We're off to Lac de Chalain at the end of next week! Not been before so can't be of much help. We are staying there with Eurocamp, but I got onto the campsite's own website and requested a brochure which came in a few days. It looks great! Especially that lovely lake beach!
I think there are some restrictions on the waterpark part of the site - it looks as if each family can only enter once per day, and have to go in together. Sounds a bit inflexible to me, but maybe I have misread the 'bumph'. Would love to hear from anyone who has stayed here, either with Eurocamp, or with their own kit, to find out how the waterpark system works.
Yes we picked it for our because it was in the Eurocamp brochure but we are taking our own stuff. I emailed the site a while ago to ask about access to the waterpark area and this is the replay i got.
"if you are 4 persons and you'll stay for 7 nights, you'll get a card with 28 entries on it"
So I think that we will all have to buy more tickets if we need them, but I hope that there will be enough to do in the area, so that we don't need to spend all our tickets. I'd love to hear how you got on.
Quote: Originally posted by takeiteasy on 15/07/2005
Yes we picked it for our because it was in the Eurocamp brochure but we are taking our own stuff. I emailed the site a while ago to ask about access to the waterpark area and this is the replay i got.
"if you are 4 persons and you'll stay for 7 nights, you'll get a card with 28 entries on it"
So I think that we will all have to buy more tickets if we need them, but I hope that there will be enough to do in the area, so that we don't need to spend all our tickets. I'd love to hear how you got on.
We'll only be staying for 5 nights, and as it's at the start of our holidays I will be more than happy doing virtually nothing! To be honest the look of that lake beach is more appealing than the water park (love canoeing!), but with 4 kids in tow I suspect that the water park will be a hit!
Hope you enjoy your trip!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Stayed ages ago in Lac de chalain - can't comment on the site as it will have changed, but the area is great - you can go to Geneva from there. Worth the trip. Enjoy!!
I was a courier for Canvas on Domaine last season and can thoroughly recommend the site.
The site is quite large (800 pitches) but only around 160 of those were taken up by tour operators so it has a very international and authentic feel to it.
Instead of of one big campsite store there are a series of smaller shops to give a 'village' feel to the site. The quality at each of these shops is very high. At the bakery I can highly recommend a 'Swiss Longe'. All of the site staff are very friendly - especially Pascal and Babbas in the bakery. Be prepared to be sung to as you by your baguette.
The campsite also offers a good programme of 'animation' ranging from films, evening games, sports tournaments and a disco. It is aimed towards children. For adults the bar has live bands regularly appearing - including an Irish band called Butterfly who will serenade you with, amongst others, some Pogues tracks.
If you fancy an afternoon of wine tasting head to a town called Arbois. It is the wine capital of the Jura and practically every other shop offers wine tasting.
As for local specialities - they are Vin Jaune and Comte cheese. Comte Cheese is quite a strong dry cheese, but is highly recommended.
The campsite overlooks the lake to the west so after a sunny day the sunsets over the lake are magnificent. Even after spending four months on site they were always breathtaking.
If you are interested in cycling the area is fantastic for it and on the roads around the site you will be able to cycle without too many cars around. Bikes can be rented from the site though I'd recommend bringing your own. A short cycle ride from the site are the Cascades Du Herrison. They are a series of waterfalls spread over a 2 hour walk and are well worth a trip. However if its been a dry summer in the Jura then they may not be a spectacular as they were last year.
Nearby are the towns of Lons-le-Saunier and Champagnole. Lons has a huge Geant Hypermarche, as well as an Aldi and Champion. Champagnole has a Inter Marche.
Trips to Geneva and Dole are a must. I have it on good authority that the drive to Geneva through the mountains has to be seen to be believed. Dole is a fantastic traditional town with lots of small shops, winding cobbled streets and some very good restaurants
Also nearby is Pont-de-Poitte. It is the local watersports centre and offer canoe tours along the river - if you are travelling with Canvas I wouldn't be surprised if the Wild and Active courier arranges trips here.
A short drive away is the Col-de-Facille. On a clear day it offers breathtaking views of Mont Blanc. There is also a dry tobogan run for children.
Baume-Les-Messiuers is a very picturesque nearby town. Here you will find caves to tour around, as well as an impressive church.
