La Gantesse

La Gantesse is in Saint-Zacharie, in the Var, at the end of a 1.5 km track that leads deep into the forest. The campsite covers 2.5 hectares within a wooded estate of 33 hectares, where you come across fruit trees, flowers and a small herd of llamas roaming free, the signature of the place. The calanques of Cassis and the Sillans waterfall are about thirty minutes away by car.

Rated 3 stars, the site has 48 pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, wide enough for large vehicles, with an electrical hook-up to European standards. The mobile homes for rent, for 3 to 6 people, are set in natural surroundings. The atmosphere is meant to be family-friendly and calm, and the whole site is under video surveillance.

As for opening, the rule is clear: the mobile homes can be booked all year round, while the pitches welcome campers from spring to autumn only. The published rental rates cover autumn, winter and the start of the following summer, with a minimum stay of two nights; a night starts at €70 and a week costs between €380 and €540 depending on the model. The campsite does not target any particular audience in the off-season, but highlights a sunny climate and walking possibilities from November onwards.

Access for guests with reduced mobility is taken into account: one adapted washroom cubicle, as well as an adapted shower and toilets on the pool side.

Hiking on the GR9 from the campsite, including in November; calanques of Cassis and Sillans waterfall about 30 minutes away.

The campsite keeps its offer simple, centred on the pool and the outdoors. The outdoor pool has a shower and toilets accessible to guests with reduced mobility. Around reception there is a free wifi access point; the connection from the accommodation or the pitch is paid. Outside visitors are accepted for €6 per person per day, provided they register on arrival.

The mobile homes sleep 3 to 6 people, with two or three bedrooms depending on the model. All are equipped with a bathroom, a television, a fridge, a microwave, a hob, a coffee maker, a terrace and air conditioning. Arrival is from 3pm and departure before 10am; for pitches, arrival is possible from 2pm and departure before noon.

As for shared facilities, the site has a picnic area with a communal barbecue, a fitness area, a table football, a pétanque court, a football pitch, table tennis tables, a children’s play area and inflatable structures. The campsite states that its facilities remain available in winter as in summer; the pool is mainly used in the warmer season, and nothing indicates heating of the washrooms or the pool. Dogs are allowed on a lead for €2 per night, with an up-to-date vaccination record, except those of category 1 and 2. No snack bar or shop is listed on site: one guest in the guestbook regretted the lack of a refreshment bar.

On site, children are spoilt for choice: inflatable games, a dedicated play area, a football pitch, table football and table tennis. Adults gather around the pétanque court or in the fitness area, and the pool attracts families as soon as the fine weather arrives. The estate’s llamas, which you meet along the paths, are the favourite attraction of young and old alike; some campers even arrive on horseback.

Hiking is the speciality of the place: several GR9 routes start directly from the campsite, and guests point out that the area also suits mountain biking. The website praises a climate suited to walking in November as well as in July, with around 325 days of sunshine a year in the Var.

Several natural sites can be visited within about half an hour: the calanques of Cassis, Figuerolles and Pierres Tombées, the Sillans waterfall, the Mary Magdalene grotto in the Sainte-Baume massif, the sources of the Huveaune, the Saint-Clair chapel and the Caramy waterfall. The town of Aubagne, Marcel Pagnol’s homeland, also offers a live webcam on the campsite’s website. In the off-season these walks remain possible, but no organised entertainment is listed in autumn or winter: the spirit remains one of relaxation and nature.