Independent Campsite Reviews

Another holiday in France in a part we hadn't visited before. Les Mouettes is part of the 'Yelloh' chain of camp sites not far from Roscoff. On arrival the reception area was welcoming and we managed to sign in and set up the caravan quickly. We passed Keycamp etc which had lots of statics set off to one side in small clusters. Tents, motorhomes and caravans all pitched together. A few pitches had two or three tents together. We noticed they were large extended family groups. Our pitch was spacious and offered shade from the tall pines at the edge of the field. It was a good job we brought the leveller as the pitches were on quite a slope. Washrooms and toilet facilities were clean, bright and always seemed to have an attendant around, although all the hot water seemed to go before 9am. Palm trees and lots of sunbeds surrounded the pools. The boys said the lazy river was brilliant and the slides were fantastic (they are 14,12 and 9). There was a great pool area for babies and toddlers and an adult-only swim session every morning!. They also took part in Saturday pool games arranged by the eager young staff. There is a bar area, takeaway and decking to sit and watch the play in the pool or sit for a drink but we felt that this area needed more tables and chairs. Unfortunately, my sons found the computer room and 'needed' to catch up with the internet game 'Runescape'. I found the staff helpful and keen to keep the place tidy. Some entertainment was laid on but nothing too late or noisy. The area is very rural and there are plenty of markets. The beaches could be rocky and the water cold but the coastal views are fabulous. We found many a beautiful beach tucked away at the back of sleepy villages.

This site is part of the Yelloh Village group. 2006 was our first visit to France as a family. We had a chalet, which was lovely, with plenty of space for the kids to play around. No cars were allowed in this part of the accommodation area, which was a new area of the camp site. So if you have young children this is a godsend, you can sit on your deck and have peace of mind that there’s no traffic. In this small chalet area we had a little satellite play ground which the kids aged 9, 6, 3 and 3(yes twins) could just wander over to any time in safety. Pool area lovely, kids had great fun on slides, lazy river and kids Jacuzzi. Lovely local market Thurs am in Carantec 15 min walk. Scenic area beach 5 min drive. Fantastic advantage for this site is that its 20 min from Roscoff, so you're off the boat and pretty much there. All in all a good hol and would go back.

We chose Les Mouettes because my youngest (12) asked whether we could have a shorter drive in France than normal (we have had many French camping holidays, mainly on the Vendee). It was our first time on the Northern Coast.

Les Mouettes is indeed very close to Roscoff and is easy to find. We arrived on a sunny Sunday evening (19.45) in late June. There was a pretty long queue at Reception where you had to register and pay a deposit for your wristbands. We were then directed to our Reps (Thomson Alfresco) who took us to our accommodation. The mobile was very impressive - 3 bedrooms, decking, patio heater, bbq, a large pitch and good position. A small niggle would be the small amount of seating, but we didn't intend to spend much time inside so it wasn't a worry.

Sadly for the next 14 days we experienced awful weather (some days it rained literally all day): many pitches resembled waterlogged ploughed fields. This meant that we were unable to use the pool area for all but the shortest spells and we had to find alternative entertainment.

The Bar - in June this did not open until 15.00 which meant that there was no access to the Pool Tables which frustrated the boys. Some sort of entertainment was usually provided in the evening which was good. It's not plush and resembles a cafe, they did have a number of different bottled beers but only Kronenbourg on draught. Opening times were extended on July 1st.

Table Tennis - There were 5 indoor table tennis tables that were very popular and you needed to wait around for one to become available.

Apart from this, we had to look off site.

Carantec - It takes 20 minutes or so to reach the village centre and apart from Market Day it is largely closed. It's also up a steep hill so if you have very young or very old people in your group I would suggest taking the car. There were a couple of creperies /restaurants in the town centre and 3 more on the sea front (requiring an even steeper hill to be negotiated, beware!)

St Pol - a pleasant little place with limited shops and eateries

Roscoff - we actually liked Roscoff despite other peoples' opinions - shops, eateries and a nice view

Morlaix - Very difficult to park and a little spread out but worth a visit on Market Day (tip, from Carantec take the par la Corniche signs and park along the river as you approach the town)

Quimper - Very nice town, takes less than 90 minutes

We didn't go to Oceanapolis at Brest because there was never a majority in favour of doing so

Back to the campsite:

The shop is small but adequate. Opening hours (and stock) were limited in June but again were extended in July. Bread had to be pre-ordered the day before, but this was discontinued in July (however the shop rarely had bread left at lunchtime). I would recommend a trip to the nearest Casino (3 minutes by car) but for more extensive shopping head for the bigger supermarkets at St Pol or Morlaix.

