Independent Campsite Reviews

We were quite happy with this site. It's close to the beach (but not to the Bahamas!), but there's a river in the way, so in all you have to walk about 1km from the site gate to the beach proper. The beach is mostly sand, some small pebbles, no rocks, and no lifeguards, toilets, or other facilities. There are plenty of other beaches within a few minutes drive. I think my favorite was at Brem-sur-Mer (labelled "Plage des Dunes" and "Dunes Domainales de Brétignolles" on the TOP25 map) where there are two access points, both with parking, both with lifeguards, and at least one with toilets. However, the bathing here was often classified as "dangerous" (orange flag flying) - probably because the waves were quite violent, but great fun.

The site is also only about 2km from St Gilles Croix de Vie, with quite a bustling night life - lots of places to eat, and tourist shops open late. There's a track for walking and cycling, which passes the camp gate, so you don't have to use any major roads, except in the town centre itself.

Back to the site: toilet facilities acceptable, with occasional queuing for showers. Dishwashing sinks were generally sufficient. However, there was only one temperature for the water in sinks, washbasins and showers - no possibility of choosing for yourself.

There were two washing machines and one dryer, with three more machines of some sort still in boxes, so I guess they are going to increase these. They certainly need to - they were busy throughout the day.

The only problem we noticed with the site was after a night of very heavy rain, when several pitches were washed out. We had some water in the awning, but it didn't cause us any problems - our neighbours in a tent were completely waterlogged. The site management were quite sympathetic, and gave them free use of the washers and dryers, and moved them to another pitch, but it can't have been a pleasant experience. I'm not sure this was entirely a problem of this site - discussion around the site revealed several people who had had similar experiences elsewhere.

Play facilities included a multi-function court for basketball or 5-a-side football, a playground with climbing frames etc, and a single swimming pool from about 1m to 1.8m deep, and with a single slide. Also table tennis tables, a boules area and crazy golf.

The on-site shop was small, and had very limited stock. The take-away seemed fine, though we only bought chips.

I thought the site was excellent. At first, they tried to squash us on to a 'dinky pitch' but I was having none of that and we got a move to a much larger pitch near the gate to the beach.

The laundry has 3 washing machines and a tumble drier, which my wife I think used about 3 times. The toilet/shower block were only a short walk away and apart from when we had prolonged bad weather were always clean. Unfortunately the whole area is really only geared up for good weather so when you do get prolonged poor weather, unless you want to window shop, there is no indoor pool or bowling alley like at a seaside resort at home you can go to, so after 3 days of bad weather boredom was starting to set in. I was looking forward to spend the holiday at some of the beaches mentioned in the review above but when the weather did recover all we really wanted to do was get the kids back in the pool and soak up the sun, so maybe next year. In fact we only went to the local beach twice, a bit of a trek it was too. We used the take-away a lot, they cooked whole chickens which where great value for money and ate them with salad which was cheap from the local hypermarkets.

We visited St John de Monts, Les Sables d'Olonne, and St Gilles. Les Sables seemed a bit more cosmopolitan with a south of France type front, the other two were like fishing villages but great markets.

We visited this site twice after not caravanning for some time. The first visit we took was in July 2001 and we arrived to find our pitch taken up by a French family who were in no hurry to leave, the staff did not help with us and just told us to wait for them to finish their lunch then they would be on their way!

Our pitch was also next to the ball park and so we constantly had balls flying over into our pitch because the fence was not high enough on the ball park. We were also situated quite close to the bar and it sometimes got quite noisy, I can't imagine what it must have been like for the people on sites right outside.

Failing that we really did like the site and found the shower blocks and toilets well looked after. One evening we decided to play minigolf and thought we would be okay because the course had floodlights, however we found the course unplayable due to broken parts in the game and half way through trying they turned the lights off! The beach is nice and close, but because of the amount of stuff we had to take down we took a car instead, the parking was no problem as long as you got their before half 9, 10ish.

All in all we left liking the place and especially the pretty village of St. Gilles-Croix-De-Vie/Sur-Le-vie.

Second visit, July 2002:

We decided to come back to the same place and this time asked for specific sites that we had seen the time before; we got these sites no problem. Again the weather was pretty bad and we saw people all around us getting swamped out by the rain. We were lucky and it looked as though we had chosen wisely! Unfortunately our holiday was not as good as we thought it was going to be. Amongst other things we found that the showers were cold one day, boiling the next and that we weren’t allowed free ice anymore which we had indulged in so much the year before.

