Our Family Adventure at Prairies de la Mer Eurocamp, May 2024

If you’d like to skip down to the details, scroll away – I don’t mind 🙂

But if you’d like to get know us, here you go…

Michael, Ivy (10) Bill (5) and Me (Roisin)

Why This Trip Meant So Much

On the 16th May, I celebrated ten years of life since my first breast cancer diagnosis – and I did it in dream-come-true style.

Since that awful day, I have seen dark – and then even darker days after my secondary cancer diagnosis in January 2018. Pregnant on the first diagnosis and diagnosed with secondaries just as we were about to matched with a son to adopt.

We had been so close to my three years all clear (which is a big milestone in Cancerland.)

12th January – these things are etched in our DNA from the moment you’re told you have cancer. Everything becomes a milestone… “A year all clear” “another birthday” “My kids starting school” It all feels deserving of a celebration because it feels SO GOOD TO BE ALIVE!

You can read all about that on my Instagram if you like.

Post secondary diagnosis has given me so much. It has really thrust upon me the fact that this time is so incredibly, beautifully and fleetingly precious. It really is our one chance to be who we want, do what we want. To experience love, adventure, thrill, joy, peace and belly laughs that fill your soul right up to your eyes. What a wonder.

Living List

My Living List took form. It grows by the minute in my mind – to manifest a life I have lived and loved and to squeeze every last drop out of the good stuff for as long as I can

You’ll see ‘Roadtrip the south of France’ on my list – and WE DID – and we did it in our Campervan (also on the list) – we love our Cherry Bombdiggidy.

I couldn’t possibly fit everything in to this post, we’d be here for hours! But I’d love to share with you about our week in Eurocamp Les Prairies De La mer, Port Grimaud because it was absolutely everything to us.

When we were kids, my brothers and me would be getting proper big thrills (it’s a 90’s thing) over the Eurocamp brochure. We were lucky enough to go on Caravan holidays, but only in the UK. France was the flipping dream! We’d hunt through which ones had a beach, a pool – preferably with water slide, a good kids area. We’d imagine the drive there and think about who’d sit where in our car. There were 6 kids in our family, some of us had to squeeze into the boot of my parent’s Ford Escort, with the parcel tray off!

Anyway, we never made it to France, or to a Eurocamp. At least not UNTIL NOW! Not with my brothers, but with my Husband and two kids! (You read that right, we managed to adopt our little boy!) If I were you at this point, I’d be desperate to know more about that, so here’s something to warm your little heart right up!

I’ll be telling you about the rest of the trip in my blog because it was TOO GOOD not to share. Agh my heart is still brimming.

Here’s The Lowdown On Our Incredible Stay With Eurocamp

We noticed that even the air smelt good as we got closer to the parc! It felt good immediately. I was thanking the universe in my head that it was already living up to my hopes.

The place is really beautifully landscaped, it’s like a dream. An amazing pool – an even more amazing bowl of fries from the pool bar. If you go, you must try them. YUMMM. We kept coming across parts of the site and finding things we didn’t know about. Yes – I’d checked the amenities on the eurocamp site beforehand but I hadn’t expected it to be this good! There’s tennis courts, Go kart Hire, morning yoga and Pilates, kids clubs, a beach with threee beach bars, there is even a fairground, I kid you not! It’s more for smaller children – carousels, trampolines but there’s arcades too! Honestly it’s mind blowing.

We got some milkshakes and fries from the diner on site and watched some live music outside for the evening entertainment. Kids loved it, we loved it and it tired the little suckers out for a while.

Our accommodation with a covered decking was such a treat! The kids had their own room and after a week together in the van, we all needed a little bit of our own space. It was perfect. I also forgot to mention that there’s not one – but two onsite supermarkets so it’s easy to cook if you don’t want to eat out every night. We mostly ate together outside and played cards and ‘guess how many pistachio nutshells fit into an empty bottle of beer.’ (Kept them busy for ages!)

Our cabin had everything you need to cook – minus food obviously, although we did arrive to a really cute welcome hamper.

Les Prairies De La Mer is a 5-10 minute walk from Port Grimaud which is also known as ‘Little Venice.’ It is so pretty! There’s a market on a Thursday and Saturday too with gorgeous stalls. Who doesn’t love a good market!

From there, you can get a boat across the bay to St. Tropez – which of course we did! And let’s just say, I’m adding ‘massive yacht’ to my living list. HOLY MOLY, I could’ve people/boat/tree watched all day. However with two kids and the hot sun, we took it pretty easy. I will definitely be back there without the kids so I can walk up and down every street and take it all in.

