We visited a campsite in the Dordogne twice previously in 2003 & 2004 staying in a Eurocamp Mobile home, we always had a fantastic time, lots of peace and quiet and acres of space. This was the reason for deciding to take our touring van there for our 2006 Summer Holiday.
A BIG MISTAKE!!!
After a ten hour plus drive we eventually arrived at our pitch to find the family next door had placed a tent across our area. They were very pleasant people so we decided to let them keep it there untill they were due to leave in a couple of days time, it was inconvenient but no big deal.
We got everything set up and looked forward to a relaxing nights sleep following the long drive. You can imagine our disapointment that we, and many others were still awake at 2am due to the noise. We had been placed on a pitch near to (but not next to) the shower / toilet block. This seem to act as a meeting area for many of the older teenagers who would be up laughing and screaming and shouting well into the early hours. Apparently the site has a no noise after 11.pm rule but this was certainly not adhered to or enforced in anyway. I believe after many families complained a Security patrol was enlisted to check the site for noise and people wandering around in the evening.
The next day we set of to the local town of Le Bugue for a meal in a restaurant we have visited on previous visits to the area.
On our return to our chosen camp site we were amazed to find EIGHT adults and a dog had moved on to the pitch directly opposite. They also had a caravan, awning, gazebo, 3 tents and 4 cars. We couldnt even get our one vehicle near our caravan. I finally (in my broken French) persuaded them to move a couple of the cars , which they did it seems until we went out anywhere, everytime we would return to find our pitch again blocked by cars. The whole family it seemed were content to just sit outside in there gazebo and waft cigarette smoke over us all day and evening, while the dog continually growled at our two kids every time they attempted to move an inch!
I spoke to the site owners who just said they could not help or move us as the site was full........full wasnt the word for it!! The site has a large number of touring / camping pitches all neatly divided and numbered but they had squeezed extra tents and caravans onto every concievable inch of grass or dirt possible. It really was beyond a joke. I understand that in a seasonal business you must "Make hay while the sun shines" but this was just sheer greed!.
During our stay many people (including our 6 year old eldest son) were ill with a sickness and diarrhea bug, the bug affected so many people that all the group activities and Childrens fun clubs were shut for a period of about 5 days. It was not unusual to be woken in the night by wretching sounds from the toilet block or a nearby caravan or tent. The cause was never known and I do realise that these things can happen.
The toilets and showers were cleaned every morning at 6 am and again at 4pm, can you imagine the state of them by 4 pm in the afternoon, many toilets and showers were in a filthy state with no toilet rolls and poo and wee everywhere. A mid day clean would certainly have helped or even somebody to just top up the loo rolls. In the end we just stuck to the Thetford loo in the caravan.
We have always previously visited the site via Eurocamp and in June not August so we were expecting it to be busy and busy it was. The pool complex is fantastic, although be prepared for the tradition of getting you towel down to the pool by 9am otherwise you will have no chance of not only a sun bed put even a patch of concrete to put your towel on to lie on. This is a shame that this exists, Many families would place there towels out at 9am, go off for the day, and not return until 4pm before they sat on there sunbeds!
The bar area is good and popular in the evening as is the Icecream bar in the afternoons, but be prepared to wait...they also cook Crepes there as well, One person serving both the Icecreams and cooking the Crepes is a recipe for a long queue.
The site entrance is has an automatic barrier system, I noticed that there was a sign saying 11pm - 7.30am closed. I enquired at reception what time the barrier became active as we had an early start to reach our ferry. We needed to leave at 6am. I was told this was impossible as the barrier would not work until 7.30 am I said that delivery lorries came in every morning at 6am (I'm an early bird!) but still she said it was impossible to leave until 7.30am, I can understand the reason behind this that other guests do not wished to be woken at 6am by noisey people leaving especially when they had been kept up until 2.30am by the noise from the shower block, but I consider myself to be a responsible person and certainly put other peoples comfort in my list of priorities. The night before we were due to leave I packed everything up hitched the car, we slept in the caravan until 5.30 am when we quietly slipped away through a side entrance i found the day before!! Ha, Got you!
I would still say we had a good holiday as we don't let these things spoil our time away, the kids had a fantastic time and met lots of new freinds. It was evident as the fortnight went on that lots of families were leaving early, due to the lack of cleanliness and noise and overcrowding.
This is a prime example of a fantastic site being spoilt by greed due to overcrowding and skimping on staffing.
We will certainly never visit this site in the Dordogne again....a real shame and a 12 month wait until our next summer holiday.
Facebook
Twitter