Relais du Léman

The showers were on the cool side, and WiFi came at an extra cost. The place was nice, but easily the most expensive campsite I’ve ever stayed at in France, and I’ve been to plenty. I’d just crossed into France from Switzerland expecting it to be more affordable, but it wasn’t.

There’s a wooded area right behind the site where you can exercise dogs off lead, and it’s a good base for Lake Geneva and the wider area by car or bike. Yvoire, a lovely medieval town, is 4 miles away, though there isn’t much within walking distance. The staff were friendly, helpful, and around all day keeping the grounds in shape. Facilities include a clean, modern toilet and shower block with toilet paper and hand wash always stocked, plus laundry and a pot wash area. There are caravan, campervan, and tent pitches, as well as chalets and cabins, some of them very new. The bar and restaurant were reasonably priced, with vegetarian choices, but only opened in the evening. You can order breakfast from a local boulangerie at reception and pick it up in the morning. There’s a pool, table tennis, boules, and a basketball and football court, all in good condition, along with daily activities. Tennis courts, a playground with climbing frames, a zip line, and a pump track are a five minute walk away. A very good site in a peaceful spot.

We stayed in September and it was fairly quiet. The tent pitches were grassy and the facilities decent. Lovely staff, too, in a beautiful setting.

Yvoire and Thonon les Bains are nearby, as is Geneva, so the wooded setting worked well for visiting those places. The receptionist was really helpful. We would have liked the chalet to be cleaner inside, though we did clean it more thoroughly ourselves. One suggestion: keep the street lights on overnight. We’ll be back soon.