E'tang de Campas Carp Fishing in France: Is This Venue Worth Booking?

E'tang de Campas is a small, exclusive-use carp lake in Northern France that suits anglers who want a quiet week with plenty of space and don't mind paying a fixed weekly rate rather than a day-ticket price. It is worth considering if you are driving from the UK, want the lake to yourself or your group, and are happy to book well ahead. It is less suitable if you want a large complex with multiple lakes, on-site tackle shop, or the flexibility of short breaks — none of which are mentioned in the venue's own information.

What the venue actually offers

The lake is approximately 4 acres, described as well stocked, and the venue bases its holidays on 4 anglers per week. That works out at roughly one acre per angler, which is the main reason given for keeping catch rates regular — fewer rods on the water means less pressure on the fish.

Key facts from the venue's own pages:

Fish behaviour is seasonal. The venue notes that carp show themselves readily in early season, including big grass carp taking crust off the surface. That is a useful planning signal: if you want surface fishing and visible fish, aim for spring rather than late autumn.

Prices and what they include

The venue publishes two headline rates:

• £300 per person per week
• £1,000 per week for exclusive use of the lake, for up to 4 people

Both prices are stated to include use of all facilities. In practice, the two options converge for a full group of four: 4 × £300 = £1,200, so exclusive use at £1,000 is cheaper for a party of four and gives you the lake to yourselves. For a group of three, exclusive use costs £1,000 versus £900 on the per-person rate — you pay a premium for locking others out.

Additional charges and discounts stated by the venue:

• Non-fishing spectators: £75 each per week, following an exclusive booking.
• Discounts for couples and families are offered, but the amount is not specified on the page — you would need to ask.

The venue also runs a competition for a free week's fishing for the guest with the biggest carp of 2025.

Who it suits

Good fit:

• Groups of up to 4 who want the lake to themselves.
• Anglers driving from the UK via Calais who want a manageable onward drive.
• Families — the venue explicitly says the trip doesn't have to be only for the angler of the house, and mentions UK TV and facilities for non-anglers.
• First-timers to French carp fishing who want a single, well-defined venue rather than navigating a large complex.

Poor fit:

• Anyone wanting a short break — pricing is structured by the week.
• Anglers who want to fish alongside a larger crowd or compare multiple lakes on one site.
• Groups larger than 4 on a standard booking.

Getting there

Two route options are described by the venue:

1. Train across the Channel, then drive from Calais. This is described as the fastest crossing. Expect a 3.5 to 4 hour drive from Calais with toll costs of around €30.
2. Ferry to Caen. This gives the shortest drive at around 1.5 hours, but the crossing itself is about 6 hours from Portsmouth via Brittany Ferries, which the venue notes is generally the most expensive option.

The trade-off is straightforward: pay more and spend longer on the ferry to cut the drive, or take the faster train crossing and accept a longer, toll-bearing drive.

Booking timing

The venue is direct about demand: summer is the most popular period, and booking a year in advance is not uncommon. As a rule of thumb, 6 months ahead is what the venue suggests to secure your preferred dates. If you have fixed holiday dates, treat 6 months as the minimum rather than a comfortable margin.

How to decide

Ask yourself three questions:

1. Do you have a group of 3–4? If yes, exclusive use at £1,000 is the better-value structure and gives you the quiet, uncrowded water the venue is built around.
2. Are you driving from the UK? If you are coming via Calais, the 3.5–4 hour drive plus ~€30 tolls is a reasonable, well-documented journey. If you are coming from the west of England or Wales, the Caen ferry route may suit you better despite the cost.
3. Do you want a week, or a few days? The pricing is weekly. If you only have a long weekend, this venue's structure works against you.

If the answers line up, contact the venue directly to confirm current availability, the couple/family discount rate, and what the accommodation includes before committing — the published page lists facilities but does not detail them individually.