Friendly, eco-friendly and family-run: a campsite that is just like us

A question we are often asked during our discussions during the season: how did we end up becoming campsite managers in Auvergne? The story is nothing out of the ordinary. It begins with our desire to change our living environment and build a project that matches our concept of family holidays. It was then guided by the values of sharing, respect for nature and kindness.

Originally from Saint-Etienne and after 12 years in Île-de-France we left Paris in 2020 to take over the Les volcans campsite. As it happened, we moved in March with our children, just a few days before the first lockdown. We will remember it :-)

We were looking for a small green campsite, that we could both manage, where we could live with our two children and above all a campsite where we would have loved to go on holiday! Our summer accommodation has always been a tent, with a stay in a mobile home after the birth of our son. We wanted to rediscover the atmosphere of small family campsites that had seduced us over the years since we were children, we are thinking, among others, of Les Lanchettes in Vanoise, Balanea

After a few months of searching, we had a heart-felt reaction, if not a love at first sight for the volcanoes ! We didn't know the region at all, but it seduced us in the blink of an eye: vast spaces, incredible landscapes in the chain of puys and the Sancy massif, a wide variety of sites between volcanoes, lakes, and waterfalls, dozens of nature activities around... In short, we felt right at home immediately.

Despite Covid, which disrupted our first season, we wanted to put our stamp on the campsite to make it our own. After three seasons, our project is taking shape little by little:

• A family atmosphere. We do everything we can to make families with young children feel at home in the volcanoes. Baby kit in the rentals, baby area in the bathrooms, loan of games for the little ones, dinette and sandbox in the play area, creative activities during the summer, adapted snack service... We try to offer what we like to experience with our children, who also contribute to this family atmosphere.
• An eco-responsible approach. It was one of the pillars of our campsite project because we want to minimize the impact of our activity on the surrounding environment. We are therefore working progressively to reduce waste produced (reusable bread bags, elimination of paper table settings...), develop sorting and composting (400kg of compost in 2020, 800kg in 2021 and 1000kg in 2022!), monitor water and energy savings, make the campsite an LPO refuge for biodiversity, use local products at the snack bar and grocery store (St-Nectaire is produced by our neighbors)... The road is still long and to make further progress we have joined the La Via Natura association which brings together small eco-responsible campsites. We still have many ideas and projects
• Trust and conviviality. These are the watchwords at the campsite. We want campers to feel at home during their stay. They therefore find spaces for sharing and exchange : book exchange, board game box, sharing box... We also lend out equipment for fun: balloons, petanque balls, rackets... Services are offered free of charge : freezing ice packs for coolers, recharging mobile phones... And above all, we make sure to be as available as possible

By making this choice to offer a campsite that is like us, we are aware that it's not a campsite that suits everyone. Those who are looking for non-stop entertainment and a giant aquatic park won't find it here. That's normal, there's something for everyone. We prioritize calm and proximity to nature for rejuvenating stays. A deliberate choice that has made most of our campers happy since 2020. Our greatest reward is their/your satisfaction after a stay in the volcanoes.

Two exchanges marked us last summer. A camping dad with his children told us that he was unable to explain it but that "the campsite has something extra, a soul, a particular spirit", which made them come back a second time and probably more in the future. It is this little inexplicable or indefinable thing that we try to cultivate with small touches. This little something that makes it stay much more than just memories after having spent a few days in the volcanoes.

The second anecdote is a response to our satisfaction survey. A family wrote to us that they had the feeling of being on vacation with friends during their stay. We obviously don't aim to become friends with all campers, but this little note highlights the proximity we want to have with those who come to stay with us, our desire for everyone to feel their best during their vacation!

We could still write pages to explain what we're trying to build in Auvergne over the years, but the best way will always be to come and experience it for yourself ;-)

Looking forward to welcoming you to our campsite in the Auvergne volcanoes !

Stéphanie and Florian, with Ninon and Robin