Mas Piques

Mas Piques covers 1.5 hectares in Bourg-Madame, at the far end of the Cerdagne, on the French side of the Spanish border. The Yellow Train station is about a twelve-minute walk away and nine ski resorts are 20 or 40 minutes away. The campsite, rated 3 stars, has 96 pitches, part of which are reserved for loyal long-stay guests, with a few remaining free for passing holidaymakers.

To sleep without pitching a tent, you can choose between ten to eleven mobile homes for 4 to 6 people, two Bunga-Loves fitted with heating and air conditioning, and three independent rooms outside the star rating, sold at €55 a night with shared washrooms. The whole remains modest and geared towards hiking and the mountains, close to the Carança gorges, the Eyne valley and the Carlit circuit.

As for opening, the tourist office announces a welcome every day from 1 January to 15 October, then from 31 October to 31 December: the campsite therefore closes for only about fifteen days in autumn. The rooms have central heating in winter, the winter electricity rate is published for the pitches and a six-month package exists for long stays. This arrangement suits skiers as well as late-season hikers.

Skiing and winter sports in nine resorts 20 or 40 minutes away, natural hot springs, solar furnaces of Mont-Louis and Odeillo.

The campsite relies on simplicity and sharing. The washrooms provide hot water twenty-four hours a day, and a bathroom is fitted out for children and people with reduced mobility. A shared equipped kitchen and dining room make it possible to prepare meals without going back to your pitch, which matters when the weather is cool. Next door, a television and information room gathers brochures and information about the region.

Wifi is free throughout the site. A washing machine, tumble dryer and ironing equipment are available, and a barbecue area is mentioned. The mobile homes have equipped kitchens with fridge, microwave, coffee maker and television, garden furniture and a parking space; the 6-person model has reversible air conditioning. Three electrical hook-ups (3, 6 and 10 amps) are offered on the pitches, with a separate winter rate.

Children have a play area, and a table tennis table is set up. No restaurant or pool is listed on site: shopping and meals are done in Bourg-Madame. For long stays, the campsite also offers monthly caravan storage and a seasonal package for four people.

Mas Piques serves as a starting point for a wide variety of outings. For walkers, the GR 10 and GR 11 long-distance trails pass through the area; you can also head for Lac du Lanoux, the Eyne valley, the Carança gorges or the Carlit circuit, which the campsite ranks among the most beautiful sites in France. On site, sport is limited to table tennis and the play area, but reception hands out brochures and advice to plan your days.

Around Bourg-Madame, you can go rafting, horse riding and climbing, with cliffs, schools and a via ferrata, paragliding in summer and a hot-air balloon flight from the town. The solar furnaces of Mont-Louis and Odeillo, the caves, the wildlife park and the Yellow Train round off the visits, as do Romanesque art, museums and a classical music festival.

Off-season, the nine ski resorts, 20 or 40 minutes from the campsite, take over for skiing and winter sports. The natural hot springs in the area are enjoyed after exercise, and mid-mountain hikes remain possible in autumn. The campsite itself does not organise any entertainment.