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Read what our previous customers have had to say about Carisma holidays.
Sun, sand & seafood -
Carisma Holidays
Our first taste of Brittany was a delicious breakfast of freshly baked bread, croissants and coffee in a café beside the river in the fairytale medieval town of Dinan; roughly half way between the port of Cherbourg and our destination on the west coast of Brittany.
Our Carisma campsite was near the historic walled town of Concarneau. The kids were really looking forward to staying in a caravan on a campsite with a large pool and five water chutes and sure enough it was a huge hit with the children. They spent most of their time whizzing down the waterslides with their new friends or just messing about in the play area.
I had booked the holiday through Carisma, an English company which specializes in small, French owned campsites.
They run excellent kids clubs at each of their sites and every morning, my six year old would happily trot off to see Sam and Sarah who entertained the children brilliantly with treasure hunts, games, singing and arts and crafts. We also managed to spend some time exploring the region and enjoyed a fabulous day wandering around the charming town of Pont-Aven where Gaughin once lived, and another day visiting the pretty port od Ste Marine, boasting spectacular estuary views from the nearby Pont de Cornouaille. The Carisma couriers also offered babysitting services in the evenings, giving my partner and I the luxury of dinner together one night at a local Michelin-recommended restaurant.
Brittany was a pleasant surprise offering stunning scenery, reminiscent of Devon and Cornwall, superb beaches and excellent seafood in restaurants where children are welcomed. Above all it was easy to get to, particularly on the longer Channel crossings.
I have to admit that at first, I wasn’t very keen to stay on a campsite and only agreed because I knew that the children would enjoy it, but we all ended up having a great time.
Bettina Rix.
Jard sur Mer, Vendee, France with
Carisma Holidays
We chose this holiday because it offered something for all the family. For me the attraction was a dedicated windsurfing beach, only 150 yards from the campsite. My wife, Kathy, doesn’t particularly care for beach life so we needed to find a location that also had character, shops and good wine! For the kids as well as the beach, there was the promise of the swimming pool and Kids club.
Brochures for the region claim a climate similar to the South of France and this was certainly the case during our visit.
Although I have dabbled with windsurfing for over ten years, I’ve only recently invested in my own kit. At the moment this consists of an F2 Phoenix 320 with Arrows New Move 6.3 rig. I’m a member of the Rickmansworth Windsurfing Club and have been sailing at their lake throughout last summer. I was determined that on this holiday I would really crack the use of harness lines and footstraps and improve my beach starting technique.
The campsite at Jard Sur Mer is quite small and welcomes a broad mix of nationalities. We stayed with Carisma Holidays in a luxury mobile home and the Carisma rep, Michael, a keen windsailer, briefed me on arrival on the conditions. To the left of the main beach, beyond a boulder breakwater, is an area set aside for windsurfing. The Vendee coastline is known for its surfing beaches and the break at Jard is particularly suitable for bodyboarding.
The first challenge I faced on the beach was launching through the surf. There’s a calmer channel at one end of the break, which made it possible to beach start before heading out and around the back of the surf. The ride back in was great fun and on my first day I was able to pick up small waves and accelerate back in to the beach. The conditions were ideal and allowed me to get really comfortable with my harness, and for the first time, my footstraps. The wind was always cross shore or cross-on and picked up to about 15 to 20 knots most afternoons. On one occasion I realized I was totally over-powered when heading out. The swell was getting bigger, and I was drifting downwind. Having only just managed to turn, I held on tight, flipped down the dagger and headed up back to the safety of the beach. Later the winds picked up to gale force and the locals were getting serious air off three or four foot waves. For me it was the chance to get out my cam-corder and capture the true potential of the location.
