Any campers? Camping in SW France (Bordeaux, Dordogne, Languedoc)

Im sure there is a ton of info 'out there' but Im not sure you'll get a lot of info on these forums. Sounds like a great idea, and I would expect that types of sites and styles of camping would vary as it does here. Have you googled it? or asked on trip advisor? Or consulted the Lonely Planet website. Or looked for camping specific guidebooks?

Im guessing you're talking car camping? (as opposed to carrying everything in a pack and using public transport)... And you're planning to buy gear there or carry it over?

Ive visited the area you mention and its idyllic, but I haven't camped there

Most of the campgrounds I have experienced in Europe (Italy, France, Germany) are pretty civilized affairs. I was discussing this with my significant other just yesterday and extolled the virtues of European campgrounds, replete with restaurants (plural), bars, and wonderful amenities. As you surmise, most of these sites are not in desolate and remote places, although I am sure those exist.

One of my dreams is to do a long term lease of a vehicle, pack it with a reasonable selection of camping gear, and to go native with the mass of free-spirited adventurers. I have done it in a motorhome with wife and two young kids, and it truly was a grand way to visit places. Many of the campgrounds are in resort destinations like beaches, while others are on the outskirts of cities and towns. There are usually bus routes that serve the campgrounds or, in one instance, a boat route on the lagoon in Venice (Camping Fusina). I have camped on a hilltop in Bologna, in a volcano crater (Solfatara) in Naples, across the river from the Pont D'Avignon, and on a quiet bank of the Seine near Paris. Check out some of the sources below to get you in planning mode.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/sleeping-eating/camping

https://www.eurocampings.co.uk/

https://coolcamping.com/campsites/europe?page=3

Edited to add that stringing a hammock style tent between trees is probably not encouraged and that free standing tents are probably the way to go. In truth, REI could probably outfit you pretty well and you wouldn't have to go uber-lightweight (and therefore uber-expensive) because you don't have to schlep it much.

Haven't read this but looks like potential:

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/apr/24/camping-france-family-holidays

Thanks for the info. I travel very light, just a shoulder bag with no more than 12 lbs. total. I'd stick to that and not pack camping gear. I'll buy something functional (Decathlon was recommended by a French friend and I checked it online) use it for the trip and donate it to someone who can use it before I leave Paris. I plan to get around with just a small rental car with probably a train/plane at one end and a train/plane at the other to get into/out of Paris.

Brad, I hope you do a Trip Report on your return. Your trip sounds interesting & out of the norm of what we have read.
Enjoy your trip.

Camping in Europe is THE most civilized thing ever! My husband and I did it for years. Green, fluffy lawns to pitch your tent. Swimming pools. Onsite stores and small cafes. Beautiful showers. They are really amazing. I would absolutely make reservations for June in SW France.
I highly doubt that a hammock style tent will be allowed...there are certain ways that things must be done, especially in France, and I'm quite sure that isn't how it's done!
We have found trees in almost every campground we've stayed in in France. Just be ready for the cicadas...the noise can be deafeaning! Part of the atmosphere though.
Don't think that camping in Europe is the cheap alternative...it's cheaper than hotels but don't expect the cheap prices you might pay in the states. Most of them have many services that you pay for. It sure is nice though! Quite comfortable compared to campsites in the U.S.
In Languedoc, in June, it could be starting to get very hot. Just be prepared...you are on the edge of summer so maybe not but once it's hot down there, it's fairly unrelenting.
All I can say is if you end up heading west into Provence anywhere near Avignon, avoid the campground called "Bagatelle". It's hard to describe but suffice it to say that we spent almost an entire night in our tent shoving drunk people off of our "roof" who staggered into our campsite. It was the only campground in Europe we have ever encountered like that - unlucky us.

Thanks Anita, last September was Provence so I won't be getting that far East this trip. I wasn't optimistic about using a hammock tent. They are easy and comfortable for one person (and cheap), so I thought I'd ask if it seemed like a possibility. I know what you mean about the French having their idea of what is acceptable - this is correct, everything else is completely wrong. It's either maddening or funny, depending on how you look at it.

See if this couple have been walking anywhere near the places you have in mind. They do long walks with backpacks and always camp unless there is no camp site on that segment of their route. They have a good page on what they carry - tent, sleeping bags, food, utensils etc. - aiming to keep it all extremely light. All too often, in the more rural and remote areas, they seem to have found camp sites open for only a limited number of months per year, meaning they have to trek back to the nearest lodging-place. Good info on costs, quality of showers etc. You would have more flexibility with a vehicle, but some of their experiences could offer valuable insights into the style and culture of camping sites in France.

I haven’t done a European camp trip yet, but have done some reading and research. Campgrounds are called “campings”. There are also “aires” in most towns, which are areas that you are allowed to camp and are low cost or free. These are the areas that make my husband and I want to camp! They are often along a river bank or in a grassy spot near town, and look so inviting!

It looks like the Aires are more suited toward people in a motorhome than a tent but I'll do some more research. I'd want a shower and toilet handy. Additional services will be interesting, hopefully fun, but not necessary.

The walking couple went through some of the area I'm looking at. I'll have to look closer and see if there are any campsites that look good for my trip.

The "walking couple" have lots of additional info in the FAQ on their website. I've noted that not infrequently the campsite proved to be much further from the centre of town than they expected and/or not well sign-posted. Additionally quite a few were open only from 1 July. They make a point of commenting on the availability and adequacy of the showers.

Most of the time a “camping municipal” offer the best value for your money. With a bit of searching you will find there a pitch for a tent, 1 person and a car between €10 and 15 a night. Whatever campsite you are looking for they all have at least a toilet & shower block, water taps and sinks for doing the dishes. And most of the time each pitch has it’s own electricity supply or one central located serving more pitches. Using electricity will cost you a few extra Euros. Think you can use these websites: http://camping-municipal.org/aquitaine-camping-municipal.htm and http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/county.asp?region=France and https://www.eurocampings.co.uk/france/

Crawling on your knees in and out a small tent goes easier with a doormat and will keep your knees dry if the tent stays on grass for instance. Budget tents come most of the time with pegs bending too easy, a more solid extra set will make life easier in case the soil contains gravel. Google maps not only good for locating the place, but also for the reviews.

We all know that having the correct gear can make or break a camping trip. I'm at a little bit of a loss why you wouldn't just carefully select it in advance and bring it with you. Just check a bag on the plane. It is a very simple process that will actually save you time at your destination.