Less than 10 minutes from the historic centre of Strasbourg, the new Camping de Strasbourg campsite is located in the so-called Montagne Verte district, just a few tram stops from the city centre. It's an ideal camping space for a long weekend, city break or event to spend the whole of your summer holidays. Perfectly placed for exploring not just the city but also the countryside beyond, and fully renovated in 2016, the site offers a wide variety of accommodation – tent pitches, campervan and caravan spaces, plus ready pitched wood-and-canvas tents and chalets, making it a comfy place to stay whatever the season. Indeed one of the nicest times to come is in December, when Strasbourg's famous Christmas markets are in full flow.
The site's facilities are as good as you would expect from somewhere that has received such a recent makeover, though admittedly it leaves the site on the very commercial end of the camping spectrum. However, what it lacks in small scale intimacy, it makes up for with the city-friendly location and, hey, who's complaining about having first rate ablutions blocks? There are two spanking new heated washrooms designed with both families in mind and folks with with reduced mobility too, plus an area with washing machines and dryers, and a new central lodge, which has a café and library, TV and free wi-fi. There's a heated open-air swimming pool and lots of other activities, including table tennis, pétanque, table football, volleyball and a children's playground. In summer, a bar and restaurant with a lovely covered terrace are the place to spend lazy lunches.
If you can tear yourself away from the site, you'll soon discover that the Alsatian capital is one of France's most charming cities – not just the second home of Eurocracy but with a unique timbered old centre, a stunning Gothic cathedral and more convivial restaurants and cafés than you could visit in a month of Sundays. The countryside beyond, particularly in the wine country to the south of the city, is green and rolling, dotted with vineyards and alluring small towns and villages.