Camping du Royon

The heated indoor pool was clean and big enough for a proper swim, even with only 13 degrees outside. Our rented lodge was spotless, with brand-new utensils, and looked as if nobody had stayed there before us. We had a great holiday and would definitely recommend it.

The reception staff were helpful and spoke decent English, and we liked the location for beaches, shops and attractions. Booking was flexible, and the petting zoo was a nice touch. The pool area was above average, with slides the kids enjoyed. We stayed five nights as a family of four, with children aged 8 and 10. Our chalet near reception was old and run-down. It wasn’t level, the terrace had sagged, and the steps felt wobbly. The plates, cutlery and glasses were all mismatched. Days were quiet, but most nights there was very loud music or other activity in the tented stage beside the bar and reception from around 21:30 to 23:30. Being so close made the stay quite unpleasant for me. The Wi-Fi was sometimes very poor and paid, and most signs and activities were only in French. The shower tunnel into the pool was ice cold, and pool hours felt limited, 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:30.

There was little privacy in some of the toilets, which were partly open to the outdoors, and full rubbish bins just outside brought in loads of flies. Several of the unisex facilities were closed, while others had no toilet paper, seat rings or hand soap. For a four-star campsite charging these prices, that standard was disappointing. Even basic campsites elsewhere in Europe generally have better facilities. It seemed to us that these conditions were deliberate, so complaining felt pointless. Based on earlier negative reviews, I expect the campsite may respond sharply to this one too. Still, what I’ve described are things we actually encountered, not just opinions. The campsite itself was fine.

The beach nearby was excellent, and the Beach Art Festival in Fort Mahon Plage was worth seeing. We were only passing through, but the impressive pool setup probably makes this a good choice for families with young children.