Camping Côte d’Argent Review: Is It Worth Visiting?

Pool complex

The biggest draw to this campsite is its newly renovated aquatic area, covering 9,000m² and including splash parks, waterslides, lagoons, indoor facilities and toddler pools. The area is tiered, with the Pirate Waterpark at the top, the lagoons in the middle and the indoor section at the bottom. And it is surprisingly decorated with lots of fish… real fish!

Let’s start with the waterpark:

The Pirate Waterpark

This feature was one of the reasons we’d always wanted to book this site. It has a large structure with multiple playful splash areas, a giant tipping bucket and four different flume slides, each with varying heights and speeds. The water here didn’t seem to be heated, unlike the other pool areas.

Our daughters absolutely loved this area, as did Mike and I on the few occasions we gave it a go too.

However, at times it would get very busy and, with many unsupervised children in there, rule-following became very lax. Our eldest daughter was injured multiple times when children wouldn’t wait to see her exit and would fly down into her whilst she was either still on the slide or trying to get out.

The final incident saw a teenage girl smash straight into her at the bottom so hard that it took her a few hours to be able to walk properly again. We informed the lifeguards, who tried to talk to the teenager, but unfortunately she apparently couldn’t speak any English or French and chose to laugh at my daughter instead of apologising in any way.

Waterslides

To avoid the waterpark at busy times, we’d head to the faster racer slides area, which surprisingly often had very few queues. It was a faster slide area and I’m not sure my 4-year-old should have been on it, but she did it anyway and loved the thrill of it.

The toddler Pool

A more suitable area for my 4-year-old was the toddler pool, where there were yet again more waterslides, except these were aimed at younger children. There were plastic structures in the shape of lighthouses and beach huts, plus a really nice shallow pool area that was great for letting her take off her armbands and practise swimming.

The lagoons

There are two lagoon-style pools at varying heights, with one leading into the other via a waterfall, which the children very much enjoyed jumping off.

There are fish in glass tanks between the pools, so from the top lagoon you can see the fish underwater, and from the bottom lagoon you can see them when you look up. It’s a really nicely designed pool area, and the palm trees and plants make it feel very nature-focused and beautiful.

The water was fairly warm, but I wouldn’t like to stay still for too long on a colder day.

The Lazy River:

Just along from the lagoons is a lazy river area that starts with a shallow section before leading deeper into the river. It wasn’t a fast rapids-style river, but a very chilled-out one that never got overly busy with inflatables.

In fact, I found all the pool facilities, even in the height of August, pretty calm and never overcrowded. I assume lots of families were at the beach too, so despite the campsite being big, people were spread out nicely.

The indoor facilities:

As the weather was so nice during our stay, we didn’t make as much use of this pool area as we could have. However, it was a great area for rainy or colder days.

Set inside a dome-shaped building, the roof and sides are retractable, meaning it can be opened up when it’s sunny or closed when it needs more of a greenhouse effect.

There was a large area for toddlers and children with splash facilities and a play-table-style area. There was also a thin but long lane pool, a relaxing, but not hot, tub area and another pool.

The area was clean and lovely, but some of the decking panels did look like they needed a refresher.

Pool Facilities & Sunbeds

Around all of the pool areas there were multiple places to relax. On the top tier above the waterpark there was a whole sun deck with loungers, astroturf and bean bags. Next to the waterpark was another astroturfed area with bean bags too.

Around the pools there were plenty of loungers, more astroturfed areas and quite a few parasols. We always managed to find somewhere to sit.

Even the indoor pool area had an astroturfed area outside with sun loungers.

I didn’t see any toilets within the pool complex, but just outside the gates was a shower block for campers which was regularly used by pool guests.

Lifeguards

There were plenty of pool attendants, but I wouldn’t say they were actively stopping the dangerous behaviour, and I never saw them manning the waterpark where most of the chaos was happening.

However, they did come to help with the teenage girl who hurt my daughter and gave her a talking-to (which she apparently didn’t understand).

Swimwear rule

The swimwear rule was clearly written everywhere and was adhered to. My husband wore his longer shorts around the pool but stripped down to his jammers when entering the water. The lifeguards never said anything to him, and we didn’t notice them telling anyone else off as everyone already seemed to be wearing the correct swimwear.

Pool verdict:

We really enjoyed the pool areas, but mostly when the Pirate Waterpark was quiet and we didn’t have to worry about people hurting our children.

