This was our first foray with the caravan outside of the British Isles since we bought it in 2010. If this is a sign of the standard of caravan parks to be found in France, then we will look forward to many more trips there in the future. This is not a small site, some 11ha with 150 pitches, but somehow gives the feel of being smaller than it is, with hedges and trees splitting it down into smaller enclaves.
When entering the park you are immediately greeted on your left by the imposing 19th century chateau, next to which is the reception and a very reasonable restaurant if not, by French standards, a little basic.
Manning the reception desk is the wife and husband team of Laurence and Olivier, sounds more like a famous film star!! Both are extremely pleasant and helpful, but Laurence is just so bubbly, she is worth going to talk to, if only to brighten up your day. Both have a very good grasp of English and are pleased to speak to you in it if, like me, you can only muster a few basic words of French. Check-in was fast and efficient, payment only being taken at the end of the stay.
I assume many guests use this site for its close proximity to the Channel ports of Calais and Dunkerque; a stopover on the outward or inward leg of a trip further into/out of France; a pity. We had booked for three nights with the intention of moving on to somewhere a little further inland. In the event, we stayed for the full six nights, and jolly pleased we were to do so.
The park has two outdoor swimming pools, one heated (Hmmm!!) and one not (Brrr!!), a tennis court, numerous table tennis tables, a basketball court and a nice little soft-paved play area for the kids. My one gripe about the place is that it does not hire out equipment for use on any of the sports facilities so, if you intend to make use of these facilities, take your own.
A modern building houses clean, well-kept washing facilities and toilets. The showers are hot and powerful, although like many these days, you have to wrestle with the control button to keep the water flowing. The toilet cubicles for both men and women, unlike most in Britain, have an almost outdoors feel to them and could be a bit nippy in cold weather.
Fresh water is available from numerous points around the grounds, and waste water and chemical toilet emptying facilities are provided, as one would expect.
Cost: 18.30 Euros/night but also member of the Camping Cheque scheme for out-of-season trips.
One last thing, be prepared to be woken at just after eight every morning (bar Wednesdays) by the fresh bread and croissant seller tooting his horn, sounding every bit like a vintage North American steam locomotive hitting town.
Overall a very pleasant experience. We will certainly be back and look out for others in the Kawan Village group when we are elsewhere in France and Spain. read more