There’s a lifeguard station overlooking the main beach. It doesn’t officially observe the windsurfing area, so as a precaution I always wore my buoyancy aid. By the end of the holiday I’d become quite comfortable in a range of planing conditions. I was disappointed that I couldn’t actually walk to the main beach with my kit. Although we were adjacent to the main beach I had to drive each day to the official ‘planches a voile’ launching area. This wasn’t a problem for Laura as I bought her a bodyboard and she was soon enjoying the waves as much as me! Most of the locals and the Carisma reps cycled to the beach with custom windsurfing trolleys in tow. The town of Jard sur Mer has a traditional high street with market day on Mondays. The focal point of the town is the harbour which has many restaurants. The local delicacy is mussels although with our conservative tastes we didn’t indulge. The ‘steak-frites’ was however, excellent for giving me energy for the following days sailing!! For those who prefer self-catering there’s a small shop on site but the best place to stock up is the ‘SuperU’ at the back of the town. The local ‘Van de Pays’ (red or white) can be picked up for as little as £1.50.
For me it was an excellent holiday, I’d improved my sailing and was really chuffed to have ‘played in the waves’ so early in my windsurfing career. The kids also had a good time and I’m sure it will be one of their memorable holidays. As fro the children; Laura is now a committed body-boarder and there’s a mini-Bic for sale at the club………..just right for Amy in a couple of years.
I would recommend the resort of Jard sur Mer for anyone of level two ability and above. You do need to take your own equipment but spares aren’t a problem as there are several well stocked shops in the area.
David Webber (David is a 35 year old BBC project manager, married with two young children)
Les Sables
We have just returned from our Carisma Holiday in Les Sables In France. It was the most enjoyable fortnight that we had spent in ages. The site was in a perfect location – right beside the sandy beach and rock pools where the children spent many hours looking for crabs and starfish. The swimming pool with its slides provided much entertainment for the children and the site is well served by cycle tracks. Walking along the cycle tracks we explored the nearby forest and local village, Le Chaume. We have already decided we would like a Carisma holiday next year. Thanks for a lovely holiday
Mr and Mrs Hartwell
Les Sables
This is our third year on a Carisma site and we have not been disappointed at Les Sables. The facilities are excellent, the activities ideal for young teenagers, and the Carisma Couriers most helpful
Mr & Mrs Wheeler – Mansfield
Biscarrosse
We all had such a relaxing time at Biscarrosse and very much enjoyed that we were so close to the beach. The lake is so safe for children, even our 2 year old. In fact the whole environment felt safe.
Ms Holling – Business Development Manager -Derby
Biscarrosse
Once again an excellent holiday in a fabulous place. Well organised and extremely clean. Lots to do for all the family at Biscarrosse, especially flat cycle paths and great access to a beautiful beach on the lake. Thanks Carisma.
Mr & Mrs Muir – Manager – Glasgow
Biscarrosse
From the first call booking the holiday when the gentleman had personal knowledge of the site to the two reps Harriet and Catherine who were helpful, efficient and hardworking, our holiday at Biscarrosse went extremely well. It is our first holiday with Carisma, and we will book again.
Mrs Danielson – Barrister – Surrey.
La Foret
Good Fun, Beautiful scenery and lovely relaxed atmosphere. All our needs catered for at La Foret. A truly French experience which we would recommend to anyone with a family.
S. West – Teacher West Sussex
Messanges
Very enjoyable holiday at Messanges. Our 1st time with Carisma and was impressed. Very clean good quality accommodation, Site reps very good and very helpful and very pleasant. Location great.
M Galavan – Environmental health officer – Ireland
St Hilaire
This has been our first holiday for 5 years and well worth the wait! The weather was fantastic and helped us enjoy the Vendee and our campsite at St Hilaire. The campsite was just as Marilyn described when I book the holiday; small and friendly with a fabulous pool complex and right on the beach! Wow!
Mr & Mrs Mclellan, Printer – Christchurch
Jard Sur Mer
We had a great time – Perfect combination for kids and adults. Excellent solution for Kids – our eldest (9) was happy to experience freedom (his words) for the first time. We feel rested and relaxed – a first since having children! Sam and Tom were great with the children; social and helpful.
Ms Richardson – Lawyer – London
Jard Sur Mer
Our 2nd Holiday with Carisma and first in the Vendee. Overall a very pleasant surprise – Riviera weather but only four hours from the Port – We’d come again. Thanks to Tom and Sam at Jard.
Mr Lawrence – Leics
We have enjoyed a fantastic holiday at Biscarrosse. The site is very friendly and family orientated which was ideal for us
Mr & Mrs Lowther, Newcastle upon Tyne.
