Domaine de la Sablière

This is a huge naturist site – set in a beautiful setting along the cliffs of the Gorges of the Ceze, down the hillside, and alongside the river. It is a long way from the main road to the site – but you do get there eventually. Barjac is the nearest village, and there's a small supermarket there, and a choice of restaurants, plus a market one day a week. You're near the attractions of the Ardeche if you want to venture off-site.

There are masses of flowers, trees, and flowering shrubs all around the site and the approach road goes through some lovely meadows. The reception building is at the top of the site as you drive in, and personally I would recommend parking your van there and driving around the site to see the three almost completely separate areas - Pinson, Mesange, and Fauvette before choosing a pitch (or even an area). Beware the access roads can be narrow and steep and wind up and down the site. Directions are not that easy to follow because of the nature of the roads, and locating yourself on the map can be difficult because of the steep nature of the site and all the bends in the roads. Pitches are mostly on terraces, and we saw only those on the way down the main access road, and in the Mesange area nearest to the river. The swimming pool is at the top of the site in the Pinson area, and it’s a long way up and down so we didn't use it!

We were on the Mesange area, which is down by the river, and is where the shop, bar and restaurant are situated. We had a good sized level pitch, near to an excellent wash block. The area is quite shady because of all the trees and the steep terraced nature of the site, but we had a good amount of sunshine all day. The sanitary block was modern, and kept very clean indeed. Showers were closed-door, as were the WCs, but the washing basins were in cubicles, but without doors. There was also a communal outside shower area. There seemed to be no shortage of hot water, and the showers were powerful. There were washing up and laundry facilities in the block. The site had all the usual recycling bins.

There seemed to be a good mix of touring and static pitches on the area we were on – no ‘static village’ feel, and those mobile homes which were there were all individual and not in regimented rows. Pitches are very irregular, but numbered and you are given a map which should help you locate a pitch! There is a good sized riverside beach, which is well used, and a beautiful swimming spot in the river, with rocky cliffs opposite. The beach is sandy in parts, pebbles in others. The river wasn't too fast flowing, just a gentle current, and we swam every day, as well as using our own canoe.

We used the restaurant and the bar – and had a really good value set meal, where everything was excellent. Bar prices weren’t extortionate given that the site is so far from any where, and prices in the shop were amongst the lowest we’ve ever seen in a campsite shop. The shop was well stocked, with good choices of everything you would need, apart perhaps from fresh meat.

The site takes Camping Cheques, which saved us 12 euros per night on the published site tariff on the dates we were staying there (May 2009).

There seemed to be a good mix of touring and static pitches on the area we were on – no ‘static village’ feel, and those mobile homes which were there were all individual and not in regimented rows. Pitches are very irregular, but numbered and you are given a map which should help you locate a pitch!

There are lots of organized activities, with an animateur who looks a bit like Michael Stipe from REM! Each day there were rambles along the river, or along the cliffs, various sporting activities, quizzes, and so on in the bar – but no ‘formal’ entertainment whilst we were there. The main clientele seemed to be mature couples, or younger couples with very small children.

Our only grumble was that the reception desk doesn’t open until 9.00 am – long after the site gets ‘up and about’ so when leaving we chose to drive up earlier in order to minimize the risk of meeting anyone else coming down the hill with a van when we were driving up! We left at 8.00 am in the morning, and parked by reception to have breakfast. This was a wise move and we got up to the top without incident, but at busier times I imagine it could be quite tricky if you met another outfit on the road.

It’s not a site which will suit everyone – you have to be very fit and very mobile to get up and down the hills, some people won’t like the unhedged ‘forest’ pitches, nor the lack of lighting at night! We did, though. This was our first ever Naturist campsite, and we enjoyed our stay immensely. We’re definitely going back again!