We stayed at the beach until it went dark some nights, there are volleyball nets and chilled bars and restaurants which are right on the beach. I used our flask to make Mojitos and lived the high life on the beach. The kids loved playing in the sea – there’s nothing like those squeals of joy as they run from the waves. I LOVE IT!

Sat there, all together absolutely living the dream, I felt things that words can’t do justice to. But a sense of ultimate gratitude that I am here, living – truly living and not just ‘existing’. Here with my family, seeing them feel pure joy and experiencing it all along with them, it really was the best!

There was a time in those darker days that this wasnt ever an option. I felt physical pain if I thought about the future because I felt it only existed without me in it. So to be here, with my true loves was so very special.

The insta pics speak for themselves. So many of you have asked about our stay – and a couple of you have already booked which makes me SO HAPPY!

Click here to check out Eurocamp options. For us, this has definitely been the first of many visits.

Our recent trip to Eurocamp; Les Riviera de la Mer was an unforgettable family adventure. Situated on the stunning French Riviera, this location offered a perfect blend of relaxation, fun, and exploration. Here’s a detailed account of our trip, including the fantastic amenities at the park, our charming Comfort XL accommodation, and our exciting excursions to Port Grimaud and St. Tropez.

Day 1: Arrival and Settling In

Welcome to Riviera de la Mer Eurocamp

  • Arrival: We arrived at Les Prairies de la Mer Eurocamp after a week Roadtripping through France in our campervan The journey was INSANE, France is just stunning and it was a real treat to see this part of the world on the road. We’d stopped at Beaune, Chamonix & Lac De Serre Poncon before arriving in Port Grimaud near St Tropez for our first experience of a Eurocamp – and it did not disappoint.
  • Our First Tip for travelling in France would be to have Google Translate to hand. You can speak into your phone or type but it comes in so handy when there’s a language barrier and helped us loads when we were checking in. OR you could try Duolingo to learn some French while you’re on the road!
  • Check-In: The check-in process was easy, thanks to the super friendly lady on reception who gave us with all the info we needed. You’ll be given a QR code to take you to the parc app which is amazing! You’ll be able to see what time kids club/yoga/entertainment etc is on. We loved this idea and was super helpful!

Our Comfort XL Accommodation

  • Spacious Living Area: Our Comfort XL mobile home was a great size for the four of us, The living area has an L shaped sofa and a dining table, but we really didn’t spend much time inside unless we wanted to cool off – the air con was lovely!
  • Kitchen: Cooker, microwave, Fridge Freezer and everything you need to cook and serve a family meal. We stocked up on ice from the parc supermarket and made many Caiprinhis!
  • Bedrooms: Ivy, aged 10, and Bill, aged 5, were thrilled to have their own bedroom, complete with twin beds and plenty of storage. Our bedroom was big enough with loads of rooms for clothes. Could’ve maybe done with a few extra hangers!
  • Outdoor Space: The large deck was a highlight, offering a perfect spot for family meals and relaxation. We spent many evenings here, enjoying the warm weather and the beautiful surroundings.

Day 2: Exploring the Park

Amenities at Riviera de la Mer Eurocamp

  • Morning Yoga You can attend any of the yoga classes on throughout the day and you’ll be able to see the timetable on the Eurocamp app when you login. So easy!
  • Poolside Fun: I expected the pool to be chocca but we were pleasantly surprised when we easily managed to get sun loungers together every day. I imagine it might be trickier in the busy months but there’s so much to do, I doubt it’d be a problem. The pool is large – and heated and has a kids splash area, and a pool bar which plays nice tunes, sells the best fries and has delicious cocktails. Mmmmmmm mmmm.
  • Bike and Go Kart rental: Ivy turned 10 while we were here and they’d been asking about the Go-Karts all week, so we hired them for an hour. Bill loved it, Ivy got bored!
  • Evening Entertainment: The Parc has live music on every night and it’s great for all the family. Bill loved shaking his little hips to Elvis.
  • Swimming Pool:
  • Kids’ Clubs: (Age 5-11) We didn’t use the kids clubs – They are only open from July-August but they seem to have loads going on – Pony Rides, crafts, Vegetable garden, singing. So lovely!
  • Sports Facilities: this place really has it all – Archery – although does anyone actually ever really do that on holiday?! There’s Football, Tennis, Table Tennis (my fave!) Golf, a Fitness studio, personal training. It goes on!
  • Restaurants and Cafés: There are Six beachside bars and restaurants to choose from. We loved the poolside bar – just because of those chips and Caiprhinis. The beach bars are beautiful. Make sure you book!
  • Food Shop: There are 2 well-stocked small supermarkets on the parc with everything you need!- (Yes they sell alcohol!)

