A balanced review from an English family – lots of positives, with a few areas that could be improved
2 September 2026 at 05:34:54
We stayed at Le Soleil de la Méditerranée in Saint-Cyprien in a three-bedroom Eurocamp Ultimate during the peak summer season. Overall, we had a really enjoyable and relaxing family holiday. Having read quite a few mixed reviews beforehand, particularly from British visitors, I wanted to give a balanced... account of our experience and include some practical tips that might help other families.
English-speaking guests
First, contrary to quite a few reviews we’d read, we didn’t find this a particularly difficult campsite for English-speaking guests.
The majority of staff we encountered spoke good English and were generally friendly and responsive. As always when travelling in France, we found that making an effort to start a conversation in French was appreciated and generally got a warmer response than simply approaching someone with the expectation that they would speak English.
There is also more English signage and information around the campsite than some reviews suggest. Sometimes you just have to look for it.
The daytime and evening entertainment is predominantly in French, with relatively little English, but I think you have to be realistic about this. The overwhelming majority of guests are French, so naturally that’s who the entertainment is designed for. There was still a good mix of British, Dutch, German and Spanish families during our stay.
Our three-bedroom Ultimate
We were pleased we’d paid extra for an Ultimate.
The three-bedroom accommodation was spacious and comfortable enough for a family of four, and we had a relaxing stay. Our two daughters decided to share a bedroom, which meant we could use the third bedroom as a storage/dressing room – actually really useful when you’re there for a longer holiday.
The bathroom was particularly good. It was spacious with a large shower, which was noticeably better than some of the smaller bathrooms we’ve had in lower-grade Eurocamp accommodation previously.
All the important things worked properly. We had no problems with the shower, sinks or plumbing.
There were, however, a few signs of wear and tear. Nothing particularly serious, but some areas of the accommodation and campsite are beginning to look a little tired and would benefit from some general maintenance and updating.
The mattresses were one of our main dislikes. They’re covered in the rubber/plastic-type material often used in holiday accommodation, and the supplied flat sheets tended to slide around. My strong recommendation would be to bring fitted sheets for both the single and double beds if you have the luggage capacity. It would make quite a difference to sleeping comfort.
We also didn’t have a toaster when we arrived. Staff were helpful when we reported it, but it took about three days for one to arrive. We were told that it was peak season and toasters were in high demand. Fair enough, although we did feel that a toaster was a fairly basic item that should have been present, particularly when you’ve paid extra for an Ultimate.
The kitchen could also do with a few additional basics. There wasn’t really a suitable baking tray if you wanted to put a pizza or something similar in the oven, and we didn’t have a corkscrew. I discovered the latter after buying a corked bottle of wine and then having to employ considerable ingenuity to get into it!
The Nespresso machine, on the other hand, was excellent. Compatible pods were cheap and readily available at the supermarket nearby.
Having bed linen and final cleaning included with the Ultimate was also well worth it for us. Not having to spend the final part of the holiday worrying about cleaning the accommodation was one less headache.
For anyone wondering about luggage, as a family of four we managed with four cabin cases, four under-seat rucksacks and one hold case, while still bringing some additional comforts for the cabin. With sensible packing, it can definitely be done.
Air conditioning and insects
The air conditioning in our Ultimate was good and more than adequate for what we needed.
On particularly hot days it could take a while to bring the temperature down, but that’s hardly surprising in the South of France in August.
One thing worth knowing is that the air-conditioning unit is in the main living area rather than the bedrooms. If you leave the bedroom doors open, some of the cool air does circulate into them, but you shouldn’t expect individually air-conditioned bedrooms.
In fact, if you leave the air conditioning running overnight, the main living area can become extremely cold while the bedrooms remain noticeably warmer.
If you’re travelling during very hot weather, I’d recommend bringing a couple of compact travel fans for the bedrooms. We took flat-pack travel fans and they were invaluable.
In terms of insects, we encountered a few biting flies around dawn and dusk, which you’d expect in this climate, but we didn’t experience any particular mosquito problem inside the accommodation. Be sensible about keeping doors and windows closed and it shouldn’t be a major issue.
The pool – good, but extremely busy at peak times
Overall, we liked the pool complex and the children enjoyed it.
