|
WHERE IS THE
GITE IN RELATION TO THE CAMPING?
The gite is located in front of the farmhouse and faces due South with clear,
unobstructed views to the horizon (camping in front of the gite is not permitted)
and the terrace and private garden are for the exclusive use of the gite. The
camping pitches are located behind the farmhouse and to the East. Our small
camping site is designed for touring caravans, camper-vans or tents. We have
do not have fixed mobile-homes or caravans for rental.
Click
here
to see your view from the Gite and please note that camping
is NOT permitted within this view. Click here to see a
plan view. |
| |
THE GITE SEEMS
ALMOST TOO CHEAP! WHAT'S THE CATCH?
No catch - just competition! Nowadays, there are so many self-catering
gites near Carcassonne to choose from that I have to keep my self catering holiday
rental prices realistic and value-for-money. On my website gite page, what you
see (and read about) is exactly what you get because I don't want my holiday
rental customers to be disappointed when they get here. If there is an issue
that might effect the enjoyment of your holiday, then I will publish it on my
website because I want you fully aware of all the facts before you send your
deposit. My honesty is your guarantee.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
FINAL CLEANING.
SHOULD I PAY OR DO IT MYSELF?
That's your
choice, but the gite must be left immaculately clean - and I do mean immaculately
clean! Second-best or a quick shimmy-over will not do. You are expected to do
your own cleaning day-to-day but come the last day, the whole gite should be
in the same pristine condition as when you found it. Think of it, you are packing,
mindful of the time and the kids and all that. Probably best to pay the extra
50 euros / £35 for a final clean if you are in any doubt and be done with it.
It's something else less to think about and, afterall, you're on holiday!
If you want to do the final cleaning yourself and it is found not to be up to
my wife's exacting standards, then I reserve the right to keep 50 euros / £35
from your security deposit!
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
YOU WANT A
SECURITY DEPOSIT WHEN I RENT THE GITE. WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT?
It's
not a con! When you rent the gite I need money to offset my insurance premium
excess in the event of a claim. For example, say my policy excess was £100 (which
it is). The first £100 of my claim is not insured, so if you broke a double-glazed
window costing £150 to replace then I would be £100 out-of-pocket. My insurance
company would pay the £50 but not the first £100. It's as simple as that. I'm
not concerned about broken glasses or other fair wear and tear because that's
life as a landlord! Check your own contents / buildings insurance policy and
look for the bit which your insurance company won't pay in the event of a claim.
On your day of departure, I look around the gite and make sure all is as it
should be. If something major is damaged, then we talk and I may keep your security
deposit until I get the bill for repairs. Of course, I will refund any difference
to you should the value of repairs or replacement be less than your gite rental
security deposit. In France, security deposits are called a "caution"
(pronounced: "cor-she-on") and are standard business practice with self-catering
holiday or "gite" rentals in France. If my insurance company would pay all of
my insurance claim then I wouldn't bother with it, but they don't, so the holiday
gite rental security deposit is here to stay!
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
CAN I USE THE CHEMICAL
TOILET IN MY CARAVAN?
Yes, but you may not be able to empty it at our camping site because we use
a septic tank system and do not have the facilities at our campsite to dispose
of chemical toilet waste unless it has been treated with a natural or
biological product which is environmentally-friendly and safe for septic tanks
such as T-blett ® Outdoor Toilet tablets (also known as Toi-blett
® Outdoor ) or Aqua Kem Green liquid from Thetford Aqua Products.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO
YOU GET A LOT OF SUNSHINE AND IS IT HOT IN THE SUMMER?
Our region
claims to have 300 days of sunshine a year and the weather in the South of France
is normally mild, sunny and warm in the Spring and Autumn and hot in June, July
and August. Check our
Temperature chart for further information.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU GET
HOT AND HUMID EVENINGS?
Hot? Yes!
- but never humid.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU GET
THE MISTRAL IN CARCASSONNE?
No, that's a Provence
phenomenon. Here's some info on the
Mistral.
Here at Camping La Royale near Carcassonne, we get the
Autan
or Marin.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU HAVE
AN INDOOR RESTAURANT AT YOUR CAMPING SITE?
We serve gourmet
table d'hôte alfresco, weather permitting. The nearest indoor restaurant is
15 minutes walk away and other restaurants are dotted about the villages in
the mountains of the Montagne Noire behind us. There is a vast selection of
restaurants, bars and cafés in Carcassonne.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
Is there much moving scenery around carcassonne
during the summer? Moving scenery? You mean…. Well, yes actually. Chasps,
when driving around Carcassonne, please ensure that you have your
car’s ESP-switch activated. E.S.P. – you know... that switch on
the dashboard that stops the car crashing? Is it called something else
in the UK? Here it means Exceptional Skirt Protection. That means
very much what it says. So when your head is turned at very nearly 360
degrees (like an owl), your car doesn’t crash. Simples! And now
Ladies, please don’t plead the innocent here perusing the
street clocking talent thinking - ok, let's see now... Yep,
Nope, No (giggling), Yep, Yep, No (never in a million years,
sunshine), Yep, Nope, O.M.G-YES!!! - because guys know this intuitively about you, just
as you know they turn their heads, “just to check the surrounding
traffic situation.”
