The Alan Rogers / Caravan and Motorhome Club Awards - Results 2019
Presented at the Vakantiebeurs, Utrecht on 16th January 2020
The awards have a broad scope and before committing to our winners, we carefully consider campsites which are featured in the Alan Rogers guides and the Caravan and Motorhome Club 'Venture Abroad' program, taking into account comments from our site assessors, our head office team and, of course, our members and readers.
The award winners come from the four corners of Europe, from Portugal to Croatia, and we are awarding campsites in seven different countries.
Needless to say, it’s an extremely difficult task to choose our eventual winners, but we believe that we identified a number of campsites with truly outstanding characteristics.
In each case, we selected an outright winner, along with a highly commended runner-up. Listed below are full details of each of our award categories and our winners for 2019.
Alan Rogers Campsite of the Year Award
Alan Rogers Campsite of the Year Award
Yelloh! Village Turiscampo is an outstanding site run by the friendly Coll family. The site provides 240 pitches for touring units, mainly in rows of terraces, 216 of which have 6/10A electricity, some with shade. There are 75 deluxe pitches with water and drainage. One hundred thirty-eight bungalows for rent occupy the upper terraces.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite of the Year Award
The Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite of the Year Award
This attractive and peaceful site, close to Le Mans, is situated in the park of a 19th-century château in the heart of the Sarthe countryside. There are 90 very large pitches all with 10A electricity, although long leads may be required in some places. Some pitches adjoin woodland, many are around the edges of the lawns and completely open, and a few overlook a small fishing lake. New premium pitches are also equipped with unlimited WiFi, furniture and parasol, barbecue and fridge. The pitches are unobtrusively marked out and this enhances the feeling of spaciousness around the old château.
Progress Award
Progress Award
This award reflects the hard work and commitment undertaken by particular site owners to improve and upgrade their site. Candidates for this award included existing sites which have undergone a far-reaching improvement programme, or campsites which have passed into new ownership and benefited from substantial investment in terms of time and money.
Winner
Tucked away in the Vendée countryside, just 15 minutes’ drive from the beach, this campsite enjoys a rural setting above the Lac du Jaunay, well away from the bustle of the coast. There are 229 good sized touring pitches, all with 10A electricity (Europlug) and 25 with water tap, drainage and 16A power. Some have shade, and others are in the open with mature hedges and trees. The enthusiastic family owners are very hands-on, and the facilities are of a high standard, most notably the entrance and reception building, and the pool area with its excellent indoor and outdoor pools, slides, flumes, jacuzzi, steam room and fitness suite. Fishing is well-catered for with direct access to the lake. You can buy your fishing licence, store equipment in a secure room, keep your bait in a fridge at the site.
Runner up
Chardons Bleus is a recently redeveloped 4.8-hectare site situated in a pine forest on the Ile de Ré, only 1,500 m. from the sea. It is often a bustling site in the high season, so booking is advised. Since taking ownership of the site, Huttopia has embarked on a program of redevelopment works, which include a new reception building, restaurant, playgrounds and swimming pools. The site is divided into two areas on either side of the quiet entrance road. Hedges separate some of the 114 level, but natural touring pitches and mature trees give plenty of shade from the hot sun; all have electricity (6A Europlug). A further 77 pitches are dedicated to glamping in safari-style tents, roulottes or cabins. In high season a snack bar provides takeaway food.
The Welcome Award
Welcome Award
This award takes account of sites offering a particularly friendly welcome and maintaining a friendly ambience throughout readers’ holidays.
Winner
This delightful campsite offers spaciously arranged pitches on terraces set amongst lush greenery. All pitches are equipped with 220V/16 A electricity connection, and the long-term pitches have access to the community antenna/common aerial. You will also find a drain and service station for caravans and campervans, as well as well-grounded pitches for campervans.
