Independent Campsite Reviews

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I almost cancelled after reading some of the older reviews above and am now so glad I did not.

I have just got back (June 2008) from 2 weeks on Sequoia and think most of the reviews above are highly pessimistic. Myself, wife + 5yr old and 3 year old.

We were in a 'VIP Cottage' booked direct with the site which may have helped, but the site has all the major player there, Keycamp, Thomson Alfresco, Eurocamp etc which shows their faith. This site is having money spent on it for example the play equipment is all brand new, and top quality.

The Office were very helpful (especially Caroline who has fluent english) and despite really just opening for the season everything worked. The pool is great and lifeguards are not at all officious, they just care for your kids by walking round and have some pride in their jobs (which makes a change).

It is true you need a car, as most beaches and 'attractions' are 20-45 mins away.I suggest a quick search on the net will give you some ideas. Beaches on Cote sauvage and Oleron were good.

Marennes is great, a real unspoilt town with a market,couple of restaurants, and good take aways...so you will not starve!.

Go with an open mind, not too many teenagers, a Tom Tom and a few ideas for rainy days, and all will be well

We too were very concerned by the reviews on this site and even considered cancelling our holiday and going elsewhere but thankfully we didn't and we had a great holiday. I strongly advise you to ignore the old negative reviews on this site and only take note of those from the last year or so.

Sequoia Parc is a very picturesque and extremely well maintained campsite, with friendly staff and a very family friendly atmosphere. You cannot fail to be impressed on your initial drive into the campsite - it is well worth it's 4 star rating.

Our pitch was large, set back from the 'road' and was well separated by trees and bushes - which helped to contain our toddler! There was plenty of room for our large tent and extension to go up twice so my son had plenty of space to rum around and kick a ball.

The toilet and shower blocks were great and really kept very clean indeed - I was impressed - only downside was there was only one baby/toddler bath in each block but it was free every time we went to use it so it was fine but if we had to queue it may have been annoying.

The pool area was great - really clean and well maintained - the water is cold though - all the kids got over this pretty quickly but it took us adults a bit longer. As the weather was sunny and pretty hot every day the pool was busy but we always managed to find a spot to sit although sun loungers are hard to come by after about 10am. A lot of people were doing the towels on the sunbed trick but I urge you to remove them and use the sunbeds as it isn't fair and it's so much fun when they come after lunch and they haven't their desired spot!

The people were mostly Dutch then French then from the UK/Ireland as we went before the UK schools broke up but I think I prefered it that way - the Dutch were very friendly and respectful people unlike what earlier reviews suggest.

I can't add much about the evening entertainment as my son was in bed by 9pm most nights but he did love the kids' discos that were held every other night for an hour. The kids' club entertainers were very good and spoke in english/french/and some dutch all the time so no kids were left not understanding. The kids looked like they were having fun in the clubs when we saw them about in the daytime. The later entertainment had shows/djs etc which we didn't see but could hear as they were very loud but the noise generally stopped by 11-11.30pm and it never disturbed my son so we weren't too fussed.

The shop was good and excellent for the fresh bread and bakery there every day - really useful as the nearest supermarket is a drive away. But, the shop along with the bar was expensive - if you had a large family just buying them an ice cream from the shop would hurt your wallet - I think it was over £2 for an ice cream. Because of this we didn't buy that many drinks etc on site which was a shame as the courtyard where the bar is situated is so very attractive and nice to sit around.

There isn't too much going on in the surrounding areas and don't even bother with St Just Luzac as there really is nothing there at all! Although if you are a keen cyclist the area looks good. You need to drive a little way to find towns with a bit more going on and I would recommend a day trip to La Rochelle and the aquarium (good for wet or very hot days!) as well as a trip to Palmyre Zoo.

In general I was very impressed with this site, would definitely recommend it and would go back again.

After reading the reviews we arrived with a bit of doubt in our minds. Couldn't be further from the truth the site was very clean, pools brilliant, bar area spot on ideal for relaxing on a night, no sign of any drunk Dutch teenagers. Plenty of Dutch on the site: very friendly people. We arrived before our school holidays started July 18th 2008 so very view Brits on site just how we like it. Need a car to get to the beaches but it is well worth the drive most within 15mins away most of them stretch forever waves great for surfing, take your own food when you go as there aren't too many outlets near the beach. Weather everyday scorching most days 28/29degs topped out at 37 one day. We will go back maybe even next year.

Just returned from spending 11 nights at Sequoia. Was rather concerned about going due to some of the reviews written on this site, but I'm so glad we took no notice of them!

Driving down the entrance road the site looks really appealing (which was a good thing after a rather hideous 10 hour drive from Roscoff - top tip, use the toll roads and don't go round the houses like we seemed to!!)

Staff in reception were extremely helpful and we were led quickly to our very large pitch. Loads of room for caravan, awning, car and still stacks of space for the kids to play.

Pool was great although with it being the height of the summer season, if you weren't there at opening time you had no chance of ever getting a lounger! We tended to go down about 5pm as some people were thinking of leaving!

