The 5-star campsite category was created in July 2010, and in its first year only included around twenty campsites.
This 5-star classification points you in the direction of campsites that are resolutely top-of-the-range, standing out in particular for their welcome, services and facilities, as well as the volume and diversity of activities on offer during your stay. In short, the very best! Treat yourself this summer to an unforgettable outdoor holiday, with family or friends.
Why is a campsite 5 stars?
Why is a campsite awarded 3, 4 or 5 stars? The answer is simple: it meets a certain number of criteria defined according to a grid of almost 200 qualitative and quantitative criteria, and is re-evaluated every 5 years. You can find out more about the main star criteria for a campsite, and get a better understanding of what the classification means.
What are the criteria for a 5-star campsite?
Among all the criteria eligible for 5-star status, there are a number of special features:
- Quality service (massage, hairdresser, spa, hotel services...)
- Compulsory swimming area (can be a swimming pool or a water park with direct access to the sea or lake)
- Refreshments on site or nearby
- Entertainment for all (including some spectacular shows) and a children's mini-club with friendly staff, children's play areas, for the enjoyment of children and parents alike.
- Pitches must have a minimum surface area of 80m² (the average minimum surface area for a 5-star campsite is 114m² per pitch) and a maximum of 70 pitches per hectare.
- 50% of pitches must have a minimum 10 Amp electrical connection.
- Heated toilets and showers
- Comfort equipment (washing machine, etc.)
- Internet access on the campsite and extensive wifi connection
- Useful if you don't speak French: 5-star campsites must offer a welcome in 3 foreign languages, including English.
- 24-hour call-out service and online booking via a website
What is the difference between a 4-star and a 5-star campsite?
In terms of comfort, there may be differences between a 4-star campsite and a 5-star campsite, which generally offer more luxurious services, such as more upmarket leisure facilities (e.g. swimming pools, fitness rooms, spas) and multiple services. Note that the largest camping water parks are to be found at 4 and 5 star campsites, and that's just as well: our children love them!
The 4-star campsites also offer a high quality of service while retaining a more traditional camping experience.
Prices will vary between these two categories of campsite: 5-star campsites are generally more expensive than 4-star campsites. Check out the prices of these campsites and don't hesitate to visit them in low season.
Finally, the size of the pitches is a criterion that differentiates 4 and 5 star campsites. 5-star campsites generally have larger, more comfortable pitches, with a minimum average surface area of 114m² per pitch (compared with 100m² for a **** campsite), and more space around your mobile home or caravan if you choose a rental on a campsite. For example, a 5-star campsite must have a maximum of 70 pitches per hectare, compared with 80 pitches for a 4-star campsite.
5-star campsites: luxury on a campsite
Luxury campsites
These luxury campsites can offer you everything you'd expect from a comfortable, relaxing holiday: a beautifully wooded park in an ideal setting, a pitch or rental with a pleasant outdoor area - and sometimes even a private swimming pool or jacuzzi on the terrace, a SPA where you can enjoy a jacuzzi or sauna and even, why not, treat yourself to a professional massage. This array of services and premium amenities means you can travel with peace of mind and enjoy a memorable camping experience.
5-star campsites can offer you top-of-the-range, even particularly luxurious accommodation: contemporary or themed decoration, air conditioning, dishwasher, terrace with garden furniture, mood lighting... In terms of services, they are on a par with hotels: beds made up on arrival, housekeeping, etc. Some of the top-of-the-range accommodation at luxury campsites is located in premium areas, sometimes pedestrianised, in the heart of a stylishly decorated setting.
And if you can't afford these premium accommodations during your stay at a 5-star campsite, you can rest assured that the more traditional accommodation you can choose for your holiday will be a recent model, in good condition and in pleasant surroundings...
Which is the most luxurious campsite in France?
France's most luxurious campsite is Esterel Caravaning, located in Saint-Raphaël in the Var region of southern France,
At this campsite, you can relax in your own private hot tub on the terrace of your mobile home, admiring the sunset over the Esterel massif, enjoy a romantic dinner in one of the two elegantly decorated restaurants or have a cocktail on the patio. This top-of-the-range campsite doesn't skimp on luxury, with a level of comfort superior to most establishments, an entertainment programme with over 90 hours of free entertainment per week in season with dedicated teams, including sports lessons led by professionals. You'll also find this luxury in the accommodation, some of which offer a private swimming pool or spa on the terrace of your mobile home.
Your 5-star camping holiday in France: discover the top-of-the-range campsites
In 2024, there were 278 5-star campsites in France, spread throughout the country and particularly along the coast. Choose your **** campsite according to your destination!
