There’s something undeniably surprising about the quiet, rural feel of
family-run O2 Camping in Normandy, France. It’s a 10-minute drive from the
immensely popular sandy beaches of Mont St Michel Bay and almost the same to
the bustling centre of Granville, one of France’s earliest seaside resorts. So
initial expectations are generally of a cheap-and-cheerful holiday park that’s
heavy on Brit-based fun and light on all things authentic. Thankfully, Stéphane
and the Arondel family are here to prove you wrong.
Down a narrow country road, O2 Camping is some 27 acres in size,
with ample room for the diverse collection of tent, campervan and caravan
pitches, along with glamping options that range from basic bell tents to
up-market ‘canvas lodges’. All have access to
the brand new ablutions block (the campsite only opened in summer 2016), while
facilities include a covered swimming pool,
visiting masseurs in summer, volleyball courts and a well-stocked
reception shop and bar.
It’s not family table tennis tournaments and aqua-activities that make
this campsite stand out though. While the facilities do indeed provide all the
French staples – fresh croissants in the morning and sandy pétanque pitches –
it's the open, natural countryside feel of the place that makes it different from the Normandy norm. Mature trees
and foliage break up the site; there are goats and chickens; a cute herb garden
offers free-to-use seasonings for your barbecue; and old farm tracks and
footpaths lead out into the surrounding area. It has an ideal blend of modern, man-made functionality but with a traditional, countryside feel.
Off site, busy Granville remains a popular port for catching the ferry
out to the Channel Islands and taking day-trips to the rocky and immensely pretty
Chausey Isles, 17 kilometres from shore. The UNESCO World Heritage Site
of Mont St Michel, meanwhile, is around and hour away (stay late in summer to catch the
light show dancing on the medieval ramparts of the island), while Normandy’s
historic D-Day beaches and memorials are a half hour further than that. You’re
certainly not short of things to keep you busy. So whether it’s a dip on
the beach, a tour of the trés chic
Dior Museum in Granville or simply borrowing a book from the campsite library and
kipping in a hammock, O2 Camping is a number one camping spot.
