# This campsite milarky!



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

As some of you may be aware we have been travelleing for a while using aires, sostas. Stellplatz and wilding but decided to get the acsi book out and try a couple of sites on the med coast in France.

The first one was four star at frontignan plage, laid back and we liked it. Amazing! Us liking a campsite.

We decided to try another four star one luckily just for two nights at cap d'agne called camping mer et soleil. Firstly having worked out the security to get in we were told we had to wear an arm band for the duration of our stay which should have told me something and we had to pay up front with a deposit for the arm bands! How bizarre.

Firstly I got evicted from the pool for having the wrong type of shorts on which I don't really understand. I tried to explain when I was asked to where trunks that the sight of me in speedos would probably frighten the children away but it didn't work.

Loud music this morning at 5am from god knows where.

In preperation for our swift departure back to aire land in the morning we searched for the Motorhome service point for ages in vain. Evetually we consulted reception to be informed that they used to have one but they built on it but we can use the super u aire two miles away.

I was too aghast to say anything and just smiled and wandered off.

Finally I decided to try the showers seeing as we can't fill up or empty the grey. Push button type which is fine but there was no delay on the button so as soon as you released it it went off. I tried them all. They were all the same.

Acsi states 15e max but they still add on tax so it's actually 16e. Still cheap but not strictly accurate.

Now I can spot a good aire or wild spot just by sniffing the air but i am clearly hopeless at campsites or is this the norm?

I don't know if this is a rant or just an observation really. I'm not bothered but I don't understand why others would choose to come on places like this. There are plenty of tuggers and MHs here, it takes over 100 tourers.

Will be off back to the aires tomorrow starting with a free one just outside carcassone where hopefully I will get to empty the grey!


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

That was our experience of many camp sites

Charged full but put so far away from facilities we didn't bother using them

Sure they expected us to use our own, and empting didn't seem to be their problem

not all but enough

Aldra


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## tattytony (Jun 29, 2009)

I am aware of the new French rule about not being able to wear shorts anymore in their pools :roll: I too was told I could not even get into the water :lol: so you beat me there :wink:


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## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

Yep Barry,
I got thrown out of the sauna and the pool for the wrong type of shorts.
We just don't bother with big sites for all the reasons you write and they cost too much.
Find a river or a lake on the map, and you're away, I always check the aires book for sites near rivers, had some lovely wild swims, can't beat it and far better than a pool.


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## CourtJester (Aug 26, 2009)

We stayed at a lovely aire in July, SANGUINET Près du Lac - Avenue de [email protected]

Beautiful spot, with lovely pitches. We thought that this will do nicely for a few nights.

Unfortunately there is a campsite nearby that likes to play loud music until 1 am! 

Our stay was spoilt by a c**p campsite.

We moved on after the one night. Such a shame. :x


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Thanks for the replies.

I looked at the aires around the coast and they were either a bit tatty looking or almost as expensive as the acsi sites so toe in the water we thought. 

I did manage to have a go on the water slides before being chucked out! 

could be an interesting evening. The site is filling up with boy racers in their hot rods. One full of five teenagers has just disembarked into a pre pitched holiday tent right behind us. Oh joy.

Aldra I bet your laughing your head off now. Did you send them?


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Sounds like you're having a great trip Barry. Any plans to come back to Blighty!


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Sadly we will be heading home at the end of the month via oxford to see my aunt who isn't well.

Still got a couple if weeks do will head to carcasonne, gers region, dordogne and then a slow meander north :-(

can't complain. It's been a trip of a life time. The best summer of my life by a country mile.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Sorry mate - you've blown it!

You chose to turn your back on aires and move in with the posh crowd - there's no going back - you've been black balled - posters at every aire from St Trop to Gravelines.

You can of course buy your way back into proper motorhoming - 20 new aire campsite reviews would do it.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ok your on. Deal. I'm really sorry. Don't know what I was thinking.

However I can assure you there is nothing posh about this site or te people on it!

Actually that's another thing. The acsi book is rubbish. If you look at the photo it shows a sexy woman gettng a massage and a quiet empty huge pool.

It's supposed to be 4 star! How do acsi arrive at that?

The book was useful for Switzerland where you are forced onto sites but I'm not impressed and will never use it in France again.


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## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

barryd said:


> Ok your on. Deal. I'm really sorry. Don't know what I was thinking.
> 
> However I can assure you there is nothing posh about this site or te people on it!
> 
> ...


Calling the ACSI book rubbish based on two sites is a bit judgemental 

Some are better than others and the pictures aren't really a representation of a site's amenities are they.