BACK TO THE TOP
|
| |
DO YOU HAVE
A SWIMMING POOL?
No. However,
by car, you are just 5 minutes away from the nearest indoor/all-weather pool
and children's adventure playground at Cuxac, 15 minutes from mountain lakes
for swimming at " Les Montagnes " which has an aqua-playground in the
water for the children and 50 minutes from the clean and sandy Mediterranean
beach at Narbonne Plage. You can even try " Carcassonne Plage " which
is a huge, beautiful lake with a man-made beach on the outskirts of Carcassonne.
There is also an open air lido in Conques sur Orbiel which is 10 minutes in
the car from La Royale.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHAT ABOUT
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS TO THE GITE?
The front
door of the gite is about 15 metres from the gite parking area. The garden and
the inside of the gite are on the same level except for two steps leading up
to a landing where the shower-room and toilet are located. In my opinion, these
tallish steps would be impossible to negotiate unaided in a wheelchair. Two
helpers would be required to lift the wheelchair past these steps.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU KEEP
TOURIST INFORMATION?
Tons! The
most popular are the walks and car tours around the regions' villages and beauty-spots.
We have information on the medieval castles, prehistoric caves and much more.
The wine tasting information is popular too. If you have a particular hobby
or interest, we will do our utmost to gather as much information about it as
we can to give to you when you arrive.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
ARE THERE
ANY GOLF COURSES NEAR YOU?
Yes, the nearest
in Carcassonne, 9/18 holes.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
THIS IS OUR
FIRST HOLIDAY IN FRANCE AND WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT MAKING OURSELVES UNDERSTOOD?
Understanding
a bit of French is desirable but not essential. Many French people in the tourism
industry speak a little English, so normally, in the end, you can always make
yourself understood. But we are also here to help, if you wish. In my opinion,
the French always appreciate your attempt at speaking their language, no matter
how difficult it may be for them to understand what you are trying to say -
so don't forget your dictionaries!
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU HAVE
A BAR?
Not a "bar" as such, but we are licensed to sell beers and wines for consumption
on the premises.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO
YOU HAVE A CAMPSITE SHOP WHERE WE CAN BUY ALL OUR FOOD?
No, but we do keep a few essential items in case of emergencies. There is a
well-stocked "corner-shop" nearby and the nearest supermarkets, INTERMARCHE,
ALDI and NETTO are 20 minutes by car on the road into Carcassonne. Once
you are in Carcassone town, there are many different supermarkets to choose
from.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WILL MY MOBILE
PHONE WORK AT LA ROYALE?
Yes. Nobody
has reported any signal problems yet, regardless of the network provider. 3G is also available.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
IS THERE AN
INTERNET CAFE NEAR YOU?
Yes, in Carcassonne town-centre. It is also Wi-Fi enabled. You pay by the hour. But, hang on a mo! I wrote that answer years ago! Now (2010) there is free WI-FI at most every
eatery, cafeteria and hotel in or near Carcassonne.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
IS LA ROYALE
WI-FI ENABLED?
No. There is not enough bandwidth available at La Royale to make WI-FI
viable. However, we are in a 3G reception area.
BACK TO
THE TOP |
| |
WHY DO YOU
CALL YOUR CAMPING SITE "DELUXE"?
Many
larger camping sites will offer a wider range of facilities such as an on-site
supermarket, a swimming pool, an adventure playground and a discotheque for
entertainment and that's why they have 4 or 5 stars. Here at Camping La Royale,
we focus on the simpler things in life like ultra-clean toilets and showers
which are inspected and cleaned at least twice a day. We make sure that the
hot water and soft toilet paper never runs out and that there is always liquid
soap in the hand dispensers. Our campground grass is regularly cut,
the flowers and shrubs are kept neat and tidy and the whole campsite is checked
for litter every day. Our campsite may not have a long list of facilities,
but for it's small size, it is very well equipped. Much care and attention to
detail is taken to ensure that your camping holiday experience is a pleasant
one. Our reputation as a good camping site is our best advertisement which we
take pride in earning.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU HAVE ANY MUSIC IN
THE EVENINGS?
Yes.
Smooth mellow music plays softly every evening in our courtyard which is a
great place to sit and dine al fresco, weather permitting!
