Family | Life | Food | Travel

21 November 2014

Our Family Adventure with Eurocamp: Part 1


I'd heard many good things about Eurocamp with several friends returning year after year, so I was very excited to be invited to stay at a site of our choice to end the summer off nicely. I'd usually opt for a hot beach resort in a tropical location (to work on my tan and lounge by the pool of course) but I instead took this opportunity to explore Europe and to try somewhere a little different to the norm. After looking on the website at the 160 sites it was Birkelt, Larochette that really appealed to me. It's the only Eurocamp site available in Luxembourg and I was immediately drawn to it because it looked reasonably small and peaceful from the descriptions (426 pitches), yet it had enough entertainment and nearby attractions to keep us occupied for the Sunday-Friday break. 

I wanted to be able to relax and have beautiful surroundings without the risk of being bored. 
This was just perfect for us.




Included in the booking were the ferry crossings which made the getaway even better value. You can of course pay a little extra for flights but the whole drive across France and Belgium felt like an adventure in itself; it enabled us to visit other countries during the commute and to stop off at some great places en route. This method of transport also meant we didn't need to worry about a hire car on the other side and we could go here, there and everywhere without the need for public transport either. We travelled down to Dover in the Mr's car and after arriving in Calais it took a few hours to reach our accommodation where we were greeted by cheerful faces and friendly staff that provided us with a site map and showed us to our home from home. 

Over the course of the holiday I saw the two Eurocamp reps many times wandering around ensuring everyone was happy and they recommended several attractions to visit. Their little hut which was the reception area was filled with leaflets and information which was really useful to have as generally I do like to have a little more knowledge on a place before visiting, especially when overseas. 
They were also very caring and concerned when the Mr went flying on the equipment (must not laugh) and injured his ankle offering details on the local hospital and checking up on him the following day. It was very thoughtful and we both appreciated that.


Welcome Pack 

We had a modern 3 bedroom Esprit, the largest model static caravan available, which had a double bedroom and two twin rooms. The open plan living area was spacious and comfortable and it had a full size fridge freezer, expendable dining table with chairs and plenty of seating in the lounge. It also had large patio doors that led out onto a lovely decked terrace complete with furniture, a BBQ and a clothes airer to dry any clothing from swimming. The shower room, with plenty of hot water, and toilet were separate which was also very handy. I was really impressed!

The kitchen was well equipped and there was even an iPod dock and some welcome packs supplied to help us settle in plus plenty of bed linen and towels. The Mini Mes noticed a TV was absent straight away but I was actually pleased that we were technology free and able to really escape for a few days. There is however free Wifi if you do feel the need to connect... or if you just wish to share a few pictures via social media to rub it in that you are abroad and everyone else isn't. 
Who would do such a thing *cough*.







We unpacked placing our clothing in the wardrobes, over-bed storage and shelving units within each room before cooking a quick dinner of curry and heading off to the play area to stretch our legs after the journey. There were several on site suitable for both toddlers and teens with skate ramps, football pitches, a large indoor pool and a shallow outdoor paddle pool available too. There was just so much to keep the entire family active outdoors with swings, slides, climbing frames, trampolines, play houses, sand pits, rope bridges and more. The Mini Mes made some great memories here, as did the Mr and I.

There was a really pleasant atmosphere and everyone smiled and said hello, in one language or another, which was a clear sign that families felt at ease here. We were very happy too and there was just so much to do we could be occupied at all times if we wished. The mini golf proved very popular with the Mini Mes and the arcade room was perfect to escape the few rain showers during our stay. There were game machines, a dart board, pinball, pool and ping pong tables - being quite competitive these were great fun to play.




There was entertainment in the evenings including children's discos and although we popped by briefly we decided to use this time to explore the beautiful local area. Just a few minutes walk away is the picturesque Larochette town where there is a fuel station, pharmacy, a variety of restaurants and bakeries to pick up your essentials for your self catering holiday. We discovered an Aldi a little further afield however and picked up the majority of our food from there which was superbly priced. I'd been told the cost of living here was high but I ddin't feel as though it was.

There are miles of fields, twisting roads and huge trees and waterfalls nearby. It is a stunning location.



Nearby

Luxembourg City - 27km 
Mondorf Les Bains -29km
Trier - 44km
Echternach - 27km
Larochette Clervaux - 41km


There were several restaurants on site offering different cuisines and a takeaway service available. We had pizzas and ice creams one night so the Mr I had a night away from washing up which were both good value and very tasty. Some of the pasta dishes looked and smelt incredible and several beers fell into the Mr's mouth when he conveniently popped to the store on site to look for souvenirs. These again were all reasonably priced too.





From arrival to departure we all had a great escape as a family with no complaints whatsoever. The beds were comfortable, the rooms were clean, there was lots to keep us busy on site and it was a great base for visiting nearby towns and countries. It was exactly what we had hoped for and more.
We visited an amazing zoo, a butterfly farm and we even went over to Belgium for a day all of which you can read about in part 2.

Since returning home I've ordered the 2015 brochure and it's looking very likely that we will be travelling with Eurocamp again in the near future. Perhaps somewhere a little warmer however like Croatia or Portugal this time and a nearby beach.




For more information on Eurocamp or to arrange your trip you can visit their website. They have some great offers at the moment and I'm very tempted by the new Avant accommodation range for next year myself.

You can view some more of our photos here:




Have you had a Eurocamp holiday?


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2 comments

  1. It looks like you had a fabulous holiday. I love all the outdoor play area equipment they had there to keep the kids entertained, especially the mini golf, that's an aspiration for Coombe Mill one day. It's great to see that in every pic the kids have a big grin on their face, shows they're really having a good time. Thanks for linking up with Country Kids.

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  2. We used to go to Eurocamp holidays when I was a teenager. Never stayed in the caravan, just tents.... but I can't remember there being any choice back then. Sounds like you all had a lovely adventure!

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