Ready-Erected Operators

Specialist Reports Holiday by Accommodation Camping - Ready Erected Ready-Erected Operators Eurocamp 

	Eurocamp
Hartford Manor, Greenbank Lane, Northwich, Cheshire CW8 1HW			MAP
tel: (01606) 787 000; booking (01606) 787878

One of the biggest names in the business with what is almost certainly the biggest choice of parks in Europe and a winner of Tommy Campaign Parent Friendly Awards. Highlights that it can advise on best routes, travelling times and channel crossings to make it easier to get there. Customers receive a Travel Pack before departure with maps, guides, a personalised route plan, local and country information, plus a gift for each child.

Where

Paris and northern France, Brittany, the Vendee, Gironde, Gascony and Pyrenees, Languedoc, French Riviera, Loire, Dordogne, Burgundy, Massif Central, Jura and Vosges, Alps and Provence plus Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Corsica, Sardinia, Elba and Croatia. Fly-drive is available.

No of Sites

165 of which 103 are in France.

Type of Sites

All chosen are in the top category for the country and some are exclusive to Eurocamp. Styles range from the smaller, family run to large, multi-activity centre. Many have pool complexes with water slides, paddling pols, saunas and even Jacuzzis. Most offer a range of activities like tennis, table tennis, football, horse riding, bike hire and in some cases canoeing, whte water rafting, windsurfing, sailing courses and mountain biking. Toddler Friendly parcs (58) are suitable for under 4s, being without major roads or railways nearby, no busy roads on site, no steep terraces, ditches or water hazards (although some have lakeside settings), grassy, shady pitches, special washing facilities for babies, heated paddling pool, safe playground and noise and speed restrictions.

Accommodation

263sq ft tents for up to six, with three bedrooms, ventilation panels for night, a four-burner gas hob and grill, full size electric fridge and awning for shade.

Twelve styles of mobile homes sleeping between five and eight, all with at least two bedrooms, kitchen, living area, full sized cooker and fridge/freezer. The Monaco and Renoir styles have a microwave oven, radio/cassette player and master bedroom with en suite shower. The Venezia is used on some Italian hillside sites where space is at a premium so are 2' shorter than average. .

Kids Clubs

Mini Fun Station runs at 16 parcs late May to early July for children 12 months to 3 years offering a relaxing environment with toys and games as well as sterilizers, bottle warmers and changing mats. Sessions run six days a week for five hours a day. One parent must attend at all times. Fun Station offers morning and afternoon sessions for children 4+, 7+ and 10+. Activities include treasure hunts for the 4+ group, Danish Longball for the 7+, and Krypton Factor type activities for the 10+ group. Base for 13+ offers more informal social activities and sports such as beach BBQ, night orienteering and paintball. Participants can choose which activities they'd like to join and sign themselves in and out appropriately.

Child/Courier Ratio

1:15 for off-site activities; on site may be fewer couriers to children. There are two children's couriers on all Fun Station sites in high season for five days a week for added safety.

Type of Courier

Trained by Eurocamp in safety including first aid to St John's ambulance guidelines, customer service experience is considered essential and children's couriers must have experience working with children. Many are working on a year out of university and an increasing proportion are on work placement schemes as a part of their degree. Mature couriers are employed on many smaller parcs.

Extra for Kids

At all Toddler Friendly sites travel cots/playpens, baby baths, changing mats, playpens and high chairs are available for hire or free before first week July. Also on some of the sites rumble trucks to trundle belongings and small children to the beach, and all-terrain buggies for woodland paths and outdoor trails are available, both £2 per day.
Junior tents available at some parks £3.50 per night.
Babysitting by couriers, subject to their workload, is available for a local charge.

Other Activities

Football, tennis, volleyball, table tennis and canoeing, some sites bungee jumping, discos, fitness centres, riding, archery, paintballing and rafting.

Sample Price

A seven-night mid-August price in Picardy is £668 in a tent and £925 in a mobile home for two adults and three children including Dover to Calais return ferry. For lone parent families there is a £65 discount on holidays over eight days and £25 on shorter breaks.