You’ve heard us rave about glamping often – I think it’s the mix of remote locations and creature comforts that makes glamping so alluring to us. When it comes to choosing accommodation, I often veer towards little huts, tree houses, bohemian teepees but never without. checking whether they are equipped with creature comforts – wifi, electricity, hot showers – first.
This summer, when we first booked our tickets to France we’d been in and out of so many hotels in the past few months, so all we wanted was a little cottage, equipped with a kitchen, in the countryside.We had used Yelloh Village to book accommodation in Portugal on the recommendation of a friend and really enjoyed it, so I looked up their accommodation in France. I chanced on La Chênaie while browsing through their premium camping accommodation and booked it because it was in an area of France we hadn’t explored so far (Pornic!) and the cottages looked great.
I didn’t have any plans to write about it but we enjoyed our time at La Chênaie so much, so we thought we’d give you a lowdown on our time in Pornic, along with some tips on choosing camping/glamping accommodation to suit your needs. La Chênaie offers 4* premium camping accommodation and this includes dozens of vintage motorhomes, tent pitches, and cottages. We chose a colourful cottage which boasted of 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, hot showers, and a lounging area. A large hamper with milk, chocolates, preserves, and tea welcomed us, so we didn’t have to go shopping for provisions on getting there. The cottage was so cosy that we felt at home within seconds.
We were there just to catch up on work, so we spent large parts of the day relaxing on the lounge chairs and working away on our laptops. We also picnicked in the flower-laden grounds of the campsite.I love that the campsite had a hammam, sauna and spa for adults for no holiday is complete without a bout of pampering. But we saw lots of families with young kids and larger groups having the time of their life at La Chênaie. That’s because the campsite has a large playground for kids. There are 2 swimming pools, an in-house restaurant, and several activities including kayaking and farm visits. This ensures a fun time for kids, teenagers, and adults alike!
And that’s the thing – cottages are ideal if you’re travelling with friends or young kids. It’s easy to stop by a supermarket, pick up provisions, and rustle a meal to suit the needs of your group. The area around La Chênaie is packed with things to do – Pornic has some amazing beaches which aren’t frequented by tourist hordes and Nantes is a gorgeous town that makes for the perfect French day out. Its cobble-stoned alleys are dotted with boulangeries and eateries that make exploring a joy. If you’re travelling with kids, make sure to witness the marvel that is the mechanical elephant in Nantes. The huge elephant can be seen parading at a slow pace near the city centre – it even sprays water on whoever dares to venture too close without purchasing a ticket.
The area around La Chênaie is totally off-the-beaten path and we had great fun exploring it. However if it is your first or second time in France, we’d suggest choosing similar accommodation on Yelloh Village in the areas around French Riviera – the area has loads to explore. You can even read our tips on planing a road trip in the French Riviera.
And here is a short video of our experience in this gorgeous part of France 🙂
I hope our experience encourages you to choose something other than a typical hotel on your next holiday. Do you enjoy glamping as much as we do? Tell us in the comments below
This looks amazing. France is a country I hadn’t explored and I’d never thought about glamping there!
Hey Tori,
You must give it a try 🙂
I tihnk i would definitely try glamping, sounds a much better alternative to camping
Hey Hannah,
You should definitely give it a try – you’ll be hooked in no time 😉
This looks incredible, I love the pops of colour everywhere. We haven’t been glamping before but would love to, an adventure with a toddler x
Hey Jenni,
Yeah even we loved the colourful cottages 🙂
Wow those little places are so cute, and so colourful. You always seem to pick the best places x
Rhian they were quite special 🙂
I’ve never been glamping… I’m a huge fan of camping on beaches or in the forest…
Hey Gareth,
That sounds amazing too 🙂
I’ve never tried Glamping before but I would like to give it a go. It looks very relaxing 🙂
Hey Jenni,
It’s the perfect place for some quiet time 🙂
Glamping is something I’ve always wanted to do! After reading you’re article I really want to start planning a trip soon’ thanks for all the tips!
You’re welcome Candice 🙂 Hope you make it there soon!
Very good pictures and this place looks pretty good for camping 😉
Thanks a lot Lubka 🙂
I love France and this place looks amazing – your photos are fab and looks like there is a lot to do 🙂 x
Thanks a lot Melanie 🙂 We really enjoyed our stay at the glamping site 🙂
Wow what a stunning looking place! I have never been glamping and this sounds like a perfect place to do it. I have wanted to see that mechanical elephant for some time now, so this would be perfect x
Hey Tanya,
Indeed! It’s the perfect place to base yourself and explore the surrounding towns and villages 🙂
I have always wanted to go glamping. It looks so peaceful and different to staying in a hotel whilst on holiday or away.
You should definitely try it out Ashleigh – think you’ll love it 🙂
Yes! I love glamping (or going in a caravan) especially as we have the dog, they are so much more convenient x
Oh yes – you’re right – camping villages are ideal for families with young kids or pets. I’m sure you veer towards them everytime you want to book a holiday 🙂
I really like the idea of this, I am a bit sick of hotels because they can get a bit samey, I like the idea of having your own space and having lots of facilities on site. Beautiful photos too! 🙂 xx
Hey Charlotte – I agree. I also love having access to a kitchen especially if you’ve been travelling around for a long long time 🙂
i have been recently hearing a lot about glamping. This is such a fun things to do. I loved the idea of personal space and exploring off the beaten track.
I agree Madeeha – I like glamping for all those reasons 🙂
I would love to visit Yelloh, looks so comfortable and cosy, and I am sure my family would love it! 🙂
Yelloh Village has some great properties that have changed my conception of traditional camping villages 🙂
Wow, I think I would actually consider glamping here. I looks so much better than camping that’s for sure and I like to access to a have access to a kitchen.
Yes thinking of it as 5* camping with creature comforts 🙂
What a gorgeous place! I’d love to go glamping there! x
You will really enjoy yourself Stephanie 🙂
The view from the cottage is gorgeous, how lucky of you. I love all the different colours!
Thanks a lot Amy 🙂 We loved the cottages here and could not get enough of the colours all around 🙂
This looks like such a fun and different experience ☺️ Definitely something for the bucket list!
Hey Adele,
It really was a unique experience 🙂 You should try it some time !!