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHAT HAVE YOU GOT ON YOUR CAMPSITE TO ENTERTAIN YOUNG CHILDREN?
Our camping site has a field to play ball-games, fly a kite and a seesaw. If your children's
entertainment on a camping site is a priority, you need to select one of the
bigger campsites in the Aude region for your camping holiday in Southern France.
Adventure playgrounds, swimming pools and lakes built for swimming
with aqua-playgrounds are a short drive from Camping La Royale.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WE WOULD LIKE
TO RENT YOUR GITE BUT THERE ARE MORE THAN SIX OF US. WHAT CAN WE DO?
The
gite has three bedrooms and sleeps 6 persons in proper beds. However, there
are two small settee/sofa beds. Don't forget that there is only one toilet,
one wash-basin and one shower room in the sanitary section of the gite building
so things could get a bit crowded! Or, you may wish to book additional
camping and bring your own tent. If it is a very small 2-person tent it can
be sited in the gite garden or if you have a larger tent, then it can be sited
within our camping zone. All you pay is our standard camping rate per person
whether you use our camping site facilities or not. Don't forget, we do not
supply tents, you must bring your own.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHAT DOES
YOUR CAMPING PRICE INCLUDE AND ARE THERE ANY HIDDEN COSTS?
There are
no hidden camping costs and no complicated campsite prices. I charge per-person
and that keeps your camping holiday costs easy to ready-reckon. After all, how
big is a large tent, or how small is a caravan awning, or exactly what size
is a normal caravan? Who knows? Yes, there are some people who bring huge
tents or large caravans but those campers normally have a large group, so it
all works out fair-and-square.
Click
here
for the camping tariff.
Does the camping
price include tourist tax? Yes! Do I need coins for the toilet?
No! Do hot showers cost extra? No! Do you charge for
my car? No! Where can I park my car? Well, when the camping site
is very busy, I will ask you to park your vehicle in the private
camping-site customers car-park which is free, just 50 metres away. Why? Because
this creates more camping space, less noise, fumes, potential danger and minimises
damage to the grass camping land. When the camping site is not so busy, i.e.
in May and June, you may park your car next to your emplacement or pitch.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHAT'S THAT CHIRRUPING NOISE WHEN I OPEN YOUR CAMPING PAGE?
Well, it's
supposed to be the sound made by a Cigale which is an insect a bit like
a grass-hopper which chirrups away in the fields on very hot summer days here
at Camping La Royale. Sorry if my computer generated rendition of the Cigale
sounds a little unlike the real thing, but it's the best I can do at the moment
- but you get the general idea though. I hope those of you who are camping veterans
to the South of France will instantly recognise the Cigale's dulcet
tones which may jog a few happy holiday memories.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
GIVEN THE CHOICE, WHEN IS THE BEST MONTH TO BE CAMPING
AT LA ROYALE? That's a tough question. I would say July, but my wife would say
August. It depends on what you want from your camping holiday. My hospitality,
facilities and prices are the same but the difference I guess, are the crowds
and the weather to a lesser extent. Some campers say that they like the end of July and
August for all the busy holiday-making and bustling tourist attractions which
gives them that special holiday feeling and a busy-buzz-about-the-place and
I can relate to that.
I think though
for a caravan holiday, a wet weather day is not so much of an issue, but if
you are camping in a tent, a rainy day can be a tad irritating.
I personally prefer early July because the Spring has sprung and all the
flowers and shrubs are up and about and doing their thing. Everywhere is less
busy and the weather is very nice too. Some prefer August, which is
heavy with the scent of stone oaks, pines and bracken and the weather is predictably
hot and sunny which is great for your family holiday camping in the tent. So,
it's your camping holiday choice!
Our most busiest time at our camping site here at La Royale is from the beginning
of the second week of July to the end of the third week of August.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
YOU SAY YOU ALLOW PETS, SO DO YOU ALLOW DOGS TO ROAM AROUND
FREELY? No, it may spoil your holiday. Normally,
pet owners are very responsible and mindful of others, but a few owners forget
that some adults and children don't always like dogs and maybe scared-stiff
of them. The dogs themselves are not at fault, it's usually their badly-behaved
owners. I insist that dogs are kept on a leash and are exercised away from the
camping and gite area. There are plenty of country lanes to walk with little
or no passing traffic so there is no excuse and if the dog defecates in a communal
area then I expect the owner to dispose of the faeces immediately. If I discover
that an owner is behaving irresponsibly and without due regard for others, they
will be asked to leave. Without exception, dogs are not allowed into the courtyard or near the
sanitary area even if they are on a leash.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU HAVE EQUIPMENT I CAN RENT FOR A DAY TRIP TO THE BEACH?
