French camping municipal closures.
Just back from a wonderful 7 week trip to N.Spain and France.
We were surprised at just how many French Camping Municipal sites are now closed. We've always used the network and it's such a shame to see them disappearing.
Maybe we were just unlucky. Have any other C.T. people found the same?
Comments
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Not closures as such but many have been franchised out by the "Marie". A few years back we were told that this was approaching 50% but I don't know how accurate this is. Of course, often when you stay there you would not know whether the proprietor is an employee or franchisee.
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Could you give us a list of those that you have found to be closed as I am sure that be very useful for anyone travelling through France. I am appear, like Hitchglitch, that some have been sold off to private owners and I know of one that has been taken over by a mobile home holiday company so no more touring.
David
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Some municipal sites which are still open are only offering an ever shorter season. One of them we used to use before or after the ferry at Roscoff - Camping Kerillis at Henvic - about 10km. from the port, is now only open from 1 July to 31 August. And for many more 15 June to 15 September is the norm.
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I agree many have been privatised - often, IMO, to their detriment.
We were planning to use the municipal at Selles sur Cher this June but when we arrived it was closed up and abandoned. We have of course told Archie so that he can remove it from his excellent database, and I would urge others to let him know about closed municipals so his data is up to date and accurate.
While we were hanging about round the entrance at Selles sur Cher 3 motorhomes arrived independently to try to use it so it was obviously popular.
Still we can usually find a municipal where we need one.
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Another for the closed list seems to be at Mornay sur Allier. The mayor gave up staffing it a few years ago, but there was a phone number on the gate for a local volunteer to come and unlock the really immaculate shower block and put the heating on. But I just googled the name and it's now marked as permanently closed.
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Not all have shortened their opening hours after privatisation. For example, the ex municipal in St Chinian is now open until November and has a nice pool. OK it costs a few euros more now but it is a pleasant site and the dreaded boulders have been removed! It is in walking distance from the cafes and supermarket. Sadly, the municipal in Cessenon sur Orb is only open Jul/Aug.
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We stayed there last year. It is a shame that it is no longer open all year as it has about 6/8 all weather motorhome pitches. However you can understand it if they have to have, say two people available on a shift to man the site you need quite a few people staying each night just to break even.
David
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Yes, as most French people seem to use the sites only in the summer season they're dependent on people like us (and the Dutch of course) in the "off season" and for those in less popular areas it must be a problem.
We, like I'm sure others, have been the only people on municipals more than once. And this has been in May / June, not the depths of winter.
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Ian
I think most of us who have been touring in France for some years have seen a big change in way that the French use campsites. Although they obviously exist you don't seem to see as many touring caravans as say in the UK. Up until about ten years ago many Municipals would have seasonal campers during May/June/August using vans kept in storage for the rest of the year. This type of camping does not seem to have been taken up by the younger generation. The French that want to tour seem more inclined to buy a motorhome. The younger ones that just want to holiday for a weekend or a holiday now seem content to use those sites with static accommodation. Us Brits and the Dutch just can't provide the custom for many of the Municipals to be viable it seems?
David
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I don't think its just that the sites have been franchised out. The French have converted big-time to motorhoming and the number of aires in small settlements has increased at the same time the municipal camp sites have decreased. Alongside that, many privately owned sites have sold out to organisations like Homair who no longer have touring pitches but they do have very reasonably priced cabins and static units. There was a time when the French would take their frame tent and camp for the whole month of August. I regret those days are long since gone.
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