleron before.

Alan, We stay on Camping La Gautrelle which is not far from where you will be. It's not at all the same kind of campsite. No pool, no bar or resto, it's a really old fashioned campsite with access to a beach that is often empty as the only access is via the campsite or the forest so most tourists don't find it. Paradise. http://www.campingclubdefrance.fr/index.php/fr/la-gautrelle
Oléron isn't particularly pretty but it's a lovely place to stay as it's very cool and relaxed. Lots of cycle tracks, wonderful little places to eat oysters and mussels that they cook by standing them up on a wooden board, covering them in pine needles, and setting fire to the lot. Spectacular to see and good to eat! The Pineau de Charente is delicious too !!!

I’ll make a note of that beach , Noirmoutier is a nice island and we stayed on the site 2 yrs ago so we know what it is like.

We're going to noirmoutier for Easter if you have any suggestions. Last time I think it was a Huttopia on the beach...

We are staying at the same site and have booked pitch 426 it’s a lovely large pitch overlooking the sea and very private .

Alan, which site is that?

Huttopia Noirmoutier D63F59F0-952F-498A-8C82-B777656E51C5.jpeg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

We stayed there too. Very nice. The loos near to 426 are only open in July and August so we'll have to ask for one closer to a "bloc". I'm not one for carting the washing up too far LOL