Supermarket on site was excellent - plenty of fresh pastries and bread every day - can't think of anything it didn't sell!!

My son loved the go-karts that you could hire and had one most days!!

Shower blocks were clean and the laundry facilities were excellent.

Probably our only grumble would be the price of the drinks in the courtyard bar but at the end of the day, you don't really expect them to give them away.

Yes, it was a noisy site at times, but that was because there was loads going on all the time. Most of the noise had stopped by about 11ish at night and then the site was really quiet!

All staff were extremely pleasant, polite and accommodating and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this site.

Our family have just returned from Sequoia Parc and can say that after having read some of the opinions on this site we approached our holiday with an open mind. However, on arrival doubts about our booking the wrong place disappeared as we approached reception down a flower and tree lined roadway. The receptionist booked us in and showed us to our pitch, which are all of a good size for an English caravan. You have enough room for your caravan, awning, car and anything else that you take without being stuck for room. Receptionists can be somewhat overworked at peak times, as they book in and show you to your pitch, so sometimes you may have to wait a period of time.

First thing the children (ages 12 and 9) wanted to do was check out the pool complex. They were not disappointed - lazy river ride, slides and pool with animals that shoot water out, Jacuzzi (although it was christened the jacooli by our two) and two main pools. Do be aware of the swimming trunk rule for the pools. They do not allow swimming shorts of any sort, you have to wear Speedo style trunks. The pool nearest the entrance is for swimming only, if you want to play ball or use inflatable you have to use the pool near the main slides. Pool bar provides ice creams, crepes and coffee. Lifeguards provide an excellent service and look after first aid. We did not see any lifeguard acting 'overzealous', they were fair and looked after everybody's safety especially around the slides.

Supermarket Vival on site can provide everything you need, although there is a Leclerc supermarket in Marennes. Toilet blocks and washing up areas cleaned several times a day. Remember your recycling - you get provided with a yellow bag on arrival, if you need any more bags ask at reception or find them in the basket on the shelves. We felt that the restaurant, although the menus read well compared with some of the local restaurants, was overpriced. The same can be said for the takeaway.

Yes mosquitoes are a problem and you do need to go prepared with sprays etc, but people we saw only had five or six bites.

We saw no trouble from Dutch families, the only problem we had was an English family near us that got together with some friends one night.

Beaches are about 15 minutes drive away, you can choose from sandy beaches at Royan near the ferry or rock pools and sand on the islands. The aquarium is well worth a visit at La Rochelle, but don't go on a French bank holiday like we did - when we came out in the afternoon the queues were very long. It is open everyday from 9am to 11pm. If your child likes ponies or horses, have a look at the stable near the camp site entrance. Our daughter enjoyed two lessons where they did some games and went for a trek in the woods. The people who run it speak English, Dutch and French so there is no problem in communication.

All in all, a good holiday was had by all our family and we would certainly think about going back another year.

Hi

Right, first things first, these are the facts.

Pitch great, very spacious with all services, but we had paid extra for this.

Toilets and showers unisex but private and very clean, but there is a severe lack of hot water.

Pool great, but can be cold and is huge maybe too big. Some days the music is very loud and a tad intrusive if you just want to chill, also expect a queue to get in to grab a sunbed. We took our own beds so as not to have to fight at 10am. Pool is still very good and the lifeguards are firm but very vigilant and fair.

The bar area in the pool only serves ice cream and crêpes no alcohol this is ok for us but others moaned.

Now the restaurant and bar: the food is great and there is loads of it, it isn't cheap but you pay for what you get and is lovely designed in an old barn. Waitress staff are fantastic.

The bar staff are incredibly rude though and if you aint French then expect to wait, we Brits just appear not to bother buying drinks just take your own its easier.

We found the reception staff very good but others didn't.

There are a lot of Dutch on site and they are a little rowdy at times but they are on holiday.

Anyway great campsite we had a great holiday (you do need a car) but forget Ile d'Oléron and explore the beaches down the west coast near Les Bains, they are phenomenal.

These are facts, we don't need to make it up. We are a young family and go all over France, this site 7/10

My family and I spent 2 weeks at Sequioa Parc in a perfectly pitched Gitôtel. Full sun or shade the choice was ours. Our children aged from 5 to eighteen years equally enjoyed their time at this beautiful campsite. Lots of activities for all ages. Staff were more than helpful. Le Carousel restaurant was first class. Nightly entertainment by the animation team topped off every sun filled day. Having been to 2 other French campsites prior to Sequioa Parc I would have no hesitation in rating this campsite as best to date. If I was to have one criticism the pool was a bit on the cool side. I hope to return in the next couple of years.

We have just spent 7 days on this site. It is very clean and well maintained. Our caravan was just the right size for 2 adults and a child. The pools were a little cold, lazy river good fun, but be warned you must wear Speedo type trunks, no shorts allowed, and to buy them there is expensive as I found out. Takeway very nice, bar good, kiddie club was good but check if they are doing horseriding the day before if you want your kids to go. You need to book or be there early to get a space. The horseriding is good and very friendly. Kiddie disco was fun. We saw one show which was very funny. The entertainment staff work hard to help you enjoy your stay including entertainment around the pool.

