You can actually book a ready-built fully equipped tent in a picturesque setting – never having to raise a rubber mallet in anger to strike home the last wretched tent peg in the rain.

For our trip to L'Ile d'Oleron on the west coast of France we opted to do things the hard way…

The back seats came out of the car and in went a fridge, cooker, gas bottle, tent, table, chairs, two bicycles and gazebo, with a roof box for the rest - and enough sandwiches to last the 23-hour journey from home to campsite covering 650 miles by road.

A lot of preparation goes into any camping holiday and this is definitely not part of the attraction. The real appeal is to indulge in a love for the outdoors and to escape the routine of computer-driven life.

Queen of the European camping scene must be La France where unspoilt and well-controlled sites in delightful coastal settings offer clean and modern facilities. You can't go far wrong.

We chose a two-star municipal campsite set in a pine forest at Le Grand Village on the west coast of L'Ile d'Oleron, an island reached by viaduct from the mainland near La Rochelle.

A quick scout around on arrival revealed a supermarket and restaurants close by, as well as a daily street market selling hot spit-roasted chickens, local wines and loads of different types of shellfish.

Marennes-Oléron is by far the largest oyster cultivation area in all of Europe and oyster farming has moulded the character of the island.

A pretty trademark of the industry is the rows of little work buildings, all painted in different colours and adorned with hollyhocks. Some still double as living quarters for oystermen and their families – others have been turned into tiny cafes and artists' studios.

Among our favourite places was Saint-Trojan les Bains and the port of Le Chateau where oyster boats crowd the harbours and you can see oyster farmers at work.

The 30km-long Ile d'Oleron is a paradise for those seeking unlimited sun and sand in peaceful and natural surroundings.

Surfers head in high numbers to the Atlantic side where there is guaranteed fun to be had in the high waves, while young families prefer the calmer eastern beaches.

The best way to get anywhere is by bicycle, using an impressive network of dedicated 'piste cyclable' routes.

We cycled through the pretty Foret domaniale des Saumonards near Boyardville on the east coast and went by bike to Le Port de Salines – home to a museum of local heritage, traditional salt-farming and a wonderful Wednesday market of local produce.

There are a few fun parks for dull days and most have an outdoor or environmental theme. The island is rich in birdlife – and you don't need to move far to see it. We spotted (and photographed) a hoopoe, siskins and redstarts just outside our tent one morning!