La Paillote

View prices & book 7.7 99 reviews
Spacious pitches
Spacious pitches
Our nice plot.
Really well maintained.
Peaceful and private pitch
Great little pitch
Space was fine for van and 2 tents
Barbecue area
Shaded picnic tables
1/23
Our nice plot.
Really well maintained.
Peaceful and private pitch

  • Family-friendly site with grass pitches a 25-minute drive from Calais
  • Cap Blanc-Nez half an hour’s drive; Boulogne-sur-Mer 35 minutes
  • Brasserie/bar with live music and beer garden; pétanque on site
An excellent base for exploring the northern French department of Pas-de-Calais, La Paillote is in the village of Balinghem, about five minutes by car from the medieval market town of Ardres. And if that doesn't help you place exactly where this small well-maintained site is, it might help to know that Calais and the beaches of the Opal Coast are a 25-minute drive to the north. As well as level grass pitches and a ‘dogs are welcome’ policy, La Paillote also has an on-site brasserie/bar that serves simple meals (think croque monsieur sandwiches, that sort of thing) and local beers. The bar often comes alive with live music, and the entertainment might also spill outside into the beer garden, where there’s no shortage of picnic tables for alfresco dining and drinking. A pétanque court is available for those who want a bit of traditional outdoor competition. Keen anglers might be grateful for the proximity to the Etang d’Ardres lake (five minutes’ drive), with its stocks of carp, while hikers and birdwatchers should make a beeline to the Marais de Guînes (10 minutes), a wetland area inhabited by marsh harriers and cuckoos. If you prefer your walks with a dash of sea salt, you can head to the cliffs at Cap Blanc-Nez (half an hour) and walk the coastal trail while taking in views across the Channel to the White Cliffs of Dover (weather permitting). In addition to the toilets in the brasserie, there is an on-site toilet block, showers and a washing-up area, plus a launderette.

Site type

Motorhome pitches 22
Tent pitches 22
Touring caravan pitches 22
Open now
Opens 15 April

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro) and/or any of the following: Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiler, any Mastiff or Tosa.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.

Languages spoken

English

French

Open from Tue, 15 Apr to

Reviews

7.7

Overall rating from 99 Pitchup.com customers

  • 38%
    10
  • 2%
    9
  • 27%
    8
  • 2%
    7
  • 13%
    6
  • 1%
    5
  • 8%
    4
  • 1%
    3
  • 6%
    2
  • 1%
    1
Location
 8
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 7
Facilities / Activities
 6
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 8
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 5
Budget/backpacker

73% would recommend this site to a friend

74% would stay here again

What customers say

Handy for Calais ferry & Eurotunnel, with private, roomy pitches, friendly staff & a welcoming vibe. Bar/restaurant praised for food & lively atmosphere, often with locals adding to the buzz. Great stopover, though some noted dated, basic, occasionally grubby loos & showers, plus one mention of poor site upkeep & safety worries.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 10
Arrival date (latest first)

Friendly and helpful people.…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 5
Anonymous

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Friendly and helpful people.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Location ease of check in…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Alistair A.

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Location ease of check in

Disliked Na

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great stay, perfect location for ferry terminal. Friendly staff.

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 7
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 7
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 6
Wifi
 No rating
Kathryn C.

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Nice size private pitches. Great atmosphere.
Lovely staff.
Great showes, could do with an update.

Disliked Shower/toilet blocks could do with an update.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very little to dislike about this place. Great welcome, open bar, pizza…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 1
Louise M.

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Very little to dislike about this place. Great welcome, open bar, pizza (Monday & Wednesday). Hosts very amenable and friendly, shame we missed live music night. Showers punching above their weight. In all would recommend this place highly

Disliked No lights or toilet roll in toilets...

Recommend to friends Visit again

Any site is better St Louis 3 miles futrthef 5*

Overall

1 out of 10
Location
 1
Value for money
 1
Accommodation
 1
Facilities / Activities
 1
Customer service
 1
Child friendliness
 1
Cleanliness
 1
Wifi
 6
Ursula H.