I believe the star ratings for French campsites is the official FFCC ones based on the quantity of amenities not quality. We've stayed at a mix of crummy and excellent sites this year and site fees aren't at all an indicator.

Anyway enjoy the rest of your trip and I hope all the aires you discover are perfect  

Steve


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Nowt like a good pair of budgie smugglers am thinking that is a girl rule pure revenge for Pamela Anderson promoting a Hollywood Bikini Waxing!

We find French sites very varied now avoid em like the plague most French mohomers do too!

Greenie


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

This non shorts stuff isn't national. wore them in a few pools in France this summer no problem. Not new either. Came across many years ago safe travels barry


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

What's the shorts rule all about?

Well it makes good sense.
The argument is that pool operators don't want swimmers in their pool wearing the same shorts that they have been wearing for the last week . You know, the ones with the sweaty crotch, skidmarks after last nights guinness and curry and baby sick on them :roll: .

You would be very unlikely to have worn ya speedos for the last week or down at the bar and cafe, so chances are they ain't so contaminated as yourgreasy 3000 mile shorts.

Gone are the days when you could wash your rotten shorts and have a swim in the pool. If thats what you want to do then go river bathing and let the fish have a free feed :lol:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ha ha great replies thanks.

I just thought after the st tropez disaster (see blog) we would give the coast another try and after we fell lucky on the first site which was nice with a better pool and no apparent rule on shorts I tried to pick a similar sounding site here. Mrs d washes my swimming shorts all the time and anyway I there the same shorts people are wearing during the day do they not wear undercrackers. I can't beleive the speedo brigade wash theirs everyday and what about all the pre school kids crapping and peeing in the pool?

I have swam in countless lakes and rivers on this trip which is more our thing as is aires or wilding. 

I've learnt my lesson and will never do it again. Back to normality and sanity tomorrow if we manage to get some sleep.


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

Sounds like a fabulous trip Barry - I wish we could use aires like you but my wife hates the things and I can't tolerate french campsites... We were over on September 1st for a five week holiday, stayed at a miserable acsi site at Berck for three nights and was back home by the 5th 8O


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*complain*

I think you all have far to much too complain about.

Become Gypsys

TM


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Autoquest. Show your mrs autoquest our blog at www.hankthetank.co.uk blog, summer 2011 and near the bottom, the bit after st tropez, especially after florac in te aveyron region late august / September.

Do that trip and if she doesn't enjoy it and change her mind I'll pay for your diesel and a package holiday of your choice anywhere in the world. Just avoid the coast!

Tm. When do you want the drive tarmacing?

Little sods have been up all night keeping us all awake. Boy racer cars all hours driving around the site with big bore exhausts. I will complain but suspect it will do no good.

To be fair I did t hear anyone acting drunk or being over loud. They clearly are on a rally or something and kids Will be kids (we would have been just as noisy) but I do blame the site for allowing it.

It's a pity the acsi book isn't like the aires book with critism where it's due such as noisy or no views etc.

I guess like we now have a nose for good aires you probably get a good nose for sites. Problem is they take so long long o assess wheras I can tell a good aire within seconds.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Before we became aires people, we stayed on some really nice municipale sites. I don't think I've ever used a 'commercial' site, for the reasons you mention.

Now, I would never use anything but an aire to stay in.

Gerald


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

tattytony said:


> I am aware of the new French rule about not being able to wear shorts anymore in their pools :roll: I too was told I could not even get into the water :lol: so you beat me there :wink:


No problems with trunks and so on on nuddy sites! 

Skimpies only in France. Sorry!

Russell


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Speedo's*

You don't have to wear Swimming Trunks at Berny Riviere. Try there.


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

You could always stop off at the Aire at Gruissan on your way to Carcossonne. It's on the coast near Narbonne. It's within walking distance of a wine distillery, Lidl, a town and its on the beach next door to a marina. There's around 50 places - maybe more.

The downside is the cost - 7.10 euros a night when I last stayed there but the dumping facilities are great and there is a toilet and shower (in the singular) on site.

Wearing swimming trunks is the law in France. The unlikely reason is water conservation. Shorts hold water when you get out of a pool and swimming trunks don't.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I'm doomed now!

Flipping aire was closed at fontiels (6 miles from carcassone) so despite what I said we ended up on the acsi site at carcassone! My excuse is that I have a fridge full of leffe and as I have failed to mend the fridge on gas it will have to do for tonight (ehu).

Actually it's quite nice. There are tons of Brits on it. I'm sure pusser is round here somewhere. So who is at carcassone? We are the rather mucky looking kontiki near the entrance.

