Les Voiles de Laives

Les Voiles de Laives occupies the Laives lakes area, in Saône-et-Loire, between Chalon-sur-Saône and Tournus, about an hour from Lyon. The site is classified Natura 2000 and the grounds are bordered by three lakes: from the campsite you can go straight to the water sports centre where swimming takes place, and to one of the two lakes used for fishing. The A6 motorway and the railway station are close by.

The campsite is rated 3 stars. It has 85 touring pitches, 66 rental units (mobile homes and unusual accommodation) and five leisure residences. The choice ranges from the two-bedroom mobile home for four people (from €85 a night) to the three-bedroom for six people (from €105), along with double rooms with lake views, from €89, and Premium rooms from €99. A tent pitch costs from €20 a night and measures 35 to 50 m².

The site says it is open all year round, for tents, caravans and motorhomes as well as rentals, with booking possible by the night. The mobile homes are described as heated and air-conditioned, and the rooms and unusual accommodation as air-conditioned and heated: enough to stay off-season. The snack bar, however, opens only in season, and swimming is supervised only from June to August.

The estate also hosts seminars, weddings and family celebrations in its halls, which explains a clientele mixing holidaymakers and groups throughout the year.

Hiking on the three-lake circuit, fishing, visits to châteaux and villages in southern Burgundy.

The campsite provides washing machines and tumble dryers, as well as washrooms; sheets can be hired on request, while the mobile homes supply duvets and pillows, but no sheets. A cleaning service is available for the rentals, and each mobile home has a covered wooden terrace and a private parking space, with a fully equipped kitchen.

Motorhome owners have dedicated pitches with electric hook-ups and a service area. Water points, electricity and a bread service are among the listed facilities, along with a grocery shop. A snack bar open in season serves home-cooked food, and there is a restaurant at the neighbouring leisure centre.

There is no swimming pool at the campsite: here, the water is the lake. The water sports centre, 150 m away, has a landscaped beach, a fine lawn, inflatable water structures and water slides. Swimming there is supervised from June to August.

Off-season, the focus is on the heated accommodation, the laundry and the pitches with electric hook-ups. The estate also has halls for events, including a seminar room, and catering services for groups, with festive meals on request.

The lake sets the rhythm of the stay: sailing, canoeing-kayaking, pedalos and paddleboarding are available from the leisure centre, which also organises nature discovery workshops and games for children. Two lakes are reserved for fishing, one of which can be reached directly from the campsite.

On land, table tennis, volleyball, disc golf and blaster ball are on offer, the latter by reservation. The paths around the lakes lead to the woods and rivers of the region, notably the three-lake circuit. By bike or on horseback, you can also reach the vineyards of the Route des Grands Crus.

The surrounding area offers a rich heritage: the château de Cormatin, a 17th-century building, the abbey of Cluny, the château de Brancion, the Roche de Solutré, not forgetting the châteaux of Couches, Sully and Germolles. Gastronomy and the wines of Mercurey or Givry are among the local specialities.

In quieter periods, walking around the lakes, fishing and visits to châteaux and villages do not require the warm season, while swimming and water activities belong to summer.