Camping Montpellier Plage

The only good part was the welcome from a helpful young man at the gate and a friendly receptionist. Our pitch was a smelly, muddy patch beside a vandalized caravan. None of the pitches were marked, so people walked right past our motorhome and we had no privacy. Children played football on our pitch until I asked them to stop. Other people played skittles along its edge. Fencing or hedges would have made it clear that these were pitches. We paid for two nights but stayed just one. There was shouting and talking all night, still going at 4am, and youths were screaming in the shower block. We were exhausted the next day. A security guard should make rounds at night to keep things quiet, and speed bumps are needed because drivers go too fast. We've stayed at better one star campsites and definitely wouldn't return. The showers were shabby and grubby, with doors that didn't all work. Plumbing was held with cable ties and bits of string, several drain covers were missing, and smells came up from the drains. The sanitary facilities need a complete overhaul. The chemical toilet disposal point was in the ladies' block, so I went in with my husband to check no women were there.

The only real plus was being close to the beach. We were relieved when it was time to leave and find somewhere more enjoyable. We paid €78 in advance for two nights with a small tent, no car and no electricity, for two people. The pitch was spacious, but it had none of the green grass shown in the pictures and there were no trees or bushes for privacy. The bathrooms were dirty whatever time we went, and their walls were covered in webs and dead insects, including mosquitoes. We'd hoped for a friendly camping atmosphere with like-minded people, but there were permanent campers with all sorts of unnecessary things taking up space. For what we paid, the value was really poor. I wouldn't recommend staying here.

We were cycling and wanted to spend the night in our tent, but the way reception handled things was so unprofessional that we left without staying. They told us the tent pitches had no shade and that the only shaded spots required an extra charge for electricity. We agreed, then found the plugs only worked for camper vans. We suggested moving to a pitch without electricity and were told we still wouldn't get the electricity charge refunded. We might have let the practical problem go, but the staff's attitude made it much worse. The man serving us seemed irritated, wouldn't have a discussion, raised his voice and got defensive when we tried to talk it through. A female receptionist sarcastically muttered “Oh my god” at us while listening, as if she had to rescue her colleague. The receptionists also made comments about us in French, apparently assuming we couldn't understand. A terrible experience. We can't recommend this place, and don't think it deserves support.

We stayed out of season in our motorhome and paid the ACSI rate, which was very reasonable. We ended up extending by several days. Reception staff and the security man were friendly and helpful, and our sandy pitch was large enough for us. There was good electricity and free WiFi that dropped out now and then, but it was free. The first pitch was next to a scruffy couple with rave music, tents and rubbish around them. When we asked, staff moved us to a quiet spot. The sanitary facilities were clean and usable, with plenty of hot water. The shop was well stocked and nice, and the pool was large with sunbeds. The lovely beaches are just across the road. It's about a 20-minute walk to town, but worth it for the restaurants, shops and feel of a proper small seaside town. Some long-term residents, a bit like in Italy, extend their caravans with sheds and awnings and fill the whole pitch with stuff. It looks scruffy, but wasn't a problem for us. The étangs or saline ponds are right behind the campsite, and we saw interesting birds there, even flamingos. Thank you.