Glamping in May: these are the five campsites you'll want to visit this spring

The loveliest time of year to travel

The May half-term is, for families especially, perhaps the loveliest time of year to travel. Spring paints nature fresh green, prices are a lot friendlier, and the temperature is perfect for walking, cycling or simply relaxing in the sun.

Why May is such a lovely month to travel

In May, nowhere gets crowded. July and August are the busiest months everywhere, so in spring you'll largely have the walking trails, the terraces and the swimming pool to yourselves. And the drive there is a lot more pleasant without the summer-holiday traffic jams.

Just keep an eye on the swimming pools

The one thing to check in May is whether the swimming pool is already open. That really varies from campsite to campsite: one pool opens in mid-April, another not until the end of June. Below is what we know for each campsite, and the up-to-date details are on each campsite page.

Podere Sei Poorte, Le Marche

Among the rolling hills of Le Marche you'll find Podere Sei Poorte, a charming family campsite where Italy comes to life in its purest form. Here you enjoy fresh cappuccinos in the morning sun and medieval villages just a stone's throw away. The panoramic swimming pool is eight by sixteen metres and looks out over the rolling countryside.

Le Marche is Tuscany's quiet neighbour

Le Marche lies between the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea, with hills rolling down towards the coast. The same rolling landscapes and medieval villages as Tuscany, but without the crowds. The campsite is run by the Dutch Poorte family, the eleven o'clock Sunday brunch is well worth it, and the beach at Fano and Pesaro is twenty minutes away.

Les Tailladis, Dordogne

The Dordogne is at its loveliest in May: green valleys, quiet rivers and medieval villages. At Camping Les Tailladis the heated pool has already been open since mid-April, so you can simply dive in during the May half-term. Sarlat is a fifteen-minute drive away, the Lascaux caves twenty minutes, and Beynac castle seven.

Les 3 Cantons, Tarn-et-Garonne

A little further south lies Les 3 Cantons, a cosy, child-friendly campsite in a wooded setting close to the Dordogne and the Lot. The fifteen-by-seven-metre outdoor pool opens in mid-May. On Sunday mornings, Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, seven kilometres away, comes alive with one of the region's best-known markets.

Kost Ar Moor, Brittany

Brittany in May offers fresh air, blooming heathland and peaceful coastlines. Camping Kost Ar Moor lies in Fouesnant on the south coast of Finistère, four hundred metres from the wide sandy beach of La Pointe de Mousterlin and bordering a protected nature reserve. The water park has a large pool, a slide, a paddling pool and a balneo zone.

Wellness for when it's still a bit chilly

Kost Ar Moor also has a private sauna, a forty-degree Nordic bath and a massage cabin, all bookable during your stay. Exactly the sort of facility you'll appreciate more in May than in August. Bikes, regular or electric, can be hired on the campsite, and Bénodet and Concarneau are within twenty minutes.

Vrijhaven Heeg, Friesland

And closer to home, Friesland is at its greenest. Camping Vrijhaven sits on the Heegermeer with its own little beach and its own jetty, so paddleboarding, canoeing and sailing are all on hand straight away. No toll roads, no border, and just a few hours' drive. For a hassle-free May holiday, that's a serious argument in its favour.

The Woudagemaal and the Frisian lakes

Cycling works just as well here as sailing. The Woudagemaal, the largest steam pumping station still in operation in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is eight kilometres away. Sneek is a fifteen-minute bike ride, and Workum and Hindeloopen lie on the IJsselmeer, just under half an hour away.

What to bring in May

In Le Marche, the Dordogne and Tarn-et-Garonne it's pleasant to eat outdoors during the day. In Brittany and Friesland it's cooler and windier, so bring something warm for the evening there. And for all five: a lodge comes fully furnished, so you don't need to lug camping gear along.