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Absolutely nothing they placed us by an old bonfire dilapidate hut. Broken glass on the ground cut my pups paw . The toilet showers were sank and dirty. The site was not prepared for campers Grass and hedges overgrown. Hook up cable across road with cars driving over it

Disliked Disgraceful . We had booked 2 nights stayed one night out if there at 9.00 am next morning

Recommend to friends Visit again

Site ok for an overnight stay.

Overall

3 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 2
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 1
Customer service
 5
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 1
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Nice pitches surrounded by hedges. Friendly host and staff. Good site for catching the ferry from Calais. Nice inside bar and snack area.

Disliked Quite a run down site, showers and toilets need updating. Outside bar and games area falling apart, which is a shame. Not near any shops.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Convenient to Calais for ferry port. Late check-in (until 10pm), and able…

Overall

5 out of 10
Location
 7
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 4
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 7
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 5
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Convenient to Calais for ferry port.
Late check-in (until 10pm), and able to get a bar meal on arrival late evening.
Friendly reception/bar staff.

Disliked The site seemed to be mostly filled with mobile trailer homes.
Loos and washing facilities very basic and shabby (and loo paper not provided). The shower cubicles also looked shabby so I chose not to shower (although my husband said that the actual shower itself was good).

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great, friendly staff. Lovely food.…

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 4
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 No rating
Adrian G.

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Great, friendly staff.
Lovely food.

Disliked Showers a bit basic, but clean.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very friendly place to stop ,made to feel welcome by everyone.will definitely…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 No rating
Tony H.

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Very friendly place to stop ,made to feel welcome by everyone.will definitely be using the site next year. Wishing everyone at La Paillote a merry Christmas and happy new year. Tony and Diane.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Shabby

Overall

6 out of 10
Location
 6
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 4
Facilities / Activities
 2
Customer service
 2
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 4
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Electric optional grass and earth pitch

Liked Handy for the tunnel

Disliked This place is a very run-down trailer park with a few camping pitches. The bar/reception area looked very tatty and there was a handwritten sign informing arrivals that reception was closed between 2 and 5:30 (not mentioned in the email). Toilet facilities were grotty. I was given stern looks by one of the static caravan residents as I made my 7am delivery. Beware of the bridge on the route with 2m height restriction, not apparent until you are nearly upon it

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Portable toilet

Dogs allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area Pétanque TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by pitch/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Gastronomic delight Peaceful

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Small (11-25 pitches)

Location

La Paillote

2219

Rue du Camp du Drap d’Or

Balinghem

Pas-de-Calais

France

62610

Directions

Timezone

Europe/Paris +0200 (GMT+02:00)

GPS

50.86254°N
1.94783°E

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

Saint Joseph Village (10 minutes’ drive) is an open-air museum/theme park where you can learn what life was like in this region at the start of the 20th century. Reconstructed buildings include a school and old-fashioned stores such a haberdasher’s and a vintage bakery. At Calais you can relax on the sandy beach while watching the ferries shuttle across the Channel; climb to the top of the lighthouse to see if you can make out the English coast; or visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts, with its collection of works by the sculptor Auguste Rodin. One of Rodin’s famed sculptures, The Burghers of Calais, sits in front of the town hall. Boulogne-sur-Mer (35 minutes) is known for Nausicaá - Centre national de la Mer, a vast aquarium housing sharks, manta rays and tropical fish, plus penguins and turtles. The aquarium sits at the western end of the sandy beach, which is flanked by a long jetty and the Phare Rouge lighthouse.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Calais Centre Plage 13.7 km Sea GoodGoodGoodN/A
Marck La Huchette 13.9 km Sea ExcellentExcellentGoodExcellent
Sangatte Bleriot Plage 14.2 km Sea GoodGoodGoodGood
Oye-Plage Les Hemmes 15.1 km Sea GoodExcellentExcellentExcellent
Sangatte Centre Plage 16.2 km Sea GoodGoodGoodGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Frequently asked questions

  • Does La Paillote have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is La Paillote dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near La Paillote? Saint Joseph Village (10 minutes’ drive) is an open-air museum/theme park where you can learn what life was like in this region at the start of the 20th century. Reconstructed buildings include … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of La Paillote?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  4 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  4 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at La Paillote? From €20.90 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.