Les Amandaies

Les Amandaies is in Mouriès, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, on the Chemin du Mas Saint-Paul, on the southern slopes of the Alpilles Regional Nature Park. The place has the feel of a farm campsite: six shaded or semi-shaded pitches among olive and pine trees, for twenty people at most. The owners, two farmers, produce Crau hay, olives and almonds, and speak French, English and Spanish. The rating is one ear (épi).

The site is modest in size, which is its appeal: it is aimed at travellers with a tent, van or motorhome who prefer the calm of a farm setting to large holiday parks. Each pitch has an electric hook-up, and a rural gîte, described as open all year round, completes the offer. Camping France lists a total of six pitches and two rentals.

As for opening, the campsite is advertised as accessible all year round, notably by the Gîtes de France. They specify that arrivals are until 5pm in winter, from mid-October to early April, and until 8pm the rest of the year, with late arrival possible on request. The campsite does not announce any annual closure. As the campsite’s own website could not be found, it is best to phone before coming to confirm dates.

Mouriès calls itself the French capital of the olive tree: more than 90,000 trees surround it, in an area that extends towards Les Baux-de-Provence and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Visit to the Moulin Cornille and its exhibition, hike between Mouriès and Aureille, trips to Les Baux-de-Provence and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

The facilities are simple and suited to the size of the campsite. The washrooms have two separate washbasins, four toilets, three showers and washing-up sinks, with an area fitted out for guests with reduced mobility (shower, washbasin and toilet). A coin-operated washing machine is available, at three euros per wash, and a shared fridge serves guests. The pitches have electric hook-ups for caravans, vans and motorhomes, and a service area accommodates motorhomes.

A barbecue area is reserved for campers (except in high wind, and electric models are prohibited), with shared tables and chairs. Wi-Fi is available on site. Bread and pastries from the village can be ordered in season. There is no restaurant or swimming pool on site: the nearest shop is 4 km away, the pool 6 km and the station 25 km.

The 2026 rates published by the Gîtes de France range from 8 to 10 euros per adult and from 1.50 to 5 euros per child, with an electric hook-up of 3 to 5 euros, and a two-person package of 15 to 20 euros. These amounts cover the pitch, the car and the washrooms, excluding tourist tax. One pet per pitch is accepted. The entrance and parking are wheelchair accessible.

The campsite does not offer organised entertainment: people come for nature and to explore the Alpilles. Hiking starts about 3 km away, cycling is possible on the roads of the massif, and horse riding, tennis and golf are 5 km away. Mouriès also offers climbing opportunities and sports courses.

The village is France’s first olive-growing village. The Moulin Cornille, a cooperative housed in a vaulted building dating from 1610, hosts in its attic a permanent 300 m² exhibition devoted to olive growing, free to visit on weekdays, and sells a “matured” olive oil with notes of black olive, cocoa and cooked artichoke. A hiking circuit links Mouriès to Aureille through olive groves, vineyards and fruit trees, and the Caisses de Jean-Jean are a well-known walking spot.

Further afield, you can reach Les Baux-de-Provence, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Arles and the Camargue beaches; the sea is 35 km away, the airport 50 km. In autumn, winter and spring, these visits, along with the mill and the trails, make it possible to stay without depending on summer entertainment.