Saumur Domaine De La Breche
Just for information: A fairly well known site in Saumur frequented by many Brits in the past, Domaine De la Breche, has been sold and is no longer offering touring pitches. The new owner is converting the touring pitches to cabins/mobile homes etc. A shame we have been there for the last 30 years and it was great site with large pitches and plenty of space. It's touring facilities will be greatly missed.
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Unfortunately an increasing trend in France? I have seen it myself and others have reported the same thing. When we have stayed at Saumur we always stayed on the site on the island opposite the town but I suspect even that has more and more static accommodation?
David
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The motorhome revolution is sweeping traditional sites away in France..
A favourite site of ours in Brittany (but 5 miles inland) is now only open for summer holidays in July and August - for the families with children and who still have a caravan. Other than that the site manager says retired folk in France only have motorhomes these days - and simply don’t go to that sort of campsite.
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Sadly this is happening all over France, one of our much liked sites on the Herault river at Agde, has been turned into a holiday camp resort. All cabins not a touring pitch in sight. Such a shame as it was a very popular site.
The problem with these types of sites, is that the families that use them maybe, once or twice a year for a week or so expect full entertainment. This usually means lots of staff, lots of noise even late into the night. High cost to rent the cabins to cover all the setting up costs and staff and maintenance costs. From what we have observed the sites are virtually empty other than the main holiday periods.
Compare that to the site I'm on now, 15€ a night with Acsi 18 if no Acsi. The site is full and is to continue that way going forward. The majority are MHs mainly French retirees. In fact all the sites we've been on the last 3 weeks have been the same, French MHs, French retirees. We are in a caravan and there are a few others in caravans mostly Dutch and French. Hardly saw another British caravan but have seen lots of British large MHs.
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ET
You probably remember lots of sites in France going back 20 or so years where the French locals, usually of retirement age, got their caravans out of garage mort for the season and set up camp as though setting up their own back garden. I suspect that doesn't happen much anymore. Their children either want ready erected accommodation or if they are well off enough buy motorhomes as has been mentioned. Its interesting that despite all the free aires in France that the French still seem to like campsites. That is obviously good for the Brits as it keeps campsites going. The trouble is when the big companies arrive with a bagful of cash and convert sites to "Holiday Centres" with no pitches.
David
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Friends of ours are on a site near Beynac and that is getting some more mobile homes on as they are staying in one as sold their caravan 2 years ago. Agree a lot more sites are changing from touring to mobile homes or lodges here. Also the fact that the Government are encouraging folk to buy electric cars as the malus (tax) on Diesel or Petrol cars is horrendous even on second cars so folks will be in smaller cars hence the change in holiday accommodation.
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Thanks islandcouple-have been planning to visit next week after we gave it a miss last year due to the restaurant remaining closed-will now head for the alternative!
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Motorhomes far out numbered caravans on my recent 6 week trip. I also thought there were more campervans about than I had seen in previous years. I only saw three Brit vans the whole trip. My experience is that although sites do have cabins/mobile homes and even where these have increased to a majority, there has always been pitches available for a few tourers. I didn't overnight much in France so perhaps it is not the same elsewhere?
peedee
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Hi brue yes to your question they will pay the malus(tax) just the same as fuelled vehicles.
A site not far from us near Villefranche would say 80/85% are mobile homes and cabins also ready erected tents so not too many pitches for touring also an Aire for motorhomes next to the entry to the main site and it has been expanded a lot since we first had a look around.
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ValD we are on camping La Pepiniere.
The site that is no longer a touring site was called camping Remoulins. Both sites on the river Herault at Agde, there is another site called Neptune's which is nice its the first one you come to as you drive down by the river.
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We've stayed many times at Neptune, and I was worried it was that one. We shall be back in that area in late August as we are moving from our current storage site to one in the Vias area, near to Agde. We may have a week towards the end of the season back in Agde.
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Hi TG & ValDa, Apologies for straying off thread but.........................
We are heading down to South of France next week and had planned on a few days at Domain De Masserau, to break the journey and use up some CMC vouchers, before heading on to the Frejus area.
As you will both know the forecast is not brilliant, so we will make a final decision when we meet up with our friends at Issoire, and it may be that a longer stay somewhere between Agde and Aigues Mort is an option.
If that is the case, do you have any recommendations for a site, preferably ACSI, with a good pool area? We have a 7.3 m caravan and our friends a 8.2m MH-that's already ruled ot one potential site on this trip!
We have stayed at Les Sablons at Portiragnes which has a very good pool area-adults only-but would rather be more West than that.
Thanks!
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Allan, I am not sure how your friends with a big motorhome will manage at Domaine de Massereau.. My memory is of sloping, uneven pitches under trees, all in a very natural, unmanicured setting - so bare earth with leaf litter and lumpy tree roots protruding , and certainly not the sort of level pitches which motor homers go for. I think you yourself will like it as it’s a site with many good qualities but I don’t recall it as ideal for a motorhome.
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A&J, not really familiar with the area east of Agde other than we stayed on a site at Marsellian plage for a week.
The site we just left could accommodate your friends MH as they have some grand large pitches but when we left they were in use. All the other pitches could accommodate your van. The only thing is the pool isn't large and not that warm either sorry.
I would wait and see as you said about the weather, its been very changeable and not always accurate especially on the coast which worked to our benefit. I think the eastern med is going to get a wet weekend but hopefully by mid week it will have cleared.
ValD may know more sites that would suit.
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I'm sure you will enjoy it there I know we like the area.
With Romarins being closed now, it's making the other 2 sites busier so I would advise giving them a call in advance.
There are a number of other sites in the area which I'm sure you will know about, not on the river of course but not far away.
We've found over the last few years (post Covid) folk are booking in advance more.
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