Quite often, we would go up with them just to wait at the top of the slide and stop other kids from going before our child was out. I was surprised not to see other worried parents there. Maybe I’m just too overprotective.

Other than the chaos there, I have no complaints about the pool. It really was a nice, well-cared-for space that provided plenty of fun.

Hourtin Plage Beach and Town

The other big reason we chose to stay at Camping Côte d’Argent was its proximity to the beach and surfer town. As you may know, we love the surfer vibes of the French Atlantic coast and make it a rule to explore somewhere around there every summer. The beaches, the waves, the atmosphere, they’re all fantastic.

We normally visit Hossegor, which is a much larger town, so I was dubious about Hourtin Plage at first. The town seemed so small, with just a greengrocer, boulangerie, a few eateries and multiple surf shops. Yet, it was actually perfect.

As you leave the campsite on foot, turn right and just a few metres away is the town. At the end of that, you’ll find the stunning golden-sand beach.

We spent the whole week doing surf lessons, and our youngest, who had turned 4 just two days before, even did her very first surf lesson too. We wholeheartedly recommend the team at Twins Surf School for their language skills, enthusiasm and teaching. They seemed to be working all day, every day, yet never seemed stressed or annoyed and had great fun during the kids’ lessons.

To access the beach, you have to walk down the sand dune using the path, and at the bottom you’ll find the lifeguarded swimming area. This was supervised during our high-season stay, but I expect there will be less supervision outside the main summer months.

Playgrounds & Sports Facilities at Camping Côte d’Argent

I was really surprised, given the size of the campsite, that there was only one main play area, but there are lots of sports facilities too.

Main Playground

The playground is located between reception and the pool complex. It’s really large, sandy and features two main sections: the surf area and the woodland area, both reflecting a big part of the campsite’s personality.

The woodland area featured acorns, animals and wooden structures with slides and circuits, plus a four-way swinging area where the kids all tried to kick each other. My 6-year-old loved that!

Then the surf area had some springy surfboards, a camping car and more climbing frames with slides, including some smaller slides for toddlers. It was a great park for a whole range of different ages.

Outside the park was a bike rack so children could park up their bikes and play, and inside there were plenty of benches and areas for parents to sit and monitor them.

Tennis

Behind the play area are the campsite’s tennis courts, which were very often in use. To hire a tennis court for 50 minutes cost €10, or you could get a subscription pass for €80 that gave you 10 x 50-minute sessions.

Table Tennis

Outside the arcade were three table tennis tables. These were free to access and were quite often in use.

Multi-Sports Court

Located behind the tennis courts, the multi-sports court was a hub of languages and play. Children from different nationalities would often find a common language through football. This was free to access.

Volleyball & Pétanque

There was a beach volleyball area in the play park, plus a few pétanque courts if you wanted to play boules.

Bike Facilities

There was bike hire on the park, plus another bike hire place off-site, and the campsite even provided a bike tool station filled with loads of handy tools.

This whole area is super sporty, with some incredible bike paths to explore. We are gutted we never got round to hiring bikes this holiday.

Arcade

The arcade was located in the main village area and had quite a few games. My mum gave the girls €10 each for their holiday and, as you can probably guess, they blew it all in here and on the twisty machines that give you a plastic ball filled with plastic stuff that breaks easily.

What could I do? It was their money, haha…

Kids Clubs & Entertainment

Kids Club

Our 6-year-old tried the free and included kids club for a couple of days and she loved it. The team was fun, energetic and made all the children feel welcome. They had a good range of language skills and all the sessions were well attended.

Activities ranged from water games and painting to competitions and more. My daughter was in the Mini Club for children aged 6 to 11, and there was a Teen Club for 12 to 17-year-olds. This was more focused on sporting activities such as volleyball and basketball, and they even did an afternoon trip to a paintball centre in Montalivet.

Daytime Entertainment

Given the area and how sporty Atlantic coast campsites tend to be, Côte d’Argent definitely lived up to expectations with a wide range of sporting activities throughout the day.

The mornings were filled with exercise classes such as Aquafun, Legs, Bums and Tums, cardio circuits, dance, Vinyasa Flow and my personal favourite to watch, Afro Drumsticks.

We didn’t take part in any of the classes as our schedule was already fully packed with surf lessons at the beach, but the ones we caught glimpses of looked amazing!

There were organised sporting events too, including pétanque competitions, volleyball, football and more.

