Campsites in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Nouvelle-Aquitaine is France's largest region by land area, and it spends that space generously. The Atlantic coastline stretches for 720 km, from the island beaches of Île de Ré and Île d'Oléron down to the surf breaks of the Basque Coast. Dune du Pilat, Europe's tallest dune, rises 110 m above the sea near Arcachon. Just behind the sand, the Landes forest of maritime pines gives campsites shade, cycle paths and that unmistakable resin-scented air.

Water comes in every size here. Lake Sanguinet has calm, shallow water and supervised beaches at Caton and Pavillon, perfect for little swimmers, while Lac de Groléjac near Sarlat adds a sandy beach and a play area. Île de Ré and Île d'Oléron are reached by bridge or causeway rather than ferry, and they are made for family bike rides, with oysters on the menu at Oléron. Further south, Biarritz brings surf culture and the Pyrenees bring canyoning and kayaking.

Head inland and the scenery turns to rolling hills, golden-stone villages and clifftop castles. The Dordogne and the Périgord give you Sarlat-la-Canéda, the castles of Beynac and Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, the Lascaux caves and the cliffside village of Rocamadour, all served with truffles and foie gras. Bordeaux adds Gothic architecture and world-famous wine, and the Cognac region is a postcard-pretty detour.

This is a region built for a slow, sunny pace of life, with something for every age. Little ones can splash at Camping Lou Pignada (Messanges), teenagers can hit the slides at Flower Camping Les Ilates, and couples can swap the pool for a canoe on the Dordogne at Homair - Domaine de Soleil Plage (Vitrac). From Utrecht it is about 1093 km, roughly 11 hours' drive, to the heart of our campsites.