I would recommend the site without hesitation. You do need a car though, and if you want to visit the beach I recommend getting the petit train touristique on the Ile d'Oleron and getting off at the end of the line. Fantastic long sandy beach and hardly a soul in sight, but take a picnic though. Overall I would give it 8 out of 10. The only thing that spoilt the week was the theft from outside the pool area of my daughter's scooter, and although I realise it was left at our own risk, the fact that the reception staff didn't seem bothered when I told them was not good. I think perhaps they should say something at the disco, as this is a family site: perhaps whoever stole it might have been embarrassed into returning it, and they should have made it clear that this wouldn't be tolerated.

We have just returned from 10 days here. We found it a brilliant site. Very clean. The first few days were quiet but as the week progressed it was getting busier. By the end of our stay the place was buzzing. The pool is fantastic and our two small boys loved it! We found the staff very helpful and spoke english which was great. The bar was a bit expensive. Overall we would highly recommend this site.

We stayed at Sequoia Park from the 19th to 25th July 2009. Overall impressions were that it is a pretty good campsite. Well run, well maintained, excellent friendly staff, good range of facilities and had a great kids club.

We travelled with 2 adults and 5 children (3-12) and everyone had a good time.

The weather was a bit mixed a couple of very hot days and couple of rainy one and the rest was ok. The reason we drove this far south was to try and get some better weather but it really wasn’t worth the extra drive, we stayed in Sables D’Olonnes last year and had much the same type of weather.

We picked this camp for 2 main reasons (1) The Kids Club & (2) the Swimming Pool complex and we were not disappointed with either.

There is an excellent riding stable attached to the camp; our eldest used this quite a lot and was not disappointed.

It is quiet large with 450 approx pitches. There were a lot of Dutch people staying there with some French, English and Irish also.

We went private i.e. booked directly with the campsite and the ferry company and cut out the middleman i.e. Keycamp who we used in previous years and we save ¤1,000. Accommodation was excellent, 3 bedroom , all mod cons and a large pitch with decking.

The negatives were:-

a) We had to hire a barbeque for ¤15/ week. It was your very basic charcoal model. We could have bought a new better one in the local supermarket for ¤19!!

b) They charge ¤5/ hour for Wi-Fi access!! Daylight robbery. In previous camps we stayed in this was free.

The drive from Roscoff was quiet long. Six & a half hours if you tried it nonstop as it was it took us 10 hours on the way down thanks to a major traffic jam after leaving the motorway (thanks to Sat-Nav we got our way out of the eventually) but we also took a few stops for picnics, McDonalds and shopping. We made it back in seven and a half hours as we went back via the A10 and even though this was longer it saved us time overall.

Loved everything about this camp. We want to go back but our daughter reminded us about the mosquitoes. We all got bitten but she was covered. I think it's because of the stagnant water at the Oyster Beds nearby. Otherwise it's brilliant.

Ignore the older reviews as the site must have changed beyond belief. We went with 3 other families with one camping and the other three in chalets. 8 adults 6 kids under 6 last week August and first week September 2009.

I am just going to list a few tips and hints.

1. Get industrial strength Mozzy killer. We had sun for 8 days then it rained one night and we were all bitten to death in a Mozzy fog.

2. Dont hire a bike - buy one for E140 from the supermarkets at Marrennes and then sell it on your last day or take it home.

3. Do not eat at the Buffalo Grill = ripoff.

4. The on site supermarket isnt that badly priced.

5. Book with Thompsons if you are having a chalet as they are much better than the ones you have if you go direct to the Seq Park website.

6. The pool gets packed - take a chair down from your chalet or stand in the queue to put towels down from 9.30 (pool opens at 10.00)

7. Go the dates we went - the site was packed for the first week but deserted for the second.

8. Beaches - Les Huttes is nice but a bit far. The Grand Plage is very windy and sea currents are treacherous. Vert Bois is lovely though.

9. Go to La Rochelle for a big long day out. It is lovely.

10. Leave the site before ten otherwise you will be queuing to go West for hours.

11. No ovens in the chalets - apart from the Thomsons ones. Pay the extra and do that.

12. Do the journey back in one run. 12 hours driving really sorts the men out from the boys.

13. Don’t forget the lycra shorts lads.

14. The restaurant on site ain’t that bad and its reasonably priced.

15. Other than all of that it’s a lovely big site with friendly staff. Never even noticed the nationality of the other people on site. Oh and book a chalet in F Block it’s by far the best.

We were encouraged to come to this site because of the pool which is fantastic; however please note the following points

1. There is a major problem with mosquitos despite two different types of replellents we all had up to 20 bites each which was a great upset to all concerned!

2. Security is a problem numerous bikes are stolen

3. There are very sharp edges on the baby pool and around the water slides

Otherwise, if you like a multicultural microcosm with very little association to its surrounding native land Go ahead enjoy!