A few of you will know that I looked at buying a campsite a few years ago, I have been camping a minimum of twice a year for the past 32 years. There are not many UK style campsites I have not stopped on. In the UK I still prefer sites that have small licences – normally 5 caravans and 15 tents, a tap, a toilet and a shower, with lots of green fields around and no houses.

Here is my run down of the types of sites I have found in France, Spain and Portugal.

Big sites

I’m finding that big sites in France, Spain and Portugal are much like big sites in the UK. They have everything: restaurant, bar, swimming pool, play areas, tennis courts, shit on the toilet seats and doors and used sanitary towels in showers. All with a price tag that is 2 to 3 times (even 5 times more in Portugal) that of the smaller sites. The pitches are always small and you feel you are in a car park for motorhome/ caravan and tents. Your only view is of your neighbours. They are noisy and generally unpleasant. In Spain you have the added delight of a shade over the motor home in the form of a green netting that makes the pitch dark as well. I’m sure the shade will be nice if it gets warm but it only got to 40 this summer for us. After a day working in the van I feel like a caged animal.

My advice – avoid these, unless you want to crawl home from the bar, having left your kids in child care all day because you can’t be bothered to play with them.If that is the case these sites are for you.

Medium sites

Well these are so variable. They will have some of the above, swimming pool maybe, or a bar cum restaurant, but in my experience they do not have the shit in the toilet blocks (in places it should not be). Normally they are more out of the way, so you don’t have the road noises of the large sites, although because these sites are quieter then the road noise, if any, is more of a problem. The pitches will be bigger and may overlook the playing field or even some animals field. The toilet blocks will be functional and clean. The price tag will be less steep than the big sites.

I have to say my favourite site so far on the trip fits in this category, in the foothill of the Pyrenees, lovely swimming pool, view of the hills, watching the hoopoe all evening, just sheer delight.

French Aires

There were interesting, Think motorhome car park, automatic barrier that takes your money. A bourne where you can take on board clean water, empty your grey water and toilet cassette. Now some of these really were car parks, motorhome up on motor home, no space, no view, and if like this then it’ll be in the centre of a town or city. On the other hand some of these were empty grass carp arks, in the middle of nowhere, stunning views, no noise, no hassle, lots of room, what is not to like for a price tag about a quarter of the big campsites. A few had toilets and showers but not many. Most had electricity to the pitch but not all.

Spanish Area

After France we expected automatic barriers but all of these are run by humans, Very much like an upmarket version of the French aires. Most have showers and toilets, all have been clean, i think being smaller the campers look after them better. Normally they have marked pitches and if full can feel like a carpark. The ones nearer towns are often busy, the ones out in the sticks you can have to yourself. The prices range from 0€ to about 15€, electricity often being optional. We have stopped on some stunning areas. Some less so ie the one that was down the side of a garage in car sales land. Some are parking only so you are not allow to sit outside your van.

Portugal Areas

Like Spanish areas, but scruffier, normally with facilities, range from €0 with electricity and toilets to about 9.50€

Rough Camping

We haven’t done much of this, I’ve met people who just park in lay-bys, residential areas or retail parks. We stopped in one car park which was next to the sea, used by loads of motor homes. You can’t do this for long at any one spot as you’re limited by the size of your toilet cassettes, although lots of garages and areas allow you to “service” your motorhome for a small charge. The other limitation is that the bikes need mains electricity to recharge them, (we have solar panels for the leisure battery). In Spain it is legal to park and sleep in your van overnight so long as it is legal parking,eg within the marked bay. It is illegal to wild camp almost everywhere. The distinction is that you can’t get your table and chairs out, hang your washing etc.