We turned to liquor to keep our spirits high during the storms and went to the on site shop to find some more to drink, we weren’t so good with our choosing this time! Unluckily we picked out something which looked like brandy smelled like brandy but didn’t taste anything like brandy! So I warn you to stay clear of the dreaded Lord Wyll!

In the morning if we had forgotten to go to the supermarket I would go down to the site shop and buy the bread and croissants, I know that my French accent is pretty good and so I found it unnerving when the woman pretended she had not understood when it was plain that she had. We also found that the staff were less friendly with everyone and so I’m glad to say that we wont be visiting again next year and are planning to go further down towards Le Tranche.

We visited this site in July 2002. We had a brilliant holiday. The camp site was very clean and the pitches were really spacious. I have to agree with the other reviews that the shop was poorly stocked but the takeaway was quite good although rather expensive. There is a bar on site with entertainment on every night. Most of it is in French but this is something we really liked even though we speak very little French. The pool was fab with an excellent life guard who saved at least two children while we were there. The weather was brilliant after a short spell of rain at the beginning of the holiday. Out and about there is plenty to do. If you don't do any thing else please go to Puy du Fou. What a fantastic day out you'll never see any thing like it again.

Stayed in a static van at the campsite in May/June 2003. Very nice site, caravan was very clean but area surrounding a little cramped.

This is not the time of year to visit as the bar, which contains the children's entertainment- a few rather expensive slot machines and a tv- was not open nightly. In fact only opened 3 nights out of 10 when pressed by the reps! Also a lot of building work and renovation was taking place. The manager of the site was not very interested in complaints and only came to life when the french descended for a bank holiday weekend.

The nearby beach is lovely and covered in starfish. There are also 3 german pill boxes on the beach which interested my husband!

The covered pool was lovely and could be partially opened up to the fresh air. The patio surrounding it was being laid when we were there and could in my opinion lead to some nasty accidents with some very dodgy slab laying - take care!

All in all we has a lovely 10 days but would have liked it to be fully open.

I’ve been going to this campsite for 4 years this year, and it’s really friendly, which is why I go.

I am astonished to see all the pessimistic comments by certain people who have written above, and I wonder whether they are talking about the same campsite. I have been resident at the Bahamas Beach every summer for the last three seasons, for its quality, its proximity to the town and the beach, and its peacefulness.

The atmosphere in the campsite seems to me to be quite peaceful, the pitches are very spacious (in comparison with other campsites around), the pool is lovely and well supervised. Entertainment has always been satisfactory for my taste, especially for the youth, who benefit from lively evenings in the campsite or in the town, accessible by a path reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, and which leads to the town center, as well as to the beach, beside a pretty river.

The campsite is quite well monitored, and the site shop is adequate, especially as it is accompanied by a snack bar, which prepares quite good hot meals.

As for the beach, the access path is quite pleasant, and only takes 10 minutes, along the riverbank, and then through the dunes (not difficult to walk).

The town of St Gilles Croix de Vie is very pretty, and lively in the evening, especially with its evening market and resident funfair.

In conclusion, this campsite is very good, and the mix of nationalities (English, Dutch and French) creates a good atmosphere amongst the youth, and personally has helped me to progress in the English language.

A very noisy site. I was camped near the bar and was forced to listen to trashy Europop till midnight nearly every night then disturbed by noisy drunks most nights at anything between midnight and 3.00am. The management were not interested in complaints. The paving slabs around the pool are just as dodgy as they were in 2003 (see above).

On a positive note it is a great location with nearby sandy beaches and wonderful safe cycle paths. The weather was warm and sunny though rather windy. St Gilles is very nice. Next year I will probably stay down the road at the next campsite along.

Having spent 2 weeks on the Bahamas Beach in August last summer, I am pleased to say that I had a wonderful time. I have 2 young children and found the atmosphere in the campsite friendly and safe. The staff were particularly welcoming and the campsite entertainments are good, if a little too 'French' sometimes!

I will be returning to this campsite next year, and highly recommend it as a good base for a family holiday.

Visited the site early September 2004, great location with access to footpath through rear gate, as previously stated the nearest beach access is at least 800 m along the footpath therefore no roads to cross.

Excellent for walking, cycling or walking the dog.

The only downside if you visit towards the end of the season i.e. early September both the on site shop and bar is likely to be closed.

I went to the Bahamas Beach in a tent for a week in July 2006. I was really disappointed by the campsite, which nevertheless has a good reputation (so-called 4-star).

However, I am devoted to camping, having done it with my family for at least twenty years, every time in a different place, and hence a different site.