This is our first holiday in a caravan or to France since we were children. We had a great time at Jard Sur Mer and our kids an even better time. Thank you!
Mr & Mrs Everatt, Facilities Executive, Old Stratford.
Our first experience with Carisma. We recently returned to campsite holidays after 15 years of Gites & Cottages in France. We looked through brochures and websites to find a site like La Foret - coastal but small, quiet and un-commercialised. Everything has exceeded our expectations - accommodation, site and great company.
Mr & Mrs Beckett, University Administrator, Lincolnshire.
Excellent! Brem Sur Mer was fantastic and the weather was brilliant. Caroline and Mark our Couriers were stars. Our youngest daughter couldn't wait to go to the kids club each day - the activities were interesting and exciting and they were brilliant with the children - superb. Thank you!
Mr & Mrs Hoyland, Headteacher, Somerset.
Our second time at Les Sables with Carisma. This was even better than last year, superb location and very attentive reps. Our thirteen year old son had a superb time, made lots of friends in a safe environment. See you next year!
Mr Speck, Managing Director
The children rated Les Sables as excellent. Obviously, if the children are happy, parents are equally. The access to the beach, which was never busy, made life a lot easier for all the family. We felt that the children were safe on the site and allowed them to go to & from all the amenities without us constantly in tow
Mr & Mrs Turner, Early Years Coordinator, Essex.
The campsite at La Baule was just as the brochure described and we found it the perfect place to relax. Dave, the courier, worked hard and was very helpful and brilliant with the children. They insist on coming back here next year. Sorry Dave!
Mrs Dockerell, Special Care Nurse, Chester
A great holiday. We enjoyed ourselves very much especially having not done this type of holiday before. We will definitely come back again with Carisma and probably to La Foret. Loads to do and great for young children. We enjoyed the small site. Sam and Sarah were terrific with the children and always on hand when we needed their help. A great team.
Mr & Mrs Parker, Dental Surgeon, Skipton
Excellent from start to finish. Booking via telephone was straightforward and well managed, with very helpful operators influential in assisting us in choosing the resort best suiting our needs. The St Hilaire Site was excellent and very toddler friendly and the swimming pool complex is superb, as is the children play area. Very good children’s entertainment programme with special thanks to the couriers for running a much enjoyed kids club. Couriers were very helpful and friendly at all times.
Mrs J Lawrence, Resource Analyst, Leicestershire
Super holiday – the kids had so much to do and friends to play with. When they are happy – we are happy! Holiday was really made by the superb Kids Club and the very friendly and helpful couriers at Brem – thanks to Cath and Mike.
The Goodes, Parents!, Wiltshire
Once again have enjoyed a superb holiday at Les Sables with Carisma. This is our fourth holiday with the company and hopefully not our last. Many thanks.
Mr & Mrs Bell, Farmer and Civil Servant, Northants
This is our second visit to Jard and we absolutely love it. The children are relaxed and happy and the campsite has everything we needed. It is now just a question of whether we return to Jard for a third time or try a different site.
Ms Reeves, Area Manager, Epsom
Thank you for one our best ever family holidays. Having stayed at Les Sables d’Olonne twice before, we were looking forward to returning, and were not disappointed. The new 3 bedroom mobile homes were excellent, however our stay was made even better by all of the Carisma staff. We were looked after extremely well, with plenty of entertainment for the children resulting in Jack and I having an extremely relaxing time, so much so that we would like to come back for 3 weeks next year!!
J Westwood
We have recently returned from Biscarrosse and had a wonderful holiday. Many thanks and keep up the good work. Our family had a wonderful time we loved the peaceful nature of the campsite whilst having an excellent range of amenities at our disposal. The campsite was immaculate and very well run.
Ms D Archibald, Dundee
This our third visit to Les Sables, can't wait for next year. The children spent all their time on the new waterslides, a vast improvement to last year. Perfect!
Mr. Sadler, Coventry. Civil servant.
Another superb holiday with Carisma. We have enjoyed the Brem site once again. The couriers have again been good - we have had the service just right. Another excellent value for money holiday. Thank you.
