While the historic town of Millau squeezes
itself within a meander of the River Tarn, it’s the local campsite that reaps
the real rewards of the riverside location. Across a bridge from the town centre and set along a tree-lined bank where the River Dourbie converges, this
family-orientated campsite has the best of both stretches of water. After all,
why have one sunny beach on your doorstep when you can have two?
It’s a hop and skip from the waters edge
into the shrubbery of the campsite, a combination of tall mature trees in
regimented rows and younger greening bushes. The best of the pitches (and the
ones you have to pay slightly more for) are on the riverside itself, where you
can wake up, whack your bacon on the camp-stove and slide across the pebbles for
a morning dip. The flow is slow and safe, even if the water has a bracing chill
at times!
For the few that don’t spend all their time
dabbling in the river, there is a heated swimming pool too. It’s a feature that
reflects just how well endowed this campsite is in terms of facilities –
there’s also a small grocery shop in the reception, free WiFi, a snack-bar,
playground and boules pitch. In keeping with essential French custom you can,
of course, order fresh baguettes and croissants each morning. No self-respecting
French campsite would deny you that.
Across the Bridge, Millau has everything
else you need, including a clutch of museums and a tourist information centre that
will help you get your bearings. The real attractions of the region, however,
are not the urban ones. Kayaking, canoeing and walking in the surrounding
valley are top of the list and this is also France’s centre for paragliding. The
campsite is, after all, in the centre of the Grands Causses regional natural
park. So get out there and enjoy it!