UKC

I’m looking at going somewhere in France next year with the family...

What I’m looking for is a campsite with good family facilities (access to swimming pool and typical holiday park activities) and also within easy driving distance for a day trip climbing or bouldering somewhere nearby.

Can anyone suggest somewhere that fits the bill?

Chamonix has a lovely pool, part outdoors, big slides etc and busses in the valley are free for tourists

Edit: the campsite in Orpierre village has a pool, the one I stayed at (Les catoyes) had a bouldering wall

The Ardeche might fit the bill

Camping de la vallee heuruse lies in the middle of the Orgon crags, not far from Avignon. Rockfax Languedoc guidebook, other crags nearby.

https://uk.camping-and-co.com/campsite-vallee-heureuse

Dave

Le Ceou is a decent option, in that the camp site with pool is at the foot of the crag, plus there are rivers to swim and canoe in, there castles in the village etc.. Castelnaud la Chapelle is the place.  https://www.campingmaisonneuve.com/  You can see the crag in some of the pictures.

However, it can be stinking hot, as is the way with anywhere inland in France in the summer and I have been recommended St Cirq Lapopie in the past on the basis that it is a) beautiful and b) the crags face north.  There's a camp site here  http://www.camping-truffiere.com/accueil-en.php One of the crags is St Gery, which looks nice (on ukc)

Looks like a contender to me, but it rather depends on the family agenda I suppose.  St Cirq is also easy day trip distance from Castelnaud la Chapelle, which would give you a Plan B if le Ceou is too hot.  there are smaller subsidiary crags in amongst the trees near to Le Ceou too, which do have shade.

Mountains are an option, but perhaps the family won't play nicely if you leg it to somewhere where it is not raining for a day's cragging…..

Le Ceou is close enough to the campsite for a few mornings cragging before it gets too hot, which might be more politically acceptable than a day trip.  

Le Corounba in Les Vignaux with heated pool, bounce  castle....and a lot of climbing around.We have been twice and will go again.

https://www.campeole.com/camping/post/le-courounba-les-vigneaux

Somewhere in the Verdon area, surely. Gorgeous cute touristy villages, plenty of big bodies of water for swimming and of course, the crags... Some of them are quite big  

Suggestions of Ardèche, Orpierre and Verdon good - stayed at pleasant campsite at edge of cute village in the Verdon area, Aiguines, L’Aigle D’Or: fantastic view from its terrace; no pool but Lac St Croix close for swimming/ boating; also crags within walking distance. Have stayed at Camping Les Catoyes near Orpierre - great campsite but no pool. Campsite in Orpierre has all the facilities you want but suspect very busy during school holidays.

Other suggested area would be campsite in Durance Valley, great selection of things to do there, so Camping Le Courounba looks a good bet, with many other campsites in the area - I have stayed in a few over the years but with no pools.

The Ariege may be worth a look, plenty of good camp-sites around Tarascon, quieter and cooler than a lot of France, bouldering and cragging in abundance, plus lots of other activities - canoeing, caves, castles etc.

Chris