Tree house holidays in Europe

Keycamp's treehouses in Northern France have been an enormous success

Five of the best tree house holidays in Europe: 

Treehouses in France 

Treehouse in Brittany: Here's one for the kids. A series of new tree houses are available to hire at six of Keycamp’s family-friendly French campsites – at Carnac Grand Metairie and Dol-de-Bretagne (both Brittany), at La Croix du Vieux Pont (near Disneyland), La Forêt (Vendée), Le Château des Marais (Loire), and Le Val de Bonnal (Jura).

The domed, thatched tree houses (pictured above) are wrapped around the truck of a tree about five metres off the ground up a spiralling staircase. Each has one double and four single beds, plus a large decked terrace. Five nights at La Croix du Vieux Pont for two adults and up to four children costs from £449, including midweek Dover-Calais ferry (keycamp.co.uk, 0844 406 0319).

The cosy interior of the treehouse at Perche dans le Perche, NormandyTreehouse in Normandy: Retreat to the branches of a sublime treehouse at the top of an immense Chestnut tree overlooking the valleys of Le Perche Natural Park, Normandy. Breakfast delivered in a picnic basket to your balcony. You won't want to come back down to earth. Greentraveller's Catherine Mack says "Suspended on four mammoth wooden stilts, and built organically around its magnificent natural infrastructure, this was not only my idea of getting closer to holiday heaven, but also immediately transported me back to my happiest childhood memories." See the full listing for this magnificent treehouse: Perche dans le Perche.

The high life of a treehouse in the south of FranceTreehouse in the South of France: Live in the lap of luxury at one of four plush tree-houses near Nice on the French Riviera. The stand-alone tree-houses (right) are built among oak and pine trees, 30m-high, and are reached via an outer wooden staircase where you climb up to a large double bedroom and ensuite bathroom. Back on terra firma, you can soak up the sun by a gorgeous natural swimming pool and it’s just a short walk to the pretty medieval village of St Paul de Vence. Treehouse costs from €150 B&B (www.orionbb.com, +33 6 7545 1864). Train from London to Nice costs from £109 return from where you can take bus no 400 to Saint-Paul de Vence for €2.60 return. See GreenTraveller's review of Orion B&B.

Treehouses in the UK

Cornwall: The Mighty Oak Tree Climbing Company in St. Columb Major, Cornwall offers tree-climbing courses as well as the chance to spend the night up a tree. You’re tied in at all times by a rope and harness and the idea is you try to sleep perched on a hammock suspended at all four corners – so it’s more like a tree camp than a tree-house. A guided climbing session and one night’s tree camping costs from £140 per person (www.mighty-oak.co.uk, 07890 698 651). Nearest train station is Lostwithiel.

Treehouses in Turkey

Taurus Mountains: Turkey ‘Kadir’s Tree House Hotel’ is a backpacker’s mecca in deep forest at the foot of the Taurus Mountains on Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast. The rickety tree-houses (for four to six people) come in all quirky shapes and sizes (including some semi-covered platforms) and expect crowds of people in the height of summer when it’s one big party. Vegetarian food is served all day long and there are lots of activities nearby, including mountain-biking, canoeing, rock-climbing, and a forested walk to the sea. Prices from about £10 per person per night. (www.kadirstreehouses.com; 90 (0)242 892 12 50).

See: Tree house holidays in Europe - Part Two

See also: Yurt holidays in Europe