Buying a campsite or mobile home in France

My earliest memories of France are tied up with campsites, as our family holidays were always held under canvas. When my youngest sister was just a couple of months old we headed for Brittany to one of those sites with ready-erected tents on impeccably lawned plots enclosed by perfectly coiffured miniature hedges. Shame a ferocious storm led to the happy campers having to carve out trenches round their tents to avoid being flooded... It all added to the excitement of the holiday, although I’m not sure my parents would agree!

Once we girls were a little older, and travelling further afield became (arguably) more viable, we tried out various campsites in the Loire, some with their very own château, and the Atlantic coast, all the way down to Biscarosse. There were always other kids to play with or get pizza with, and plenty of adventures to be had. I remember being pulled out of our tent feet first one night by a Frenchman; nothing dodgy, I assure you, we were in fact being rescued – we had one of the first dome tents which were held up by inflatable tubes, which had a tendency to deflate without warning!

Later on, when independence became the order of the day, I ventured out on my own with boyfriend in tow and a tiny ridge tent, complete with mildew. Three weeks touring France by motorbike (which kept breaking down...).

Camping is a wonderful way to make friends of all nationalities. Whatever your age and situation, there’s a camaraderie among campers, a communal spirit albeit temporary. Hotels just don’t compare if you’re a sociable soul.

Much as I love campsites, I’m not sure I’d fancy running one though (I suspect I’d have to spend more time than I’d like with my hand down a toilet!). But with more and more people moving to France at an age where they still need to bring in an income, a campsite is an option worth looking at.

For those not perfectly fluent in French – in other words most British people with property in France – a job within the French system is out of reach. You’re better off using your knowledge of the English language to its advantage by working in a business aimed at a British or Englishspeaking clientele. Hence so many Brits in France operate some form of holiday accommodation, mainly gîtes and B&Bs. You should remember though, that even if you’re targeting British holidaymakers, you’ll still need basic French to become a part of your local community and deal with the necessary authorities.

Richard Edds of Leisure and Land, which specialises in commercial property, has the following advice: “Clients are becoming more discerning and there is little doubt that the ‘hotel pleine aire’ is the camping of the future, i.e. chalets or mobile homes, fully equipped in an attractive setting with access to natural attractions. A growing number of campers rent a permanent pitch on a campsite for their own caravan or mobile home, and visit more than once a year. By giving the management/ rental of their caravan to the campsite, they generate an income to cover costs.

“Camping is not, as many people believe, a poor-man’s holiday. The majority of campers choose the freedom and open-air, and will pay for quality in the right place. There should, however, always be a place for the rucksack and tent at a sensible price.

“Many campsites for sale today are owned by people reaching retirement, who created a site with the minimum of capital cost, have ‘lived off’ the business, but who are seeing their clientele diminishing because there have been no improvements/investment on the site to keep up with the competition.

“In the past two years we have had a high number of clients looking, but fewer sales of small sites, as people are perhaps expecting too much for their money. My view is that by 2008 there will be very few sites available for under €500,000, and these will either be poorly located or in need of investment. Buying a campsite in France does offer an unique opportunity, but it can no longer be done on the cheap.”

Leisure and Land has a selection of campsites for sale on their website, ranging from a site in Dordogne with 35 pitches for €350,000, to one in Argeles, Pyrénées-Orientales, with space for 215 caravans for €5m. So what’s actually involved in buying and running a campsite?

What types of campsite are there in France?

There are both private-run and public (municipale) campsites. Private sites are always in a tourist location, while most towns have a camping municipale. Municipales are usually pretty basic, although those in popular locations tend to have more facilities in order to compete with privately-run sites.

Where are campsites located?

Apart from the town-based municipales, most French campsites are to be found where there are holidaymakers. This generally splits into two types of location: seaside and country sites. Those by the coast are usually within easy access of the beach, with plenty of on-site facilities including swimming pool, children’s entertainment, snack-bars etc. Pitches can be quite close to each other, and sites get busy in high season.

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