Camping l'Air Marin

The children loved the pool, and we had a fantastic stay overall. The campsite restaurant was really nice, with great drinks, and the bakery was excellent. The shop had basic items at reasonable prices. We camped for a couple of weeks in July with a huge tent and gazebo. The night entertainment was very good and ended early enough that noise wasn’t a problem. Mobile data was barely available around Vias and the campsite during the day. My UK Vodafone service and my partner’s EE usually work fine when we travel in the EU, so we wondered if data was being throttled for roaming tourists. Outside the area it seemed okay, but we ended up buying the expensive Wi-Fi. There were some mosquitoes, though nothing excessive, and our secure tent’s good fly screens kept them from being a problem. The toilets were average and could have been cleaned more often because some patrons left them filthy, but that didn’t spoil our stay. There’s a no eating or drinking rule around the pool. I think the drains throughout the sun-lounging area return water to the pool for conservation, so spilled drinks would end up in it and create a hygiene issue. The 6 amp electrical hookup limit is also useful to know: appliances above 1.3 kW aren’t suitable, and an electric BBQ might be a problem. We used a gas BBQ without any trouble.

The holiday was saved by the great company we travelled with and the good location. Vias Plage was lovely and only a 15-minute walk away. We’d return to the area, but not this campsite. We travelled with two other families and had been assured several times beforehand that our camping pitches would be next to each other. On arrival, we weren’t even in the same row or section. Staff tried to move us closer, but it still didn’t work, which was very disappointing. We missed some entertainment because we only heard about the site app from a French neighbour two days before leaving. It would have made sense to tell us when we arrived, since the board outside reception wasn’t up to date. The children were keen to go to the foam party, but we missed it. The pool was VERY busy, and you had to move fast to get sunbeds. During busy periods, an air-raid siren signalled that unattended beds were being reallocated. The facilities were old and needed updating. There was only one handwashing sink in the unisex toilets, right beside the urinals, and no handwashing facilities in the poolside toilets. That seemed odd given the high hygiene standards that required men to wear Speedo’s. The children’s pool was dirty, and in the hot weather we had to sneak water in for the children to drink by the pool. The security guard at the front gate was VERY rude when we were confused about rubbish and recycling. Instead of helping, he shouted and started snatching bags from us and ripping them open.

The beach at Vias Plage is about 1.75 miles away, and it’s easy to find. On the way, Vias has a supermarket, plenty of traditional and newer shops, and places to eat. The town feels slightly cosmopolitan, and its long, straight high street leads to the promenade and a beautiful beach. The pitches are shaded but quite small and have little privacy, sardine-can style. There weren’t many Brits here, which might bother some people, but not us. The site itself felt rustic and a little unkempt, though the staff were friendly. The restaurant and cafe were lovely, with good food and drinks at reasonable prices. The pool was clean, and gym use and borrowing canoes for the Canal du Midi were free. Just don’t fall in, it’s yuk. Toilets and showers were clean; there was chemical waste disposal, but no grey waste, and water taps were dotted around the site. Kids of all ages had plenty of entertainment, with music ending at midnight. Some noisy teens were up in the middle of the night. One strict rule to know about: men can only wear tight, figure-hugging shorts or swim trunks in the pool. Regular shorts aren’t allowed, with no exceptions. We’ve just come from Domaine de Soleil Plage on the Dordogne, where we were spoilt, so perhaps we expected too much. Plenty of people would like it here, but compared with Soleil Plage, we won’t be coming back next year.

The campsite is tidy and the staff are friendly. I’d come back.