First of all, I was very disappointed by the welcome, which hardly included a hello, hardly a smile. They didn’t even explain to us where the toilets were, how the site was organised, where the nearest beach was...

Toilet blocks are clean, but the showers had absolutely no pressure; in other words, a problem just to rinse your hair, never mind bothering with conditioner etc. What’s more, the water temperature changed from freezing to boiling in just a few seconds (take care with your children!).

As for the swimming pool, it’s beside the road, so all the new arrivals can watch you sunbathing; and what’s more, it closes very early (7pm).

The site is noisy, especially at night, as it’s next to a busy road, with lorries and all.

The shop is small and poorly stocked. Every time, they had run out of whatever we wanted.

In short, this campsite is not worthy of its 4 stars.

The beach is 1km away on foot, and it’s impossible to park there unless you arrive in the morning.

At the end of our stay, they didn’t even ask if we’d had a good time.

We stayed on this campsite for the 1st two weeks of July 2006. First time on this type of holiday, so no expectations really. We came on personal recommendation. We were in a static caravan home so cannot comment on things from a camping point of view. Plenty hot water, peaceful at night, comfortable, chairs and table provided outside. Never even thought of bringing them in at night, just wasn’t necessary and I never got the vibes that it would be either. We also had 2 weeks without rain and that is always going to make things seem good right from the start isn’t it? Very hot every day, just as we hoped for. And this site was really good for us to be honest, and it’s only after reading some other comments that I start to think if it really was as good as I thought it was. I’ve decided it WAS, and that either we just got lucky or that some other have higher expectations maybe than others, who knows.

We never saw a security guard/watchman but we never expected to. It wasn’t necessary as far as I could tell. Maybe there was and they were discreet, I don’t know. You need to get a key fob on check-in to access the site through the barrier, I know that much.

The reps were very good with the children (9 and 10 yrs old) always stopping to chat with them on their travels. The people on reception were helpful and I had no problems with the allegedly awkward sales assistant in the wee shop! The bar was great fun most evenings, open all day for ice-lollys etc and in the evening till between 10.30pm and midnight. Entertainment laid on French-style about ¾ of the nights we were there. Noise could be heard out of the bar into the campsite, of course, but not too bad where we were. Obviously would have been worse if you were in a tent on the 1st row in front of the bar though, no doubt about that. Did not see ANY drunkenness in 2 weeks, no gangs of teenagers etc, just nice people behaving themselves on holiday. Had no fears letting my own children do their own thing, day and evening, they had a lot of friends through the excellent Kids Club by the end of the first few days. In fact the only reason we are trying somewhere else a few miles away this July is due to the fact that the Kids Club is no longer available this year.

Pool was lovely, warm enough for us anyway. Not the biggest but adequate. Most of it is deep so the shallow end was more congested. All the kids loved the slide into the pool, spent hours on it. Lifeguard there EVERY time I was at the pool, which was several times almost everyday. Don’t remember the paving stones being especially bad or uneven. The pool is at the entrance to the site but is screened off by a wall with a fence on top. Short-style swimming trunks allowed, just in case any fatties worrying about that dreaded rule!

Beach is too far to walk with all the stuff you would want to carry with you. And other, better ones so close anyway. Sadly didn’t notice it was semi nudist (what does that mean anyway!) otherwise would have tried it out a bit more lol.

St Gilles a lovely town, great market several times a week, nice to eat out in the evening and about a 5 min drive home. We ate there at least 6 times and had a Barbecue whenever we didn’t dine out. Selection of large supermarkets about a 10 min drive. Hope it’s all as good for you!

Just visited this site and would never ever go again, it was noisy, facilities were very poor and I did not feel it catered for the English enough, especially teenagers of which we had three with us.

All we heard was music blaring out in French til midnight and teenagers arguing and shouting.

We had to take all our chairs etc; into the awning at night because somebody decided to steal one of our chairs and also on another night break our wind-shield.

I travelled all over France last year from North to South and never encountered anything like the above camp, not only will it be my last holiday there but I will not be going back to France ever again.

I am really disappointed to read all these reviews which paint an unpleasant picture of the campsite. We have been going to this campsite for the past 5 years now in august and we have always found the staff, especially the campsite manager (and now his English wife who also works with him) very friendly and accommodating. The swimming pool is excellent as it can be either outdoor, or when the weather is a bit less pleasant, indoor with its retractable cover. The pitches are a very good size, and we always ask for one at the bottom of the site where it is very peaceful. We have never had a problem with theft, although I am aware that many campsites suffer from this as it's not easy to lock up your tent or awning! There is, contrary to a previous comment, a night guard every night -but as far as I know just one... maybe they should consider taking on an extra one as the campsite is rather big and he can't be in more than one place at any one time.