Mini Disco

This is something that really disappointed us. There was only one mini disco session per week and it took place in the shallow area of the swimming pool.

It lasted around 20 minutes and the animation team were great, but Mini Disco is something we really enjoy at other campsites and here it felt like an afterthought.

Evening Entertainment

Well. This campsite is well known for its extravagant and elaborate evening entertainment and I hate to admit it, but we didn’t see any of the main shows.

I heard from friends we made on-site that they really were amazing.

Unfortunately, the only evening entertainment we saw was the foam party and I wasn’t impressed.

It started off as a kind of glow party, with elaborate lights and costumes that looked really cool, but the whole area was crowded with hundreds, and I mean hundreds, of people. I couldn’t see a thing. Even with my 6-year-old on my shoulders, she struggled to see.

During the performance, they called all the children onto the stage to dance, but then asked parents to keep an eye on them. I couldn’t even see a metre in front of me, let alone the stage or where my child had gone. It was really quite scary.

Then the foam started pouring from the ceiling, which was cool, but the overcrowded area was a real problem for me and we left after about 10 minutes of watching. I think that partly put me off going back for any of the other shows.

The evening entertainment started at 9.30pm too, which was quite late for our children. Perhaps with older kids it would be more enjoyable.

How Loud Is the Campsite at Night?

From where our tent was located, we couldn’t hear the evening entertainment itself, but you could definitely hear when it ended. Groups of loud teenagers would walk around shouting and screaming with no real consideration for sleeping families.

I think the noise was worst between 11pm and 1am.

Food & Drink at Camping Côte d’Argent

Two snack bars and a restaurant were enough to keep us satisfied, especially since we could walk to restaurants nearby too.

Main Restaurant

The main restaurant is at the entrance to the campsite and is open to the public. This is where the evening entertainment is held too.

It definitely felt more like a restaurant than a bar area. One afternoon, we sat down to get drinks and were told off as the tables were for people eating. It was a shame, as there was no real bar area at the front of the campsite like we expected.

Instead, if we wanted more of a bar atmosphere, we’d head halfway around the site to the pool bar.

Meal-wise, the restaurant had quite a nice menu, with dishes such as beef tartare, burgers, tuna steak, mussels, pizzas, salads and more.

A children’s meal was €12.50 and included either a ham pizza or chicken and chips, plus a dessert.

A Margherita pizza was €13.50 which, if you know my Margherita rule, makes this an extremely expensive campsite restaurant.

Pool Bar & Snack

Next to the pool there was a snack bar. We enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere here and the cosy seating areas.

We often went after swimming for an ice cream and a drink, but quite often the campsite didn’t have the ice creams listed on the board available. At one point, they only had a lemon ice lolly that my girls had absolutely no interest in.

Then we found out they did scoop ice cream in strawberry, vanilla, caramel and chocolate, which they loved having in a cone.

The drinks came in plastic cups, even the wine, which I don’t particularly like. If it keeps the ground free from glass though, I guess it’s a good thing.

We ate there on our first night. We ordered chicken fillets and chips twice between the four of us and it was more than enough. It was quick and the bar staff were mostly friendly.

The opening hours during our stay were 10am until 8pm.

Takeaway / Snack Bar

Next to the main restaurant was a small snack shack selling tapas-style meals and pizza.

We used this one night and I made the terrible mistake of paying a lot of money for the tiniest amount of satay chicken.

Don’t make the same mistake I did!

Stick to the chicken fillets and pizzas.

We shared pizzas with some new-found friends one night and they were really tasty, but expensive.

Campsite Shop

The campsite shop was really nice and was the only shop in the immediate area. The nearest supermarket was around a 15-minute drive away, so the Casino shop on-site, which was open to the public, sold almost everything you might need.

It was definitely more expensive than a regular supermarket, but for convenience it was great.

In the mornings they sold pastries and bread, which were really tasty. The opening hours were great too, with the shop opening at 8am and staying open until 8.30pm.

There was a wide range of fruit and vegetables, which can sometimes be hard to find in campsite shops. Meat products were a little more limited during our stay thanks to a broken refrigerator.

They even had some warm food available, including quiche and pizzas.

As you’d expect from a campsite shop, you could find camping supplies too, including air pumps, pool toys, games and other entertainment products.

Nearest Supermarket

The nearest supermarket is an Aldi in Hourtin. It’s OK, but they really do need a better supermarket nearby, even if it’s just a seasonal one.