Being completely honest the weather can be somewhat unpredictable. I think all of Europe experienced a wet summer last year and we were no exception. However, because of the mountains sometimes only a ten minute drive will see a complete change. Often we escaped thunderstormed due to the shelter provided by the hills around the site. That being said far more often than not the weather was fantastic and we were all suitably tanned come the end of the summer! August was probably the driest month so fingers crossed that you get to experiences the beauty of the Jura in fantastic sunshine.
The campsite restaurant Jeremy's serves a good range of steaks (including kangaroo steak) which I can recommend. In nearby Doucier La Tonelle is a friendly local restaurant with fondu being it's speciality. La Lacustre is a pizzeria and the quality of food was fantastic. La Comtois is the more expensive restaurant in Doucier but came very highly recommended from all of our customers. On many different occasions people raved about the quality of the food there.
I absolutely loved my time in the Jura and feel it should be more recognised as a holiday destination. However, because of it being still relatively unknown it is also largely unspoilt. If you have any questions feel free to rack my brains. It's been a while since I had to recall all of this - often on a daily basis - but it's amazing how quickly it all comes back.
Whatever happens have a fantastic time - but look out for the 'Village Dance' - a song performed by the animations staff at the end of most of their events, last year it was some Euro-cheese but I've heard its The Jackson Five - Blame it on the Boogie this year. Its a quite a sight seeing nearly a thousand holiday makers and campsite staff joining in the dance most evenings at the open air stage. I must have made a fool of myself there on numerous occasions! :)
Echo what is said above with this proviso. Both La Pergola and Domaine on Lac du Chalain are very, very , very busy in peak season.. La Pergola's beach is definitely open to the public for a fee is is dominated by French visitors at time with the small beach, which incidentally is not fine sand as it looks but more like a rough grit which is pretty hard on the soles.
If you are going to relax on site this is not the place to go.
BUT the area is absolutely beatiful in every sense. My favourite part of France with the view of the Cirque de Baumes les Messieurs teh highlight - an amazing gorge with beautiful village at it floor and spectacular caves to visit.
Also worth a trip north to Besancon to visit the Citadel and ancient cliff top fort that now houses a zoo and museum about the deportation and extermination of jews etc by Nazis - all displays were in French but frankly language was not a barrier to understanding.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by ecclesman on 26/07/2005
Both La Pergola and Domaine on Lac du Chalain are very, very , very busy in peak season.. La Pergola's beach is definitely open to the public for a fee is is dominated by French visitors at time with the small beach, which incidentally is not fine sand as it looks but more like a rough grit which is pretty hard on the soles.
If you are going to relax on site this is not the place to go.
The beach at Domaine is a pebble beach for the main, but there are large grass fields to relax on if you'd rather not lie on stones. Domaine's beach is also open to the public during the summer and so hot weekends do get busy, but I never found it a problem instead it helped to create a fantastic atmosphere.
I would have to say that it is possible to relax at Domaine - it may not be the quietest site I've ever known but its far from the noisiest :-)
Quote: Originally posted by ecclesman on 26/07/2005
BUT the area is absolutely beatiful in every sense. My favourite part of France with the view of the Cirque de Baumes les Messieurs teh highlight - an amazing gorge with beautiful village at it floor and spectacular caves to visit.
I wouldn't disagree there in the slightest. Baumes Les Messieurs is fantastic as is the whole of the region.
Quote: Originally posted by takeiteasy on 26/07/2005
We are staying in zone C. Is there any shade or none at all in zone C pitches?
Do they have a time by which the campsite has to be quiet?
Is the pool area as good as they make it out to be in the site promotional material?
Thanks again
Matt
Zone C varies regarding shade. If you are placed on Allee Goethe I seem to remember there being some shade, as well as on Allee Zola. However, shade is at a premium on the site so its pretty much down to luck I'm afraid.
If I remember correctly the campsite asks for quiet after 11pm and has staff ensuring that it is enforced.
Les Lagons were a bit of a mystery to me - unlike customers, couriers did not get any free entries to the complex so I chose not to go. They also strictly enforce the speedos rule, so I opted to use the lake for my swimming. Everyone I spoke to though raved about the complex and many parents found the sauna particularly relaxing.
The lake is fantastic for swimming - it is a fantastic emerald green/clear blue colour. It is very clean and is not too cold either.
Hope this has been of some help, I wasn't able to be a courier this year, but am returning to the camping life next summer and so all this reminiscing has got me really in the mood! :-)
Have a great holiday
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Village Parisien & Lac de Chalain
