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St Malo for the perfect campervan city break

St Malo for the perfect campervan city break

Urban camping location at its best, Camping de la cité d’Aleth in St Malo is located on a hillside in the heart of the city, so convenient and popular, booking is highly advised.

While campervan trips tend to generally graduate towards the great outdoors, the beach or forest, a quest for that stunning unspoilt landscape or spectacular views, occasionally you are looking to switch a gear. No better way for a change of pace, some fun, exploration, and a different kind of relaxation than a short city break.

This is where a compact campervan comes into its own compared to the larger more conspicuous motorhomes. Cities can be tricky for safe parking, particularly overnight, even more so if you want to be in walking distance of the action. With all the campsite options in the Dublin area being located on the outskirts I much prefer stealth on-street park-ups when heading to a gig, cinema, or a big match. Our Ford Transit conversion can fit in a regular parking space and even in the city centre where parking meters expire at 7pm there’s lots of options, once you don’t abuse it or wear out your welcome – or too many others wear it out for you…

It’s nothing more than wishful thinking that the authorities here will embrace the popularity of campervan culture and the valuable contribution it makes to the tourism sector and provide a central municipal camping facility in Dublin, or any of our other major cities. They still have to even get started on the metro link to the airport!

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However, as part of Vanhalla’s thrilling start to 2025, the second part of our French trilogy is excited to review a fantastic city centre camping facility. Fortunately, in France, urban camping is a thing. And while there’s always the option of winging it or an Aire, it’s all the better if there’s an official campsite where you can enjoy the safety and security afforded along with the services and facilities, all within easy walking/cycling distance of the city amenities and attractions.

Introducing Camping de la cite d’Aleth (https://www.camping-saintmalo.fr/en/  ) in St Malo. This is urban camping at its very best. The campsite nestled in the heart of the city with panoramic views of the marina, port and the old town a little further afield but still within a relaxed 30-minute walking distance. On the way, dinky harbours, bars and bistros buzzing with conversations, cobbled narrow streets inviting curious travellers, or slip off your sandals and walk the beach front instead. Always in view is the old town, steeped in history and heritage, despite being levelled to the ground by opposing forces in WW2. St Malo has dusted itself down and strides ahead, reconstructed itself with great confidence and creativity. It’s a stunning city on every level and not least as it can be viewed from it’s intact town walls and ramparts.

St Malo is 200km from Roscoff along the north coast of Brittany, so it makes for a potential first stop on a road trip or a good base within two hours of the ferry on your return voyage. St Malo enjoys daily ferry services from the south of England via Plymouth, Poole and Portsmouth. The popular island of Jersey is visible from the parapets of St Malo and is served by frequent ferry routes facilitating day excursions.

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For me the city retains the pleasant familiarity and openness of a coastal town – a cross between Galway and Kilkenny in feel and flavour with a sprinkling of La Rochelle for good measure. Our interest in St Malo was originally piqued by the excellent Netflix mini-series All the Light We Cannot See, based on the war novel of the same name by American author, Anthony Doerr. (Although I must confess that my usually reliable barometer of Rotten Tomatoes gives the television production a terribly panning of 27%!!).

As I approached the campsite destination guided by Google Maps, I was dubious that there was such a facility at the end of a series of narrow, one-way, cobbled streets so don’t be deterred as you arrive at the final kilometre of your journey. The campsite with over 200 pitches is neatly tucked away on a hillside overlooking the coast.

While it’s a good campsite, Camping de la cite d’Aleth is not without its shortcomings. The facilities are solid but for some reason there are no freshwater points dotted throughout the expansive site, and not all pitches have convenient power points. Also, due to the nature of the terrain a good number of pitches are on slopes and absolutely require levelling chocks. I am not a fan of the dual systems where you do waste disposal/rinse and take on fresh water from the same contraption as operates at this site. I opted to refill water by cannister directly from the camper’s kitchen and wash-up area. Otherwise, all the services were superb with regular cleaning of the toilets, showers, and wash-up spaces. There was also an excellent bakery and coffee dock on site.

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Trumping any small gripes, however, is the prized location, making this a very popular and busy site only 2km from the historic and fascinating old town. Pre-booking is highly advisable, and we witnessed numerous campers being turned away across the weekend. The staff too are top class, friendly and helpful – and provided us with the loan of an extension cable for the electrical hook-up. Apart from the camping pitches there’s also on-site group accommodation available which was in demand with water sports enthusiasts enjoying rowing and surfing in the locality.

St Malo is a charming seaside city, confident and comfortable in its skin; busy and bustling with a history steeped in buccaneers and pirates and yet not so over-run as to be in any way uncomfortable. The beaches are pleasant and accessible with lots of quite little coves to choose from with one such spot only 200m metres from the camping ground; with history tumbling down the cobbled streets, the town walls as pleasant a stroll as you’ll ever have on a city break; whether you’re up for a swim, a romantic sunset or the possibilities of a sing-song session, washing down fresh local mussels or oysters with a glass of wine or a carafe of cider.

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St Malo, I’ll be back!

Camping de la cite d’Aleth is open from April until the end of September. It is pet friendly and the cost of a pitch with electricity is €25 per night. Check their website for exact opening dates and updates for the 2025 season:  https://www.camping-saintmalo.fr/en/

 

SEE ALSO: Brittany is just the best, best enjoyed a little at a time

About The Author

John Whelan

John Whelan is a vastly experienced midlands based journalist and editor who has contributed extensively to the country's leading national and regional titles, as well as broadcast outlets. He runs the media services company, Communicate Ireland www.communicateireland.ie. John is a keen camping and campervan enthusiast with an interest in music, culture, heritage and outdoor pursuits. He has written for the Sunday Times, Sunday Independent and the Woman's Way on these topics. He is also an author, and his latest book, The Last Beekeeper, reflects his love of nature, the landscape and our shared responsibility to protect the environment. The Last Beekeeper is available to preview and purchase at www.thelastbeekeeper.ie. Safe travels...

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