# WORST places you have stayed...



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We see threads about the BEST "Touristy" places to visit and the BEST wildcamping space and so on....

but of course, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", so an alternative view may also help.......

Where have you gone that you regret going to now and would NEVER go back to......

If you can explain why not, then this thread could help people avoid places where others have had a negative experience, although of course, what puts one person off, may attract others....

MY EXAMPLE; La Palmyre, near Royan, France...

Two aires and lots of on road parking (inside bollards to restrict access) as approach the "village", one aire is right next door to the zoo and is packed to the gunnels, the other is beside the sea (true) but is mainly a very large car park with just a concrete wall stopping you even seeing the sea..... We last went there 28 years ago when it was a small, pretty village set in pine forest...... NOT NOW

it is now a tourist town, like Exmouth sea front without the good points, wall to wall people, loads of amusements and road trains etc. not a place we will never go back to again..... :frown2:

I am sure that many if not most of us could describe such a location, this is in Continental Touring but a similar one could be started in UK touring.....

Maybe we can all learn by other's mistakes experience.....

Dave


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Argeles Sur Mer just to the south of Perpignan! The campsite was like a small town and was mostly statics. The town was horrendously busy and horrendously expensive. The beach was ok except for the fact that it was very windy for the entire fortnight we were there and so it was like being shot blasted as soon as you stepped onto the sand. To be fair we were there during August so none of the above should have come as a surprise but it was the least enjoyable holiday that I have had in France. The kids loved it:wink2:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

A few years ago we were looking forward to a day in Cremona and a night on the aire there.

We sussed out the aire first and it was _unspeakable_: right next to a busy road and square, a cassette dump that looked like all the users had been drunk and no-one had managed to hit the hole but someone had been copiously sick in the general area, broken fresh water tap with water flowing all over, dump your grey water directly from the van onto your parking place as there did not seem to be a specified area, broken paving and potholes full of filthy water and characters hanging around straight from central casting as villains and motorhome thieves. Overall a smell of burnt flesh from somewhere nearby.

We didn't even turn off the engine but, we could not find anywhere else to park so missed Cremona completely. From all I have seen since we missed a treat but, if you go expecting to stay at the aire then don't get your hopes up...unless it has changed !


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Candlestick RV Park San Francisco. The most expensive cramped car park and when a big game is on the RVs get moved into the adjoining rubbish dump.
http://www.sanfranciscorvpark.com/rates.htm

Ray.


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## StephandJohn (Sep 3, 2007)

We stayed in Argeles for a couple of nights on our way to Spain in May. We stayed at La Chappelle Camping which was Ok for a big site. Quite liked it as a 'touristy place but think it would have been horrible in August.
As we're not usually on a tight schedule we generlly get to places with enough time to look for somewhere else if if its horrible.


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

Intercamping Apollo at Torre di Paestum, a short walk to the beach down the Via Nettuno and 5mins drive from Paestum.
Sounds great?

It quickly became clear that it's a campsite for the good folk from Naples, and a family stayed up until about 3.00am hammering up a tacky shelter for the family to live in whilst the menfolk drove back to the city right after completion. Other families had clearly been doing the same.

We were out of season, everywhere else was closed, and I'd wanted to see the Greek temples of Paestum for too many years to drive past because of it.

Fabulous temples and archaeological remains, rubbish campsite.






.


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## StephandJohn (Sep 3, 2007)

We didn't like La Rochelle but this was probably because it was April this year and wet, windy and cold. Just seemed a very grey, boring place with monolithic buildings.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

The aire at St Tropez takes some beating for grimness. http://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/cci.php?numero=2582

Actually as Aires go its not that bad but when we went there in 2011 having read the write up we were quite looking forward to it. We were desperate for a charge (before we got solar) and it was high season and the only place that wasnt a small fortune to stay with EHU. It was full of really dodgy characters. I think they were travellers of some description. Coming and going all hours and very noisy. The woman who ran it was a right stroppy miserable bag as well. Couldnt get out of there fast enough. Thankfully in 2015 when we returned to the area we found inland the wonderful (and free) spot at Collobrieres which was so good we kept going back. Three times in total (I think we spent nearly two weeks there).

