Are you in France or on the other side of the world?

Travel Inspirations
Written by the Sandaya team

No need to head off to the ends of the Earth to get far away from everyday life! Here are our top 6 most spectacular spots to discover during your camping holiday with Sandaya. No, you’re not dreaming: these unbelievable landscapes are indeed in France and they await but you!

From the Canal du Midi to Amsterdam

As you sail on the superb Canal du Midi you could easily imagine that you’re passing through Amsterdam, the attractive capital of the Netherlands. And yet we are indeed in the Languedoc-Roussillon where the engineering masterpiece created by Pierre-Paul Riquet, linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, offers a journey of discovery through so many of Occitanie’s authentic villages. In Béziers, Narbonne or Carcassonne, cast off for a cruise and spend a few hours aboard a barge or a licence-free boat as you make the fairy tale landscapes of the Canal du Midi your own!

1

From the Courant d’Huchet to the Amazon River

In the southern Landes hides a fascinating landscape that we strongly recommend you discover during your stay on the Atlantic coast: the Courant d’Huchet Nature Reserve, with its river flowing gently from Lake Léon to the ocean. Meandering its way through forest then dunes, its winding course could almost be that of the Amazon and its scenery, unique in this region of France, will take you to the far side of the world. So it’s hardly surprising that the Courant d’Huchet is nicknamed the “Amazon of the Landes”! To explore it let the boatmen invite you aboard their traditional “galupe” for a voyage to far horizons.

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From the Dune du Pilat to the Sahara Desert

We may be far from the arid climate of North Africa but you can’t deny that the Dune du Pilat, the highest dune in Europe, does look more than a little like the Sahara. But for the illusion to be complete you’ll need to get right down at sand level: the Landes de Gascogne forest on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other are a bit of a giveaway that you’re not actually in the midst of a desert! Or perhaps you thought it was a mirage?

3

From the Island of Porquerolles to the Seychelles

Just off the Hyères coast in the Var lies the Island of Porquerolles, also known as the “pearl of the Golden Islands”. With its sandy beaches lapped by warm crystal waters, let it transport you to the heart of the tropics and their summers that never end. On the northern shores of the island, the Notre-Dame beach is the holidaymakers’ favourite and in 2015 was voted the “Most Beautiful Beach in Europe”. Hardly surprising, it could easily be part of the Seychelles! No manta ray to be seen, but the water is as clear as that of the Indian Ocean!

4

From the Raguenez beach to Tahiti

No, you’re not in the heart of French Polynesia but... in Brittany! On the Névez peninsula hides a beach that seems to be bathed by the waters of the Pacific, so much so that the locals have nicknamed it “Tahiti Beach”. This little corner of paradise is the Raguenez beach in southern Finistère, a long stretch of white sand bordered by water in an idyllic shade of turquoise. With its low cliffs infused with green and its rocks just breaking the surface of the water, the illusion is perfect: you’re in Tahiti!

5

From the Gorges du Verdon to the Grand Canyon

True, we’re not looking out over the immensity of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but the Gorges du Verdon can rightly boast of being the largest canyon... In Europe! Its towering cliffs, adorned with their typical Provençal maquis, can reach heights of up to 750m. In the middle flows the Verdon river, meandering for 35km before ending its course in the Saint-Croix Lake. Renowned for its characteristic emerald colour, the Verdon, just like the Colorado, is the kingdom of white water sports. Come and try your hand at rafting, canyoning or canoeing at our Sandaya campsite in the Gorges du Verdon!

6

From Colorado in the States to Colorado… in Provence!

A land of vivid orange, tall cliffs and pine trees: a spectacular setting reminiscent of the American West and the Wild West. You almost expect to see a cowboy pass by on a horse! But, appearances can be deceptive because this is not the United States, but France, about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Avignon! The Ochre Colorado, as it is known, is an exceptional natural site not to be missed. Be sure to wear good walking shoes and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty because ochre is pretty messy!

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Feel inspired...

Atur | Aquitaine
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Pals | Catalonia
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Assérac | Pays de la Loire
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Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer | Normandy
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Camping Sandaya Les Vagues
Vendres Plage | Languedoc-Roussillon
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Perros-Guirec | Brittany
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Talmont-Saint-Hilaire | Pays de la Loire
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Tellin | Wallonia
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Maisons-Laffitte | Île-de-France
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Vielle-Saint-Girons | Aquitaine
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Yearning for new horizons? Let our Sandaya campsites inspire you!