Four of us each aged sixty; 2 males and 2 females from England went camping for the very first time…read moreas adults in September 2010. We stayed in a basic tent at La Licorne campsite in Dunkerque for 5 nights. We were all very apprehensive as it had been so long since we had been in a tent; but the challenge made it a very different break from the norm. We arrived at the site after by car which is a 24 mile journey from Calais; although it is possible to arrive directly at Dunkerque via the ferry from Dover. We arrived at the site after many requests for directions; the fact that none of us spoke even basic French did not help. It was after 7 p.m.; the time when the barrier comes down at the entrance to the site. However the owners house is there and they quickly made us feel welcome and told us to select any pitch we desired and call back the next morning to discuss fees etc. Our first very big mistake was not erecting the tent back at home after we recently purchased it. The next four hours were proverbial murder; but by a little moonlight and a lot of headlights we got there in the end and earned our tent pitching badges. We enjoyed snacks and wine before surprising ourselves and enjoying a thoroughly good nights sleep. Next morning we discovered there was 2 large shower blocks with endless hot water, lots of toilets and wash basins. They were all very clean and we were certainly impressed; although you do have to take your own toilet paper, which luckily we had. We went to meet the owner who is instantly likeable and she explained about the rates and security gates. The cost to each camper was only 6 Euros per night. It is a simple 4 number code and single letter for the both the front and rear entrances. While the front gives you access to the open road the rear entrance is accessible by foot only. The rear entrance is a real delight as it leads along a pleasant path surrounded by bushes and plants directly to the seafront. There are no cars running along the front; but there is a bicycle path which is well used by families. The beach is very large at low tide and stretches as far as the eye can see, probably to Belgium. There are a few cafes along the front and quite a lot of flats overlooking the sea, though not high rise. Although it was September it was still very mild and we were all in short sleeves and shorts even though we were by the sea. Dunkerque itself seems a very friendly town with a very busy large market on Saturday. Selling all types of food and goods it spreads from street to street throughout the town. There are no drinking bars as such; in fact the only one we saw, and went in to, is on the campsite itself. There are lots of supermarkets however selling good quality cheap wine and lager which was ideal for us. They are within easy distance of the front entrance and you can buy almost everything. Belgium is within reasonable driving distance and we travelled the 27 mile to Ostend. Ostend is a very clean busy coastal resort with lots of shops and outdoor cafes and bars. The seafront is a very pleasant walk with stalls selling lots of instantly eatable sea food, at very reasonable prices. I would say the campsite played a huge part in the enjoyment of our trip to Dunkerque, which incidentally, is twinned with our home town of Middlesbrough North East England. It certainly allayed our fears about camping and we are certainly going back.

After travelling around Normandy and parts of Picardie I feel I am able to give this place a just…read morereview in comparison to other campsites. This is by far the best we have stayed in, it was the largest of the campsites by far with very good sized pitches. A mixture of chalets and tents are available as well. I counted 4 toilet and shower blocks, after investigation the best one is by the swimming pool; it has a door and is therefore heated and that is something you will appreciate. The shop sells basic supplies, you can order bread and pastries but I didn't so I have no idea of the costs. There is a gourmet restaurant near the chateau and also a take away snack bar near the bar. There is a games room, children's play area and a gym. The bins are also places around the campsite instead of being in one location. I would recommend this place for anyone getting on or off the Euro tunnel and also if you are staying in the area.

This was our first foray with the caravan outside of the British Isles since we bought it in 2010…read more 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.

I have stayed in this campsite at least 3 times in the last year. Mainly because of it very good…read morelocation, real close to the Calais ferry to Dover and also for its quality. The campsite is about 20 minutes away from Calais and is proudly a member of the Sites and Paysages de France, which I can say isn't an understatement, they really deserve it! You enter through a big gate and immediately on your left you have the Chateau the gives it its name. Although I never entered there I can say that it is a nice piece of decoration to a campsite, it certainly embellishes it. Then you have the reception and the restaurant by its side. It boasts Internet access there and a good tourism guide of the region. As I am staying in a tent the pitch I was given was a large grassy patch which you can put up to 20 tents in there! It is a communal pitch but the time I found it more full was when I had around 3 neighbors and we still had a lot of space!! The only down part of being in a tent there is that it is windy But it compensates with the fact that the toilets and showers are right next to you and they are top notch! Quite recent. Another good detail is the fact that in the middle of the camping you have a mini forest, which kind of separates you from the touring units, which I found kind of cool! It also has a swimming pool, tennis courts and a kiddies corner. The only reason I didn't gave it 5 stars was because of their restaurant, the first and only time I was in there I asked for a Vegetarian Quiche and they came up up with a mini-tartlette, which cost and amazing 4EUR a piece. All in all a very good stopping camping, you even have a bunker 5 minutes away (driving) from the campsite, the Bunkhaus of Eperlecques.