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Five exceptional holiday villages scattered between the Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean, each effortlessly putting to rest the age-old question of whether a family holiday means giving something up, or whether you can actually have it all.
For French family-run company Collection Rivages, the secret to the perfect holiday lies in: wooden cabanes in pine forests, Nordic outdoor baths on the terrace, sunset concerts, and a connection to nature that parents and kids alike will love. Collection Rivages is what happens when people with a genuine feel for design and the natural world decide to reinvent family holidays in France and let their imagination run from the Atlantic coast all the way to the Côte d’Azur.
So what exactly is Collection Rivages?
The short answer: not camping, not a hotel. And that’s precisely where the magic lies. Collection Rivages is a French family business rooted in outdoor hospitality since 1959, which in 2022 brought five of its finest properties together under one shared brand. Founder David Luftman puts it in his own words: hospitality shouldn’t be measured in stars, but in intention. You feel what that means the moment you wake up in a Cabane d’Arc in the Gorges de l’Ardèche, with the first light of morning streaming through floor-to-ceiling glass while the kids are still asleep and you’re already breathing in the forest over a cup of coffee on the terrace.
All five Rivages are set beside water, all hold 4-star ratings, and all share the same design philosophy: architecture that complements the landscape rather than competing with it. Wood, natural materials, thoughtfully designed interiors that genuinely invite you to settle in. If that sounds like glamping, you’re not entirely wrong, but this is glamping that refuses to cut corners. The cabanes come with air conditioning, bed linen, a private bathroom, and Wi-Fi. The Beach Houses even have two bathrooms. And at several locations this year, a Nordic outdoor bath on the terrace is waiting for you, every bit as good as it sounds.
What sets Collection Rivages apart from many others is a deeply committed sustainability ethos: existing campsites are taken over and thoughtfully woven into their natural surroundings. At Salines on the Giens Peninsula, for instance, all food waste is composted on-site by Les Alchimistes. One of many small decisions that add up to something much bigger.
What’s included in a Rivages stay
Each Rivages has its own character, but all share the same promise: parents don’t have to choose between time for themselves and time with their kids. Both happen, often simultaneously, often without any plan at all.
The Club House is the social heart of it all, a concept developed exclusively for the brand by interior designer Joran Briand, and now a defining feature of every location. Think of it as a living room for everyone. In the morning, a quiet coffee table by the window. In the afternoon, a spontaneous game of Uno between two families. In the evening, a live concert with no prior warning. At Quiberon, the original Club House location, the whole thing has a 70s surf vibe, with guitars on the wall and a record player that actually spins.
Kids Club and Teens Club run in July and August for children aged 5 to 17, thoughtfully designed, nature-focused, and led by passionate team members. So if you have a feeling your kids will have made a handful of new best friends within three days, you can safely count on it.
Every Rivages also has its own restaurant that puts a local spin on regional cuisine: oysters and Atlantic fish on the Île de Ré, Ardèche terroir in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, Breton cooking in Quiberon, generous Mediterranean flavours on the Giens Peninsula, and honest Southwest French fare in the Landes.
Three seasonal events punctuate the summer: Mojo Mojo (8–28 June) for yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. The Art Camp (13–23 July) brings workshops, performances, and creative encounters for the whole family to all five resorts. Then there’s the Plage Sauvage Festival in Quiberon, every Thursday in July, open-air rock on the Côte Sauvage, barefoot under the open sky. These concerts are among the best things you can experience on a summer evening by the coast.
The five Rivages: a journey through France
Le Phare — Île de Ré
The oldest location in the Collection sits at the northern tip of the Île de Ré, 50 metres from a fine sandy beach, surrounded by salt marshes and the quiet rhythm of the tides. Le Phare is the Rivages for anyone who wants to truly get to know the island, not from a holiday apartment, but from a bicycle. The Maison du Cycle hires out anything with wheels, the cycling paths of the Île de Ré are the stuff of legend, and the white houses with their green shutters are simply part of island life. The most sought-after option for families is the Beach House Villas: generous wooden lodges with two full bathrooms, tucked deep into the vegetation, and this summer newly fitted with a Nordic outdoor bath on the terrace. Made for that moment in the evening when the kids are asleep and the night is entirely yours.
