Family Surf Camp in Montalivet, France: Surf, Tipi Tents & Pine Forest Beaches

The camp runs from Saturday to Saturday. Check-in is after 4pm on the first Saturday, with staff showing you to your tipi tent, then a shared dinner in the evening. Most days start with breakfast at the camp, then everyone packs up and walks the 700 metres through the pine trees to the beach for surf lessons, games and beach time. Lunch is back at the camp. In the afternoons people scatter — some drive to a vineyard or the market in Montalivet, some go to the adventure park or try longboarding, plenty just surf again. Dinner is together in the evening, and there's usually a beach session afterwards while the kids play nearby.

Surf lessons are optional and paid separately. They run in small groups, and the recommendation is that children can swim at least 25 metres in a pool before joining. For children aged 2-6, childcare is provided at the camp during the adults' surf sessions — four sessions of five hours each are included in the price. Children outside that age range who don't want to surf can still play on the beach; the current and waves at this stretch are mild.

The camp is not a hotel. Accommodation is in furnished tipi tents: a double bed and two single beds, storage for clothes, a small table and chairs, and electricity. Each tent takes up to four people plus a cot. Larger families often book a second, smaller tipi next to the main one for up to three children on two mattresses — that one has no electricity. Bathroom and kitchen facilities are shared.

What separates this from a standard beach rental is the group setup. Meals are communal, there's a trust bar and freezer with ice and beer, board games get pulled out in the evenings, and because most families are in the same position — first-time surfers with kids — everyone tends to mix quickly. The camp is 10 minutes on foot from Montalivet itself, which has small restaurants and markets, and within driving distance of the Dune du Pilat, Soulac-sur-Mer and the region's wineries.

The operator has been running surf camps for years and also runs weeks in Ericeira, Tamraght and Canggu. This Montalivet camp is the family-specific one, aimed at ages roughly 2 to early teens, with a mix of Danish and international families. Meals are cooked at the camp kitchen, with vegetarian and vegan options available if you say so in advance. Flights and transport to the camp are not included, though Bordeaux is the easiest airport and transfers can be booked from there.

What's included

- 7 nights in a furnished tipi tent (Normal Tipi 490 EUR or Double Tipi 690 EUR, added during booking) - 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 6 dinners - Snacks during the day - Use of surfboard - Use of wetsuit - 4 x 5 hours of childcare during surf lessons for children aged 2-6 - Use of camp facilities - Member of The Travel Guarantee Fund - Best price guarantee

What's not included

- Airline tickets - Transport to and from the camp - Surf lessons (optional add-on) - Tourist fee