YELLOH! VILLAGE - Camping Plage du Dramont ****

With our 9- and 14-year-old children

Camping La Plage du Dramont: ideal for a car-free family holiday on the French Riviera

• An exceptional setting right in the heart of the French Riviera: a quiet, sheltered campsite surrounded by nature, where you really feel far removed from the hustle and bustle of tourism.
• A truly car-free lifestyle: markets, beaches, walks, the train, the boat to Saint-Tropez… everything is easily accessible and stress-free.
• A wide variety of outdoor activities: magnificent beaches, walks in the Estérel mountains, spectacular scenery and hikes suitable for children.
• Little everyday luxuries: breakfast on the terrace, restaurants with your feet in the sand and eco-friendly transport.
• Activities for the whole family, including an introduction to diving in an exceptional setting.

A secluded campsite in the heart of the French Riviera

We were at Camping La Plage du Dramont in the height of summer, at the peak of the tourist season on the French Riviera… and yet, we never felt overwhelmed by crowds or the hustle and bustle.

On the contrary, we really felt as though we were in a sheltered, peaceful and very natural spot, where we could do everything without needing to take the car.

We were staying in an air-conditioned mobile home, which is a real comfort in the height of summer in the South. We’d booked very early, as the campsite often fills up well before other establishments in the region, especially in high season.

Every morning began with breakfast on the shaded terrace of our mobile home, just a stone’s throw from the sea. We’d pop round to the Dalmasso artisan bakery, just 200 metres from the campsite, to pick up our still-warm baguette. A true local institution, passed down from generation to generation for nearly a century.

Our children had brought their inflatable paddleboards and spent most of their days on the beach right in front of the campsite: the famous Dramont D-Day beach.

The conditions were ideal during our stay: calm seas, pleasant water and plenty of space for the children to play freely in front of the campsite.

Our youngest also went to the kids’ club very often in the mornings, between 10 am and noon. He loved meeting up with the other children and taking part in the activities organised by the entertainment team.

Our eldest, on the other hand, preferred the more sporting activities on offer in the afternoons.

The entertainers didn’t speak Dutch, but that wasn’t a problem at all: our children communicated very easily with them in English and everything went very smoothly.

We also really enjoyed the ten-minute walk to another magnificent beach tucked away in a cove: Tiki Beach. A real little corner of paradise with its fine sand and relaxed atmosphere.

Sometimes we’d have lunch there. And honestly, the prices were very reasonable for the French Riviera, especially in such an exceptional setting.

We also made the most of the campsite’s swimming pool on several occasions, particularly for the aqua aerobics classes led by Olivier, which were very popular with the adults.

But despite the pool, our children almost always chose the sea: paddleboarding, the salt water and the freedom to play right on the beach were by far their favourite.

What particularly struck us during this stay was the feeling of living a truly everyday life… without a car. And that was an incredible luxury.

For our shopping, we simply used the campsite’s mini-market: convenient, quick and perfectly adequate for our daily needs.

On Wednesday morning, we followed the advice given at reception and cycled to the market in Agay.

We’d hired the bikes directly on site for two days, which also allowed us to go for a lovely ride the next morning, very early, to enjoy the cool air.

From Agay, we also set off to explore the Estérel massif.

Marleen, at reception, had recommended an easy hike of about two hours, perfectly suited to our fitness level and our children aged 9 and 14.

The scenery was absolutely stunning: the almost red rocks of Cap Dramont, the green of the pine trees and the turquoise blue of the sea created a spectacular contrast.

We particularly enjoyed the walk to the Cap Dramont semaphore station, with its incredible view of the entire coastline.

On the way back, we also discovered a superb climbing spot set right on the red rocks plunging into the sea. Even though we didn’t climb, the place was impressive.

One of the great advantages of the campsite is its ideal location for exploring the region without a car. There is a small station just 300 metres from the campsite. So we spent a day in Nice doing a bit of shopping, before heading on to Monaco to visit the Oceanographic Museum with the children. They were absolutely fascinated by the visit.

We also made our way to Saint-Tropez without taking the car, thanks to the Bateaux Bleus service from Saint-Raphaël, departing from the little port of Agay.

We set off at 9.30 am and returned around 5 pm after a magnificent crossing of just over an hour. Discovering Saint-Tropez by sea remains a magical memory for us.

All this without traffic jams, without stress and without having to hunt for a parking space. Just the pleasure of travelling at a leisurely pace and making the most of the region.

We also had a wonderful experience thanks to the diving club located right on the campsite.

This time without the children, we tried a taster diving session. Everything was perfectly organised and the PADI-certified club was extremely reassuring for a first dive.

The introductory dive took place right next to Île d’Or, opposite the campsite. An exceptional setting that immediately made us want to explore diving further.

Simple, relaxed evenings by the sea

Very often in the evenings, we would simply go for a drink or dinner at one of the restaurants near the beach.

The atmosphere was always relaxed, with our feet practically in the sand – perfect for winding down the day peacefully with the family.

We only used the car once in ten days: to go for dinner at L’Épuisette restaurant in Boulouris, about five kilometres from the campsite.

Between the cocktails, the waterside terrace and the atmosphere of the place, that dinner remains a wonderful holiday memory.

Facilities suitable for the whole family

The campsite offers a wide range of facilities and activities that are very popular with families:

• direct access to the beach
• coastal walking trails
• multi-sports ground and gym
• children’s playground
• kids’ club and teens’ club with multilingual activity leaders
• a wide range of water sports
• diving club with introductory sessions available from age 8

Our stay at Camping La Plage du Dramont will always stand out for us as the perfect example of a family holiday that was simple, active and relaxing all at once.

We were able to explore much of the French Riviera without hardly ever using the car, make the most of the sea and the Estérel landscapes, and enjoy genuine family experiences at our own pace.

A campsite where you can enjoy both the little pleasures of everyday life and major discoveries, in an exceptional natural setting overlooking the Mediterranean.

Anonymised interview, conducted by the editorial team at Camping Direct following a family stay at Camping La Plage du Dramont.