La Forêt de Tessé

Camping & Gîtes La Forêt de Tessé is in Grosbout, a quiet hamlet in the commune of La Forêt-de-Tessé, in northern Charente. The site covers about two flat acres next to a 16th-century stone house where the owners, Mark and Ildiko, live, a couple of British and Hungarian origin who settled here in 2013. They welcome guests themselves and offer to make bookings for anyone unsure about speaking French.

The offer is deliberately small: around ten spacious, unmarked pitches on grass or hardstanding (including one fully serviced pitch), two six-metre bell tents for four people with their kitchen hut, and a one-bedroom gîte of 60 m² rated four stars, separate from the campsite. The N10 main road is about ten minutes away and the A10 motorway twenty-five minutes, which makes it a handy stopover on the way to Spain or Portugal.

The campsite says it is open all year round. The pitch price page lists a low season from 1 September to 30 June, a high season in July and August, then a low-season rate from 31 December. The washrooms are heated in the cooler months and the gîte is heated in winter by a wood burner. The pool, however, is open only from mid-May to mid-September, and the bell tents are priced only from 1 June to 14 September. The exact winter dates should be confirmed with the owners.

Walks and bike rides (bikes for hire) on very quiet roads, visits to the stone villages, day trips to Angoulême, Cognac or La Rochelle.

The facilities are simple and well kept. The heated washroom block includes a shower and toilet cubicle adapted for disabled guests with a baby-changing table, a shower and toilet cubicle, a separate toilet and a baby-bathing area. Nine pitches have drinking water and 10-amp electricity, three of them on hardstanding, and most have a picnic table.

A laundry with washing machine and tumble dryer runs on tokens, a fridge-freezer is reserved for tent campers, and there is a barbecue area with a fireplace. Barbecues are also allowed on the pitch, provided they are not placed on the ground. The campsite has a service point for motorhomes and a disposal point for chemical toilets. Wi-Fi is free, covering about 80% of the site.

The in-ground pool, 10 m by 5 m and equipped with sun loungers and parasols, is open from mid-May to mid-September. It is not heated, but the water reaches about 30 °C in summer. It is not supervised, and children must stay under the care of an adult. Bikes can be hired for a small fee, and there is a book swap and DVDs to borrow. A few basic groceries are available, and bread and pastries are delivered every morning in July and August.

In the bell tents, bed linen and electricity are provided, and the neighbouring hut has a fridge, gas hob, kettle, coffee maker, crockery and barbecue.

Here the programme comes down to relaxing and gently discovering the area. The nearby roads, almost free of traffic, are ideal for walking and cycling, and the owners hire out bicycles. An information folder handed over on arrival describes cycling or driving routes through the stone villages, churches and private châteaux of the region. The campsite’s vegetable garden can also provide seasonal produce to visitors.

In the evening, the absence of light pollution gives a very clear starry sky. Eating outdoors is possible from April to the end of October, thanks to warm summers and mild springs and autumns in an area known for its sunshine, just north of the south of France. A small family campsite like this suits those who like to read, swim in summer and enjoy the quiet.

About fifteen minutes by car away are lake and river swimming spots and canoeing opportunities. The bar-restaurant and the bakery in Montjean are five minutes away, while Sauzé-Vaussais and Ruffec, ten to fifteen minutes away, have shops, markets, restaurants and supermarkets. Day trips to La Rochelle, Angoulême or Cognac, with its cellar visits and tastings, are easy to do from the campsite.