Mr. T Muskett. Wigan Retired (just)
Excellent site, very enjoyable holiday. Carisma reps very helpful and friendly. There was a very strong sense of safety, relaxation and fun at this site. Carisma reps enforced this positive attitude by undertaking all requests in an obliging manner. We will recommend both company and site at Messanges to friends and family.
Mr. Laidlaw. Edinburgh. Senior Manager (further education)
La Foret campsite is excellent. Would return. Liked the small site and close proximity to the beach. Pool exceded all expectations, great for young children. French staff very pleasant. Would return again to same site.
Mrs Hadden. Mickleover
Biscarrosse is a very nice site with extremely helpful staff- best bit of the location is defInitely the lake; with children aged 9, 7 & 3 such a safe swimming area was wonderful. We also hired a motor boat, very cheap and lots of fun. Anyway, many thanks for a wonderful two weeks!
Mr. Christie. Sales Manager
We've all had a super holiday due to a super site at lard and brilliant weather. It was great to have the choice of a pool and the beach without having to get in the car. The nearby restaurants were also excellent and we can say we have eaten in all of them except two!! The kids loved the site, kids club was a great hit and we felt our children were safe in the hands of Tom and Laura. Many thanks!
The Mollens. Northumberland. Teacher
Having never done this thing before I must admit I left the U.K feeling very nervous. I have had such a fantastic time and would wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone.
Mrs 0 Reeves. Epsom. P.A
Everything was spot on. Corrine made us feel very welcome at Les Conches. She was excellent with the children, always happy and helpful. This all made the holiday relaxing and most enjoyable.
The Cable family. Lincolnshire
This is our fourth visit to La Foret. We have three children and we all love it because the site is ideal for younger children - what will we do as they get older? The two couriers, Lyndsey and Alex, have been excellent - very friendly and hard working.
Mr P Davies, Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire. Health Care Personnel
Far surpassed our expectations. Great site, fantastic beach and peaceful setting. The Couriers, Alex and Lyndsey, were brilliant; nothing too much trouble and always a cheerful smile. 5 Stars!
The Lees, Wimbledon. Daily Mail Journalist
Fourth time with Carisma, third time at Brem. Excellent weather, superb site with so much to do. We really liked the new caravans. All in all a brilliant holiday: just wished we booked for 3 weeks! The couriers were first class and always very helpful. See you next year!
The Hoyland Family, Minehead. Head Teacher
Once again we have had a superb holiday at Les Sables - this was our second year running (having been used to a fully equipped villa in the past) and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Our children (aged 12, 8 and 5 had a ball - they made loads of friends and we were quite happy knowing that they were perfectly safe. Special mention must go to Gary, who managed to convince our 5 year old that the Kids’ Club was worth a go. She went off hand in hand with him and went for the rest of the holiday!
We had a really relaxing time - all the staff were great and we felt really relaxed.
Mrs Westwood, Glasgow
We have had an excellent holiday at Les Sables. Carisma has been well organised and have made our first camping experience great. The campsite is lovely... the accommodation and location of the campsite were good. Being guaranteed being next door to our friends has also made a huge difference in our selecting Carisma. Our courier Ellie was friendly and informative at all times.
Mrs Mitchell, Rotherham. Lecturer
The holiday at Jard was everything that we wished for and more. Andy and Tom, the couriers, made the holiday extra special for our daughters and the campsite was very safe for children - we all had a brilliant holiday!
Mr S Carter, Horfield, Bristol. Support Teacher
After a hectic holiday last year we decided on a quiet, relaxing holiday this year. We particularly enjoyed the cycling, fishing and the beaches around Biscarrosse. Our boys have enjoyed going along to the Children's Club - especially the sporting activities. We would also like to thank Martin our Courier. He is very friendly and helpful and left us to our own devices which we appreciated. We have certainly had a very good holiday and would like to visit this area again in the future.
Mrs Rushton, Burghfield, Civil Servant
We were really pleased with the quality of the campsite and accommodation at Messanges. The couriers, Barry and Tecquin, were excellent: very helpful and brilliant with our son Finn who had a wonderful time with them. Thank you!
Mrs O’Donnell, London. Lecturer
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