The south of France is particularly popular for a camping vacation in the summer months. The guaranteed sunshine is one of the main advantages of this destination as well as the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea. There is a wide variety of campsites, from the more classic ones with pitches for campers and motorhome owners to the more original ones with safari tents, cabins on stilts, lodges and other unusual accommodations. Campsites close to the sea and/or with a swimming pool or water park are the most popular
The choice of campsites in the south
You are spoilt for choice when it comes to camping in the south of France! The important thing is to plan ahead for the summer months. Campsites fill up quickly in July and August. These are also the periods when prices are the highest. If you can avoid this busy period, you will get better rates and sometimes bookings can be made at the last minute. The campsites on the Côte d'Azur are the most numerous and the most popular in the south of France and come in all categories, including the most luxurious, with 5-star and 4-star campsites. The presence of the sea does not prevent some campsites from having superb water parks
The sea, but not only...
The south of France is not just about the Mediterranean coast. There are other attractions and other charming destinations, sometimes more affordable. The south of France is also Provence, the Southern Alps, and on the western side Aquitaine with the Landes, Biarritz, the Bordeaux region, or the Basque country, without forgetting Corsica of course. So many different and very typical destinations for stays in campsites of great variety and quality.
The 7 best campsites in the south of France
Here are a few hand-picked suggestions... Of course our selection is not universal! Many campsites in the south of France deserve to be in this Top 7. We have made this selection in order to highlight campsites of different regions and styles that have all been tested and validated by the Petit Futé.
Among the campsites in Cassis on the Côte d'Azur, with 4 stars, 3 km from the beaches of La Ciotat, the Ceyreste campsite, in the heart of a pine forest, has an infinity pool, a water slide and a bouncy castle, but also an accro game (giant trampoline), minigolf and archery. A tennis court and a soccer field are located near the campsite. The pluses: clean and well-maintained facilities, an attentive team and a good restaurant!
Campsites in the Var are often (very) upmarket, especially when they are close to Saint-Tropez! The Toison d'or campsite is no exception to the rule. This open-air hotel, ideally located on the edge of the bay of Pampelonne, has the particularity of offering original and exotic accommodations with an African-style exterior, the kasai. Depending on the location and comfort, you can choose to be on the front line of the sea, or between the sea and the pool, in a Provencal atmosphere, or a few steps from the beach, or in the middle of the village, or in the quiet between waterfalls and rocks, or in a very spacious product with its own solarium on the floor.
This campsite in Cassis, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, offers an affordable alternative. With 2 stars, the Cigales campsite, just a stone's throw from the calanques, is the only one in this town with a charming village and port. It offers basic services, but has the advantage of being located a few minutes walk from the sea and of being very affordable, in a very popular area. Here there are no mobile homes, no swimming pool or animations, but many pitches for tents, campers and caravans in the shade of the pine forest. A grocery store and a snack bar.
Choosing a campsite in the Basque Country is a good option. When you move away from Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, you will find some campsites that are also charming but more affordable than in these chic seaside resorts. This is the case with Etche Zahar, a family campsite in a green setting with traditional pitches, original safari tents, mobile homes and chalets. This family campsite is an Eco Camping. On the edge of the Landes and only 15 minutes from Bayonne, it is built around an old house with character, an old farmhouse with a dovecote. On site : swimming pool, games for children, bowling alley, snack bar. Palas can be borrowed to play on the fronton of the village
Get away from the Côte d'Azur by staying at a campsite in Argelès-sur-Mer, rich in top-of-the-range establishments, with several 5-star and 4-star campsites. Here you have the mountains for a panorama and the sea for a horizon. The Pearl-village club campsite boasts 4 stars and pampers its holidaymakers. The heated water park is a delight for everyone with its large heated pool, its whirlpool, the 3-lane pentagliss and the rotating slide. Many activities and animations. The cottages are superb.
Staying in a campsite of the Bassin d'Arcachon will give you a lot of happiness! The Goélands campsite invites you to live a 100% Bassin vacation in a very lively campsite a few kilometers from the ocean beaches. You are in the heart of a magnificent forest of maritime pines, between two nature reserves: the salt meadows and the domain of Saint-Brice. Ideal to enjoy nature, on foot or by bike. A few meters from the beaches of the Basin or a few kilometers from the ocean beaches, the Dune du Pilat, Arcachon and Cap Ferret, a perfect base camp! New in 2022: water playground, outdoor fitness area, new accommodation.
Staying in Corsica, you can't be further south in France! The campsites in Corsica enjoy the sun and the sea, the mountains and the Corsican products. The U Furu campsite, between sea and mountain, is located in the middle of pink and grey rocks, and a scrubland with the intoxicating scents of the maquis. You will stay in small, spacious and comfortable stone houses built on the rock itself, at different levels. The river which crosses the land with its natural basins forms a dream landscape. The swimming pool is well integrated in the landscape and you are only 10 minutes away from Porto-Vecchio. On Sunday mornings there is a small market with local products. On the spot, a small grocery store with reasonable prices