Day 3: A Visit to Port Grimaud

Exploring the “Little Venice” of the Riviera

  • Canal Tour: Known as the “Little Venice” of the French Riviera, Port Grimaud is famous for its picturesque canals. We boarded for around 40 mins of touring the canals. I just loved all the beautiful colours of the houses – and we decided we’d quite like to retire here!
  • Exploring Port Grimaud was wonderful. It has quite a bohemian vibe about it in parts and you can find beautiful souvenirs and gifts. We found a lovely café by the water’s edge for lunch and a nice cold beer.
  • St Frances Of Assisi You can pay 2 Euros to walk up the winding steps of the church. (Accepts card payment or cash) The top will give you a wonderful panoramic view of the Port..

Day 4: Boat Trip to St. Tropez

Sailing to the Glamorous St. Tropez

  • Boat Ride: You’ll find a few boat options in Port Grimaud to take you there and back. It’s only around 20/30 mins but a beautiful trip. Definitely recommend!
  • Exploring St. Tropez: Open mouthed is how I would describe my face. Haha the luxury here is another level- Yachts, food and some of the people look like art!
  • Lunch at a Brasserie: We went for a drink at Cafe Du Paris, it was eye opening to people watch. The tourists, the school trips, the cool mums, the locals and the families. I like to play a game sometimes called “I wonder” where you pick someone from a crowd and wonder 10 things about them. Sounds pretty boring on paper, but give it a go! We made Ivy & Bill share a cola here as it was 9 EUROS each!
  • Sightseeing: you can go and visit the Citadel of St. Tropez, where you can get panoramic views of the town and the Mediterranean Sea. There’s a Maritime museum within the Citadel if you’re interested. We found some shade and had lunch before a bit of window shopping.
  • Shopping: Whewwww there’s money in Saint Tropez. (Planning to go back & have my ‘Pretty Woman’ moment when I’ve manifested my fortune.)
  • Other Ways of Getting There

Day 5: Back On The Road

We Headed Towards Cannes For The Day

We took a day trip towards Cannes. If you haven’t travelled by car, you can look at hiring one Here – helpful to do a big shop where it’s slightly less pricey in the Carrefour supermarkets

We had planned on getting a train again for a more chilled journey, but there was a problem with the trains that day, so we stuck to the van – or should I say ‘clung to it for dear life’ – those were some highhh cliffs and sharp bends.

Parking is a NO-NO in Cannes– We decided in the end, not too even get out to explore. We drove by one of the places they host the Cannes Film Festival which had just finished a few days before – and we headed back, grateful for the beautiful, white knuckle drive.

We stopped off in Sainte-Maxime which wasn’t far from home. It had a really nice vibe, lots of families, a small beach with water sports and lots of bars and restaurants to choose from. You can venture further in to find some beautiful french streets to stroll.

Day 6: Port Grimaud Local Markets

Foodie Dream

  • Morning at the Market: We decided to check out market day in Port Grimaud – You’ll find them every Thursday and sometimes Sunday. They also have a night market in the busier season.
  • Picnic Lunch: We packed a picnic and found a spot on the marina where we watched the boats coming to and from St Tropez – dreamy!
  • Ice Cream: Before heading back to the parc, it was absolutely vital that we get ice-cream. I struck gold with Caramelised apple & cinnamon which came straight out of heaven and landed right there in Port Grimaud.

Day 7: A Mix of Adventure and Relaxation

Last Day at the Parc

Noooooooo! We absolutely could have stayed another week. We loved every single thing about our stay – particularly stumbling on things we hadn’t known were even there. We packed up the van, said goodbye to our neighbours and hit the road to Verdon Gorge.

.

Final Thoughts

  • Family Bonding: This place has everything you need for some good old fashioned family time – and we definitely had that! Swimming together, beach nights and boat days. Late night games on the decking and all eating together at the same time! I know this will forever be a core memory for all of us.
  • Outstanding Amenities: Prairies de la Mer Eurocamp exceeded our expectations with its outstanding amenities, comfortable accommodation, and friendly staff.
  • Beautiful Surroundings: I lost count of the amount of times we “Oooohhh’d & Ahhh’d looking at

We left with hearts full of joy and a promise to return someday. Until then, we’ll cherish the photos and memories of our incredible family adventure at Les Prairies de la Mer Eurocamp.

Thank you for following our journey. We hope it inspires your own family adventure to this beautiful part of the world!

“I liked the pool and the park because it was so big and fun and I liked sitting on the beach until it went dark. Oh and I liked the fairground and the amusements. I just loved it all!”

-Ivy

My Girl

What’s Nearby?

Nearest airport

Toulon (TLN) – 48.6km

Parc size

Large – 3000 Pitches

Nearest port

Calais – 1167km

Nearest beach

Direct access

Nearest town

Port Grimaud – 1.8km

park

Theme Park

Leave a comment