...It seems that camping
in France is changing as has been demonstrated by a recent stay at Gannat. A campsite I have visited many times over many
years. Read on...
Arriving at the campsite, which sits above the village of Gannat, has always been a pleasure because as you pull onto the site, you get your first glimpse of the fabulous view across the valley. Check the photo
on the right. Naturally having visited
many time I have my favourite spots and the pic is the view from my pitch when
I last visited.
Whenever I arrive, I always pull up and go to the office. But in September and June it’s mostly the same scenario. Office closed, and you pitch up and come back to register when the office opens at two or four or sometimes as late as six. This is a scenario that is employed all over France. Indeed, the three campsites I used before getting to Gannat all employed the mentioned scenario. Checking the office at Gannat, I found it was closed even though there was a clearly typed notice on the door stating it would be open until mid-day. I checked my watch, it was 11.45am.
Camping conundrum number 1. Why advertise a service that you then deliberately don’t staff?
It turns out that the site is under new management, and according to the new management, it is not acceptable to just rock up and pitch. You are expected to wait or go away and come back at two in the afternoon when the office re-opens.
Camping conundrum number 2. Why was the barrier at the entrance to the site still raised when I arrived if I’m not allowed to check in until two?
I checked the information about the campsite in the two most popular campsite books which I always have with me and which are this year’s editions. In neither of those books—Camping Card ACSI and Le Guide Officiel Camping Caravaning FFCC— does it give any indication that access to the site is after two.
Camping conundrum number 3. If the new management wants to restrict entry, then why not let us, the paying customers, know that by adding a simple note in the two most extensively available books?
I’ve been camping and travelling in France since I was a teenager, and in my experience, the general rule is that dogs on campsites are kept on a lead. I’ve been on many sites where this is a stated rule or is adhered to by all campers as an unwritten understanding. So, I was very confused by the new management’s attitude. The new management has a dog that is left to roam freely around the site. As it did on the pitch I was using and, of course, it did what dogs are prone to do and left its own calling card. I was not impressed. Another camper arriving a couple of days after me mentioned that she had found a little present from the dog on her pitch. So I took a walk around the site, and yep, you’ve guessed it, other pitches with little presents!
Camping conundrum number 4. I would like to know what the new management’s policy is. Is it one rule for the paying customers who must keep their dogs on leads and a different rule for new management’s dog who can go wherever it likes. Is that really a fair policy?
Camping conundrum number 5. On my walk around the campsite, I couldn’t see any dog parcel disposal bins. After all, if we, the paying customers, are expected to clean up our own pitches after a visit from the new management’s dog, I would have expected to be provided with the capability to do so. Is that something that will be arranged for next year?
Finally, I couldn’t help noticing that some of my camping companions consciously and deliberately chose to ignore the magnificent view across the valley.
Camping conundrum number 6. Why would anyone sit facing their van when you have a view like the one above?
I have other camping conundrums for you Here
Whenever I arrive, I always pull up and go to the office. But in September and June it’s mostly the same scenario. Office closed, and you pitch up and come back to register when the office opens at two or four or sometimes as late as six. This is a scenario that is employed all over France. Indeed, the three campsites I used before getting to Gannat all employed the mentioned scenario. Checking the office at Gannat, I found it was closed even though there was a clearly typed notice on the door stating it would be open until mid-day. I checked my watch, it was 11.45am.
Camping conundrum number 1. Why advertise a service that you then deliberately don’t staff?
It turns out that the site is under new management, and according to the new management, it is not acceptable to just rock up and pitch. You are expected to wait or go away and come back at two in the afternoon when the office re-opens.
Camping conundrum number 2. Why was the barrier at the entrance to the site still raised when I arrived if I’m not allowed to check in until two?
I checked the information about the campsite in the two most popular campsite books which I always have with me and which are this year’s editions. In neither of those books—Camping Card ACSI and Le Guide Officiel Camping Caravaning FFCC— does it give any indication that access to the site is after two.
Camping conundrum number 3. If the new management wants to restrict entry, then why not let us, the paying customers, know that by adding a simple note in the two most extensively available books?
I’ve been camping and travelling in France since I was a teenager, and in my experience, the general rule is that dogs on campsites are kept on a lead. I’ve been on many sites where this is a stated rule or is adhered to by all campers as an unwritten understanding. So, I was very confused by the new management’s attitude. The new management has a dog that is left to roam freely around the site. As it did on the pitch I was using and, of course, it did what dogs are prone to do and left its own calling card. I was not impressed. Another camper arriving a couple of days after me mentioned that she had found a little present from the dog on her pitch. So I took a walk around the site, and yep, you’ve guessed it, other pitches with little presents!
Camping conundrum number 4. I would like to know what the new management’s policy is. Is it one rule for the paying customers who must keep their dogs on leads and a different rule for new management’s dog who can go wherever it likes. Is that really a fair policy?
Camping conundrum number 5. On my walk around the campsite, I couldn’t see any dog parcel disposal bins. After all, if we, the paying customers, are expected to clean up our own pitches after a visit from the new management’s dog, I would have expected to be provided with the capability to do so. Is that something that will be arranged for next year?
Finally, I couldn’t help noticing that some of my camping companions consciously and deliberately chose to ignore the magnificent view across the valley.
Camping conundrum number 6. Why would anyone sit facing their van when you have a view like the one above?
I have other camping conundrums for you Here
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