Rives d’Arc — Ardèche
Twelve hectares of parkland right on the Ardèche river, at the gateway to the famous Gorges: that’s Rives d’Arc. The moment you arrive, you understand why this place is something different: no sound of the sea, no salt in the air, but cicadas, cypress trees, and the gentle murmur of a river that has been drawing people to its banks for centuries. The Cabanes d’Arc, with their floor-to-ceiling glass fronts, are simply beautiful from an architectural standpoint. And just next door: the Jardins de l’Ibie, an agroforestry paradise spanning seven hectares that you can explore at leisure with the kids. The Caverne du Pont d’Arc, the life-size replica of the Chauvet Cave, is an absolute must for families and one of those rare experiences that leaves even adults speechless.
Everything about Rives d’Arc in our favourite place feature.
Sauvage — Quiberon, Brittany
Sauvage is the boldest of the Rivages. Even the drive in along the narrow Isthmus de Penthièvre, with water on the left and water on the right, sets the tone for Breton island life. The Cabanes de Quiberon have pointed rooftops in true Breton tradition. The Plage Sauvage Festival, held every Thursday in July right on the wild Atlantic coast, is the standout experience of the Rivages season: kids on shoulders, a cold beer in hand, watching the sun sink into the sea. A place for families who don’t just want a holiday, but an experience they’ll remember.
Salines — Giens Peninsula, Côte d’Azur
Everyone knows Hyères. Hardly anyone knows the Giens Peninsula just beyond it, and that’s exactly the point. Salines sits between pine forest, salt flats, and the sea, within a nature reserve that shows the Côte d’Azur as it was before the crowds arrived. You can spot Porquerolles through binoculars and reach it by ferry in 20 minutes. The resort’s Beach House, redesigned this year by Selency for Collection Rivages, is a little design story in its own right, furnished with hand-picked vintage pieces, light-filled and airy, like an image from another era. The new Beach Houses this summer also come with Nordic baths, and the Dune Bar has been completely reimagined. With sun loungers set right in the sand and a playlist that sounds like the Mediterranean, it’s the perfect spot for that slow hour when the sun begins to dip. For dinner, a table at Restaurant Coucou is well worth it, with views across the water towards Porquerolles.
Les Maritimes — Seignosse, Landes
The newest Rivages, open since 2023, and perhaps the freshest of the bunch. Seignosse in the southwest Landes is surf country through and through, and Les Maritimes takes that seriously: Beach Houses under maritime pines with waves just a bike ride away. This is where family holidays meet something you rarely get with kids: a genuine surf feeling without any compromise on comfort or a good night’s sleep. The Cabanes des Landes sleep up to six. The social hub of the property is the Chill Bar: a relaxed breakfast spot by day, an evening gathering place for drinks and sharing plates by night, with regular live concerts that set the right rhythm for the whole season. Because Les Maritimes hasn’t even been around for a decade yet, availability tends to be far more relaxed than at Île de Ré or Quiberon.
Which Rivages suits which family?
One thing worth mentioning: Collection Rivages is a great choice even with babies and toddlers. Having your own cabin gives parents the space and calm that young children need. On request, the team provides a free baby kit: high chair, travel cot, cot bumper and baby bath. Walks, beach days and cycling with a bike trailer work perfectly at all five locations. In short: if you’re travelling with a one-year-old, you’re just as welcome here as if you’re coming with a teenager.
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Le Phare |
Rives d’Arc | Sauvage | Salines |
Les Maritimes |
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| Proximity to the sea |
✓✓ |
— | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
✓✓ |
| Nature experience |
✓ |
✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
✓✓ |
| Cultural attractions nearby |
✓✓ |
✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
✓ |
| Water sports | Cycling | Canoeing / Kayaking / Cycling | Surfing / Windsurfing / Cycling | Kayaking / Cycling | Surfing / Cycling |
Good to know: The summer festival programme, Mojo Mojo (wellness) and Art Camp (creativity), takes place at all five locations. Only Sauvage adds a music festival right at the heart of the village: the Plage Sauvage Festival, every Thursday in July on the Côte Sauvage.
What you should know before booking
Signature Cabanes cost between 300 and 450 euros per night in high season. For everything that’s included in the concept, that’s fair and booking direct means you get the best price. Book through the website of your chosen destination or via www.collection-rivages.com. Also booking early is worthwhile: many locations are fully booked for July and August as early as December.
The dedicated Collection Rivages App (iOS & Android) is well worth mentioning. It’s not a marketing gimmick but genuinely useful. Through the app you can book activities, discover local insider tips, and communicate with the team, all in one place and in five languages.
