Categories: Camping

The Closest Campsites in France: 16 Campsites Near the Ferry Ports

If you’re keen for camping in France but don’t like long car journeys with the kids, we’ve picked 16 top campsites all within two hours of the nearest French ferry port.

Fine wine, pretty villages and fresh croissants for breakfast: If you’re keen for camping in France but don’t like long car journeys with the kids, we’re here to help. We’ve picked 16 spots within two hours of the nearest port. So, whether you ferry from Plymouth or wave goodbye from Portsmouth, there’ll be something to suit…


Huttopia Douarnenez

Family camping on the Brittany coast, with epic sea views from the campsite’s outdoor swimming pool and within walking distance from Douarnenez town.

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1½ hours from Roscoff.


Camping Le Colombier

Modern day camping amenities seamlessly fitted around a historic Normandy château, with tennis courts, volleyball courts and a new children’s playground.

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1 hour from Caen, 1 hour from Le Havre and 1½ hours from Dieppe.


Camping au Lac du Drennec

Kick back beside this lake in Brittany’s Amorica Regional Park and walk from your pitch to the nearby water sports centre to hire canoes, kayaks and paddle boards.

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45 minutes from Roscoff and 2 hours from Saint Malo.


Etangs Du Moulin

Play cowboys ‘n’ Indians at this wild western themed campsite in northern France, with tipis and wagons also available for glamping.

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2 hours from Calais.


O2 Camping

See the farm animals and explore the beaches of Normandy at this family-run campsite, also well placed for catching the ferry to Jersey.

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1 hour from Saint Malo, 1 hour from Caen, 1½ hours from Cherbourg and 2 hours from Le Havre.


Huttopia Mont Saint Michel

This is family camping with all the frills – including a pool with a waterslide – and it’s well placed for visiting the UNESCO heritage site of Mont Saint Michel.

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20 minutes from Saint Malo, 1½ hours from Caen, 2 hours from Cherbourg and 2 hours from Roscoff.


Camping Lez Eaux

In the grounds of a 15th-century château, you can fish in the man-made pond or cycle the car-free trails, plus there’s a treehouse available for glampers.

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1 hour to Saint Malo, 1¼ hours to Cain and 1½ hours to Cherbourg.


Camping Les Falaises

Within walking distance of a white pebble beach, this cliff-top campsite offers epic sea views and fresh croissants for breakfast.

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1 hour from Dieppe and 1 hour from Le Havre.


Le Bois Coudrais

This traditional, family-run campsite serves freshly baked goods from a tiny bijou café and is just a short drive from the beach.

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30 minutes from Saint Malo, 1½ hours from Cherbourg and 2 hours from Caen.


Camping de la Pointe

On the banks of the River Aulne, this small-scale, British-run campsite is perfectly placed for cyclists exploring the Brittany countryside.

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1 hour from Roscoff and 2 hours from Saint Malo.


Bot-Conan Lodge

With family safari tents and luxury bell tents, this glamping retreat has its own private sandy beach and instant access to the Brittany coast.

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1½ hours to Roscoff.


Huttopia Senonches

This woodland retreat is just an hour from Paris and has a thoroughly hidden feel, with a lake for boating and free activities for kids.

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2 hours from Le Havre and 2 hrs from Caen.


Château de Martragny

A campsite with it’s own rich tapestry and just down the road from historic Bayeaux. Enjoy the château, the pristine grassy pitches, the heated pool, the ornamental pond and more.

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25 minutes from Caen, 1 hour to Cherbourg, 1 hour to Le Havre and 1½ hours from Saint Malo.


Le Château de Monfréville

A family friendly campsite in the gardens of a French château, this traditional campsite limits things to just a small number of pitches so that space is guaranteed.

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45 minutes from Cherbourg, 50 minutes from Caen, 2 hours from Saint Malo and 2 hours from Le Havre.


Camping Le Brévedent

Another exquisite château campsite, this riverside retreat lets you paddle in the waters beyond the big Calvados house.

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45 minutes from Caen, 45 minutes from Le Havre and 1½ hours from Dieppe.


Camping L’Ainse du Brick

Just down the road from Cherbourg, this seaside site snuggles among the rocky Normandy cliffs and is just a short stroll from a sand beach.

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15 minutes from Cherbourg and 1½ hours from Caen.


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