5-star campsites with a water park
We've selected just over a hundred 5-star campsites with water parks that will appeal to children and parents alike: dream lagoons, waterslides, counter-current rivers, wave pools and more traditional pools, games for the little ones, so many water activities to enjoy your holiday, outdoors or under a dome!
5-star campsites with direct access to the sea
A campsite by the sea is great, but having direct access to the beach during your camping holiday is a luxury of comfort and safety that everyone appreciates - especially parents: check out our selection of 5-star campsites with direct access to the sea, right on the water. Note: some 5-star campsites have a private beach...
5-star campsites in the south of France
Are you looking for a camping holiday on the Côte d'Azur, by the Mediterranean? Or would you prefer a family holiday in the hinterland of southern France? Discover the 30 5-star campsites in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'azur and the 61 5-star campsites in Occitanie.
5-star campsites in Brittany
Are you planning a family camping holiday in a magnificent region, punctuated by superb coastal scenery, an immense coastline, sublime landscapes, friendly inhabitants and endearing traditions? Choose from 25 5-star campsites in Brittany.
5-star campsites in the Var
Situated on the Mediterranean coastline, the Var is a choice destination for family holidays, combining the joys of swimming, water sports and escapism in the heart of nature. Choose your camping holiday destination from 17 5-star campsites in the Var.
5-star campsites in Corsica
There are just 3 5-star campsites in Corsica. These magnificent campsites will allow you to make the most of your holiday and discover the superb coves and exceptional landscapes of the Isle of Beauty.
5-star campsites in Normandy
Choose one of the 16 5-star campsites in Normandy to discover an incredible variety of landscapes, such as the Suisse Normande with its lush green meadows and forests, the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, the Côte d'Albâtre with its imposing white cliffs, or even its long beaches.
5-star campsites in Landes
If you're planning a holiday in south-west France, you can choose from 18 5-star campsites in the Landes region, for holidays bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, along a coastline of over a hundred kilometres, bordered by dunes and sheltered by pine forests.
5-star campsites in Vendée
The Vendée is one of the departments in France with the most campsites, and there are 25 5-star campsites in Vendée to choose from. It's also one of the sunniest departments in France.
5-star campsites in Ardèche
If you love nature, exceptional archaeological sites and white-water sports, choose one of the 15 5-star campsites in the Ardèche. In fact, why not choose a 5-star campsite in the Gorges de l'Ardèche and enjoy the wild nature and high limestone cliffs that stretch for around thirty kilometres?
5-star campsites in Dordogne
In the heart of a hilly, wooded landscape, often not far from the river, choose a 5-star campsite in the Dordogne from among the 15 available and enjoy all that the Dordogne has to offer: a rich gastronomy, swimming in the Dordogne in a green setting, numerous sites dating back to prehistoric times, not to mention the many monuments listed as Unesco World Heritage sites.
Which are the best 5-star campsites in France?
The journalists and camping experts at Campingfrance.com have visited a huge number of campsites in France and defined the 15 best campsites in France (all of which are 5-star campsites). They based their choice on the setting of the campsite, its infrastructure (water park or sports facilities), the charm or quality of the rental accommodation, the real advantage of access to the beach, not forgetting those with an exceptional geographical location, with, for example, an unobstructed view of the sea, the lake or the surrounding countryside... They appreciated the green setting, the quality of the services, the comfort of the top-of-the-range accommodation and the range of activities on offer to holidaymakers.
The very first 5-star campsite in France:
In 2010, fewer than 20 campsites had been awarded their 5th star. Here they are:
- La Petite Camargue, at Aigues-mortes (30)
- Château de Boisson at Allegre-Les-Fumades (30)
- Campsite Mayotte Vacances in Biscarosse (40)
- Camping La Rive in Biscarosse (40)
- Yelloh! Sylvamar Village in Labenne (40)
- Les Petits Camarguais at Grau-du-Roi (30)
- Secrets of the Camargue at Le Grau-du-Roi (30)
- Le Vieux Port in Messanges (40)
- Lou Pignada in Messanges (40)
- Sen Yan Tropical Village in Mezos (40)
- Les Alicourts Resort in Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre (41)
- Saint-Avit Loisirs at Saint-Avit-de-Vialard (24)
- Camping Soleil Vivarais at Sampzon (07)
- Domaine de Massereau at Sommières (30)
- Framissima Nature Soustons in Soustons (40)
- Camping Caravaning Le Littoral in Talmont-Saint-Hilaire (85)
- Camping Nature Parc L'Ardéchois at Vallon-Pont-D'Arc (07)
- Campsite Domaine Le Pommier at Villeneuve-de-Berg (07)