Le Puigmal

Camping Le Puigmal covers three hectares at the foot of a hill in Err, a village on the high plain of the Cerdagne, at 1,350 m altitude. It lies within the Pyrénées catalanes Regional Natural Park, opposite Font-Romeu and at the foot of the Puigmal ski resort, which rises from 1,800 to 2,500 m. Spain is about 9 km away and Andorra 45 minutes. The village centre, with its shops, is 500 m away on foot.

The site offers 125 tree-shaded pitches, with or without electrical hook-up, and mobile homes of 22 to 29 m² for 4 to 6 people, each with two bedrooms. It holds the Clef Verte label and the Destination d’Excellence Qualité Tourisme Occitanie mark. The atmosphere is rural, and the campsite states that it is accessible to people with reduced mobility.

The calendar is clear: from May to September the campsite is open every day; in winter it opens every weekend and during all French and Spanish school holidays; it closes in October. In winter the mobile homes can be booked for a two-night weekend or by the week, with prices published for the period from 1 November to mid-January. The pattern therefore suits weekends and short ski breaks.

Nine ski resorts including Puigmal, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, Roman baths of Dorres and Llo open all year round.

The campsite remains simple and well kept. Hot water is free in all washrooms, partly supplied by solar thermal panels, and facilities are provided for people with reduced mobility. A washing machine and an ironing room are available, along with electrical hook-ups on the pitches. Wi-Fi is free, but deliberately limited to the multipurpose room and its surroundings, as an ecological choice.

Children have a play area for the youngest, and the games room has a table tennis table. There is no restaurant on the campsite: meals are taken in the village of Err, 500 m away, where there is a bakery, a butcher’s with a deli counter, places to eat and a health and beauty centre. A clinic is 800 m away; the supermarket and pharmacy in Saillagouse are 2 km away.

There is no swimming pool on the campsite, but the nearby municipal water park in Err has a giant slide, waterfalls, a wave pool, heated pools and bubble baths, open from 10am to 7pm in July and August. Prices are available at the pool. Out of season, the rental accommodation has its own kitchen equipment, and reception closes at 7pm.

The Cerdagne suits every season. In summer you can hike on waymarked or botanical trails, climb, mountain bike, ride horses, paraglide, fish in rivers or lakes, and play tennis and golf. Right next to the campsite, a large play area with a football pitch, volleyball court, picnic and barbecue area and a tree-top adventure course keeps young and old busy.

The Train Jaune runs to the ramparts of Mont-Louis and Villefranche-de-Conflent, two towns fortified by Vauban. Romanesque heritage, Llívia and its pharmacy dating from 1415, the solar furnace at Odeillo, the Roman baths of Dorres and Llo, the archaeological walk at Eyne and the animal park at Les Angles round off the visits.

In winter, nine ski resorts offer downhill runs, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ski touring. The Puigmal resort is just above the village. The Dorres and Llo baths, open all year round, are a good way to unwind after skiing. In season, the Err water park runs weekly aqua aerobics, water polo or swimming improvement sessions.