The best books to read on camping vacation, according to your desires

There are moments when everything slowly slows down. The shadow of a pine tree dances across the tent, voices fade by the pool, and your fingers turn the pages of a good novel.

At that moment, you don’t need anything else. Except maybe a reading idea that perfectly matches your mood for the day.

Are you more of a thrilling thriller or a light comedy? Do you prefer reading solo or sharing with your family?

We’ve curated a selection to suit your mood, your pace, and most importantly… your deckchair. Here’s our selection of the best books to read while camping in the Vendée, to enjoy by the pool, in a hammock, or overlooking the dunes.

Les Places Dorées, your 5-star campsite in Saint-Jean-de-Monts , offers you its literary favorites to slip into your suitcase.

>>> I book a mobile home with a terrace to enjoy my summer reading

For suspense lovers: thrillers to devour under the tent

Do you like mysteries that keep you up late into the night, headlamp screwed to your head and blankets pulled up to your chin? Camping offers the perfect setting for a good thriller .

In Someone Else , Guillaume Musso blurs the lines with an investigation full of masterful twists and turns. It’s fluid, addictive, and perfect for reading between dips in the pool.

Another, more humid atmosphere: La Chaleur by Victor Jestin. Everything takes place in a campsite, in the middle of summer. Adolescence, unease, a stifled drama… It’s short, dry, powerful. A read to slip into your backpack if you like stories behind closed doors, with creeping intensity .

And for a change, think of Nordic authors: Camilla Läckberg or Jo Nesbø will be perfect for your evenings under the pines.

For dreamers: feel-good novels to enjoy in a hammock

There are days when you just want something beautiful, sweet, and bright . For that, there’s nothing like a feel-good novel to read slowly, between two naps or a salted caramel ice cream.

In Virginie Grimaldi’s The First Day of the Rest of My Life , three women embark on a cruise that will change their outlook on life. It’s tender, funny, and sometimes piquant. A sunny read to enjoy in your bathrobe in your mobile home !

Want more freedom? Henri Loevenbruck’s We Just Dream of Freedom follows a group of young people on Harleys on American roads. A real breath of fresh air, about friendship, rebellion, and wide open spaces. Perfect for those who like to escape without leaving their deckchair .

Keep it in your bag for those quiet moments, between the beach and mussels and fries evenings.

For families: children’s reading for young and old

Your children deserve their reading time, too. And so do you, too. Some books bring generations together around a campfire or on the beach.

We start with a classic: The Famous Five Go Camping . A group of kids, an investigation, a night in a tent… the charm still works, even in 2025. It’s retro, simple, but it works.

For the little ones, Mouffie the Skunk and the Surprise Campsite will make 4-7 year olds laugh, while introducing them to the little adventures of outdoor life.

And if you’re looking for some quiet family time , why not read aloud in the evening after dinner? This creates a ritual, a memory, a bubble between generations.

Some other ideas to slip into your suitcase:

• Mortelle Adèle for children who like offbeat humor
• Little Hens for the youngest
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone for a magical summer (in case you haven’t already)

For the curious: inspiring travel and adventure stories

If you like true stories, winding roads, and wide-open horizons , these are the reads for you.

In En camping-car , historian Ivan Jablonka looks back on his family vacations, crisscrossing Europe in an old van. It’s both nostalgic and sociological, perfect for vacationers who like to reflect between swims .

Dave Eggers, with Border Heroes , takes you to Alaska. A mother, her two children, a caravan, and a departure without a plan: America seen differently. A dense, funny, and slightly shaky novel. Like real life.

This type of reading accompanies you during quiet moments, or can be enjoyed gently by the water. You will find something to see your vacation differently, without leaving Vendée .

By choosing your reading material to suit your mood, you can transform your vacation into moments of sharing, silence, or intensity. And above all, you can give each day a different flavor, whether it’s suspense, laughter, discovery, or daydreaming.

Les Places Dorées , your 5-star campsite in Saint-Jean-de-Monts, wishes you beautiful pages by the ocean.

>>> I’m discovering what to do at the campsite when it rains (and I have a good novel in hand)