Camping Canoë Gorges Du Tarn ****

• Shaded pitches right on the riverbank, ideal for setting up caravans and enjoying family time.
• Canoe adventure: A 20 km route with a picnic break, swimming, and the discovery of the Hirondelle Cave and the Pont Cassé, all organized directly from the campsite.
• Entertainment for everyone: A multilingual mini-club, mini-disco, football tournaments, a swimming pool with a waterslide, and a night pool party for shared family moments.
• Gastronomic discoveries: Local specialties (aligot-saucisse, Roquefort cheese), alongside a local market and artisans accessible on foot.
• Nature and hiking: Direct access to trails, with information available to discover the Maison des Vautours and enjoy breathtaking views over the gorges.

Our two families—consisting of myself with my 10 and 13-year-old children, and my brother with his 6 and 8-year-old children—had booked two bare pitches for our two caravans. We had requested two shaded, side-by-side pitches right on the riverbank, and we were absolutely delighted to discover that our spots met all these criteria perfectly for our 15-day holiday.

What a pleasure it was to find the local village just a 4-minute walk away, making it easy to do some shopping and meet local artisans, including the butcher and the baker. That said, the campsite also supplies fresh bread and pastries from the local bakery on-site every single morning, as well as a few daily essentials, which we made great use of during our stay.

On one of the evenings, we booked a table at the campsite restaurant for both families. It was wonderful to discover the local regional specialties, but also a surprise to find three dishes from back home: frikandel, bitterballen, and kapsalon. We tasted them, and they were beautifully prepared for a French twist! We also took part in the campsite's weekly themed meal featuring "Aligot Saucisse" (cheesy mashed potatoes with sausage) and Aveyron salad, which introduced the children to Roquefort cheese for the first time. Later in our stay, we picked up more groceries on Wednesday at the market in Rozier, a charming stone village.

After settling in and taking a few days to rest, we booked a full-day canoe trip. The canoe base is conveniently located directly on-site at the campsite. A shuttle dropped us off at the start of our chosen route—with options for 10, 15, or 20 km—which we highly appreciated. We chose the longest route to make the most of the entire day.

Following a safety briefing where helmets, buoyancy aid jackets, and waterproof canisters for our belongings were mandatory, we set off at 9:00 AM. The route was quite sporty, so a break to regain our energy was essential. We had packed a nature picnic and thoroughly enjoyed the river, swimming, and admiring the magnificent scenery. The older children even climbed up to dive from higher up. Along the way, we visited the Hirondelle Cave, which the reception team had told us about, and halfway down the descent, we spotted the Pont Cassé (Broken Bridge), a famous local monument.

The campsite kept all the kids thoroughly entertained. My brother's youngest children went to the Mini Club almost every day. The leaders spoke English and prepared activities to ensure all languages could understand each other, even using a few words or phrases in Dutch for the little ones, an effort we truly appreciated. Every evening, the little ones were thrilled to join the Mini Disco with the campsite mascot. We sat on the terrace for an evening aperitif, cheering them on as they danced.

Meanwhile, the older kids spent all their time at the swimming pool with the waterslide, and they absolutely loved participating in the football tournaments. The trampoline also became their ultimate hangout spot! Thanks to the layout, the adults could read and relax on the pool deckchairs or drink a coffee on the terrace while staying close to the children.

Every single night, the campsite organized entertainment. We joined in on a karaoke night which surprisingly included a few Dutch songs in the catalog! The children also loved the Just Dance night, which brought on massive fits of laughter when the adults joined in and tried to dance. Another major highlight of our holiday was the night pool party—a very pleasant and fun experience for the entire family.

These fifteen days in the Gorges du Tarn left us with magical memories. Between the children's fits of laughter at the pool, the canoe adventure down to the Hirondelle Cave, and the evenings spent sharing an aligot-saucisse or Dutch specialties, every single moment was a shared joy.

Anonymized interview conducted by the Camping Direct editorial team following a stay at Camping les Gorges du Tarn.