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The Joy of Doing Nothing: Why Active Idleness Is the Secret to the Perfect French Holiday
In a world obsessed with productivity, it’s easy to forget that doing “nothing” can be the most restorative thing of all — especially when that nothing involves basking in the French sunshine with nowhere to be and no emails to check. But let’s be clear: we’re not talking about lying flat in a hotel room scrolling your phone. We’re talking about active idleness — the kind of relaxed, simple living that happens when you slow down, move often, and leave room for spontaneity.
A French camping road trip is the perfect excuse to embrace this slower pace. It’s budget-friendly, deeply connected to the outdoors, and surprisingly rich in experiences. And for families? It’s a game-changer. The rhythm of campsite life has its own gentle logic — and once you’ve settled into it, it’s hard to imagine going back to airport queues and hotel buffets.
Let the Day Unfold
One of the greatest joys of camping in France is how the day seems to expand. You wake up with sunlight filtering through canvas, stumble out for a croissant from the bakery van, and drink coffee while the kids scooter in circles. There’s no rush. You might have a vague plan to visit a medieval village or check out a hidden beach — or you might not.
Some of the most memorable moments happen without any planning. A campsite like camping warincthun, just a short hop from Calais, is the perfect place to ease into the rhythm of French holidays. With the sea close by and the cliffs of Cap Blanc-Nez on your doorstep, you don’t need much of an itinerary.
Let the Kids Roam Free
In the safe, self-contained world of French campsites, children reclaim the kind of independence that’s rare in city life. They learn to navigate by scooter, make international friendships in the playground, and invent games in the pool. The pressure lifts from parents, too. When the site has a kids’ club, a bouncy castle, and a stream to explore (as at Vaubarlet in Auvergne), the need for screen time mysteriously vanishes.
And if bedtime creeps later and later? That’s fine. This is camp time. As one traveler noted, “The boys weren’t asleep until 10pm and all kids were still playing in the playgrounds at 9pm.” It’s a joyful kind of chaos that comes with warm evenings and no early alarms.
Go Light, Stay Long
Packing for this kind of trip isn’t about over-preparation — it’s about smart simplicity. Scooters instead of bikes. Warm sleeping bags for cooler mountain nights. A soft bag of books and board games. And enough space in the boot for local wine and roadside produce.
France offers every landscape imaginable within a few hours’ drive: the Spanish Pyrenees with their cold mountain streams and cable car hikes, the wild beaches near Biarritz with waves that crash like thunder, or the slow canals and open skies of the Loire Valley. The further you go, the lighter you travel — both in luggage and in mind.
Château-Hopping and Glass-Blowing
Of course, this isn’t about doing nothing in the literal sense. It’s about stripping away the stress of over-planned tourism. Yes, you might visit a château in the Loire. Yes, you might wander through the artists’ town of Collioure. Yes, your kids might be fascinated watching a glassmaker at work in Palau-del-Vidre. But none of it is forced. The joy is in knowing you can — not that you must.
This flexibility also makes self-catering a pleasure rather than a chore. Stop at a market, buy what looks good, and turn it into dinner. Campsite meals are often communal, slow, and eaten outdoors, with the added bonus that many sites have restaurants for the nights you want a break.
A Different Kind of Luxury
After three weeks of tent living, even the simplest upgrade can feel indulgent. That’s why finishing the journey in a static mobile home, like those at Les Alicourts in the Loire Valley, can be a masterstroke. Real beds, your own bathroom, maybe even an oven — it feels like checking into a five-star resort. But the kids won’t care — they’ll be too busy on the lake or at the waterpark.
And for adults? A final glass of wine on the veranda, legs stretched out, warm breeze carrying laughter from the pool — that’s a different kind of luxury altogether.
In Praise of the Slow, the Simple, the Beautiful
There’s something almost radical about choosing a holiday that’s unhurried, unpolished, and unplugged. And yet, France — with its vast geography, rich culture, and love of the outdoors — makes this kind of travel feel effortless. It’s a place where you don’t need big plans to have a big experience.
You just need time. Time to let the day wander. Time to stop the car when the view gets good. Time to watch the kids build sandcastles until the sun dips behind the dunes. That’s the real itinerary.
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The Joy of Doing Nothing: Why Active Idleness Is the Secret to the Perfect French Holiday
Melo Villareal
Out of Town Blog
