You may be able to take camping to the extreme in the Bavarian Alps by spending the night halfway up a cliff face or hanging from a tree, but it’s not the only way to enjoy camping with a difference.
Glamping is fast becoming the trendy way to experience the great outdoors. Born of back-to-nature ideals and a dream of adventure where home comforts aren’t sacrificed, it offers reluctant tenters and those looking for something a little different an exciting way to spend a holiday.
Many campsites have embraced the fashion for glamorous camping wholeheartedly, offering travellers a variety of weird and wonderful ways to discover nature. Château des Marais in the Loire Valley, for example, has impressive treehouses built around the trunks of two trees that have proved extremely popular with visitors. To the east at Les Roulottes des Bord de Loire, you can stay in a fully equipped Romany style caravan looking out over the River Loire. Both these options are a novel way to discover the outdoors.
Wild West themed Camping les Etangs du Moulin has teepees of varying sizes available to rent with breakfast and dinner served in the nearby Cheyenne Saloon. For something retro, choose Belrepayre Airstream & Retro Camping, a small site in the Midi-Pyrénées that has Airstream caravans from the 60s and 70s to rent. They’re fully equipped for self-catering and a fun alternative to a mobile home holiday.
So if a tent or caravan doesn’t take your fancy, there’s no reason to miss out on the lively campsite atmosphere. Go on, let your imagination run wild…
Feeling inspired? Why not take a look at our recommended Glamping sites now!
Author
Rob Fearn
Editor - Alan Rogers Guides
Rob is the General Manager at Alan Rogers Travel Group, he is responsible for the ongoing development of the Alan Rogers website and publication of the Alan Rogers Guides.
He has been involved in the leisure industry since completing a BTEC in Travel & Tourism in 1993. Previous roles have included the promotion of tourism in Yorkshire and running a motorcycle touring company in the Australian Outback.
But is this the true picture? Well, no. Glamping has really been around for centuries, since the days of Kublai Khan’s Xanadu, the first really famous glamper’s paradise. His lavish summer dwellings were the epitome of ‘home away from home’, though Cath Kidston adornments were not his thing, as far as we know.