Le Large

Le Large campsite is in Villars-les-Dombes, in the Ain département, between Bourg-en-Bresse and Lyon, amid the ponds of the Dombes. The Parc des Oiseaux, the area’s big attraction, is about 2 km away. The site, rated 2 stars, covers just over 2.7 hectares at an altitude of 281 m and has 66 pitches, 6 of them reserved for motorhomes, plus chalets for rent.

The atmosphere is that of a small, quiet place: a fishing pond on site, a pool with its grassy beach area, a play corner for children and a petanque court. The website also states that part of the site is lived in all year round by residents, which explains the village feel of the place.

As for opening, the campsite presents itself as accessible every day of the year, with a phone reception from 10am to 8pm. Daily rates distinguish between a low season and a high season limited to July and August, which confirms that passing holidaymakers are also expected in autumn, winter and spring. The two wooden chalets have electric heating, a useful point for an off-season stopover, whereas the pool is for the warmer days.

The surrounding area is ideal for outings: Pérouges, the medieval town, the royal monastery of Brou in Bourg-en-Bresse, the basilica of Fourvière in Lyon or the village of Ars-sur-Formans, which the campsite recommends as trips out.

Fishing in the campsite pond and walks between the ponds of the Dombes, outside the summer months.

Comfort remains simple and functional. Pitches have 6-amp electrical sockets, hot water is available, and a service area welcomes motorhomes, including for a simple disposal stop without an overnight stay. A washing machine and a dryer are available, Wi-Fi is free across the whole site and a television is among the listed facilities. Chèques-Vacances holiday vouchers are accepted and dogs are allowed.

The two chalets are rented by the week or for a few nights. Le Martin-Pêcheur (35 m², 5 berths) has a bedroom with a double bed, a bedroom with bunk beds, a shower room with toilet and a covered terrace. Le Nénuphar (34 m², 6 berths) offers two bedrooms, an additional sleeping area, a separate toilet and a large covered terrace. Both have a kitchenette with an electric oven and a microwave, electric heating, garden furniture and a parking space. Sheets and towels are not provided but can be rented on site.

The pool measures 16 m by 7 m and comes with a large beach area; it operates in the warm season. A snack bar and a bar complete the summer offer, as do the petanque court and the play area. Off-season, it is therefore mainly the washrooms, the hot water, the launderette and the chalet heating that count.

On site, you can fish in the campsite pond, play petanque or volleyball, and children have a play area; themed evenings are organised during the year, according to the campsite’s presentation. The pool and its beach area serve as a gathering point in summer.

In the surrounding area, the campsite highlights the Dombes, a region of several hundred ponds where fishing, walking and cycling are easy on quiet roads. Tourist offices in the area also mention canoeing-kayaking, horse riding and golf nearby. The Parc des Oiseaux, 2 km away, is the most obvious visit for families and is easy to reach from the site.

To go further afield, a day is enough to discover Pérouges, listed among the most beautiful villages in France, with its cobbled lanes and ramparts, or to head to Bourg-en-Bresse and visit the royal monastery of Brou. Lyon, with Fourvière and the Vieux-Lyon, is a short drive away, and Ars-sur-Formans, the village of the Curé d’Ars, attracts many visitors. Off-season, the campsite pond and walks between the ponds of the Dombes remain the simplest activities.