July 2023
Le Camp is featured in Belgian travel magazine “l’evasion”, as a top place to stay near the to the fabulous Abbaye de Beaulieu. Thank you to the Tarn et Garonne tourist office for continuing to recommend us in France and abroad. Read the full article here.
June 2023
The Times: 25 best glampsites in Europe
“The star attraction at this site north of Toulouse is the 20m natural swimming pool. Filtered by gravel and patrolled by dragonflies, it’s a magnet for the families who book its widely scattered safari tents. The larger tents have their own lavatories, and the Mount Kenya “penthouse” tent (sleeping seven) has a private summer kitchen and bathroom. All offer a leafy, go-as-you-please introduction to Aveyron, a department rich with historic towns, castles and the Gorges du Tarn, a long emerald-water canyon.”
January 2023
Le Camp has been highlighted as one of the most beautiful places to sleep in the heart of nature, in the Tarn-et-Garonne Tourisme press guide 2023. Find us on page 24.
July 2022
Thank you to travel bloggers Recits d’escapades for their lovely write-up of Le Camp as part of their grand tour of Tarn-et-Garonne. Best of luck on your next adventure.
July 2022
A photo of our natural swimming pool steals the show in The Connexion’s recent article on the best campsites in France. Read the full article herestay at Le Camp
Snippet: “Luxury safari-style. For a truly luxurious experience with Out of Africa overtones, try Le Camp in Varen (Tarn-et-Garonne) which has seven beautiful safari tents pitched around two hectares of stunning countryside….”
April 2022
We and our guests often claim that we have the best swimming pool in the world. Well The Guardian Travel seems to agree. Or at least that Le Camp is one of the 10 best holiday sites with natural pools in Europe!
We are so pleased with this coverage. Natural Pools are not just beneficial to the environment, but incredible for soul. Although ours is one of the largest and most mature around, it is fantastic to see their growth in popularity and importance across European tourism.
We were also featured in the Telegraph’s Travel Supplement.
April 2022
French family travel blogger @mytraveldreams wrote this great article about us «Le Camp or an air of Africa in the South-West». We love following her insta and all the cool places she visits around the world. We know that many of our lovely guests follow her too as they arrive in her clothing range!
January 2022
Our new website is now live in English and in French.
With beautiful photography by @julietteraynal_tourisme and fantastic design by @pswebsitedesign.
We hope you love it as much as we do!
July 2021
Samburu and Maasai Mara have had their main tents upgraded to magnificent new safari lodges. The new tents are spacious, comfortable, and benefit from big front windows to enjoy the stunning views from your bed.⠀
January 2020
Le Camp listed in The Times Travel feature “The 50 best holidays in France for 2020” under “Family Trips”.
November 2019
New for 2020 Le Camp will be offering cycling holidays and cycle hire.
February 2019
Tent news: Following the success of Maasai Mara’s extra bell tent bedroom, Le Camp can confirm that they are adding kids’ tents to Samburu and Mount Kenya too. Great news for large families or those with older children who would prefer their own private space.
March 2019
Tent news: Le Camp’s two yurts (Shimoni and Bamburi) have been upgraded to beautiful Woodland Safari Tents. With 16sqm of internal space, they make a wonderful retreat for a couple, or a great space for a family who want to share some quality time together.
October 2018
The 2019 Tour de France route has been announced, and the cyclists will be racing through nearby Albi. On 17th July Le Tour will be passing within 10 miles of Le Camp!
December 2018
Some great travel news: Ryanair have announced a new Summer route from London Stansted to Rodez Aveyron Airport, which is less than 1.5 hours drive from Le Camp.
June 2018
Le Camp’s new penthouse safari tent “Mount Kenya” welcomes its first guests. For photographs please see our Tents Page or facebook post.
February 2018
We have adopted two lovely goats! Fred and Percy are West African Dwarf goats, who needed a new home with more space to roam and graze naturally. As well as being sweet natured pets, they will also be working hard, keeping the weeds under control and making fantastic fertiliser from kitchen scraps. For photos of the goats, puppies and all the other animals at Le Camp, check out our Facebook page
November 2017
Our journey from nine-to-five to French countryside is featured in Living France magazine. Along with some practical advice for those looking to set up their own camp.
January 2018
We are delighted to confirm the following new additions to Le Camp, ready for for Summer 2018:
- Ensuite safari shower added to Samburu
- Bell tent annex added to Maasai Mara, providing extra sleeping space for large families
- Plus two new brand safari tents! Both with en-suite showers, one with its own private kitchen and dining area
June 2017
Le Camp’s New Team Bring the African Safari Spirit to South West France
Since Le Camp was established in 2007 it has become one of Europe’s leading luxury camping destinations. After ten years, Stephen and Sally are moving on to new adventures and handing the reins to Nigel, Claire and Seiya who are ready to welcome their first Summer guests.
Le Camp’s ethos remains unchanged, combining the best of the outdoors with comfortable and stylish accommodation. The new team are bringing with them years of experience, fresh ideas and buckets of enthusiasm!
Meet the Team
Having spent 11 years running a luxury tented camp in Kenya, Nigel Francis is bringing the spirit of Africa to South West France. He is a qualified safari guide and ran photographic wildlife safaris across the Maasai Mara. Following his time in Africa, Nigel worked at an international school in Norway, before returning to the UK in 2015 where he met his partner Claire MacMenemey.
Claire’s professional background is in digital marketing, but her real passion is nature and the environment. So as well as managing the website and bookings, she will be looking after Le Camp’s plants and animals, both in the existing wild areas, and in a new organic potager garden.
Seiya Francis, grew up in Kenya where from a young age she would accompany her father Nigel on wildlife safaris. Now 22, Seiya is a talented interior designer and will be bringing the classic African safari style to Le Camp’s guest tents and communal areas.
Spirit of the African Safari – “Luxury in the Wild”
As well as upping the glamour stakes, we will also be developing the wild side of camp life so guests can really get back to nature. Having run his Kenyan camp completely off-grid, Nigel will be keeping Le Camp’s environmental impact to a minimum. So while we plan to add more at-tent facilities, these will be designed to use renewable energy sources and work in harmony with the natural surroundings.
January 2016
The Tour De France is coming to St Antonin this year! The 6th July 2016 will see this incredible race pass through our beautiful village.
March 2016
Le Camp interviewed by French local radio (Totem) to discuss the development of Glamping in France.
July 2015
St Antonin Noble Val, 10 minutes from Le Camp, has been awarded 3rd place in a nationwide televised competition where French citizens vote for their favourite village.
July 2014
Stephen Spielberg’s movie – The Hundred Foot Journey, set in St Antonin Noble Val, is released to great acclaim.
January 2014
St Antonin Noble Val, our local town has been awarded “Vacances Familles” status, which means that it has been recognised as one of France’s best places to holiday with families. This is not only due to the activities available in the local area such as canoeing, horse riding, biking, walking and rock climbing but also thanks to its cultural richness and the family-friendly attitude of local people and those providing services in the area.
2011
Le Camp features in…
Vogue New York
Vogue Italy
Conde Naste India
Elle Decoration France
Blonde Magazine Germany
2010
Le Camp features in…
Financial Times – A week in a luxury French campsite
The Guardian – Green Travel List 2010
2009
Le Camp features in…
The Guardian – Five Green Breaks for 2010
The Times – The World’s Best Ways to Make a Clean Break
The Independent – Five Luxury French Campsites
The Irish Independent – Five Luxury French Campsites
November 2008
Le Camp features in Alistair Sawday’s Green Europe – Special Places to Stay