Aldi obviously stocks the basics, but I stupidly agreed to make my daughter a birthday cake with Smarties and, after visiting three different shops in the area, none of them sold Smarties at all. That gives you an idea of how limited the local shopping options can be!

I think there was a Carrefour nearby that unfortunately burnt down a few years ago.

If you’re looking for very specific items, or if your diet is quite restricted, you may struggle relying purely on the local supermarkets and could find yourself travelling over 30 minutes to find a shop that has what you need.

Our Accommodation at Camping Côte d’Argent

We booked directly with the campsite to stay in our own tent. We added electricity and a fridge box, and the total cost for 10 nights was €980, which I do find extremely expensive for camping.

I do understand that campsites like this, with such a good location close to the beach and a respectable clientele, can charge a little more.

At first, I was highly disappointed with our pitch. A member of campsite staff cycled ahead of our car to show us where to go, which is something I used to love from the old Eurocamp days as I suck at reading maps and somehow manage to get lost every time we try to find our emplacement.

When we arrived, he showed us an area that kind of looked like the garden belonging to the mobile home we were looking at. He explained that half of it was our pitch and half belonged to another camper, and I just thought, oh wow, will all our stuff even fit on here?

Well, it did.

Once we were set up, I actually came to really love the emplacement. It was great for people-watching, and we were close enough to the toilet block that we could all go independently.

We made friends with our neighbours, and most of the other campers around us were friendly, sociable and respectful.

What Was Included?

Electricity cost us €10 per day and our fridge shelf was €3.50 per day.

I completely forgot to take a photo of our cool box, but it was around the width of a fridge shelf and quite shallow in height. It fitted everything we needed inside though.

Ours was the one closest to the ground, so I basically had to lie on the floor every time I wanted to look inside it.

Pitch Size & Privacy

Our pitch was actually a lovely size.

We had enough room for our Berghaus Adhara 700 tent, our gazebo, space for the children to play outside and a parking spot for our car.

The ground was dirty, sandy and covered in pine needles and cones, but we completely expected that from staying on a campsite in a pine forest.

There wasn’t much privacy between pitches, but we were probably luckier than some of the others, which were really overlooked.

Our emplacement was very shady. It was so shaded that it took us two days to dry some of our clothes, even though the weather was so hot, but it was absolutely fab for rest times and for the children.

Would We Choose This Accommodation Again?

We would absolutely book this pitch again.

It was quite a long walk to the campsite entrance, but if we hired bikes it would be no problem at all. Lots of the families around us had their own bikes or hired them on the campsite, and I think next time we’ll definitely do the same.

This is definitely a campsite we plan to return to in the future as we really did love it.

What Alternative Accommodation Options Are There?

You don’t have to camp here, and there are plenty of other accommodation options available through both the campsite and Eurocamp.

It’s worth comparing the cost of all the different options and seeing what suits your family best.

We did notice that many of the accommodation options didn’t have air conditioning, so if that’s something your family requires, make sure you double check before booking.

Watch Our Camping Côte d’Argent Video

Watch this space, video pending…

Things to Do Near Camping Côte d’Argent

Surf, surf and a little bodyboarding… No, but seriously, this place is all about sun, sea and waves.

Hourtin Plage

We spent every day at the beach. Whether we were watching a surf lesson or taking part in one, we were there.

The golden sand, the big waves, the atmosphere, we loved it.

The town had a really nice vibe too, especially when the Monday night market was on and there were lots of people around.

It’s a very seasonal area though, and I can see a lot of places being closed or running reduced hours outside the main season. During the last week of our holiday, we noticed quite a few places had already started closing their doors for longer.

We really enjoyed cocktails and food at Le Surf, which is the restaurant closest to the beach, and loved the pizzas and bakery treats from the boulangerie near the campsite.

Lac d’Hourtin-Carcans

We only visited the lake once, on quite a cloudy day. I had no idea how big it was! I think it’s around 18km long and it seemed huge.

We hired a pedalo at the port, which the girls loved, and surprisingly, the water was really shallow in the area we were in.

We played there for a few hours and then had a drink and some food at one of the bars in the port.

It’s nice, but not as nice as other people had told me it was. The buildings felt very dated and reminded me a little of Butlin’s in the 90s.

I’ve heard there are lots of other places around the lake to visit too, though we preferred the big waves.

If your family wants a break from the big Atlantic waves, this is the perfect spot to get a sandy beach and water without the same risk.

