Domaine De la Paille Basse is a 4-star family camping site in the french peaceful countryside. We had an interview with Mr. Joly, head of the campground, who told us the nice love story behind the opening of the camping site and explained more in detail what makes Domaine De la Paille Basse so special for their guests. So here we start.
Domaine De la Paille Basse – Camping site
The Story of Domaine De la Paille Basse
Mr. Joly, please tell us a bit more about the campsite and yourself
It is a very beautiful story that led to the opening of the Domaine de La Paille Basse campsite.
It is the story of a hamlet composed of 4 farms, the oldest of which dates back to the 16th century; abandoned in the 1950s and how it’s future changed with the arrival of a Franco-British couple in the 1970s.
After the war, André Bonneval, a former French parachutist met Doreen Brown, a volunteer nurse stationed in London. After surviving D-Day, he met up with Doreen again and they moved to Paris, where they lived many years.
Years later, in 1971 Doreen and André decided to retire in southwestern France. They were faced with the choice of settling in Château de Beynac or the sleepy hamlet of La Paille Basse. They naturally gravitated to the tranquillity and serenity of La Paille Basse.
The opening
Doreen and André quickly came to the idea of transforming the site into a campsite. Their children, Peter and Jean helped to make their vision a reality and in 1976 the campsite officially opened its doors to the public and welcomed their first guests, Irish tourist who where lost in the region.
Thanks to our loyal customers and the third generation of Doreen and Andre´s descendants, the story of the campsite is still being written and their vision lives on.
Over time we have gained many loyal customers, through the trust that they have in La Paille Basse and the number grows with each year.
What makes La Paille Basse special
What can we expect from your campground?
The feedback we get from our guests is that the complex is place of serenity and well-being. The ancient chestnut tree in the centre of the village takes the place of pride and provides shade for the customers of the onsite bar and restaurant. This magnificent tree gives the place a feeling of protection and adds to the peaceful atmosphere of the estate.
In 1993, I started working at the campsite as a seasonal receptionist and to the present day our guests continue to comment on the peaceful ambience of the place.
What makes La Paille Basse so special is that it is far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. The campsite is at an altitude of 250m and is reached by a winding country lane. The country lane also serves as the border between the districts of Lot and Dorgone. A forest of circa 80 hectares skirt the crest of the hill.
Unlike most other campsite, the reception is not found at the gate, where you enter into the grounds. It can be found 500m further down the road, with the swimming pool area to the right offering a magnificent panoramic view of the surrounding hills.
Recreational swimming pool area
Facilities
What types of accommodation does it offer? What services and facilities does it offer?
The reception is located in the heart of the restored old hamlet. The other buildings house the bar and restaurant, grocery store, sanitary facilities, TV room, laundry room and mini-club. The area covers approximately 12 hectares of the hill.
We offer accommodation for up to 144 people on the site
- Caravans – 4 to 8 guests;
- Lodge – up to 6 guests;
- Tipi tents – up to 4 guests;
- Coco Sweet- up to 4 guests;
- and bare pitches (Electric pitches, comfort and premium)
In terms of sports facilities, we provide our campers with a football field, a beach volleyball field, two tennis courts, a basketball court, several petanque courts. Activities such as mini-motorcycles, quad bikes, pony rides, paintball, bubble football and hiking are also available.
Accomodation facilities
Location
What makes the location of your campsite so unique?
Despite its isolation, La Paille Basse has an exceptional tourist location. The estate has the advantage of being located where the districts of Lot, Dordogne and Corrèze meet.
La Paille Basse is located within 30-120 minutes driving distance to 13 of the “Most beautiful villages in France”. (LOT: Autoire, Carennac and Loubressac – DORDOGNE: Domme, Beynac, La Roque Gageac, Castelnaud, Saint Léon sur Vézère, Saint Amand de Coly, Limeuil – CORREZE : Collonges la Rouge, Curemonte, Turenne)
- Padirac: 45 minutes
- Rocamadour: 45 minutes
- Martel (and the steam train of Haut Quercy): 25 minutes
Several gardens are also located nearby: Jardins de Colette, Jardins de l’Imaginaire, Jardins d’Eyrignac, Jardins d’eau, Jardins exotiques, Jardins de Marqueyssac, Jardins de Cadiot, Jardins suspendus de Limeuil.
What are your campsite’s plans for the future?
Parallel to our efforts to constantly maintain a perfect integration of the estate’s infrastructures into the landscape, we believe that tourism and ecology should go hand in hand.
Because of this philosophy, La Paille Basse has proudly displayed the “Clef Verte” label for the last six years, and since this year the labels “Zéro phyto” and “Refuge LPO” have been added. We no longer use products that are harmful to the environment. We have also built a henhouse, that houses a dozen hens and next to the henhouse we have added a vegetable garden. Our guests can purchase fresh, homegrown produce and supplies directly from us.
Due to La Paille Basse’s location in the heart of the forest, it is a hiker paradise. The surrounding area offers several hiking trails, criss-crossed over 80 hectares, some of which are accessible from the campsite. Our guests can also visit some of the local producers of artisanal products like: organic goat cheese (the local farmer grazes his goats on the opposite hill), a local craft brewery, a producer of duck products and the famous Quercy lambs are also farmed in the area.
During peak season, it is also possible to visit the local estate. During the visit the local architecture, history and culture is highlighted.
The restaurant at the camping is always happy to welcome new guests too
La Paille Basse is truly a destination for nature lovers and offers a lot to discover during your stay. Come and recharge your batteries through its beautiful scenery.
Campstar thanks Mr. Joly and Domaine La Paille Basse, for this great interview! If you would like to find out more about the camping La Paille Basse click here!