Runner up
Sites et Paysages Camping Au Clos de la Chaume is a pleasant site within walking distance of the town, on level ground with a small stream. The friendly family owners, who are British and French, live on-site and do their best to ensure campers have an enjoyable, relaxing stay. The grassy pitches are level, of varying sizes and with varying amounts of sun and shade. All touring pitches have electricity hook-ups (6/10A), and some are divided by shrubs and trees.
Environmental Award
Environmental Award
Our Environmental Award acknowledges campsites which are emphasising care of the environment, possibly with features which are unique and cannot be found elsewhere. We have identified ecological innovation both in campsite amenities and also in rentable accommodation.
Winner
Set in the heart of the château region, Sites et Paysages Camping Les Saules has developed into a popular, friendly campsite run by a local family, Laurent and Isabelle, who are dedicated to the environment and nature. They have their own bees, honey and over 50 species of birds present on the site.
Runner up
Camping Grubhof is a beautifully laid out, level and spacious site set in the former riding and hunting park of the 14th-century Schloss Grubhof. The 250 touring pitches have been carefully divided into separate areas for different types of visitors – dog owners, young people, families and groups, and a quiet area. All the generous XXL pitches (at least 180 sq.m) provide electricity (16A), water and drainage (also in winter), many along the bank of the Saalach River.
Dog-Friendly Award
Dog-Friendly Award
This award is made for sites which we feel are particularly good for your four-legged friend.
Winner
Fornella Camping is one of the few campsites on Lake Garda still surrounded by farmed olive trees and retaining a true country atmosphere. Parts of the crisp, clean site have great lake views, others a backdrop of mountains and attractive countryside. The 266 touring pitches are on flat grass, terraced where necessary and most have good shade, all with 6/10A electricity; 101 have water and a drain as well. The remaining pitches are used for mobile homes to rent. The staff speak excellent English and Dutch. A superb lagoon pool complex is here, along with a more traditional pool. These are supplemented by a pleasant bar, and a restaurant with terrace overlooking the lakeside.
Runner up
Camping Kovacine is located on a peninsula on the beautiful Kvarner island of Cres, just 2 km. from the town of the same name. The site has just under 1,000 pitches for touring units, most with 16A electricity (from renewable sources) and a water supply. On sloping ground, partially shaded by mature olive and pine trees, pitching is on the large, open spaces between the trees. From the waterside pitches there are far reaching views over the sea to the coast beyond. Kovacine is partly an FKK (naturist) site, which is quite common in Croatia, and has a pleasant atmosphere. The site has its own beach (Blue Flag), part concrete, part pebbles, and a jetty for mooring boats and fishing.
Seaside Award
Seaside Award
This award is made for sites which we feel are particularly suitable for a really excellent seaside holiday.
Winner
This modern site has been in the same family since 1954. The site has 248 well-spaced touring pitches, all separated by low hedging offering sun or shade, and many pitches have fantastic sea views. You may like to consider a premier pitch. These are between 120 and 180 sq. m on the seaside or mountainside, with Wi-Fi. On the pitch, you will find a picnic table, a cabin containing two relaxing chairs, and a table top fridge.Private sanitary facilities are also available for this category.
Runner up
Zaton Holiday Resort is a modern family holiday park with a 1.5 kilometre private sandy beach. It is close to the historic town of Nin and just a few kilometres from the ancient city of Zadar. This park itself is more like a large village and has every amenity one can think of for a holiday on the Dalmatian coast. The village is divided into two areas separated by a public area with reception, bakery, shops, restaurant and a large car park, one for campers close to the sea, the other for a complex with holiday apartments. Zaton has 1,030 mostly level pitches for touring units, all with electricity, water and waste water.
Country Award
Country Award
This award contrasts with our former award and acknowledges sites which are attractively located in delightful, rural locations.