Twins Surf School

We went every day. No joke.

Each of us had a lesson, and Mike and Hattie had around seven each. We plan to go again next year.

Thomas and Julien were excellent teachers, working with children from 3 years old upwards. They had amazing energy, great language skills, brilliant people skills and, obviously, great surf skills too.

They were a massive part of our family’s enjoyment of the holiday, and I couldn’t write this review without giving them a big shout-out.

Bordeaux

We love Bordeaux (we've stayed at Yelloh! Village Bordeaux Lac too). It’s a French city with gorgeous architecture and one of the longest pedestrian shopping streets in Europe (Rue Sainte-Catherine is around 1.2km long).

We went on a Sunday to avoid large crowds and it was still fairly busy, but calm enough.

The weather was super hot and we didn’t last too long before the girls started struggling with the heat.

We parked at a park and ride and got the tram into the city, which is the best way to do it and avoid the traffic.

L’Île aux Enfants

We didn’t visit here, but heard great things from other guests who had been in the past.

They said it has lots of play areas and pump tracks for children, so it’s definitely a kid-focused day out to think about.

Check-In & Reception

We arrived at the campsite on a Thursday, which was perfect at this time of year as the weekends tend to be more hectic, and so do the roads.

We arrived around midday and reception was fully manned with bilingual staff who were happy to welcome us. They gave us a map, an information booklet and the key for our fridge box, then put the campsite wristband on my wrist.

Another member of staff then rode his bike to our emplacement as we followed behind in the car. Once we arrived, he put the wristband on my husband too.

We didn’t need to visit reception very often, but whenever we did, the staff were always happy to help.

Whether we were getting washing machine tokens, changing notes into coins for the arcade or asking for help when my daughter got a splinter, nothing ever seemed to be a problem. When she got the splinter, they rushed over with a first aid kit straight away.

All the useful information, including tide times, entertainment schedules, bus timetables and even the daily weather, was displayed on the window outside reception.

Inside, there were a few leaflets and a little book exchange too.

Practical Facilities at La Côte d’Argent

Here’s the stuff you want to know about.

Wi-Fi

There were around two hours of free Wi-Fi available each day at set times in the morning and evening. Outside those periods, the Wi-Fi was paid and, from the reviews we read, apparently wasn’t that great.

Thankfully, we had a good 4G signal on our phones and were able to hotspot the internet for any work needs. I have heard reports that the mobile signal isn’t always great here, but it wasn’t an issue for us.

Paid Wi-Fi cost €10 per day for one device or €20 per day for four devices. For the whole week, it cost €20 for one device or €40 for four.

Laundry

There were multiple toilet blocks around the campsite, but I only know what was available in ours.

Our block had two washing machines and two dryers, which thankfully were empty whenever we needed to use them.

We only paid for washing machine tokens, which cost €6 each and were purchased from reception. Using the dryer would have cost €4, but thankfully we were able to hang everything outside our tent to dry.

The washing machines were really big industrial ones, but you did need to provide your own laundry detergent. They cleaned everything really well and the cycle lasted around 45 minutes to one hour.

Bike Hire

Camping Côte d’Argent has a bike hire area near the Mini Club entrance, though I never actually saw it open.

Hiring a bike for one week cost €55, with a €200 deposit required per bike. I imagine this would either be held on a bank card or paid using a cheque.

Barbecues

You can bring your own barbecue to Camping Côte d’Argent, but there are some strict rules around what type you can use.

Only gas and electric barbecues are permitted. Charcoal and wood barbecues are strictly prohibited, which makes complete sense given that the entire campsite is surrounded by pine forest.

Electric Hook-Up

If you’re camping with electric hook-up, the pitches at Camping Côte d’Argent have 10A electricity with European CE sockets.

The campsite recommends bringing around 35 metres of electric cable, which is worth knowing before you arrive as some pitches can be quite spread out.

We paid €10 per day for electricity during our stay.

EV Charging

There are electric vehicle chargers on the campsite, with some located near the pool area and another charging area just off the campsite entrance.

There seemed to be plenty of EV charging options available around the campsite.

ATM

There is an ATM at the front entrance of Camping Côte d’Argent, which we used regularly to get cash for the arcade.

Pets

Camping Côte d’Argent does allow pets, but only if you are staying on a camping emplacement.

Dogs and other pets are not permitted in any of the campsite’s rental accommodation, or even on the emplacement surrounding the rental, so this is definitely something to be aware of if you’re planning on booking a mobile home.