Camping Europa on Lake Como takes some beating in terms of shambolicness (is that a word?). It really was scruffy, nothing worked and it just looked like it was on its last legs. However the guy that ran it was dead friendly and the place had a laid back cool attitude. I actually quite liked it.

I think where you end up parking the van can have a real impact on your reflection of a place. I think St Jean du Luz area in south western France is lovely but you would have to be stark raving bonkers to stay on the Aire there. I vowed never to go back to St Tropez after the 2011 escapade but I am glad we did as I love the area.


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## Al42 (Aug 4, 2011)

Pompei, three sites next to one another all tiny, 2 motorhomes in one pitch, showers so small you could hardly get in also used as car parks for the ruins during the day.

The approaches to the ruins full of tat stalls, the area around totally depressing couldn't even find anywhere to buy bread.

Never got in to see the ruins, left first thing in the morning.


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## StephandJohn (Sep 3, 2007)

Its funny how people' experiences vary. A few years ago we stayed at Camp Spartacus just outside the gates to Pompeii in June. Had very large showers then and not very busy. Large supermarket a short walk toward 'new' Pompeii which is the more modern town. Train ride to Villa Opplonti (a villa taht was covered by ash but which is now being axcavated, a bus up to Vesuvius and trains in to Sorrento.
I agree about the tat around the Scavi but we just ignored that.
Spectacular thunderstorms over the Bay of Naples.

A place we nearly left without seeing this year is Moissac (France). we arrived and walked in to town in the evening looking for somewhere to eat., boring and rough so we decided to move on next day. But we'd been told about a market so went in a different way - what a difference. Saw a charming town with a beautiful abbey, lots of pilgrims on the way, or returning to, Santiago de Compestella. Nice walks along the river.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

StephandJohn said:


> A place we nearly left without seeing this year is Moissac (France). we arrived and walked in to town in the evening looking for somewhere to eat., boring and rough so we decided to move on next day. But we'd been told about a market so went in a different way - what a difference. Saw a charming town with a beautiful abbey, lots of pilgrims on the way, or returning to, Santiago de Compestella. Nice walks along the river.


We were there a couple of years ago and it was one of the highlights of the trip ! We stayed at the campsite over the river from the town- the site where you drive through a tunnel in the house to get to( Camping Moulin de Bidouet), had a superb pitch right on the riverside with wonderful views and lots of shade and privacy and close to the canal.

If you go there again, cycle along the canal and to Castelsarassin market. It's a huge weekly market taking over the whole town with everything, including a vast ( live) poultry market. We set off early to cycle in, on a sunny hot day with shade all along the flat calm canal. It was just lovely.

If you cross the Pont Napoleon then take a minute to look at the plaque on the side of it, below the road on the town side so not obvious. Very poignant.

I'd put a photo up of the canal as we rode but the way of doing photos has changed so will have to investigate further.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Moissac is one of our local favourites, the EHU is "interesting" as the tokens register but then drop out again......

Christmas market is not worth going to IMO. Riverside walk is lovely, so not one of my places to avoid - different things to different people.








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Dave


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## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

The campsite in Arles is pretty grotty in high season - I knew we should have stayed on the quay. For some reason which I don't recall we went to the site. Do not go there, at least in August.


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

The campsite at Laroles was fine, in fact the new owners were making great improvements and they cooked a super Galician meal for us. But then at the weekend the locals decided to re-enact the reconquista. The noise and smoke from the fire crackers was unbearable, even though we went for a walk some miles away - and the dog was frightened out of its skin. It went on for hours, so we decided to move on. On the drive out an air ambulance landed at the side of the road, so maybe the reconquest didn't quite go according to plan. Further down the road an old couple were selling sacks of delicious oranges for just a few euros, so it wasn't all bad.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

adonisito said:


> The campsite in Arles is pretty grotty in high season - I knew we should have stayed on the quay. For some reason which I don't recall we went to the site. Do not go there, at least in August.


