Our Stay at Camping Les Mûres in Saint Tropez, France

Accommodations for:

• 2 x Adults

• 4 x Kids

Original Package Prestige Vineyard Side 6 Persons

Included:

• Bedroom 1: 1 double bed 160 x 200

• Bedroom 2 : 2 single beds 80 x 190

• Bedroom 3 : 1 bunk bed 2 * 80 x 190

• Unlimited Wifi, TV , Microwave, Nespresso, Dishwasher, Fridge with freezer compartment, Reversible air-conditioning, Covered terrace, Deckchairs, Bed linen, Outdoor gas grill

• Free parking space for 1 vehicle

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We stayed at Camping Les Mûres in Saint Tropez, France, for six nights this week. Overall, it was an alright holiday park. To be honest, it would have been a lot better for me and my family if we didn’t have to deal with the mites and ants in our holiday homes. I pluralise ‘homes’ because our first home, the Privilege Mobile Home (2 to 6 people), was overtaken by red spider mites. You know, those tiny critters that stain your walls red when you kill them. I noticed them as soon as I was given a tour of the property by one of the staff members. At first, I thought the few I saw lingering around the window in one of the kids’ rooms was a one-off, but then I started seeing them in the kitchen, bathroom, and all along the entrance floor. My husband and I tried our best to kill them without making a mess, but they kept coming back. Outside on the porch was even worse. We tried dousing them off the table and poles with water, but as soon as the water dried up, they came back with a vengeance. We had no choice but to report the issue to reception, who were understanding and upgraded us to one of their Premium Plus mobile homes.

Prestige Vineyard Side 6 Persons (outside)

As the receptionist searched for an available Premium Plus home, she informed me that the bugs had infested the Privilege Mobile Homes area and that they had been battling this issue for a few days. They even brought in an expert to inspect and advise on how to eliminate the mites. The recommendation was to spray the units down temporarily, as the mites were likely to stick around for a few more days due to the spring season and unusually warm May weather.

Our original mobile home was much nicer than the upgrade because they had recently added new ones to the campground, making the Premium Plus homes look plain in comparison. However, I had no plans to stay at the red spider mites hotel, so we decided to take the Premium Plus mobile home after I checked it out and was happy with it.

As the receptionist searched for an available Premium Plus home, she informed me that the bugs had infested the Privilege Mobile Homes area and that they had been battling this issue for a few days. They even brought in an expert to inspect and advise on how to eliminate the mites. The recommendation was to spray the units down temporarily, as the mites were likely to stick around for a few more days due to the spring season and unusually warm May weather.

Our original mobile home was much nicer than the upgrade because they had recently added new ones to the campground, making the Premium Plus homes look plain in comparison. However, I had no plans to stay at the red spider mites hotel, so we decided to take the Premium Plus mobile home after I checked it out and was happy with it.

Bedroom 1 (single beds)

Bedroom 2 (single beds)

We transferred all our belongings from the old home to the new one, made the beds again with the linens that were provided in our package, and headed out to get a bite to eat at good ol’ McDonald’s before calling it a night.

Side note: Linen and towels are included with the Privilege Mobile Homes package. If not, you can pay extra to add them or bring your own. The housekeepers don’t make your beds, so you have to do that yourself when you arrive. You also have to remove all the linen and put it in a provided bag with the used towels on checkout day. This was a bit annoying, especially when we had to redo our beds after moving to the Premium Plus mobile home.

Our upgraded caravan

The next day, we decided to call it a rest day since we traveled over 8 hours from Barcelona to Saint Tropez the day before. We were knackered from waking up so early to exit the cruise ship before 8:30 am, collecting our car from Barcelona Airport, and then driving straight to France.

Side note: Driving to Barcelona from Saint Tropez takes roughly five and a half hours, but when you have two toddlers and two additional kids, you’ll find yourself making more rest stops for nappy changes, bathroom breaks, getting a bite to eat, and stretching.

