Ferme de La Croix Villiere

La Croix-Villière is a farm campsite in Neuville-Day, a small village in the Ardennes in the triangle formed by Reims, Charleville-Mézières and Sedan, not far from the Belgian border. It is run by the Coutel family, who operate a mixed farm with cereals and a herd of dairy cows, and who opened the campsite in 1989 to share what they do.

The two-hectare site, on two levels and partly shaded, is close to the farm buildings. It takes about fifty people on around twenty pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, and also offers three mobile homes with shower, toilet and a terrace with garden furniture and a barbecue. Dogs are accepted. The setting is quiet, wooded and hilly, with forests and streams; the Ardennes canal greenway runs 500 m away.

Opening period: this is a seasonal campsite, announced from 1 April to 15 November (the year is not specified, to be confirmed with the campsite). It is therefore closed from mid-November to the end of March, winter included. For any question about the dates, you can call 06 30 49 72 12 or 06 75 79 91 26.

Facilities are simple and suited to a small farm site. The washrooms are recent and include a baby changing table and a baby bath. A washing machine and a fridge are available to campers. Pitches can be connected to electricity for a supplement, and the site takes caravans and motorhomes without difficulty.

The farm sells local produce on site, and a bread and pastry depot operates in high season only. The mobile homes, named Sud, Nord and Marguerite, each have a shower, private toilet and a terrace with garden furniture and a barbecue. There is no restaurant or pool on the campsite: the nearest indoor pool is about 15 km away. For summer swimming, Lake Bairon, about ten minutes by car, offers swimming and water sports. Mountain bikes can be requested on site. A table tennis table is set up on the grounds.

The main attraction is walking or cycling: the Ardennes canal greenway, 500 m away, follows the valley with its twenty-six locks, and the Argonne forest is about 6 km away. Visiting the farm, with its dairy cows, is part of the experience, and producers’ markets offer a chance to taste regional products. On site, guests play table tennis; mountain bikes are available on request.

In the surrounding area, Lake Bairon, about 7 km away, offers sailing, boating and swimming. Golf, tennis, canoeing and horse riding are available a few kilometres away, fishing is done on the canal and the river, and electric scooters can be hired to explore the Ardennes Argonne. Sights mentioned include Sedan castle, the Rimbaud museum in Roche 8 km away, the Belval wildlife park, the Vendresse estate and its fish farm, the felt museum in Mouzon and the Musée de l’Ardenne in Charleville-Mézières. Every two years, in September, Charleville hosts the world puppet festival. These outings fall within the campsite’s opening season, from April to mid-November.