Not brilliant in low season either ! We used the old Caravan Club Europe book for directions and they could not have been more wrong so we did several runs through Arles and back before we found it. We didn't know there was an aire.

The one bright spark was that, for some reason I was on autopilot, and I showed my UK bus pass on the bus into town and the driver accepted it without question.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

barryd said:


> The aire at St Tropez takes some beating for grimness. http://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/cci.php?numero=2582
> 
> Camping Europa on Lake Como takes some beating in terms of shambolicness (is that a word?).


I think I prefer shambolicity>:laugh:>


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Worst campsite in France. Just an overnight stop Camping Municipal Vitry-le-Francois on A4 south of Chalons-en-Champagne. No wonder there were only 4 visitors even high season. Neglected site, appalling ablutions for E14 a night and if I remeber correctly that was without electricity!!! They only charge for 2 (or more), which p***ed me off no-end! Avoid like the plague!


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

Grizzly said:


> - the site where you drive through a tunnel in the house to get to( Camping Moulin de Bidouet),


Beware , our Arto just made it under there with maybe an inch to spare but the MH in front of us didn't , think he cracked the Sat dome. ( French not good enough to understand the ensuing argument)


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

adonisito said:


> The campsite in Arles is pretty grotty in high season - I knew we should have stayed on the quay.


Another beware, stopped on the quay for a visit last year, don't think it's an Aire anymore , just a big car/lorry park plus the 'travellers' were encamped just past that.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Gretchibald said:


> Beware , our Arto just made it under there with maybe an inch to spare but the MH in front of us didn't , think he cracked the Sat dome. ( French not good enough to understand the ensuing argument)


Yes, our sat nav had been warning about a low tunnel for much of the journey there and was still doing so when we got to the campsite barrier, by which time we'd decided it was wrong. We then rounded the corner and understood why !

Did you see the plaque on the wall which says it was the birthplace of Firmin Bouisset, the artist who created the little schoolgirl ( La Petite Menier) for the Menier chocolate ads ?


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

Grizzly said:


> Yes, our sat nav had been warning about a low tunnel for much of the journey there and was still doing so when we got to the campsite barrier, by which time we'd decided it was wrong. We then rounded the corner and understood why !
> 
> Did you see the plaque on the wall which says it was the birthplace of Firmin Bouisset, the artist who created the little schoolgirl ( La Petite Menier) for the Menier chocolate ads ?


Missed that . For anyone else reading this , this is not a 'worst campsite' on the contrary it's one of the better ones if you get a riverside pitch, ( can fish from the bank) also a chip & snack van comes around in the evenings.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Gretchibald said:


> Missed that . For anyone else reading this , this is not a 'worst campsite' on the contrary it's one of the better ones if you get a riverside pitch, ( can fish from the bank) also a chip & snack van comes around in the evenings.


Definitely agree. Friendly, good resources, good views, convenient for town and lovely pitches alongside the Tarn, with a quiet farm road to the Canal Lateral ( extended Canal du Midi) not far away.

Missed the chippy though !


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## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

Maybe we should have another thread for "worst places you've stayed at in the UK" lol? Wonder how many pages that would run to? The forum would go in to melt down :crying:.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

deefordog said:


> Maybe we should have another thread for "worst places you've stayed at in the UK" lol? Wonder how many pages that would run to? The forum would go in to melt down :crying:.


You must have made some poor choices then ! We've stayed at some magnificent places in UK : aires, BritStops, Club sites,CL and CS, marinas and so on. None of the big private Warner type private sites where I believe it can be pretty rough but a standard you can usually rely on which, in our almost 50 year camping experience is not true of Europe , Africa or America.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I think we could all name some where the best view was in the rear-view mirror as we drove away, in the UK as well as in Europe......

