A family on vacation with two children and a dog at the Calède campsite in Parentis-en-Born in the Landes region of France.
When you have a dog and you’re looking for a campsite for the vacations, the number one criterion is obviously that dogs are welcome. We wanted to go to the Landes. We don’t particularly like big structures, so our search focused on a quiet, dog-friendly campsite in the Landes. Our choice fell on Camping Calède in Parentis-en-Born, which met all our requirements. It had the added advantage of being located on the banks of a gently sloping lake. Perfect for our children’s swimming. Although supervised, swimming on the ocean shore, with its high waves, requires constant vigilance with children. Even so, we went to the ocean with the kids, and they loved it! But swimming in the Parentis-en-Born lake was more relaxing for us!
Camping Calède has a lot to offer families like ours:
- it’s bordered by a secure bike path, making it easy to get to both the ocean and the village
- the campsite is impeccable, with well-maintained sanitary facilities throughout the day and well-kept pitches
- the campsite is very quiet, with no entertainment or late-night parties. This is great for young children. And for parents too! We returned home well rested from our vacation.
- the pitches are spacious and the campsite is shaded, which is great when you’re in a van, as the pine trees keep things cool.
- there’s a cycle path that runs alongside the campsite. Convenient and safe. Perfect for cycling with the kids.
- and above all, dogs are welcome!
The strong point of Camping Calède is undeniably its proximity to the lake. It was easy to get there on foot with the kids. We went there every day of our stay. As the lake is on a gentle slope, our youngest son could play in the water in complete safety. I stayed with him by the lake while my husband did some activities on the lake: boating, canoeing and paddling. The only thing they didn’t try was water skiing. But that’s already on the agenda for our next trip to the Landes.
As well as the lake, we enjoyed the region during our vacation at camping Calède.
On the first day, we cycled to the market in Parentis. We rented bikes at the campsite. We took bikes with trailers for our 18-month-old baby and the dog. It’s more comfortable for them and more practical for us. Our son and the dog both loved it! To get to Parentis, there’s a 3 km bike path. It’s perfectly safe. On the way back from Parentis, we had a picnic by the lake and spent some time watching the squirrels climb the pine trees. Time to digest and we went for a swim. The water was warm! No problem getting in.
On the second day, we went to the Pilat Dune. We’d heard a lot about it, but you have to admit it’s quite impressive. It’s quite an athletic climb (especially with a child on your shoulders), but the view is well worth it! My husband and I took it in turns to take our first paragliding flight, under the admiring gaze of our children.
The next day, we were invited by our neighbors to go crayfish fishing with them. It was something we hadn’t even considered doing on our vacation. Their children were there too. We talked a lot and laughed a lot. A real afternoon of sharing. We all got together again in the evening for an impromptu aperitif. It’s moments like these that make us love camping vacations. All the more so as the Calède campsite encourages these moments of conviviality.
The next day, we were back on the bikes, heading for Biscarrosse Nord lake. 14 km this time. I have to admit it was a bit long for our son, who had his own bike, but also for my husband and me, as we still had the trailers with the dog and baby. It’s decided, this winter we’ll start cycling so we’ll be in better shape next year! On arrival, we took a dip in the lake and went paddle-boarding.
For our fourth day at Camping Calède, we opted for the ocean at Biscarrosse Plage. The person at the Calède campsite reception recommended the Vivier beach, to the north, because you can swim there with the dog and it’s easy to park. The kids (and the dog) loved the ocean with its waves, even if it meant keeping an eye on them. We finished the day at Biscarrosse Plage for moules frites, a ride on the Ferris Wheel and an ice cream while watching the sunset over the ocean. The kids were exhausted by the time they got back. So we were glad to get back to the calm of the campsite.
If I had to sum up our vacation at the Calède campsite, I’d say it was a great time with our neighbors and with our children. It was the vacation we’d always dreamed of. Especially since the campsite has so many assets:
- free baby kit and baby bathroom available 24/24
- a children’s playground
In fact, we’re planning to come back, as we weren’t able to do everything. The campsite has a partnership with a surf school. My husband was very keen to try it out. We’d also like to visit the surrounding area, such as Mimizan, 25 minutes away, or the Landes de Gascogne nature park. We’d also like to take more time to visit Arcachon, and why not take a boat trip on the Bassin d’Arcachon. And then, as soon as our baby’s a little older, I think we’ll take even greater advantage of the network of cycle paths all around the campsite to Parentis, Sanguinet, Biscarosse and so on.
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