Camping des Barolles

Camping des Barolles is located in Saint-Genis-Laval, in the Rhône, south-west of Lyon. The city centre is about twenty minutes away, and a bus runs directly to Place Bellecour, which makes a car unnecessary for visiting the city. The site cites a family history of more than 60 years and an eco-responsible approach aimed at limiting visual and noise nuisance.

The setup remains small: 45 pitches with electricity and waste water drainage, a reception area for tents, a waste disposal point for caravans and motorhomes, and six mobile homes to rent. The campsite positions itself as a simple, economical alternative to other short and medium-stay accommodation in the Lyon area, from a night in a tent to a longer stay in a mobile home.

On opening, the website is clear: the campsite welcomes guests all year round, 365 days out of 365. Pitches for caravans and motorhomes, as well as the mobile homes, therefore remain accessible in winter. Only the tent area is closed during the winter period, with no precise dates published. The washrooms are heated and can be used throughout the year.

This arrangement suits business stopovers, urban weekend breaks and stays of a few nights to discover Lyon in any season.

Lyon museums and heritage (Fourvière, Vieux Lyon, Musée des Confluences 7 km away), Charlemagne ice rink, Saint-Genis-Laval markets, cross-country skiing at Mont Pilat.

The shared services are those of a compact, practical campsite. There is a laundry, a bar, a food shop, an internet area with free Wi-Fi across the whole site, and a bread service on order. Reception sells bus and metro tickets and provides practical and tourist advice, which matters for a campsite used mainly as a base for visiting Lyon.

The washrooms have autonomous, controlled energy management. They are heated, usable all year round and accessible to guests with reduced mobility; hot water is included in the price, with no extra charge. A waste disposal point is reserved for caravans and motorhomes.

For accommodation, six mobile homes are available to rent, by the night for a weekend (two nights minimum) or by the week. Sheet hire is available, as is a baby kit with cot, chair and pushchair, or a linen package including sheets and towels. End-of-stay cleaning can be entrusted to the campsite for an extra charge. A supplement of €2.50 applies for a dog on the pitches.

The campsite has no swimming pool: three pools are located within a 5 km radius, in Brignais, Oullins and Irigny.

Les Barolles offers no entertainment on site: the appeal of the place lies elsewhere, in its proximity to Lyon and the countryside of the hillsides. In Saint-Genis-Laval, the Parc de Beauregard, listed as a Jardin de France, and the surroundings of the Fort de Côte-Lorette, with its fitness trail, are good for walking or running. Further afield, between Saint-Laurent-d’Agny, Mornant and Chaponost, paths cross farmland, orchards and forests.

For outings in the city, the campsite mentions Vieux Lyon and its traboules, the Fourvière basilica, Saint-Jean cathedral, the Opéra, the Musée des Confluences 7 km away, the Lyon aquarium, the textile museum and the Gallo-Roman museums of Fourvière and Saint-Romain-en-Gal. Les Halles de Lyon are open every day except Monday, and Saint-Genis-Laval holds a market on Friday mornings, as well as an organic market on Wednesday mornings.

Sports enthusiasts have an indoor football complex in Saint-Genis-Laval nearby, the Charlemagne ice rink in Lyon and, one kilometre away, the Méga CGR complex in Brignais, with bowling, cinema and pool tables. Mont Pilat, further away, is suitable for cross-country skiing and walks, and a cruise on the Rhône and Saône is possible by day or by night.