10 Things to Pack Camping You Never Think About

Forgetting your toothbrush or corkscrew is already a classic. But some oversights are less obvious… and yet much more embarrassing.

 

When preparing your camping checklist in Saint-Jean-de-Monts, there are those items you think are useless… Until the day you find yourself desperately searching for them. These details you never think to pack, but which can prevent a lot of hassle or transform an average night into a truly comfortable break.

 

Thought to be superfluous, they quickly become the best companions for your stay. And most often, they take up neither space nor weight.

 

The Tropicana, your 5-star campsite in Saint-Jean-de-Monts , shares its 10 favorite items that no one thinks of, but that every savvy camper ends up adopting.

 

>>> I immediately discover the aquatic area of the Le Tropicana campsite to prepare for my stay

 

The sleep mask that pushes back the dawn

 

From 6:30 a.m., light filters into the tent. And in Saint-Jean-de-Monts, the sun doesn’t mess around.

 

A soft, opaque sleep mask allows you to forget your natural schedule and extend your night, even in the middle of summer.

 

Slipped into a backpack pocket, it weighs less than a pack of tissues… but makes all the difference between a peaceful wake-up call and a grumpy day.

 

Premium foam earplugs

 

A rummaging hedgehog, a snoring camper, a crying child: camping has its own soundtrack .

But a few well-chosen earplugs (yes, the ones that don’t wake you up at 2 a.m.) can really help you sleep.

 

Some memory foam models are designed for demanding sleepers.
They transform noisy nights into havens of silence.

 

Also read: What are the effects of noise on health?

 

 

The power strip with extension cord

Electricity is convenient… until you have to charge two phones, a drone, and a speaker from a single outlet on the floor 4 meters from the table .

 

With a 10 m extension cord , comfort becomes immediate: everything stays plugged in, without any gymnastics.

 

A true discreet luxury in a nature stay.

 

Clothespins that save your swimsuits

 

A storm, a wave that’s too high, a child who turns his towel into a playhouse: wet laundry is a constant .

 

A simple cord and a few clothes pegs allow you to improvise a clothes horse between two pine trees .

 

In a well-exposed location, everything dries in a few hours. A bonus: they can also be used to seal an opened package or hang a lamp.

 

The headlamp: your two hands free at night

 

Forget table lamps or battery-powered torches that you stick in your mouth. The headlamp remains the king of camping .

 

It lights up a map, lights up a path to the toilets, even lights up a book in the tent.

 

With spare batteries tucked away in a corner of your bag, you’ll be ready for the rest of your trip.

 

The flexible cutting board

 

Everyone thinks about the knife.

 

But the cutting board? It’s often missing. The result: we cut tomatoes or bread on a plastic bag, or worse, directly on the table.

 

A foldable silicone board takes up no more space than a placemat and transforms outdoor cooking into a seamless experience.

Not essential? Until we test it.

 

The flexible insulated bag for traveling light

A cooler is perfect for the location. But for beach picnics, forest walks, or morning market trips, a small, flexible insulated bag works wonders.

 

It keeps drinks cool, prevents melted cheese , and folds up when empty. A faithful companion, even when cycling.

 

The compact pillow we didn’t see coming

Sleeping on a rolled-up t-shirt or towel is a temporary solution.

 

But the comfort version of the inflatable pillow – with its soft cover and ergonomic support – transforms sleep.

 

It fits in your hand, inflates in ten seconds, and saves you from that stiff neck on the third morning .

 

The natural mosquito repellent spray

In Vendée, the mild climate attracts… mosquitoes. Nothing dramatic, but an evening around the barbecue can quickly turn into a general itching .

 

With a natural repellent based on citronella or eucalyptus , we keep our skin healthy and our evenings peaceful.

 

Also worth taking out for walks at the end of the day.

 

The waterproof notebook to keep ideas dry

We open it to jot down a game, a recipe, a thought, a number. And it survives rain, sand, and wet hands.

 

A small waterproof notebook is the object that you only understand after the fact.

 

But we are happy to find it in the pocket of our bag, long after returning.

 

Each item on this Saint-Jean-de-Monts camping checklist may seem trivial. But together, they create a seamless, comfortable stay with no unpleasant surprises . The kind of detail that keeps you coming back year after year.

 

>>> I check out the Saint-Jean-de-Monts markets around the Tropicana to complete my camping shopping list