Camping Municipal l’Etang

The municipal campsite de l’Étang is in Marcillé-Robert, a small town in Ille-et-Vilaine of about a thousand inhabitants, between Châteaubriant, Vitré and Rennes. The site occupies a slope overlooking a 100-hectare lake, and the village shops are a five-minute walk away. Open since 1991, it is run directly by the town hall and rated 2 stars.

The offer comes down to a handful of units: 16 to 19 pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, and four rental units, namely a 5-person chalet with an equipped terrace, a mobile home with 4 beds, and two others with 3 places. The setting is wooded and flowery, conducive to rest.

Pitches and rental units are available all year round, except over the Christmas and New Year’s Eve period. Check-in is by phone or on site in the late afternoon, except on Wednesdays and Sundays: on those days, arrival is only possible with a prior booking and payment. Off-season, electricity is charged at a higher rate (7 € per night from October to April, compared with 3 € from May to October).

The chalet is described as insulated for all four seasons, but the campsite publishes no information on heating in the accommodation or washrooms: it is best to ask before booking in winter.

Walks around the 100-hectare lake, birdwatching at the bird reserve, fishing, visits to the Roche aux Fées a few kilometres away.

The facilities are those of a small municipal campsite, simple and functional. A washroom block with showers and toilets serves the site, the pitches have electric hook-ups and there are places reserved for motorhomes. A car park, a children’s play area and wifi access complete the picture.

The campsite also offers a “garage mort” service for leaving a caravan on site outside the high season, charged at 3.10 € a night except in July and August. As for accommodation, the 5-person chalet is equipped and has a terrace; the 3- and 4-person mobile homes are rented by the night, with a cleaning fee of 52 € per stay. The 2026 rates remain modest: 4.10 € a night for a basic pitch, 31 € for a 3-person mobile home, 41 € for a 4-person mobile home and 52 € for the chalet, with a two-night minimum for the latter.

No pool, restaurant or grocery shop is listed on site. For swimming, the tourist office mentions the Janzé aquatic centre, a few kilometres away, and the lake itself is used mainly for fishing and walking. Shopping and small shops are in the village, five minutes on foot. Off-season, the essential services (washrooms, hook-ups, rental units) remain those of the rest of the year; only the Christmas and New Year period is closed.

Here, people come for the calm and nature rather than a programme of entertainment. The 100-hectare lake is suitable for fishing, and a bird reserve lets you watch waterbirds from its edges; an interpretive trail is signposted nearby. On foot, you can reach the ruins of the old château of Marcillé-Robert from the campsite.

Within a radius of 5 to 10 kilometres, the tourist office lists three outings for the family: the megaliths of the Roche aux Fées, the fairy-tale world of Enigmaparc and the Janzé aquatic centre for a dip. These three sites make it possible to vary your days without long journeys from Marcillé-Robert.

For children, the campsite play area keeps the youngest busy, while older ones will enjoy nature outings and fishing. Off-season, the programme comes down to walks around the lake, birdwatching and visits in the surrounding area. The telephone reception is open Monday to Saturday from 4pm to 7pm, and arrivals on Wednesday and Sunday require a prior booking: it is therefore best to organise your stay in advance, especially from October to April.