BUT of course, some might say "Don't go to XYZ it's full of noisy night time activities", others would say "Do go to XYZ the nightclub is brilliant", beauty is in the eye of the beholder......

But it is always good to see which places some people reject from their list from experience....

Hence why I started the thread - all of us will differ in our likes/dislikes....

Thankfully......

Dave


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## Cazzie (Feb 13, 2009)

We thought the town of Moissac was lovely too but got a shock in October when we found the aire with the dodgy borne was now closed. However, we were directed to a new aire a little further along the river and it was wonderful. 43 places, electricity, water etc.and beautifully laid out, all for 6E.
Guess we've been pretty lucky as we've not come across anywhere so terrible that it sticks in our mind.

Cazzie


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## Al42 (Aug 4, 2011)

StephandJohn said:


> Its funny how people' experiences vary. A few years ago we stayed at Camp Spartacus just outside the gates to Pompeii in June. Had very large showers then and not very busy. Large supermarket a short walk toward 'new' Pompeii which is the more modern town. Train ride to Villa Opplonti (a villa taht was covered by ash but which is now being axcavated, a bus up to Vesuvius and trains in to Sorrento.
> I agree about the tat around the Scavi but we just ignored that.
> Spectacular thunderstorms over the Bay of Naples.
> 
> A place we nearly left without seeing this year is Moissac (France). we arrived and walked in to town in the evening looking for somewhere to eat., boring and rough so we decided to move on next day. But we'd been told about a market so went in a different way - what a difference. Saw a charming town with a beautiful abbey, lots of pilgrims on the way, or returning to, Santiago de Compestella. Nice walks along the river.


You are right about initial impressions, it was lashing down and very busy when we arrived and probably chose the wrong site, ours was next to Spartacus, 'Fortuna Village' definitely the worst site we have been on and the one next to that 'Camping Pompei' didn't look any better.

We went in search of victuals but obviously walked in the wrong direction towards Torre Annunziata and what a god forsaken hole that is, we did find an Auchan supermarket the day after though.


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

The aire in Cahors. A few minutes from the old city, dedicated spaces on mixed parking with lovely views of river and free BUT toilet dump must have been blocked for weeks and people were still dumping.

Dick


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

It's so true

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Sometimes we arrive late and I am very tired and fractious >>

The site is awful,I hate it , I'll only stay because I'm to tired to move on

Fortunately Albert stays calm and pours me a glass or two of wine, my joints loosen from the long drive

In the light of day it's different, those people around us are really quite delightful, the gypsies that crowd the site, their kids that smile so shyly, the rain that's stopped 

And we stay another night :smile2:

Sandra


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

aldra said:


> the gypsies that crowd the site, their kids that smile so shyly, the rain that's stopped
> 
> Sandra


You brought back a memory from 10 years ago that still makes me smile. We were on the way to Greece and had stopped overnight in the municipal in Bourg en Bresse. We couldn't get flat on the motorhome area at the bottom so went to the top of the site. Shortly after we arrived a huge number of very smart traveller's vans arrived and, though there was nothing said and no pressure or indication from them, it was clear to us that by staying where we were we would divide up family groups who were going to be there a lot longer than we were.

We moved a few places away and, a short time later, a delightful little girl brought me a big bunch of wild flowers, beautifully tied up, and, in hesitant English, said they were for us to thank us.

Unfortunately, in the close confinement of the van, they gave me such awful hay fever that I had to sneak out, at dead of night, with them tied in a black bin bag and bury them deep in the rubbish.

It wasn't up to much as a campsite but I still remember the entertainment we had watching everyone arrive and meet up again, unpack and set up and the lovely face of that little girl.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

And those Grizzly

Are the important memories

The guy who flagged you to say your tire is flat, follow me, who took you to a garage, arranged for them to sort you out and quickly, refused any payment and wished you a safe and happy trip all inalanguage you didn't understand 

I think sometimes we just need to go with the flow, and once upon a time on a long journey to Israel, pregnant with twins and three young kids we did exactly that 

But we forget with time, or maybe the world takes over, or we demand more

And get less

Sandra


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

You are absolutely right Andra, we stayed at the Aires in Cahors last year. The service point although a basic one was functioning. We loved the town and will visit it at some point in the future.