There is an extra daily charge for pets, which varies depending on the season. You’ll need to bring their vaccination record with you and their rabies vaccination must be up to date.

Dogs need to be kept on a lead around the campsite, and Category 1 and Category 2 dogs are not permitted.

The campsite currently lists the pet charge as between €5 and €8 per day depending on the season.

Fridges for Campers

We hired a cool box in the fridge, which was basically a small fridge locker inside a much larger fridge.

We had the lowest one to the ground, so it meant practically lying on the floor every time we wanted to get something out. It was fairly spacious though, despite it being a little difficult to find what you wanted inside.

The fridge lockers are located in the toilet blocks and we were given a key for ours at reception.

It cost €3.50 per day and was definitely worth it to keep the wine cool.

Toilets & Shower Blocks

The toilets and shower blocks had a really high standard of hygiene.

Each one seemed to have a member of staff stationed there throughout the day, from very early in the morning until the early evening. They were constantly mopping, cleaning and keeping on top of the toilet rolls, which were provided in the toilets.

I’d previously read that you had to bring your own toilet roll, but thankfully that wasn’t needed during our stay.

There were plenty of showers, toilets and sinks, and we never once had to queue for any of them.

There are plenty of sanitary facilities throughout the campsite too. From our nearest toilet block, we could actually see the next one along, so you’re really never too far from one.

Campsite Grounds, Pitches & Cleanliness

Campsite Layout

The site was quite hilly, with lots of ups and downs, which our girls loved on their scooters.

It’s quite a large campsite to get from one end to the other. Many families had bikes, and we always regretted leaving the tent without the girls’ scooters as it took so much longer to get around the park.

Shade & Nature

Our pitch was very shaded, which was fantastic when the weather was hot, but not so great when it cooled off in the evenings.

The whole camping area is set in a gorgeous pine forest, with giant trees, pine needles and cones everywhere you look.

The ground was dry, dusty and sandy, but we fully expected that from camping on the Atlantic coast as many campsites around here are exactly the same.

Insect-wise, we were so lucky and never really felt “bugged”. My daughter did get a couple of bites, but we never saw what caused them and had no problems with flies or wasps.

Cleanliness & Maintenance

This was one of the cleanest and best-maintained campsites we’ve stayed on.

We continually saw staff litter-picking and maintaining the site. There was no litter, no rubbish lying around and everyone seemed to respect the park.

The pool area was newly renovated and well maintained, and, as previously mentioned, the toilet blocks had cleaning staff stationed there throughout the day.

Is Camping Côte d’Argent Good for Families?

Absolutely fantastic for all ages, but here’s why…

Babies & Toddlers

The campsite doesn’t really have any major facilities aimed at babies and very young children, such as soft play areas or baby clubs, but it does have very good toddler pool facilities and lots for younger children to play on in the park.

It’s only a short stroll from the beach too. Families with younger children may prefer the safety of Lac d’Hourtin-Carcans, which is perfect for little ones if you want water without the big Atlantic waves.

Children Aged 4 to 8

Our nearly 7-year-old made friends with 8 and 9-year-olds and they had their own little girl gang.

They went to the foam party, rode around on their bikes and scooters and hung out at the park, though I did monitor this.

We saw older children being allowed to roam freely around the campsite with walkie-talkies to their parents, and they all seemed to love the freedom.

The Pirate Waterpark is perfect for this age group, but please, please monitor your children on it.

We saw lots of kids in this age group hanging out together, making jewellery and then walking around the campsite selling it to guests. Can’t fault the entrepreneurship!

Older Children & Teenagers

If you’re happy to let your teenagers roam and hang out at the beach and pool, then this campsite is perfect.

It’s not a flashy resort with unlimited entertainment. There are sports facilities, pools and a beach, and that seemed to be more than enough for a lot of the older children staying here.

The arcade may be a little young for the older teenagers, but the sports facilities were perfect for them to hang out, meet friends and spend time together.

Is Camping Côte d’Argent Good Value?

We paid a LOT for our camping emplacement. It cost €980 for 10 nights with electricity and the cool box.

That’s much more than we would normally spend to sleep in our own tent. The location and pool facilities really hike the price up though, and yes, I do feel like it was worth it.

The clientele who visit aren’t just here for a cheap holiday. They’re here to stay somewhere on the Atlantic coast, ride bikes, go surfing and then relax by the pool.