There is a football pitch of sorts, but it is bordered by farmland and dense undergrowth and is impractical to use with over zealous teenagers. The take away provided a decent range of dishes but disappointingly the pizzas were undercooked and portion sizes of other dishes were quite small. Small tennis and basketball courts were available but were very busy. There's also a crazy golf course with an excellent view over the bay.

Pool Area: When the weather improved for the last 2 days of the holiday we managed to get to the pool area. It's clean and very impressive with a large pool for general use, a lazy river suitable for all and 3 very high slides. There were quite a lot of sun loungers but even in early July the complex was quite full. There's an adults only jacuzzi area and sauna and you can get a massage (from July 1st or perhaps earlier if the weather is good enough)! There's late night bathing once a week but again you need the weather to be good for this.

The nearest beach is pretty ugly at low tide but there are some nicer beaches a short drive away - sadly in the rain they didn't look too inviting!

Overall - our impression was undoubtedly affected by the weather (which was by far and away the worst we've had in 13 years). I though the site was adequate, but no more, and really didn't seem "French" (the majority of holidaymakers were Irish and Dutch incidentally). The local towns were quaint but pretty sleepy and we didn't feel the need to revisit any of them unless it was to go to LeClercs or Decathlon. Would I go back? No, I think that there are many other sites and areas that offer more.

We have just come back from Les Mouettes having spent the first 2 weeks of August 2007 at the campsite. We rented a caravan from Eurocamp. As we live in Sussex we went on the ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe and drove along the fabulous French motorway system to get to Carantec. The campsite was a bit "strained" when we got there due to the amount of rain but checking in was quite easy. The site is large but the 'pitches' are very close together and it was very busy. It wasn't overly noisy but there were a few rowdy teenagers. It seemed to be around 30% British, 30% Dutch, 20% French and 10% Irish, Germans, Danes and Italians. The pools were great and our sons (9 & 11) loved them, although there were never enough sun beds and some of the paving slabs around the pool were loose. Carantec is a lovely town and the beaches in the town fantastic. Shops, supermarkets and banks were readily available. No real complaints but would not go with Eurocamp again, Keycamp, Canvas and Alfresco seemed to be more professional. The sites own chalet area Canopia seemed to be very good. We had perfect weather though I am sure if the sun wasn't shining it wouldn't have been so good.

Just come back from Les Mouettes. The weather was great only one afternoon of rain in ten days. The pool complex was excellent, with something for every age group. My wife and I particularly enjoyed the adult only swim, jacuzzi, and sauna in the mornings, leaving our teenage children in bed.

The Super U supermarket and fuel in St Pol de Leon was cheaper than the Casino supermarket in Carantec. We visited Morlaix and Brest, Morlaix is a lovely old town. Brest is much bigger and more modern.

Just returned from our second visit to Les Mouettes, Carantec following a lovely holiday.

Similar to last year, our 3 bedroom chalet and garden furniture was clean and well maintained on arrival. The grassy areas, plants and bushes have been well cared for and looked beautiful. Our only complaint was that some gas barbecues were not working, causing some holiday makers to 'borrow' barbecues from other pitches when people went home. Although the young Keycamp staff were apologetic, they were not able to sort out this problem.

As last year, the pool was clean and well patrolled by lifeguards. Our kids (8 and 10 ) loved the water slides and chutes - we invested in wetsuits this year as the water can be a little cold and they were well worth it! Although we went height of season we always found sunbeds after a very short wait.

This year, a new bar/icecream shop and stage have been built, replacing a children's playground and some tennis courts. I felt this was a shame, as our kids loved the playground last year and we were able to relax with a drink for a few precious moments while they played very close by.

The new stage did not seem to be used to its full potential and evening entertainment did not get going until the first week of August but perhaps this was because it was its first year.

We really enjoyed buying produce from the markets at Carantec and St Pol de Leon. The super Saturday market and Morlaix is great for gifts and produce.

We went on a boat trip to the Chateau du Taureau this year which was very interesting. The guided tour is in French but written information is provided in English.

Obtained four circular walk routes this year from the reception office. A very helpful member of staff translated the (French) routes for us, which ranged between 1 and 2 hours. These walks took us around the town, harbour and beautiful bays of Carantec and were well worth the effort!

All in all another great holiday which we would recommend for families of all ages!

We’ve just come back from a stay at Les Mouettes at Carantec. It’s the second time we’ve been (the first was in 2006). What a surprise, and what a change in such a short time! It was already a very nice campsite, with an exceptional pool area, but the owners have made numerous improvements. The site now has a pleasant crêperie/grill in the old stone house, an entertainments room, and an ice cream bar with a panoramic view over the pool.

Lots of effort has gone into the outdoor environment, the landscaping, and the result is truly superb. In summary, we have spent some unforgettable times at this site, and we will gladly be returning in 2009

Ssssuuuuuuuperb campsite with an extraordinary pool complex. We spend a very pleasant stay there with our children. We will perhaps return in 2009.