As I was making breakfast in our not-so-upgraded mobile home, I noticed an ant crawling on the wall by the dining table. I thought nothing of it and killed it. Then, I saw another one on the table, and another on the kitchen countertop. By now, I was shaking my head and rolling my eyes as I killed each ant one by one. I didn’t have it in me to make another complaint, so I just looked forward to checking out in six days. I’ve read stories on TripAdvisor about a holiday park in Germany where people had to deal with cockroaches, and honestly, I’d take a few ants over cockroaches any day. Besides, we were hardly in our mobile home because, except for the last day, we visited Monaco, Cannes, and Nice, coming back between 9–10 pm everyday. I did notice that when we came home in the evening, the ants were gone. It seemed like they only came out during the day and went back to their nest at night after a long day of work.

Ants

I have to share this because it was both funny and disgusting. The morning we headed to Monaco, my husband needed to use the bathroom to do a number two. He wanted to use the toilet in our mobile home but couldn’t because of its size. In all the mobile homes we stayed in during our journey around the UK, the toilet was in the same room as the shower and sink. But at Camping Les Mûres, the toilet was separate from the shower and sink. The toilet was next to the kitchen and kids’ bedrooms, while the rest of the bathroom was beside the front entrance and master bedroom. The toilet room was only about 70–75 cm wide, and even I, a slender woman, struggled to sit and comfortably poop without feeling confined. If you’re claustrophobic, you would have lost your mind. Now imagine how hard it was for my husband, who is 6’4" and 21 stones (294 lbs). He was struggling to take a dump…lol!

My husband decided to use the outdoor washroom facilities meant for the campers and people staying in RVs and camper vans. Within 10 minutes, he returned but didn’t look relieved. He was annoyed because the outdoor toilets had no seats. He checked several stalls, not one had a toilet seat on it. To make things worse, the toilets didn’t flush, and there was no toilet paper because you had to bring your own. I couldn’t believe my husband was ready to sit on a toilet without a seat. Not me! He later told me that when he saw the faeces in the toilets and couldn’t flush it down, his butthole clenched up tight, and he said, “Hell-to-the-no…I’ll wait!”

I was curious about the missing toilet seats, so I asked a staff member why they didn’t have them on the toilets. She said that due to COVID-19 and health requirements, management required them to be removed. That explanation made no sense to me or the staff member who tried her best to explain. I then asked if people were complaining about the change, and she said some people didn’t mind, but there were a few complaints. I think you have to be a true camper to sit on a toilet with no seat and crap in it to not be phased at all. I don’t know what I would have done if I had to live that life for a day, never mind a week.

Onsite supermarket

Overall, Camping Les Mûres is a nice holiday park if you don’t mind bugs (like some folks didn’t in the ‘red spider mites’ hotel), enjoy the whole nature vibe, and don’t suffer from hay fever like my husband and I. We were there at the start of the holiday park season, so not all the activities were available, like the kids’ club and Aqualand, but they did offer rentals for bike riding and paddleboards. There’s an onsite restaurant, snack bar, sweet ice cream parlour, gym studio, outdoor exercise equipment in the park, mini supermarket for your convenience, and a huge kids park.

The staff were incredibly friendly, understanding, and accommodating to all our needs. They genuinely want to ensure you’re having a good time, and I especially loved seeing them zip around the campgrounds on golf carts that my kids had a blast chasing down every time they passed by our mobile home.

The beach is just a stone’s throw away and is less than a 4-minute walk from reception. To get there, you have to cross the busy main road that will lead you onto the beach. Alternatively, you can take the secret tunnel from the campgrounds, near the kids’ area, which leads you directly to the beach. Just be mindful of debris from the palm trees, like sticks and leaves, in the sand, so just be careful when you’re walking or wear sandals or water shoes.

Staying at Camping Les Mûres was definitely an experience, but I think it has also made me realise that I may not be a fan of holiday caravan parks, especially in the spring/summer. It’s just not my cup of tea anymore!