Holiday home-wise, you’re looking at paying quite a substantial amount in the height of summer too. Guests we spoke to said their accommodation didn’t include air conditioning or a TV, which disappointed them, so make sure you check exactly what is included before booking.

If you manage to get a good deal at this campsite, then I would 100% grab it with both hands as it is definitely worth it.

I probably wouldn’t consider staying before the start of May or after mid-September unless you want a really quiet and calm break. The atmosphere definitely starts to calm down during the final week of the summer holidays and outside the main summer season.

Booking Camping Côte d’Argent

Who Can You Book With?

Eurocamp are available on this campsite and, outside July and August, we would have definitely booked with them rather than staying in our tent.

We love our summer holiday tent adventures though, and Mike had been eyeing up this campsite for years, so we decided to give it a try in the tent before committing to a more expensive holiday home.

You can also book holiday homes directly through the campsite, alongside the camping emplacements.

What Accommodation Should You Choose?

It completely depends on what you’re looking for.

The holiday homes seem to be closer to the main facilities, but the adventure of camping and the social side of it made staying in our tent worth it for us.

There seemed to be a really strong camping-friendly atmosphere, and we met lots of other young English families with campervans staying around the area we were in.

Which Area/Pitch Would We Choose?

Our emplacement wasn’t numbered on the map, but it was located just opposite sanitary block 4. There are five sanitary blocks in total.

I would 100% recommend this area.

Personally, I found the area around sanitary block 1 more overcrowded and a little higgledy-piggledy.

How to Get to Camping Côte d’Argent

From the UK

Nearest Ferry Ports

• St Malo: around 556 km / around 6 hours 15 minutes by car
• Cherbourg: around 689 km / around 8 hours 15 minutes by car
• Caen/Ouistreham with Brittany Ferries: around 620 to 680 km / around 8 hours by car, typically via the A13 and A10

These distances are approximate and will vary depending on your exact route and traffic.

Eurotunnel / Calais

From Calais, the driving distance is approximately 850 to 894 km, with a journey time of around 8 hours 30 minutes to 9 hours 15 minutes.

The typical route takes you via the A16 and A10, following the Paris, Tours, Poitiers and Bordeaux corridor.

Flying

The nearest airport is Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD).

The campsite is around 70 to 75 km from the airport, which is roughly a 45 to 60-minute drive depending on traffic and your route via the D1215 and D101.

I would recommend hiring a car. Public transport to Hourtin Plage is limited, and having a car makes supermarket trips, beaches and days out much easier.

Train

The nearest mainline train station is Bordeaux-Saint-Jean, which has TGV and Intercités services from Paris and other French cities.

It’s around 75 to 80 km from the campsite by road.

Hourtin Plage itself isn’t directly served by train, so you would still need to use a taxi, bus and walk, or, more practically, hire a car.

Campsite Address

Address: 134 Route de Contaut, 33990 Hourtin
GPS coordinates: 45.222954, -1.165014
What3Words: ///bags.powdered.corks

Do You Need a Car?

We actually didn’t use the car that much during our holiday, but I would still recommend having one.

It’s useful for visiting the port and lake, supermarket trips, days out and getting to and from the airport.

For us, either driving over from the UK or flying into Bordeaux and hiring a car would be the easiest options.

Our Verdict:

Camping Côte d’Argent FAQs

Is Camping Côte d’Argent flat?

No. Camping Côte d’Argent is quite hilly, with plenty of slopes throughout the campsite. Our girls loved riding their scooters around, but younger children may find the distances tiring without bikes or scooters.

Are the pitches close together?

Some are. The camping pitches don’t always have obvious boundaries and there isn’t a huge amount of privacy between them.

Our pitch was a good size, with enough room for our large Berghaus Adhara 700 tent, gazebo, outdoor space and car, but we noticed some pitches elsewhere on the campsite felt more crowded and overlooked.

We particularly preferred the camping area near sanitary block 4.

Is Camping Côte d’Argent good for toddlers?

Yes. There is a lovely shallow toddler pool with small slides and water-play structures, plus toddler-friendly equipment in the main playground.

There’s no baby club or indoor soft play, but the beach is within walking distance. For families worried about the large Atlantic waves, Lac d’Hourtin-Carcans offers much calmer and shallower water.

Is Camping Côte d’Argent good for teenagers?

Yes, particularly for active teenagers.

There are football, volleyball, tennis and other sports facilities, a large swimming pool complex and the beach is within walking distance.

