Camping La Baume

Fréjus is still a place I love, with beautiful scenery and beaches, and La Baume has so much potential. The pools get a 10/10 from me. On arrival, the palm trees and clean, tidy pool areas gave the place a real holiday feel. We came back after ten years and stayed for ten nights, but this time the experience was very mixed. We booked the Ultra, their top and one of their most expensive accommodation options. There was lots of room inside, which we enjoyed compared with the standard comfort units, and the shower was the best part. But the floors were very dirty, the sofas old and badly stained, and the outdoor space was shabby. The cushions on the rattan furniture and loungers badly needed washing or replacing. Towels and bedding were included in the higher price, but we got only one towel per person for the whole holiday. I’d have liked extra bedding to change partway through, but we made do. For their top range, it felt like roughing it. The bar area has lovely views over the pools and is a nice place to sit and relax. Inside, though, the staff were among the rudest I’ve ever encountered, especially toward people who aren’t French. Their attitude let the whole site down. Some staff also seemed to overcharge us, as the prices kept changing. The toilets need updating and a thorough clean, which made them off-putting. The on-site shop was great and had everything you need. The staff there were just okay, not especially friendly, but we got used to that. We also saw a lot of incidents involving ourselves and others, maybe something about the south of France. The restaurant was a no for us after one visit because the food was awful. I might go back to Fréjus someday, but not to La Baume, which makes me sad after all the lovely memories from our first visit. I can put up with poor food or dirty toilets, but not the rudeness. It was really upsetting and off-putting. I hope La Baume improves one day.

The facilities are lovely, but we couldn’t cope with the noise. Music carried on until midnight, then drunk people ran around shouting in the early hours. We booked six nights, but decided to get a hotel elsewhere for the last two just so we could sleep properly. This was already the most expensive campsite we’d stayed at on our trip around France this summer, and now we’ve had to pay more to stay somewhere else. Such a shame.

They let day visitors use the facilities, so the pools get overcrowded and aren’t just for paying campers. The site also feels understaffed, and the main problem for us was noise in the evenings. There’s an 11 p.m. curfew, but it isn’t enforced. A group in the Mimosas villas partied until 3 a.m. every night of our stay. We reported it to reception, but nothing was done or changed. I slept only around 3-4 hours a night for the whole week, and it really ruined the trip. It’s less family friendly than it used to be. Groups of young teens might fit in well, but families with small children should look at other sites.

The site has loads of slides and a great choice of pools and legions for all ages. We loved it, and the place was spotless. Staff were very friendly and helpful. We left around 8 July, so it was probably heading into peak season. There’s only one supermarket and one restaurant, so I’m not sure how they’ll cope with big crowds. You need a car to reach Frejus or Saint Rapheal. Buses are available, but only run every two hours and not often on Sundays. Cycling to the local Lidl or supermarket wouldn’t feel safe, since part of the route is on a motorway with no cycleway.