24/01/202330/09/2024
In July 2019, charmed by all it had to offer, we decided to buy this campsite. Besides its perfect geographical situation we fell in love with the natural beauty of its setting.
Our idea is simple: to turn Les Granges Bas campsite into an essential part of the Vosges camping scene.
Why is this so important to us? Because when you do us the honour of choosing to spend some of your time with us, we want it to be an unforgettable experience, and believe us, we're brimming with lots of great ideas to make this goal a reality.
'We', are Anne and Nicolas the new owners of this outstanding piece of Vosges countryside. Helping us along the way are our two daughters, Manon, five and Pauline, two. We're telling you this because we want you to be a part of what is, for us, an amazing and enriching adventure.
With the arrival of our second daughter came the decision to do something different with our lives. We decided that a campsite in the mountains was that 'something different'. Gérardmer seemed the perfect choice as there are so many things to do here and it ticks all the important ecological boxes as far as green tourism is concerned.
The campsite became available, as the previous owners were retiring, and as soon as we saw it we fell in love with it. We realised that we could turn this campsite into something that really reflected our family-orientated personality.
Having two daughters we know exactly what it's like to go on holiday car bursting at the seams and everything but the kitchen sink in the boot! That's why everything you need for your little ones, is available for rent here. Give yourself a little extra room in the car! If there's something in particular you need, just ask us. And if you've forgotten the nightlight or baby's sleep slack, don't worry, Manon and Pauline can lend you some stuff!
Of course, simple doesn't mean basic. Please don't hesitate to come to see us if you need anything or if there's a problem of any kind, if we can help or find a solution then consider it done. It will be a pleasure to spend time with you before, during or after your stay with us. One of the great joys in what we do is the friendly rapport we have with our guests.
Our philosophy : to make sure that everybody experiences the pleasures of a great holiday.
We're relishing the great challenge in front of us. If you stay with us once, we're convinced you'll be back. All we can say is that we'll do our utmost to make sure that's the case.
So, if you're looking for a friendly, uncomplicated campsite focussing on conviviality and the needs of a modern family, then you've found it and you're very welcome.
Let's define together what a forward-looking campsite should be!
Along with Nico, we're bristling with ideas for our campsite. Financial and material restrictions sometimes hold us up but our spirits remain undampened and we know we'll get there in the end. We get a particular feeling of pride whenever one of our ideas sees the light of day. Let us tell you what we've been up to and show you why Les Granges Bas is going to become a 'must visit' campsite in the Vosges. These are our projects nearing completion :
Le gîte : this is the first big job we started at the end of the 2019 season and should be finished for this summer. We've transformed a 2-flat building into one large, spacious gîte capable of welcoming between 8 and 10 people. The bedrooms are situated on the first floor and the living area is on the ground floor. This was a major team effort and thanks go to Stephane Plazza our painter, plasterer and tiler, Valérie Dadimot our interior decorator and of course our family and friends. Because of this effort we'll soon be able to welcome large families and groups of friends under the same roof.
The swimming pool : our main project which which took shape in March 2020. Unfortunately, lockdown threw a spanner into the works and things haven't gone the way we had planned. We're currently moving heaven and earth to get it ready for summer 2021. This will be 60 square metres of aquatic amusement, one of the main focal points of the campsite and a great place to meet up with friends and family alike.
The bar : an important part of the life of any campsite and an essential meeting point. Ours is not the biggest in the world but a friendly little place to have a chat and a drink or to play board games. It's also handily situated overlooking the swimming pool so the little ones can be checked on. The bar will open out onto a sun-baked terrace and should be finished for the summer.
We're not just telling you about our pojects to keep you informed but hopefully to incite a bit of feedback. So please don't hesitate to tell us what you think about our ideas and even give us some of yours.
Once our four main projects are done and dusted we'll move on to the next stage of our development, although at the moment it's a bit of a challenge to define a definite time schedule.
New accommodation : we really want our campsite to blend into the surrounding countryside so wood seemed a logical choice for our future constructions. Nico, being the modest chap he is, hides his gift for woodworking under any available bushel. He's been persuaded to put this hidden talent to good use in the construction of whatever we decide upon, be it stilt-supported tents for cyclists and motorcyclists or veritable low consumption, eco-friendly log cabins.
A connected campsite : being in the middle of a forest has obviously lots of advantages but also a few drawbacks. All those beautiful trees play havoc with our wifi and TV signals. At the moment, wifi coverage is only available around reception.
Renovating our 'mature' rentals : upcycling and renovating is something we're very keen on. We have a few old rentals that we don't want to discard but are not up our renting standards so we've decided to give them a second life. They'll be used, for example, as nurseries, for bike or ski storage or as activity areas for the kids.
Promoting sustainable development : this may sound a little clichéed but is very close to our hearts. We're committed to putting in place credible solutions for the recycling of products, composting, waste water recovery and energy saving on our campsite. Working with local suppliers, promoting and favouring social inclusion, promoting communication between our campers are also important elements in our vision of sustainable development and factors we intend to prioritise.
There's another important element that we need to address: you may have seen in certain campsite reviews that, depending on the wind, strange and unpleasant odours can sometimes waft our way. These odours come from a local water treatment plant. Well, we've been in touch with the owners of the plant and, with the local council, we're looking into different solutions to solve this problem.
Our plans, ideas and dreams have a direct bearing on our actions of today; we've defined what our campsite is going to look like in 10 years' time. This vision is our driving force along with the desire to create something for our future and for future generations. A campsite that will be a veritable oasis of caring, sharing, communication and fun! A campsite that will have deep, green ecological roots firmly entrenched in the Vosges landscape. Let us tell you about our dream :
We believe that it's our responsibility to look after our planet and its inhabitants so that our guests and future guests can enjoy this magnificent macrocosm.
Subsequently, our intention is to have a positive effect on the environment. We will be energy independent and 100 per cent environmentally-friendly.
Our driving force will be the 4Rs: Reduce, Re-use, Repair, Recycle – our vegetable plot and orchard will be self-sufficient, our rentals will be eco-designed and the energies we use will be renewable ...
Our campsite will become a totally unmissable part of the Gérardmer scene, our guests experiencing an exceptional adventure. Sporting and original activities will be at the heart of our unique offering, promoting guest interaction with sports areas open to all. Keeping up with the latest moods and trends, our facilities will be flexible and adaptable. There will be sports events, national events, exciting and novel activities, fully inclusive holidays ...
Our guests will experience the latest smart reception. With the use of the very latest technology and apps, our services will be connected, thus offering a modern and digital adventure incorporating and promoting green tourism: RFID, smart bracelets, dematerialised payment, connected showers ...
We will play an important role in community development providing work for local people and, being an equal opportunity employer, we will actively promote social integration. We will work closely with local suppliers and advocate integration by employment. Our campsite and snack bar (which is open to everyone) will be the meeting point for all cultures, all ages and all beliefs.
As Ghandi said : "Be the change that you wish to see in the world". We've laid the first stone and you're welcome to be part of our dream.