The only drawback with this campsite are the washblocks, which are old and extremely basic - showers at a fixed temperature, washbasins with only hot water, and there is a gap between the walls and the roof which can make the block quite breezy at times. I think the shop was run by a different woman last year and it wasn't half as good as it used to be in terms of stock, price and quality.

All in all this will always remain our favourite campsite, friendly, and well placed (ten minutes from the town centre by bike). If you are looking for a campsite as an excellent base for exploring the local area, going to the beach, and relaxing (and you aren't bothered about watching the not-so-good site entertainment!) this is the ideal campsite for your holidays.

Have just returned from here Aug 2006, mixed views really, excellent location for cycling & walking, great cycle tracks. The beach was lovely about a 10 minute walk which was well worth it. Between 11am-3pm was the best time but be mindful of the light breeze that was continuous it can make it appear much cooler than it is so cover up with lots of sunscreen etc. We stayed in a static caravan so did not use the other camping facilities so cannot comment on those. The shop was very expensive and unless you got there when it opened at 08.30am the chance of bread and milk was very slim, and I do agree with the person about the shop assistant pretending to not understand my simple request in French for semi-skimmed milk.

The main town was too far for more than the odd night out you either had to drive, cycle or get a taxi definitely too far for an evening stroll especially with young children.

The pool was ok and the paving around the slide should be looked at it was very uneven, the life guard was only there for a few days and was really not attentive enough, we were given arm bands to wear to show we were paying guests but this did not stop locals just turning up and using the pool as they did daily, the pool layout was also very poor as a large section of the shallow end was cordoned off for the slide so there was not much room for playing and no-one enforced the "no inflatable rule" which meant even less room, however on the days that the weather was a little cooler the pool cover was used but there is no way I would say it was heated.

The pitches were a good size and we did get the best of the sun and the shade although we backed onto a shower block which had a light on all night casting a glow into our bedroom. I thought the site was very quiet and was not disturbed by any road noise and we were quite near the front of the site, there was noise from the bar which bothered us a bit as it was just an annoying thumping noise but it was not every night and did stop bang on midnight. I thought the reception people were ok not over friendly but not rude, we had a great courier who was English and really good fun who always stopped for a chat and was great with the kids. The site was great for my two boys (8&6) to cycle around on safely, everyone watched the speed limit and was very mindful of the children who could appear from nowhere on foot or on bikes! The takeaway was handy and did rubbish pizzas but smashing fries, just take your salad bowl along and they fill it up for you for between 1 & 4. I don't think this site is worthy of it's 4 stars....maybe just 3. The shop needs improving not just with a refurb but with it's stock and the pool could be improved, but all in all we had a good holiday at this site and we wanted to be somewhere as a family and not pack the kids off to clubs etc, and this site although needing some improving ticked the right boxes for us. We are already looking at returning next year but I am going to have a good look around the area first, but if nothing else suits I would book this again but request a pitch at the back of the site.

I went to the Bahamas Beach in August this year (2006), and the weather was relatively good, despite occasional torrential storms (and I’m from the north...). During the storms, practically all the pitches (camping, not the mobile homes of course) were flooded but happily (thanks to the sand) the water did not stay long. Otherwise, the site is relatively well shaded, and well situated (as you would expect for a 4-star).

Well, apart from that, the security is non-existent; no watchmen (I saw three burglaries from caravans, including my own, where the whole of the interior was wrecked. But also damage to mobile homes and theft from cars, by a swarm of kids (12-13 years old) and the campsite firmly said it was none of their business: you’ve been burgled? Hard luck.

The showers are not 4-star showers (3 times we had no hot water for the dishes or ourselves). The pool is heated, maybe, but not enough, and they only put the roof on when the rain is lashing down. The beach is close, certainly, but the closest one (600m) is semi-nudist and unsupervised.

There we are. I hope that this helps you to think before choosing this campsite.

Good evening. It’s now four years on the trot that we have been to the Bahamas Beach, hiring a mobile home from Vendée Connection, who gave us a warm welcome. All of our stays have been superb. Family atmosphere, everything on site for the kids, who can play in safety. Brilliant evening entertainment, pétanque competitions and everything else. Brilliant weather. We go twice a year: Easter and Summer, and for us it is super to get back to this wonderful atmosphere every holiday, and we will be returning for our next holidays. Long live Vendée Connection and the Bahamas Beach.