Lovely mountain campsite
18 August 2017 at 19:29:26
We had a great two weeks family holiday here. This campsite is the nicest we've been to in France, and amazing value too. People seem to stay here just for a day or two on their way somewhere else, but it's worth sticking around a bit longer.
The owners are very friendly and helpful, the facilities... are good and clean.
The pitches are a good size, lovely and green, with plenty of trees around. You can pick your pitch when you show up and I recommend having a good look round before you choose: there are lots more to choose from than you can see from reception. The atmosphere is tranquil, with lots of birds and butterflies to spot. We even saw two hawks fly right over our pitch. The lake is only a short walk down a footpath, it's very scenic and had plenty for the kids to do: a swimming pool, playground, bouncy castles and a few cafes and snack bars. It might be quiet out of season, but the lake area was quite busy when we were there.
One word of warning: come prepared for mountain weather. Temperatures can range from 30 degrees on a sunny day to 12 on a cold night, so you need the full range of clothing and bedding from shorts and crocs to thermals and fleeces.
St Remy Sur durolles is a very pretty village a couple of minutes drive or a 30 minute walk away via the lake. The views from the church are amazing and the shops are great. There's a bakery, butcher and a couple of grocers. Make sure you go to chez domi - he has an awesome cabinet of local cheeses! We also loved the night market, which happens every couple of weeks during the high season - the food was delicious, and the atmosphere warm and welcoming.
Thiers is about 15 minutes drive away, and though it's true that it's a bit neglected, you can't ignore the breath taking setting in the durolles gorge, with stunning views across the plains to the chaine des puys. And the place has a seriously impressive range of knife shops. My partner and oldest son really enjoyed making their own knives at one of the ateliers there - highly recommended.
If you have children who like swimming, I also recommend the pool in bellerive Sur Allier, near Vichy, about 40 mins drive. The best swimming pool I have ever visited!
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