Camping Marco de Bignac
Europe France Poitou-Charentes Charente
Family-run lakeside camping with top notch facilities and beautiful countryside surroundings
Situated in the midst of the beautiful countryside of Charente, we love this big, spacious, rural campsite – a large 20-acre site with just over 80 large pitches set on one side of a pretty lake and with all the amenities you could wish for. It's family-owned and run, which just serves to underline its greatest assets – pure, homespun tranquility, yet with enough in the way of facilities and activities to make you never want to leave.
You can camp with your own tent, campervan or caravan, opt for the pre-pitched ‘canvas lodge’ or book one of two mobile homes. Pitches are flat and grassy and most have electrical hook-ups, with the choice between full sun and shadier spots, set beneath the rows of mature, leafy trees. There are drinking water points dotted around the place and one of the two shower blocks has been recently refurbished, with brand-new showers, washbasins and toilets and a separate accessible bathroom with family-friendly facilities. The result is the provision of services you’d often expect on larger scale site, though with a much nicer, twist, owed mainly to the family-run vibe. Fresh bread and pastries can be ordered each evening for next day collection at reception – a French camping must – plus there's plenty of tourist info stashed alongside the main desk, along with local walking and cycling maps, board games and puzzles. To top it off, there's even a mobile beauty therapist who drops by from time to time!
It's a convivial place, with regular events during summer, including live music evenings, dedicated food nights focused on things like moules-frites and BBQs, and a popular boules tournament every Sunday afternoon. Plus there's fishing on the lake and an abundance of wildlife around the site. The neighbouring village of Les Bouchauds is worth a visit, home to the well-preserved ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheatre surrounded by a thick shield of trees, and the regional capital town of Angouleme is only a 20-minute drive away. That is, of course, if you can tear yourself away.
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Details
Facilities
Two sanitary blocks, one of which has been recently renovated and is heated. Both have toilets, showers, wash basins, an accessible bathroom, a family bathroom with baby bath and baby-changing, chemical disposal, dish-washing and clothes washing sinks. There's also a freezer, electric hook-ups, a washing machine/ tumble dryer, a small shop, fresh bread and pastries every day, a small library and free Wi-Fi in the bar. As for the fun stuff, the site has an outdoor swimming pool, tennis and volleyball courts, boules, fishing on the lake, a children’s playground and table tennis.Suitable For
Tents, caravans, campervans, couples, families, groups and dogs all welcome.Nearby
It's a 20-minute drive to the city of Angouleme, capital of the department of Charente, where you'll find an alluring old district of narrow streets and small squares, ancient ramparts, a cathedral and castle – and lots of appealing pavement cafés and restaurants too. Closer to the site, you should visit the abbey at St-Amant-de-Boixe, the ruined ancient Roman amphitheatre at Les Bouchauds, and, to the north, the lovely old chateau and mill town of Verteuil-sur-Charente. In the opposite direction, consider making the short trip to the river beach and water sports area of St Yriex, where you can go swimming, canoeing and sailing. There's also the old town of Cognac. There's good swimming in the river here but it's most famous, of course, for its cognac producers, where you can sign up to guided tours and tastings.Food & Drink
There is a bar and restaurant on site, which also does takeaways. Otherwise, nearby restaurants include the traditionally French Le Taillefer (05 45 39 70 39) in Montignac, 5km away; Les Nymphéas (05 45 21 52 96), a simple, good-value brasserie in Marcillac Lanville, 10km away; or, in Angouleme, Angolo d’Italia (05 45 90 51 74), an excellent local Italian, or Chez Paul (05 45 90 04 61), which serves good (mainly French) food and has a garden.Opening Times
February–November.Why book with Cool Camping?
- Best Price Guarantee, with no fees
- Instant booking confirmation
- Trusted for over 10 years
- A chance to win prizes in our regular competitions
The Owner Says
Family-run lakeside camping with excellent facilities and beautiful countryside surroundings.
Accommodation
84 grass tent pitches, plus 2 mobile homes, and 1 canvas lodge.
Location
Contact Camping Marco de Bignac, Camping Marco de Bignac, 2 Chemin de la Résistance, 16170 Bignac, Charente, France
Getting There
Heading north on the N10 from Angouleme, take the D11 turn-off (signposted 'La Touche D’Anais and Vars'); at the roundabout head towards Vars and stay on the D11 through Vars, la Portal and Basse; go under the new railway bridge and take a right towards 'Camping and Bignac'. Follow the road for 3km as far as the village of Bignac and make a (signposted) right towards the campsite. Coming from the west on the A10, turn off at St Jean d'Angley onto the D939 and follow the signs to Roulliac; turn left beyond Rouillac onto the D117 (signposted 'Camping Marco de Bignac') and just before Basse turn left before the new railway bridge (signposted 'Camping and Bignac') and follow the road for 3km as far as Bignac, where you turn right to the campsite (signposted).
The nearest train station is at Angouleme, a 20-minute drive from the campsite; buses run from there to a bus stop 2 minutes walk from the site.
