How to choose a good campsite

THE STAR system is the first indicator of what to expect from a site, though the Fédération Française de Camping et de Caravaning (FFCC) warns that it is not necessarily a guarantee of “quality” - it is a question of box-ticking the facilities on offer.

Although most sites come under the one to four-star system, some smaller ones are not graded and are likely to be more basic in terms of facilities.

These include ones referred to as terrains ruraux (rural sites) or à la ferme (at the farm).

The one to four-star system
The factors checked to determine grades make for a long and complex list, but examples include:
- Density: One and two-star sites have 90m2 per plot, three-star ones have 95m2 and four star 100m2 or more.
- Drinking water supply: Three and four-star sites have at least 250 litres on tap per day, the others 200 litres.
- Lighting: Two-star ones must have lighting at night in communal areas, three and four-star ones should also have it on roads through the site.
- Security: Two-star sites should have security staff on site during the day, three-star or more also have them at night.
- Reception: A reception is only guaranteed in two-star or more (it can be a mobile unit, not permanent in two-star) and there will be staff there who speak English (and another foreign language) in three and four-star ones.
- Car park: Three and four-star must have one at the entrance.
- Food: Three-star or more have a shop on the site or nearby.
- Recreation areas: All starred sites should have a designated children’s play area, but only three and four-star ones need to have games installations.
- Washing facilities: The higher the rating the more facilities (basins and showers etc) especially in terms of home comforts like hot showers (not obligatory on one-star sites) or the number of private cubicles as opposed to communal areas.

The Camping Qualité mark
This is an official label created by the FNHPA, the FFCC and the government.
It guarantees:
- A warm welcome
- Exemplary cleanliness
- Precise and accurate information
- A well-cared for private plot
- Respect for the environment

If care for the environment is a priority for you, also look out far sites labelled La Clef Verte. Low density camping with carefully-regulated car access and plenty of open green space are among the requirements.

Picking your site
The easiest way is to go for a Camping Qualité site and search at www.campingqualite.com according to the department of France you want to visit. Other ways to find a suitable site include checking with tourist information offices or by contacting the Fédération Régionale d'Hôtellerie de Plein Air - the regional branch of the FNHPA.

What can you expect to pay?
Sites are free to charge what they like, but charges should be displayed at the entrance (and are often on their websites). A plot for two in a tent is about €10 - €25/night. A family with two children with a car and a caravan are charged about €15 - €30/night for a plot in a one or two-star site (including electricity), while a three or four-star is about €35 - €50/night. Hired accommodation (as opposed to your own tent or caravan) varies widely according to type and quality. A mobile home for five people is about €500/week in a three-star site.