La Croix de Vinchannes

The entertainment team had interesting activities for all tastes, and the staff were welcoming and very helpful. It’s a quiet, shady campsite, though the grounds need more upkeep, especially around the pool, by the mobile home terraces, and in the landscaping. It’s a shame the bar area is so underused.

The staff were attentive and quick to respond to requests, and the village’s location is fantastic in a heatwave. Getting around is difficult, though, so you really need a car. For the price, we were generally disappointed. The mobile homes are aging and barely maintained. We even found perishable food left by a previous tenant in the kitchen cupboards. The hot water was unpredictable, switching from boiling to freezing in an instant, which was a real problem with children. Rain made the poorly maintained wooden terraces feel like an ice rink, and broken planks were a concern. The wooden tables were unusable for several days after rain. The pool water seemed good, but the area around it was unpleasant and clearly neglected, with weeds everywhere and loose paving stones that hurt to walk on. The children fell quite badly there.

Mélanie deserves a star. For the rest, I’d steer clear. The campsite is run down and dangerous, with no upkeep around the pool or the bungalows. Loose tiles and torn flooring by the pool, defective wooden stairs on the terraces, and several children fell during my stay. The outdoor furniture couldn’t be used. The managers were unfriendly and discourteous. The kids’ club was worse still: no activities, no supervision, and when a child disappeared, the other children seemed to be the only ones concerned. When we said the mobile home was too small for five people, they claimed the campsite was full, which wasn’t true. There was no teen club despite it being advertised. The place and its staff both seemed to be on their last legs. Avoid at all costs.

The mobile home was reached by a wooden staircase with fixed steps that were starting to break. Inside, the bedding was appalling and guaranteed discomfort, and the cleanliness was questionable too. We found expired biscuit packets under the beds. After two kilometres on a dilapidated road, we arrived, but couldn’t find reception. It was actually downhill next to the swimming pool. The whole place was in the same state of disrepair as the access road. Low-end, very low-end.