At the height of peak season, though, it is extremely busy and there simply aren’t enough sunbeds for the number of guests.
The campsite has clearly recognised the problem and has tried to create additional areas, including roof terraces, but when the site is full there just isn’t enough capacity.
We also noticed another influx of people at around 4pm for the later swimming session, so don’t necessarily assume that the pool will become quieter as the afternoon progresses.
The difference once the French schools started returning was remarkable. During the final part of our holiday, lots of families left and the campsite and pool became considerably quieter. It was a completely different experience.
One important pool-safety improvement
There is one thing I think the campsite should seriously consider changing.
Three of the slides discharge directly into the main swimming pool, but there isn’t a properly cordoned-off landing or “drop zone” preventing other swimmers from crossing directly in front of the slide exits.
Adults can come down these slides at a fair rate of knots. On several occasions when I was coming down, children swam across the bottom of the slide in front of me and I remember thinking that a collision between a large adult and a small child could potentially result in a significant injury.
I didn’t witness an accident, but it struck me as an avoidable risk.
Simply roping off or otherwise clearly separating the slide landing area so people can’t swim across it would seem a sensible and relatively straightforward safety improvement.
Fitness activities and gym
There was a good programme of fitness activities, including organised runs, aqua aerobics/pool fitness and other classes.
I’m a regular gym-goer, so I was particularly interested in the gym.
It’s fairly basic. There are a few cable and resistance machines, cross-trainers, a stepper and a couple of treadmills. The equipment isn’t especially modern, but you can still get a decent workout.
What surprised me was how well utilised the gym was whenever I went in, so there’s clearly demand for it.
I think this is an area where the campsite could add quite a lot of value without spending a fortune. A padded floor area and a reasonable selection of free weights would transform it.
I suspect a better-equipped gym would be particularly attractive to parents who want to get a workout in while they’re away.
Laundry facilities
The laundry facilities were very good.
There are washers and dryers, they accept contactless card payments and the instructions are available in English.
At the time of our stay, it was €7 for a wash and €5 for a dry.
Security and vehicle access
We felt very secure on the campsite.
There is security at the main entrance and the vehicle barriers use automatic number-plate recognition, so vehicles can’t simply drive onto the campsite unless their registration has been authorised.
There was also security around the pool checking wristbands, which reassured us that people who weren’t entitled to use the facilities couldn’t simply wander in.
Vehicle entry is restricted after a certain time at night, but importantly you can still leave the campsite by car at any time.
This was particularly useful for us because we had to leave at an unusual hour to get back for our flight home. Being able to drive out without worrying about the barriers was a real plus.
Shopping – try the local supermarket before Lidl
There is a Lidl nearby, although realistically you’ll want a car to get there.
However, my advice would be to try the supermarket within walking distance of the campsite first. It’s roughly 800 metres away and we found it had pretty much everything we needed.
I’m a bit of a stickler for self-catering things such as dishwasher salt and rinse aid, and even those were readily available. Nespresso-compatible pods were also cheap and easy to find.
We initially assumed we’d need to drive to a larger supermarket for various items but, in reality, the nearby supermarket covered almost everything.
Bar prices, cards and cash
One thing we did find expensive was the campsite bar.
At the time of our stay, a 250ml beer was around €5 and the cheapest larger beer/pint was around €8. House white wine was around €11.
There were also minimum card-payment limits in the restaurant/bar area. If you just wanted a beer after a day around the pool and your bill was below €10, you couldn’t necessarily pay by card.
It’s therefore useful to have some cash.
We found cash machines around Saint-Cyprien, with the most convenient for us being around the harbour. We paid a €6 ATM charge when withdrawing using our Monzo cards, so it’s worth checking the fee before accepting a withdrawal.
And a definite tip: buy some wine from the supermarket.
Wine is exceptionally good value in this area. You can buy a perfectly decent bottle for €5–6, and if you’re prepared to spend somewhere between €10 and €20 you can get something superb. Compared with campsite bar prices, the difference is substantial.
Waste disposal – one minor annoyance
One of the less convenient aspects of the accommodation was rubbish disposal.
The internal bins aren’t particularly large and, because you’re separating general waste and recycling, you quickly fill the individual sections.
