La Ferme du Bord de Mer

La Ferme du Bord de Mer covers 4 hectares at Gatteville-le-Phare, in the Val de Saire, in the east of the Cotentin. The site has direct access to a sandy beach and lies on the GR223, between Barfleur and Fermanville. The story is a family one: originally a farm belonging to the owner’s grandparents, which took in tents from 1970, it became a campsite in 1990 and was taken over in 2015 by the next generation. It is rated 2 stars and has held the Camping Qualité label since summer 2021.

There are 55 grass pitches of about 100 m², separated by hedges, for tents, caravans and motorhomes, as well as mobile homes and Coco Sweet, the wooden tent-cabins. No entertainment is organised: the campsite prides itself on its calm and is aimed at couples, families, walkers and cycle tourists.

When it comes to opening dates, the different uses need to be distinguished. The full campsite, with its shared washroom blocks, operates from April to October, from 13 May to 20 September in 2026. Outside this period, the website says that hardstanding pitches for motorhomes remain open all year round, as do pitches with a private washroom. An end-of-season notice specifies that from 21 September, about ten hardstanding pitches with electricity, twelve with a private washroom, the service point and a selection of rental units remain available until the shared blocks reopen on 30 April 2027.

Hiking on the GR223, which runs alongside the campsite, walks along the Val de Saire coast and direct access to the sandy beach.

In season, the campsite has two washroom blocks, one of them adapted for people with reduced mobility, and a laundry with a coin-operated washing machine and dryer. A service point for motorhome water and waste is available, along with a shared barbecue with three fire pits, an iron and ironing board, hair dryers and four secure lockers for charging a phone. The rental units come with pillows and duvets; sheets and bath linen must be brought or hired, and a baby kit (travel cot, high chair) costs 20 euros per stay, by reservation.

For food, two breakfast options are offered by reservation in July and August, with bread, a hot drink, a pastry and fruit juice. A homemade chip shop also opens in summer, with paninis sold at reception, as well as a bar and a small convenience shop (ice creams, sweets, local products). Reception is open from 8:30am to 12:30pm and from 2:30pm to 8pm; it gives information on the tides and the museums of the Val de Saire and sells skip-the-queue tickets for the Cité de la Mer.

Out of season, comfort is limited to what the end-of-season notice describes: hardstanding pitches with a 10-amp hook-up, pitches with a private washroom and the service point. The campsite does not advertise a swimming pool.

On site, children aged 2 to 12 have a play area with swings, slides and a platform shaped like a fishing boat. Older children enjoy a covered games room with table tennis tables and table football, and two pétanque courts complete the offer. A donkey, rabbits and a goat live on site and are fed with the help of visitors. Bicycles, electric bikes and kayaks can be hired at the campsite.

The white sandy beach is suitable for swimming and for shore fishing at low tide, and several coves can be discovered nearby. The GR223 runs alongside the campsite, and two routes are promoted: the Route de la Mer towards Cherbourg and the Route des Promeneurs towards Barfleur, or to the lighthouse, on foot along the coast.

The campsite mentions Barfleur, listed among the Plus Beaux Villages de France, and its theatrical summer walks, as well as the hikes and night markets of Fermanville. For stays outside summer, walking and cycling along the coast are mostly what remains on offer, since the summer entertainment stops.