Winner
A most peaceful and spacious site, Resort de Arendshorst is located about 2.5 hours East of the Hook of Holland and could make a convenient stopover on the way to Germany or Scandinavia. Michael, the owner and his family, are friendly and accommodating, and the friendly staff all speak English, with an English language handbook given to guests upon arrival. The onsite restaurant and bar are popular and of high quality. The facilities are all immaculate, with hot water for showers and washing up available with a pre-paid card.
Runner up
A large site situated in the Pyrenees near the Ordesa National Park, Peña Montañesa is easily accessible from Ainsa or from France via the Bielsa Tunnel (steep sections on the French side). The site is essentially divided into three sections opening progressively throughout the season and all have shade. The 330 pitches on fairly level grass are of about 75 sq.m. and 6/10A electricity is available on virtually all (no charge is made for upgrade). Grouped near the entrance are the facilities that make the site so attractive, including an outdoor pool and a heated (out of season), glass covered indoor pool with jacuzzi and sauna. Here too is an attractive bar/restaurant with an open fire and a terrace; a supermarket and takeaway are opposite.
All Year Award
All Year Award
This award acknowledges sites which are open all year round.
Winner
Sitting on the terrace in front of the restaurant – a beautifully converted Catalan farmhouse dating from 1908 – it isn't easy to believe that in 1982, this was still a farm with few trees and known as Mas Roque (literally, Rock Farm). Since then, the imaginative planting of thousands of trees and gloriously colourful shrubs have made this large campsite most attractive. It has an impressive range of high-quality amenities and facilities open all year.
Runner up
This is a very large, well equipped, holiday-style site with its own beach and both indoor and outdoor pools. With a good number of typical Spanish long stay units, the length of the site is impressive (1 km) and a bicycle is very helpful for getting about. The 800 regularly laid out, gravel touring pitches (84 or 110 sq.m) are generally separated by hedges which provide some privacy but very little shade. Each has a 10A electricity supply, water and the possibility of satellite TV reception. This site’s excellent facilities are ideally suited for holidays in the winter when the weather is very pleasantly warm. Daytime temperatures in November usually exceed 20 degrees.
Family Site Award
Family Site Award
Many sites claim to be family-friendly but this award acknowledges the sites we feel to be the very best in this respect.
Winner
Two brothers, a wine producer and a hotelier opened Domaine de Massereau in August 2006. It is set within a 50-hectare vineyard dating back to 1804, and the idea was to promote their wine, so tours are arranged, and they now produce their own olive oil as well.
Runner up
A really first-class, family-run campsite, ideal for families with children up to 12 years old, with activities on a grand scale. A short distance south of Eindhoven, it's 42 hectares of woodland and has 530 touring pitches (up to 150 sq.m). The pitches are numbered and in meadows, separated by trees, with cars parked mainly in dedicated parking areas. All have 6A electricity, TV, water and drainage. There are 60 pitches with private sanitary facilities, some of which are partly underground and attractively covered with grass and flowers. Each group of pitches has a small playground.
Small Campsite Award
Small Campsite Award
This award acknowledges excellent small campsites (fewer than 150 pitches) which offer a friendly welcome and top-quality amenities.
Winner
This gem of a small, family-run site is situated in the rural heart of the Périgord, and the delightful owners will give you a warm and friendly welcome. There are only 50 slightly sloping, grass pitches, 40 for touring and all have 10A electricity. They are separated by hedging, and flowering shrubs and trees give varying amounts of shade. A shaded terrace is next to the beautiful, original Perigordine building and the barn has been lovingly converted into a bar/restaurant, a superb children’s playroom and the toilet facilities. The play area makes this a paradise for toddlers.
Runner up
La Valle is welcoming family-run campsite, conveniently located between Pisa and Lucca in San Giuliano Terme. This small terraced campsite has 21 marked out, hard-standing pitches, all with electricity supplies. Set in an ancient quarry, this site benefits from continuing development, including a recently developed bar which serves light snacks from the region. The small pool offers welcome relief from the Tuscan sun or a sunbathing area if you prefer. A further 25 tent only pitches are also available.