La Montagne

Camping La Montagne is in Sorgues, in the Vaucluse, on the edge of Avignon and halfway between Mont Ventoux and the Luberon. The town centre is 4 km away, as is Sorgues railway station, while Avignon TGV station is 16 km away and Avignon-Provence airport 18 km. The site stands about 800 m from the Château de Gigognan.

Rated 4 stars, the campsite is run by its owners, Élisabeth and Patrice. It covers 2 hectares of pines and oaks and has around fifty pitches of 80 to over 100 m², marked out by hedges, with a 10 or 16 amp electric hook-up and a water point nearby. On the rental side, the offer ranges from the 20 m² mobile home to the 65 m² unit sleeping up to nine people, not forgetting a wooden caravan for 2 to 4 people.

The official website states that the campsite welcomes guests all year round. The off-season runs from 1 January to 20 April, then from 15 September to 31 December; mid and high season cover the period from 21 April to 14 September. Out of season, reception is open during the day, the washrooms are heated and reduced rates are published for both pitches and rentals, notably before 1 May and after mid-September. The exact opening dates of each accommodation should be confirmed with reception.

This setting suits a family stay, a stopover for motorhome travellers or a spring and autumn break around Avignon, Gordes or L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.

Cellar visits and wine tastings, Provence markets, hikes and bike routes (Home Vélo label) in Sorgues and the surrounding area.

Reception also acts as a concierge service: tourist information, mail, library, safe, iron loan and free wifi across the whole site. Bikes, a barbecue area, household linen, a baby kit or a fridge can be rented there. The grocery shop offers fresh produce, bread, pastries and regional specialities, and a bakery with fast food is about 150 m away. The supermarket is 3.5 km away.

The snack bar prepares pizzas, paninis, waffles and burgers, to eat in or take away; its terrace also serves as a bar, with themed evenings in high season. Facilities include a laundry, charging points for electric cars, a motorhome waste disposal point and rentals adapted for guests with reduced mobility. The washroom block, heated in winter, offers hot showers day and night, individual washbasins, hairdryers, a baby-changing area and facilities for disabled guests.

For swimming, the heated aquatic area has a beach with sun loungers and thatched huts, two slides, a jacuzzi area with a hot tub and a paddling pool with a mushroom-shaped sprinkler. It runs from the end of April to mid-September (the slides are reserved for swimmers over 7): outside this period the water is not accessible, while reception, the grocery shop and the heated washrooms continue to serve autumn, winter and spring stays.

On site, the programme is aimed mainly at families in summer. The kids’ and teens’ club offers shows, treasure hunts, drawing contests, an inflatable and environmental awareness games. High-season evenings alternate between dance music, cabaret, disco, a pétanque tournament, a children’s show, night swimming and bingo. On the sports side, guests can play water polo, football, pétanque, table tennis, basketball and volleyball, and go cycling.

The campsite describes itself as welcoming to cycle tourers: secure bike garage, repair kit, battery charging, route maps and a network of rental firms who deliver bikes to the pitch. Routes range from a family ride to a sporty outing, including a circuit to Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.

In the surrounding area, Provence offers Gordes, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Orange and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, the Carrières de Lumières, the Toulourenc gorges, cellar visits with tastings, markets, flea markets, canoeing on the Sorgue, tree-top adventure courses and climbing. Families can also aim for the Haribo sweet museum, La Barben zoo, the crocodile farm, Wave Island or the Spirou park. The Festival d’Avignon sets the rhythm of July. The campsite offers shoulder-season rates to enjoy the calm of spring and autumn.