The Smile & Braudières campsite is at Les Braudières, in the commune of Mézières-sous-Lavardin, in the north of the Sarthe. Le Mans is about 24 km away, and the Alpes Mancelles, with their hiking villages, are not far. The site, of about 1.7 hectares, is rated 4 stars and has 33 marked-out pitches, a few spaces for motorhomes and 18 rental units.
The owners, Janick and Dominique, run this family campsite themselves, in a wooded, flower-filled setting. The atmosphere is that of a small, quiet site: people come to disconnect, with wifi limited to a single paid point. The accommodation is all different: wooden chalets, canvas lodges and mobile homes, rented from €56, €60 and €80 a night depending on the model.
On opening, the campsite states “open all year round”: dates from 1 January to 31 December are advertised for the campsite and for the rental units, which can be booked by the night, the week or the month. The washrooms are heated. Some facilities remain seasonal: the pool operates only in July and August and the snack bar opens from mid-April to the end of September. Off-season, the place suits quiet weekends, country stays and monthly rentals.
Walking in Mézières forest (circuit of about 15 km), visit to the Vieux-Lavardin castle and walks in the Alpes Mancelles, all year round.
On site, the campsite focuses on simple, family-friendly facilities. The washrooms are heated and include a baby area with a bath as well as facilities for guests with reduced mobility; a pay washing machine is available. The pitches are spacious, green and marked out, some with electricity (€5 to €5.50 a night). Motorhomes have a few dedicated spaces.
The campsite offers a bread and pastry service, a paid breakfast, hire of sheets, towels, travel cots and high chairs, and a table football. The snack bar serves from mid-April to the end of September, every evening, for a meal on site or to take away. Dance evenings are organised, and there is a paid wifi point for those who do not want to be completely cut off.
For swimming, the outdoor pool, with a water slide, is open only from 1 July to 31 August and is free for guests. A fishing pond at the entrance to the site offers another way to relax. Off-season, what counts is therefore mainly the rental units, the heated washrooms and the calm of the site; the pool, the snack bar and the inflatable play structure belong to the summer season.
The site has what it takes to keep children busy without leaving the campsite: a trampoline, an inflatable play structure, a play area, a table tennis table, a boules pitch and a football pitch. Adults can use an outdoor fitness area, and the fishing pond attracts those who like peace and quiet. Dance evenings punctuate the summer, and the campsite regularly hosts groups, such as vintage car or motorcycle clubs.
Around the campsite, Mézières forest has a walking circuit of about 15 km, taking almost four hours. In the commune stand the remains of the Vieux-Lavardin castle, fortified as early as the 12th century. Nearby, the Alpes Mancelles, a Sarthe valley lined with sandstone ridges, are known for walking at Saint-Léonard-des-Bois; Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei, listed among the most beautiful villages of France, can be visited on the same route.
These walks can be done in any season, and the place suits a spring or autumn weekend, or a longer stay in a rental unit. Le Mans is about twenty kilometres away for a day out.
Campsite and rental units open all year round, from 1 January to 31 December; pool in July and August, snack bar from mid-April to the end of September.
📍 30 route de Boisouge Lieu-dit les Braudières, 72240 Mézières-sous-Lavardin
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