Camping in Northern France

Exploring Northern France

How can somewhere so close feel a million miles away? That’s the beauty of Northern France - with its Celtic cultures, its incredible food and its brilliant beaches, it packs the perfect holiday punch. And, whether sporty or serene, it’s also surprisingly sunnier than you’d imagine. All the more reason to hit the glorious beaches of Normandy or Brittany, the peaceful Picardy countryside or the pavement cafes of Paris.

Northern France offers so much more holiday-ready possibilities than you could imagine. The walled citadels of St Malo and Concarneau, or historic WWII beaches are as evocative as they are beautiful, and the picture-perfect towns of the Ardennes are an off-the-beaten-track delight we know you’ll love as much as we do.

Beaches Things to do

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Best places for camping holidays in Northern France

Explore the hidden beauty of Northern France and discover why it really is great up north. We’ve campsites perfectly situated to explore the beaches, cities and historic sites of Northern France. Wherever you choose, it's closer than you'd think!

Brittany

Gorgeous coves, Celtic culture and ancient megaliths in this characterful corner of northeast France

Paris

The capital can be dramatic, romantic or exciting: with world class culture, dining, shopping and theme parks

Normandy

Historic D-Day beaches, picturesque ports, and Mont Saint-Michel's iconic silhouette make this region captivating

Picardy

Gothic cathedrals, charming medieval towns, and the wild Côte d'Opale coastline offer plenty of surprises

Ardennes

Dense forests, winding rivers, and quaint villages create a tranquil escape in this region of unsurpassed beauty

Our favourite Northern France beaches

Northern France is fringed with some of Europe's most stunning coastlines. In Brittany, the pink granite coast near Perros-Guirec features beautiful rose-tinted rock formations alongside golden sands. The beaches of the Quiberon peninsula on the Atlantic coast offer tiny coves and magnificent sweeps of sand.

Normandy's beaches combine historical importance with natural beauty. The D-Day landing beaches of Omaha, Utah, Juno, Gold, and Sword are all wide, wonderful stretches of sand and powerful memorials too. In Picardy, the vast expanse of Quend-Plage-les-Pins stretches for miles, backed by wild dunes and pine forests - great for cycle rides.

Best things to do in Northern France

Historic wonders

Brittany is steeped in prehistoric mystery, with the Carnac Stones creating an ancient landscape unlike anywhere else, and Arthurian legends alive in its deep forests. Mont Saint-Michel, at the Brittany-Normandy border, is topped by a medieval abbey rising dramatically from the sea during high tide.

Normandy is home to Bayeux with its famous tapestry depicting the 1066 Norman conquest of England, and the Joan of Arc city of Rouen with its magnificent gothic cathedral. Picardy is home to Amiens Cathedral - the largest in France. The Ardennes region is rich in half-timbered villages and fortified medieval cities such as Charleville-Mézières.

Fascinating cities and towns

Brittany's walled city of Saint-Malo rises defiantly from the sea, its granite ramparts offering spectacular ocean views. Quimper’s medieval centre, and Dinan's remarkably intact medieval streets are wonderful. Normandy's Honfleur, with its perfectly preserved old harbour, is pure magic – as is the medieval core of Rouen.

In Picardy, Amiens blends its mighty cathedral with magical floating gardens called hortillonnages. The Ardennes region features Charleville-Mézières with its perfect Baroque square, Place Ducale, compared to Paris's Place des Vosges. And, of course, there’s always Paris. Few cities can compete with the capital’s dazzling beauty.

Great family days out

Northern France offers brilliant family attractions, wherever you go. Brittany is home to Océanopolis in Brest, a major ocean discovery park with three marine ecosystems. Children will love Normandy’s Festyland fairground-meets-waterpark near Caen, featuring rides based on Norman history.

Parc Astérix, in Picardy, is one of France's most popular theme parks, featuring rides and shows based on the comic book character. In Paris, Disneyland® Paris, 40 minutes south, needs no introduction. But it definitely needs a visit! The Ardennes is made for adventure with the TerrAltitude adventure park, featuring France's longest zipline.

Travelling to Northern France

Ferry

You've got great choices like ferries from Dublin to Cherbourg, or from Rosslare to Cherbourg, and even Dunkirk. Plus, there's also Brittany as ferries route from Cork straight into Roscoff. Or there's the "landbridge" route, for that, you'd take the short hop over to Britain and use the UK Channel ports, whether it's the quick 90-minute hop from Dover to Calais or the longer sailings from places like Portsmouth, Plymouth, or Newhaven.

Flight

Getting the plane over to Northern France is no bother if you're heading to Paris, as you've got two great choices. The main international hub is Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), which you can fly to direct from Dublin, Cork, and Belfast International. Your other option is Paris-Beauvais (BVA), which is great for low-cost flights.

Train

If you can get to London, the high-speed Eurostar service offers a remarkably efficient link between the city centres of London and Paris, with a journey time of approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord. Upon arrival, Gare du Nord serves as a major hub for France's extensive TGV network, providing easy onward connections to other major French cities.

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