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Five luxury French campsites

Forget city chic – get back to la nature with these perfect pitches, says Hannah Russell

Saturday 04 July 2009 00:00 BST
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La Tuilerie, Limousin

La Tuilerie is a working farm with cows, sheep – and a collection of tepees and yurts. Sleeping up to six, they are all furnished with futons, tables, rugs, sheepskins, cushions and wood-burning stoves. A kitchen is located in the farmhouse, with the opportunity to cook on campfires outside and a communal four-course table d'hôtes offered once a week. All food is either grown on the farm itself or sourced locally, so guests can collect and cook fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat.

La Tuilerie, Limoges, Limousin (00 33 5 55 63 37 19; limousin-farm-holidays.com ). Tents start at €350 per week, including a welcome bakery basket.

Melusine, Poitou-Charentes

This campsite has three medieval-style pavilion tents, surrounded by wildflower meadows. Guests can picnic in their private garden, relax in a hammock or light a bonfire in the fire pit. Inside, the tents have sheepskins, Persian rugs and cushion-strewn beds. There's a plunge pool to cool off in, or petanque and badminton for the more energetic. The beaches of La Rochelle are also close by.

Melusine Camping, L'Aubourgere, St-Germain-de-Longue-Chaume, Deux-Sèvres, Poitou-Charentes (00 33 5 49 63 39 49; melusine-camping.com ). Tents start at €200 per week, self-catered.

Le Camp, Midi-Pyrénées

This collection of tents and yurts is a cut above. An hour's drive from Toulouse, they sit under an arboreal canopy with views over an expansive oak forest. Bathrooms are stocked with organic toiletries and have indoor/outdoor showers, while guests can collect and cook produce from the salad garden. There's also a natural swimming pool.

Le Camp, Varen, St-Antonin-Noble-Val, Tarne et Garonne, Midi-Pyrénées (00 33 611 943 368; lecamp.co.uk ). Yurts start at £115, tents £130, both include breakfast.

Canvas Chic, Rhône-Alps

Now three years old, this secluded camp by the Ardèche River gorge reinvents itself each year and, new for this summer, is the "Grand Coeur" yurt, which serves as a dining room and a space for yoga, meditation and recitals. The 14 spacious, Kazakh-style yurts are decorated with French and Moroccan furnishings, while a brisk hike into the gorge is rewarded with dramatic scenery.

Canvas Chic, Mas Serret, Labastide de Virac, Ardèche, Rhône-Alps (00 33 475 384 277; canvaschic.com ). Yurts start at €500 for three nights, half board.

La Croix Du Vieux Pont, Picardy

Only an hour and a half's drive outside the French capital, this extensive holiday park is a popular family site. There are three pools and a parkland play area, as well as a spa and gym, golf course, walks and river activities. Accommodation consists of tents, mobile homes, chalets and bungalows. New to the park this year is a clutch of chic safari-style tents, each with two spacious bedrooms, sprung beds, and a living area with kitchen and dining area.

La Croix du Vieux Pont, Berny-Rivière, Aisne, Picardy (00 33 3 23 55 50 02; eurocamp.co.uk ). Safari tents start at £525 per week, self-catered.

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