This thread and the other are a bit like recommending restaurants. Different ones appeal to different people for an array of reasons, and like Cahors if you visit on a bad day you get a different perception.

Davy


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I would never stay on a Yelloh village site again. We were down in the French med in September a few years ago and had a great few days on an ACSI Site at Frontignan Plage. Great pitch, superb weather and a massive pool where normal shorts were allowed. Not been one to use sites much we thought we would try another ACSI site at Cap D'Agde which turned out to be a Yelloh village site. First mistake was paying up front for two nights. That should have set alarm bells ringing. The same weekend we were there they had a custom car group arrive for two nights. They took over all the prebooked tent things that they had and proceeded to spend then entire time right into the early hours flying about in souped up cars with loud exhausts and stereos booming. The site did nothing to stop it. Got thrown out of the pool for the wrong type of shorts and eaten alive by mozzies. Went to leave and asked where the service point was to empty the grey and loo. "Oh we dont have one. There is an Aire two miles away at a Super U". 

I filled in a complaint form but all I have had back since is emails with offers to come and stay with them again. Fat chance.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

TeamRienza said:


> ....... if you visit on a bad day you get a different perception.
> 
> Davy


Or at a different season. The same site can be so different in winter, when it's deserted, muddy , cold, and full of rotting leaves, summer when it's hot,noisy and overcrowded with dried up grass pitches and dust everywhere and spring when it can be your favourite campsite ever with just the right spread of people , gardens and trees fresh and green and perfect weather. In Autumn the same site can be tired and depressingly end of season with tired staff and well- used facilities.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

barryd said:


> I would never stay on a Yelloh village site again. We were down in the French med in September a few years ago and had a great few days on an ACSI Site at Frontignan Plage. Great pitch, superb weather and a massive pool where normal shorts were allowed. Not been one to use sites much we thought we would try another ACSI site at Cap D'Agde which turned out to be a Yelloh village site. First mistake was paying up front for two nights. That should have set alarm bells ringing. The same weekend we were there they had a custom car group arrive for two nights. They took over all the prebooked tent things that they had and proceeded to spend then entire time right into the early hours flying about in souped up cars with loud exhausts and stereos booming. The site did nothing to stop it. Got thrown out of the pool for the wrong type of shorts and eaten alive by mozzies. Went to leave and asked where the service point was to empty the grey and loo. "Oh we dont have one. There is an Aire two miles away at a Super U".
> 
> I filled in a complaint form but all I have had back since is emails with offers to come and stay with them again. Fat chance.


Well I must secretly confess

I have no problem with grey water

Washing up in bowls I put in the shrubs on trees

Shower water just what is the problem?

It's not as if we've washed off thick mud, the water is clear , and so often the sitewouldbenifit from it

But I'm intrigued

Just exactly what is in your grey water that would harm the foliage on a campsite

In mine there's nothing

And why should we need to refrain from watering the foliage around us

I treat my garden plants, especially roses with washing up soap to deter aphids etc

I never use chemicals because I want to attract bees etc and do want them to be safe

So what's in your grey water that would destroy our plant life?

Sandra


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I agree with you Sandra. I would normally just empty it on a grass verge or if I am alone in a field just leave it open. However on a site why would I want to mess about with buckets chucking it in the grass when I was staying two mights and foolishly assumed a campsite would have a grey point when nearly all aires do?

Also it was very hot so even emptying it into a bucket and chucking it would have been a bit whiffy for the neighbours.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Many years ago we stayed at a campsite near Ostia, the beach side of Rome (motorhome but with no mod cons in those days). The doors were falling off the toilets, exposing every activity to the four winds and sundry onlookers. They hadn't been cleaned since Romulus and Remus either. Worse even than the Estoril campsite on the beach in Beira (I can still remember the smell from 50+ years ago. Anyone been there???