Midnight shorts raid on pool planned for later


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Barryd

get some itsy, bitsy, teeny weeny No hold on that was a bikini

You'll look good flexing your muscles

But then again at my age any muscle looks good

Enjoy  

Aldra


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## trevd01 (Oct 26, 2007)

gelathae said:


> You could always stop off at the Aire at Gruissan on your way to Carcossonne. It's on the coast near Narbonne. It's within walking distance of a wine distillery, Lidl, a town and its on the beach next door to a marina. There's around 50 places - maybe more.
> 
> The downside is the cost - 7.10 euros a night when I last stayed there but the dumping facilities are great and there is a toilet and shower (in the singular) on site.
> 
> Wearing swimming trunks is the law in France. The unlikely reason is water conservation. Shorts hold water when you get out of a pool and swimming trunks don't.


There were more like 300 vans there a week or so ago (Gruissan Aire)...
Other than location not a lot to recommend it. Definitely the dustiest most crowded Aire we stayed on in three weeks.

Best Aire by far was Dun sur Meuse.


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## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

Just glanced through this so don't if anyone else answered the swim trunks thing. Anyway my son and I were told we could not go in a pool at a French water park, the reason baggy swim trunks. They loaned us some tight ones, luckily we have not gotten any diseases from them. I asked the nice French girl what this was all about and she told me it was because too many people were wearing the long baggy trunks as shorts when not swimming. And so they felt it was a sanitary issue. Not that many men are wearing speedos when walking around town, so it makes sense. 

However, I've always thought it should be against the law for a man over 40 to wear a speedo.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. It won't be an issue for us anymore as I'm unlikely to visit another campsite again in France in the near future but it has to be the single most stupid excuse I have ever heard.

What is to say that the person wearing trunks hasn't had a bath for a week but the person wearing shorts has just had a shower and the shorts are spanking clean?

I thought the uk was health and safety and rule daft but I now worry that other countries are following suite it could be worse! Germany has gone recycling and waste disposal barmy and now it seems the french have introduced a bonkers rule on shorts. Strange from a country that provides disgusting squat toilets and where it seems a national past time is to take a pee just about anywhere (women included)


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## lesanne (May 1, 2008)

Hi ,Barryd.. stayed at same site couple of yrs ago when they were re-building Mer et Soleil ,Cpt de Agde, agree ,no decient facillities ..on site worst of all, we left without passports (entirely our fault ),but had big problem retrieveing them ..as site was closed at 6pm and warden would not come untill 9am next day ..only lived 200mts away..and tried to charge for extra night ,not pleased....regards Les..


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## trevd01 (Oct 26, 2007)

The swimming trunk rule has been around for a few years now. But in my experience you don't have to wear budgie smugglers / speedo. My smart M&S boxer style trunks were accepted everywhere in France this year. One site pool even specified 'slips or boxers de nage' (or something similar properly spelt in French)...


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

jhelm said:


> However, I've always thought it should be against the law for a man over 40 to wear a speedo.


I'll have you know I've been accused of smuggling a Cockatoo when I wear my Speedos


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## higgy2 (May 5, 2009)

Most Campsites in France have this rule and at some Municipal
Pools in towns you need swimming caps. 

The shops near to the Campsites in Labenne in the Landes SW
France had trunks from 20 euro to 40 euro. A tad dear. 

Did see an English family with two boys having to fork out in order to
use the pool on site. 

Buy them over here and save Loads O' Money.


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## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

Swim caps required at most pools in Italy, but baggy trunks still ok. I don't have a problem with that French rule as after finding out about it I did notice a lot of kids and adults going around town it what looked like knee length bathing suits. And being one who swims for exercise a few times a week I would just as soon not have people wearing their street clothes into the pool.

By the way we just spent 17 days cruising around France and didn't use a single camp ground. The French seem pretty good about letting campers "park" overnight.


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## IanA (Oct 30, 2010)

Went to a pool in Ireland and had to wear a swimming cap and flip flops around the pool at all times - cap was to stop hair blocking their filters, shoes for verruca avoidance. I don't think I could cope with the remote possibility of seeing myself in a mirror whilst wearing budgie-smugglers, so France is off the list. Does Germany have any rules - they seem to all walk on the right when shopping, just wondered about pool etiquette.


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## tuscancouple (Jan 29, 2007)

Folks

For future reference when staying in France, swiming shorts/trunks are not an issue here: http://www.chm-reneoltra.fr/content/fr/chm-rene-oltra/1/

We've been there many times and the facilities are good as well 

Cheers

Mick


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