la forge

We had a good-sized grass pitch beside the lake for our small van, but after the recent rain the ground was soaking, so we had to move. Reception told us a few vehicles had got stuck there. The setting is lovely, with a seating area and bar and restaurant near the entrance, though the website makes the place sound more luxurious than it is. The facilities were just okay: individual shower and wash rooms by the toilets, plus dishwashing and laundry areas in the same block. We didn't use or see the pool, but there was a play area and bouncy castle for kids during the day. We ate at the restaurant around 7pm. Most tables were occupied and only one person was working at first, though more staff arrived later, so service was slow. It seemed there was just one menu for the whole restaurant if you didn't want pizza. The arrival leaflet describes a concept between tapas and French specialities, but what we saw was pizza, a cheeseburger and a charcuterie sharing platter. We had a pizza and burger. The burger was nice and not too greasy, but nothing special. The pizza was average and seemed frozen rather than fresh. The crepes were good, but they were being cooked on a hot plate left unattended in the dining room at the bottom of the stairs. Lots of kids were passing by, and I couldn't see why it wasn't in the kitchen. A small child could easily have touched it and burned a hand. Staff also left a broken glass bottle on the floor for about 20 minutes before cleaning it up, while kids were walking right through the area. The website set expectations too high, and we found the stay disappointing. The staff were very friendly, but service was slow. I wouldn't come back, and I'd look elsewhere for better food.

The large pitches were a pleasant surprise, and each had its own water tap. Croissants and baguettes were available on demand. We only heard the loud fighter jets twice during our stay, for about an hour each time. The pool, set in a renovated old forge, was nice and comfortably warm. Reception staff were friendly and spoke English well. ANWB's “Charme camping” description seems deserved, with the feel of a French castle camping and plenty of services. I took off one star for the sanitary facilities and restaurant. The washrooms could have been cleaner, and most showers only ran for three seconds. The water could also get too hot when four people were flushing toilets. The food and service in the restaurant weren't the best, and there's room for improvement.

The fishing spots were excellent, and the campsite had a really nice atmosphere. The pool was kind of small, but still a cool place to hang out and cool off. We had a good weekend here. The restaurant felt fancy, wasn't too expensive, and served delicious dishes. The pizzeria took a while to serve us, but the pizza was delicious too. In the end, it was a great weekend stay!

We ended up staying longer than the three nights we first planned because we felt so comfortable here. It's a beautiful, peaceful spot in the French countryside, with a cosy bar and a swimming pool. The central area sits beside an attractive lake, and the frogs there are very vocal. The staff were exceptionally friendly and accommodating. We can recommend the site and will certainly return.