There is a Teen Club for 12 to 17-year-olds, with activities including sports and organised trips. It’s a particularly good choice for teenagers who enjoy surfing, cycling and spending time outdoors.

Are there mosquitoes?

We didn’t have any problems with mosquitoes during our August stay.

One of our daughters had a couple of unidentified bites, but we rarely noticed insects around our pitch.

Are there wasps?

We had no problems with wasps during our stay.

In fact, considering we were camping in a pine forest in August, we were surprised by how few insects bothered us.

Can men wear swimming shorts?

The campsite has a strict swimwear policy.

My husband wore longer shorts around the pool area but changed into swimming jammers before entering the water. The rules were clearly displayed and appeared to be followed by guests.

Are inflatables allowed in the pool?

We definitely saw inflatables being used in the lazy river during our stay, but I couldn’t find an official campsite rule stating whether you can bring your own or which areas of the waterpark they are permitted in.

Is the swimming pool heated?

Some areas appeared to be heated, but the Pirate Waterpark didn’t seem to be.

The lagoon pools were fairly warm during our stay, though I wouldn’t want to stay still for too long on a cooler day.

There is an indoor pool complex with a retractable roof, which is a useful option when the weather isn’t as good.

Is it easy to get a sunbed?

Yes. We stayed during the height of August and always managed to find somewhere to sit.

There are lots of loungers around the different pools, plus astroturf areas, bean bags, parasols and a large sun deck above the Pirate Waterpark.

Are dogs allowed?

Yes, but only if you are staying on a camping emplacement in your own tent, caravan, van or campervan.

Pets are not allowed in any of the campsite’s rental accommodation or on the emplacement surrounding it.

Can you park beside your accommodation?

We could park directly beside our tent, but some of the parking areas around the campsite did seem to be in strange places and weren’t necessarily right outside the accommodation.

Many of the mobile homes near us had a camping pitch with a tent directly in front of them, with the parking space positioned in front of that.

Where is the nearest supermarket?

The nearest supermarket we used was Aldi in Hourtin, around a 15-minute drive from the campsite.

There is a well-stocked Casino shop directly at Camping Côte d’Argent, which sells groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, pastries and camping supplies.

We found the campsite shop very convenient, but prices were higher than at a normal supermarket.

Is Wi-Fi available?

Yes. There were around two hours of free Wi-Fi available each day at set times during our stay.

Outside these periods, Wi-Fi was chargeable. It cost €10 per day for one device or €20 for four devices, with weekly passes costing €20 for one device or €40 for four.

We had a good enough 4G phone signal to use our phones as hotspots instead.

What happens if we arrive late?

If you know you are going to arrive late, you need to contact reception before 7pm to let them know.

The vehicle barriers are open between 6am and 10.30pm. If you arrive back at the campsite after 10.30pm, you’ll need to leave your car outside and enter the campsite on foot.

Normal check-in starts at 2pm for camping emplacements and 4pm for rental accommodation.

Can we stay on the campsite after checkout?

The official checkout time is before 12pm if you are staying on a camping emplacement and before 10am for rental accommodation.

However, if you have a late ferry or want to carry on using the facilities, as long as you aren’t parked on your pitch, I don’t think it would be a problem.

Is the campsite noisy at night?

It depends where you stay.

We couldn’t hear the evening entertainment from our pitch, but there was noticeable noise when it finished.

Groups of teenagers could sometimes be heard shouting around the campsite, with the worst noise generally between 11pm and 1am.

What can you do if it rains?

The indoor swimming pool is probably the biggest benefit on a rainy day.

It’s housed beneath a dome with retractable sides and a roof, and includes children’s water-play facilities, a long lane pool and other swimming areas.

There is an arcade too, though many of the campsite’s best activities are outdoors.

Do you need a car?

You could easily spend several days here without using a car.

Hourtin Plage, the beach, restaurants, bakery and surf schools are all within walking distance.

I would still recommend having a car for supermarket trips, visiting Lac d’Hourtin-Carcans and exploring further afield. If flying into Bordeaux, hiring a car would make the trip much easier.

How far is the beach?

The beach is within easy walking distance.

Turn right when leaving the campsite and Hourtin Plage town is just a few metres away, with the beach at the end.

You then walk down a sandy dune path to reach the beach and lifeguarded swimming area.

More campsites we've stayed at on the South West coast

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See our guide to camping on the South West coast

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