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

HermanHymer said:


> Worse even than the Estoril campsite on the beach in Beira (I can still remember the smell from 50+ years ago. Anyone been there???


Sadly there was a war on when we lived near but we did put up with a stream of "when we's " who missed being able to go to the coast as usual and how gorgeous it all was. Nice to see a little reality injected !


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Just looked to see if it is still there and found this:

https://squidoospook.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/mozambique-paradise-lost/


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Well camping was camping in those days. The beach was fantastic. Trawling through my sister's photos one day there was one of (18-year-old) me fishing on the beach in my bikini of course and wow, (surprise to me) I really did have coke bottle legs in those days (being a ballet dancer helped!). The Portuguese-ness of the town was charming, the shops, the people, the architecture...and the PRAWNS... oh the prawns were better than anything you have ever tasted. Johnny's near the harbour, red checked table cloths, formica tables and chairs and as many gi-normous (not tiger) prawns as you could eat for a song. The piri-piri was and still is legendary. Also used for chicken cooked as flatties on charcoal. Bottles still available made to the original recipe by ex-pats in RSA. The bread was so different to "Rhodesian" government or Italian bakery offerings. Slightly grey, crusty, delicious.. and you could kill with the bread rolls at 30 paces it was so hard the next day. And then there was the (homeland Portuguese) wine - Lagosta, Casal Garcia, Mateus Rose, Dao and the cheap common or garden red wine that came in 5 gallon flagons that we used to mix with Coke - a Catembe it was called. Cashew Nuts came in boxes bigger than Xmas biscuit tins. Oranges. Coconuts. Bananas. And the tropical sun and balmy night breezes. So the toilets and showers paled into insignificance compared to the rest of the benefits. There was always the sea.... we weren't hot on pollution in those days.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> Just looked to see if it is still there and found this:
> 
> https://squidoospook.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/mozambique-paradise-lost/


Wow, my experience exactly. I also read his other blog about Charlie and his days at Plumtree School. Renowned school that. I went to the feminine equivalent - Eveline High School - in Bulawayo. It even had the same architecture. Scrunch up your eyes and it could be one and the same except we had pepper trees in the quad, not marulas. A 1000 girls from Form 1 to Upper 6th - thankfully the girls were slightly better behaved than boys.

Thank you Grizzly for that trip down memory lane.:laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

...and there was me thinking there was a war going on outside a campsite in Portugal  


Pete


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Get with the program, peejay.


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## StephandJohn (Sep 3, 2007)

Going back to the posts about Moissac we stayed at the campsite with the tunnel on the river. probably one of the best sites we've ever stayed at. Clean loos and showers but not posh, pitches on grass by the river ( so maybe a problem if it rains a lot) but full of nature and wildlife. Only tarmac roads up the middle of the site for access. Good swimming pool. Pizza van one night, local wine another night, local fruit and veg van one night and bread van everyday. A local school put on a jazz band one night.
On the whole the experience was like 40 years ago before everything became a bit sterile.


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## GAVLAD (Aug 10, 2014)

Camping la fanal in isigny sur mer, Normandy - should have known when the only pitch we were directed to had neighbours with 12 child chairs on their pitch that we was in for a nightmare.
Pitches were scruffy, unkept, uncut grass, litter, big tyre ruts and worse of all, human excrement dawbed over the toilet block tap handles.
Shame as we paid up front a pretty packet.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Another campsite I was particularly disappointed with was, surprisingly, one of the Castels portfolio - Domaine Drancourt at Saint Valery sur Somme, Admittedly it was the last week or so of the season, but apart from the site neglect, the ablutions were shabby, old, and far away from the pitches, which weren't anywhere near level, full of weeds and utterly unkempt. Not the standard I've experienced at other Castels sites. (ACSI site).


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