La Trillonnière

La Trillonnière campsite is located in Mornant, a large market town in the Monts du Lyonnais, south-west of Lyon. It is close to the A7 and A47 motorways, which makes it a convenient stopover on the way to holiday destinations, and looks out over rolling countryside with views towards the Lyon area. Mornant has kept its village life, with its market, shops and a municipal aquatic centre.

The site offers 44 pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes and six chalets for 6 people. Each chalet has two bedrooms, a living room with a bench seat, a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher, a bathroom with a large shower, a separate toilet, wifi and television; sheets can be hired as an option. It is described as perfectly insulated for winter and has a shaded terrace in summer.

The important point concerns the dates. The chalets are available all year round, with a single break between Christmas and early January. The pitches, however, only operate in summer: the website cites June to September, and the rates page specifies a closure from September to mid-May, with exact dates on request. The tent area stays closed in the winter period. The only exception is the caravan and motorhome pitches: they reopen for the week of the Festival of Lights (Fête des Lumières) in Lyon.

In the off-season, the campsite therefore suits holidaymakers who rent a chalet, weekend visitors and those who come for events in Lyon.

Festival of Lights in Lyon in December with campsite shuttle, Sirha trade fair and Nuits sonores, walks in the Monts du Lyonnais.

The facilities remain simple and practical. The recently renovated washrooms are suitable for children and for people with reduced mobility, with hot water at no extra charge. Wifi is free across the whole site, and pitches can have a 10-amp electricity hook-up for an extra charge, with waste water disposal.

The campsite has a bar, a food point, a laundry and a bread ordering service. It also offers practical and tourist advice at reception. For the Festival of Lights, a shuttle runs return trips to Lyon, with transport included in the pitch booking package. Events in the conurbation, such as the Sirha trade fair or the Nuits sonores festival, are also mentioned as reasons to stay.

There is no pool on site. For a swim, the municipal aquatic centre Les Bassins de l’Aqueduc is in Mornant, close to the campsite.

Rates are published online: 350 euros for two nights in a chalet, then 100 euros per additional night, with one deposit for the furniture and another for cleaning. Pitches are charged per person, with packages depending on the vehicle and electricity. Arrivals are between 3pm and 6pm and departures before 11am.

The Monts du Lyonnais are a playground for walkers and cyclists. From Mornant, many routes cross the rolling countryside, villages and forests, with viewpoints over the Alps or Lyon. The campsite also cites treetop adventure, mountain biking, climbing and trekking among the activities nearby.

The local heritage is worth a detour: three pillars of the Roman aqueduct of the Gier, which supplied Lugdunum, stand near Mornant, and you can follow the four Roman aqueducts on foot. You can also visit the Saint-Vincent chapel in Saint-Laurent-d’Agny, the old village of Montagny and the La Tourette convent. Mornant is also known for its market, famous since the 10th century. The landscapes of streams, wash houses, wells and wayside crosses are ideal for long walks.

In Lyon, you can visit the traboules of Old Lyon, Fourvière basilica, the Roman Theatre, Place des Terreaux, the Théâtre des Célestins and the modern Confluence district. Food lovers can taste Lyon cuisine there.

In the off-season, the Festival of Lights in December is the most frequently cited occasion, with the campsite shuttle; Sirha and the Nuits sonores also punctuate Lyon’s calendar.