As a family, this meant making regular trips to the main waste-disposal area. From our accommodation, the bins were a fair walk away around the main entrance/reception area.
I completely understand the environmental reasons for separating and centrally managing the waste, but on a campsite of this size, a few additional conveniently located waste points would make a significant difference.
It wasn’t a major problem, just one of those repetitive little jobs you’d rather not have to do so often on holiday.
A hire car was invaluable
For us, having a hire car really added to the holiday.
It allowed us to go shopping, visit Perpignan and generally explore the surrounding area rather than spending the entire holiday within the campsite.
One of our favourite activities was Paradise Aventures, about a 15-minute drive away.
We did canyoning, which was great fun and included jumps of up to around seven metres. It’s definitely for people who enjoy something adventurous and there is obviously an element of risk involved, but we thoroughly enjoyed it.
We also tried the Drop-In activity. Our younger daughters found that one a little painful, so that probably wouldn’t be first on our list to repeat, but we’d definitely recommend looking at the activities there if your family enjoys something a bit more adventurous.
Saint-Cyprien harbour – definitely worth an evening
I’d strongly recommend getting off the campsite for an evening and heading down to Saint-Cyprien harbour.
During peak season there was a fair, a Ferris wheel, DJs/live music, food stalls, bars and plenty of restaurants.
We took our two young daughters and had a really good time.
Because the campsite’s evening entertainment is understandably geared towards a predominantly French audience, we actually found the harbour more our scene.
We enjoyed being able to wander around, get some food and drinks and listen to live music or DJ sets. It had a slightly more adult holiday-evening atmosphere while still being perfectly suitable for taking the children along.
It provided a really good alternative to spending every evening on the campsite.
Consider Barcelona if you’re flying from Northern England
This is probably one of my biggest tips for British visitors, particularly anyone travelling from Northern England.
Don’t automatically assume you need to fly into the closest French airport.
We actually flew into Barcelona because the flights were cheaper, hired a car there and drove to Saint-Cyprien. The drive was only around two hours and it worked extremely well.
More importantly, we incorporated a stay in Barcelona into the holiday, which added a completely different dimension to the trip. We had a fantastic time there.
So if you’re comparing flights, I’d definitely price up Barcelona as well as the obvious French airports. If the flight savings work in your favour, you can potentially use some of that saving to have an extra night or two in Barcelona.
It effectively gave us a Barcelona city break and a South of France family holiday in the same trip.
Overall
Overall, we had a really enjoyable and relaxing family holiday and would describe Le Soleil de la Méditerranée as a good campsite with a few areas where relatively straightforward improvements could make it considerably better.
I think some of the criticism about it being unsuitable for English visitors is unfair. Most staff we encountered were friendly and responsive, many spoke good English and there is more English information around the campsite than some reviews suggest. Chat gbt is a wonderful translator if you just upsold a picture of any sign or menu etc…
The Ultimate accommodation was spacious, the bathroom and large shower were particularly good, the air conditioning worked well, the site felt secure and the pool complex was good fun.
There are certainly things that could be improved. Peak-season pool and sunbed capacity is inadequate, I’d like to see a properly separated landing zone at the bottom of the slides, some areas of the accommodation are beginning to look tired, the mattresses aren’t great, the kitchen inventory could be better, the gym would benefit enormously from a modest investment and the waste facilities could be more conveniently located.
I also think the campsite bar is expensive, so make use of the supermarkets!
But none of those things spoiled our holiday.
My advice is to go expecting a busy, predominantly French family campsite rather than a resort designed around British tourists. Make an effort with the language, accept that most of the organised entertainment will be in French and, ideally, have access to a car so that you can explore the surrounding area.
For us, the combination worked extremely well. We had relaxing days around the campsite, visited Perpignan, tried canyoning and other activities, spent evenings around Saint-Cyprien harbour and incorporated Barcelona into the beginning/end of the trip.
By the final part of our stay, when the French schools were returning and the campsite became much quieter, it was particularly relaxing.
There are things we’d change, but overall we came away having had a very good family holiday – and with some sensible planning, there’s a lot to recommend about both the campsite and the wider area.
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21 August 2026 at 05:39:16
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