Reviews
Add Your ReviewRated ★★★★★ over 8 reviews
Fantastic site
We stayed for one night at this fabulous site. We were made very welcome although we arrived after the office had closed. The site was very attractive with a lake in the middle of it, which you can walk around. There is a bar and restaurant and although we didn’t have a meal, the food looked very appetising. It is a very quiet and we had an excellent night’s sleep. The owners and their family were very friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble for them. We would definitely stay here again and would highly recommend it.
A gem of a campsite
We recently stayed in the lodge for a week and I can honestly say it's one of the best holidays we've ever had. The campsite is very spacious and camping pitches seemed to be very generous. Although we were there in peak season it never felt crowded. Although we didn't use them (the lodge has its own bathroom!) the shower and toilet facilities were modern and well maintained. The pool is brilliant for swimmers and younger children alike as one end is shallow enough for toddlers to safely paddle. On our last night we decided to eat at the bistro, mainly for convenience as we'd already packed ready for our early morning departure. Unlike many campsites who's menus are often limited to anything with chips the bistro at Marco de Bignac offers something far more enticing. Catering for kids, vegetarians, vegans and a more gourmet palate the menu really does have something for everyone. Sara and family have really pulled out all the stops to make this a site where you'll feel immediately welcome. I've already recommended the site to a number of friends and will no doubt be back again in future years.
Lovely campsite
This campsite is an absolute delight. The owners are friendly, welcoming and approachable. The campsite itself is very beautiful with lots of shade and all the amenities are very conveniently placed, nothing is too far away. The pool is large and clean and lots of fun. The bar looks over the lake which is a beautiful view, it would be nice for it to be open more during the day but they will open it for you as requested. The surrounding area is very pretty, would recommend taking bikes to explore and there’s no local amenities. It’s a calm family friendly site and the kids loved exploring it.
Perfect peaceful pit-stop
We had two lovely restful nights at the very peaceful Camping Marco de Bignac. Pitches are huge, under tall shady trees, and located alongside the beautiful lake. The pool is pristine and long enough for lengths. The owners are really helpful and friendly, and we were impressed by our meal in the bistro. There are no shops nearby so take provisions with you. We’ll definitely return - thank you!
The pool, the lake, the bistro, the people, the peace of the place
We chose this site as a stopover en route to the Vendee. The owners are a lovely English family who make you feel very welcome. The little bistro and bar overlooking the lake is lovely and they have regular musical entertainment in the evenings for those who want it. There was a special calm and peace about the site that we all enjoyed and the pool is the biggest and best we came across in the two weeks and six sites we visited.
Another relaxing visit.
Looking at sites for next year and we will be back at this quiet and unique place. We've been going for a long time and have seen the changes since the family took over some years ago. There is a steady programme of improvements to a site that already had so much going for it. The bar/bistro with it's deck by the lake is great as the sun sets and the facility blocks have changed from being a bit dated to amongst the best we've seen anywhere. The emplacements are large at about 10m x 10m and there's plenty of choice for shade or sun depending on the time of year. Whether we're just after a stopover or a couple of weeks relaxation, it has become a favourite - but the owners aren't resting. They are always trying to improve the experience, whilst keeping the cost reasonable, and it's better every time we go. We're Cool Camping fans and we were not surprised to see this one added to the list.
Un camping idéal
Cela fait presque 10 ans maintenant que nous venons régulièrement dans ce camping. C'est un endroit superbe, très paisible et assez unique. Il s'étend le long d'un lac et chaque emplacement (très large!) est délimité par des rangés d'arbres. Il a quelques emplacements fantastiques le long du lac et toujours des emplacements ombragés disponibles sous les arbres. Les sanitaires viennent juste d'être rénovés et sont d'une qualité exemplaire. Il y a un aussi un bar/restaurant très agréable qui s'ouvre sur le lac. Il y a eu quelques changements de propriétaire au fil des années mais le camping appartient depuis trois ans à une famille anglaise particulièrement accueillante et dynamique. Ils sont très attentifs à ce que le caractère unique du camping soit préservé, soucieux du bien-être des campeurs et le camping ne cesse de s'améliorer depuis leur arrivée. De loin un de nos camping préférés !
I Loved this Campsite
This is a beautiful and quiet campsite owned by a lovely family from England. The facilities are newly refurbished with plenty of toilets, hot showers and washing up facilities. The grounds of the campsite are well looked after. There are plenty of shaded pitches and some lovely pitches around the edge of the large fishing lake. The campsite has a bar which is open in the evenings and you can also order food. We were there out of the main season and the campsite wasn't busy which we like. Over the main weeks they offer plenty of different entertainments, musicians and food nights. We stayed here in June 2016 during the Euro's and the family were good enough to let my husband watch a few matches in the bar, as I said they are a lovely family, very accommodating, keen to make sure you enjoy your stay and I hope they have much success with their new venture in France. Excellent in all ways.
Why book with Cool Camping?
- Best Price Guarantee, with no fees
- Instant booking confirmation
- Trusted for over 10 years
- A chance to win prizes in our regular competitions