Le Bioley

Le Bioley campsite sits on a plateau at 1,300 m altitude, above La Côte d’Aime in Savoie (La Plagne Tarentaise). It lies on the sunny side of the valley, halfway between Moûtiers and Bourg-Saint-Maurice: leave the motorway at Aime, then climb towards La Côte d’Aime and drive past Les Bergeries. Facing the site rises the La Plagne ski area.

Rated 2 stars, the campsite covers three hectares and has 49 spacious, marked-out pitches with water and electricity, where you find sun, shade or quiet depending on where you choose. It also offers handcrafted wooden chalets facing due south, whose descriptions detail the Le Fassopourri, L’Aliet and Le Bellecôte models.

It is a campsite open in summer and winter alike. The website states “open all year round”, and chalet rates include heating from 3 January to 18 April, then from 19 September to 2 January of the following year. Motorhome owners are welcome in every season, and specific electricity rates apply in winter. Weekends and short chalet stays are not possible in July and August or in February and March; outside those periods, you need to contact the campsite.

Snowshoeing from the chalets on the La Côte d’Aime cross-country site, skiing in the nearby La Plagne ski area, winter walks in the snowy setting.

The washrooms are spread across three buildings. Only the first operates in summer and winter: showers and washbasins with hot water, sinks, toilets, a chemical toilet disposal point and a motorhome waste point. The other two are used in summer only and include, among other things, an area for people with reduced mobility, a corner for young children with a baby bath, and a laundry room with washing machine and dryer.

At reception, you can find tourist information, hiking maps, ice to cool things down and advice for planning outings. Bread and pastries can be ordered every day. The wifi is free, including at the snack bar Le Toucui, open every day from June to September, with drinks, ice creams, homemade pizzas and Savoyard specialities such as tartiflette, fondue and raclette, to enjoy on the terrace or take away.

The campsite has a heated outdoor pool, set in the middle of the site near the snack bar, with views of the peaks of La Plagne and Les Arcs; the website gives no opening dates for the pool, so it is more likely tied to the warm season. A meeting room under a white marquee, equipped with tables, benches and a television, lets guests watch sporting events with their neighbours.

On site, children have a playground with a swing, slide and spring riders, a ping-pong table and a basketball hoop. The heated pool remains the meeting point on fine days, near the snack bar, and the campsite hands out a hiking map to help plan outings.

The mountains then offer plenty of variety: hikes or walks on the heights of La Côte d’Aime, outings in Vanoise National Park, whitewater sports such as rafting, horse riding, paragliding flights and shows. Reception also gives information on how Beaufort cheese is made, where to buy it and market days.

In winter, the La Plagne ski area is right opposite, and the snowshoe trails of the La Côte d’Aime cross-country site start directly from the chalets. The campsite mentions a range of winter sports and snowshoe walks, with a snowy setting that appeals to those seeking quiet. The children’s play area and the snack bar, for their part, mainly operate in the warm season.