Yes. I have a couple of sun-umbrellas or "parasols", a few wicker beach-mats,
a wind-breaker, footballs, an inflatable lilo and buckets & spades for Dad to
play in the sand. You are welcome to borrow them without charge. If you break
or lose something, then you simply replace that item.
You can rent towels for the beach for a small daily charge (a few euros) to
cover laundry costs. If you lose them, you replace them or pay a "fine" so that
we can purchase a replacement.
BACK TO THE TOP
|
| |
HOW HOT IS
THE SUN? DO I NEED SUN-SCREEN? AFTERALL, ITS NOT AS FAR SOUTH AS SPAIN OR PORTUGAL!
Yes, you do
need protection from the sun. Choose a high-protection product (not less than
Factor 20 ) and always wear a hat or a head-scarf when you are out in
the sun. Children and adults with fair skin should use Factor 50 sun screen.
BACK
TO THE TOP |
| |
CAN I DRINK
THE WATER AT LA ROYALE OR DO I HAVE TO BUY BOTTLED?
Yes, you can
drink the water unless you particularly wanted to buy bottled water. Our water
is piped from the reservoirs in the Montagne Noire. TRAVEL TIP: Always
carry a large bottle of drinking water in the car. The water might get a bit
warm but it's still drinking water that might be a real life-saver if your car
breaks down in the middle of nowhere and you need to quench your thirst.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU HAVE
ANY FAST-FOOD RESTAURANTS IN THE AREA?
Yes, there are three McDonalds in Carcassonne (one of which is
in Carcassonne town centre, opposite Carcassonne railway station). I have always
found them to be very clean with excellent service. Their other two restaurants
situated on the edge of Carcassonne have gardens with tables & chairs and novelty
climbing apparatus to keep the children amused.
The large supermarkets in and around Carcassonne with their own brand of in-store
self-service restaurants are a great place to have a sit-down meal or a sandwich
at lunchtime. They are also air-conditioned which means you can get out of the
sweltering heat for an hour or so. Offering value for money, a massive choice
and a convivial atmosphere, they are also open on a Sunday lunchtime when most
everywhere-else is closed. If you want to avoid the queues, arrive at a quarter-to-twelve
or better still, at half-eleven, because France stops for lunch at noon every
day and the queues for luncheon take shape at warp speed.
There are six Chinese restaurants and two
Indian restaurants in Carcassonne. My personal
fast-food favourite is a little snack-bar tucked away in the side-streets of
Carcassonne that in my opinion, serves the best kebabs in the world. There is
no, "King Cod" in Carcassonne yet, but it's only a matter of time.
KFC opened a
restaurant in Carcassonne in March 2010.
Also,
there is an authentic Domino's Pizza® take-away located at
the top-end of the one-way system around Carcassonne town should you
suffer from pizza-pangs which
need satisfying.
Talking of Chinese food in Carcassonne - very popular are
eat-as-much-as-you-want for a fixed price. A brilliant meal-deal
methinks.
Today, I had five massive main-courses of Chinese food for lunch at a local
Chinese restaurant. However, when I returned home and took my posh
shirt off to change into something more... "comfortable" (as they say
in the movies), I looked like I was about to give birth to Chinese
triplets. Never mind though, that truly was a culinary
multiple-orgasm. And, that eating-pleasure will return tomorrow
morning - probably best if I put the toilet-roll in the freezer
right now then...
Wait! But what if they open an Indian food eat-as-much-as-you-want
near Carcassonne? No, not that French namby-pamby Indian food but
the real British stuff. I
shall definitely buy a season ticket - have my own allotted parking space
and
bespoke restaurant dining table. If that happens, which it will eventually, Heaven
actually resides in Carcassonne!
Before I sign-off on this... Pizza Hut, if
you are listening guys, open a restaurant
in Carcassonne, please? We all miss you!
BACK TO THE TOP
|
| |
IS THE AREA
GOOD FOR CYCLING?
Yes and no. Don't forget, we are situated on the southern foothills of the Montagne
Noire and so you can either cycle up or down the mountain. Those campers who
bring bicycles either don't bother using them or just use them to get to the
local épicerie (corner-shop) or put them in their car
and take them down to the coast and cycle along the beach promenade, or transport
their bicycles to the Canal du Midi near Carcassonne and then cycle along the
tow-paths.
If you are thinking about cycling into Carcassonne from La Royale then that's
fairly easy but it's the journey back that might be a problem because it's uphill
all the way home. If you are a keen cyclist then the gradients won't bother
you and great days can be had cycling in the region as many campers do. You
don't have to have a sturdy mountain bike unless you want to go off-road in
the Montagne Noire. The local French cycle-team use the tarmac roads in the
region for training and ride relatively fragile racing bikes.
The weather temperature is also a factor that you need to consider when cycling.
What might seem an easy journey on the bike at around 15-20°C, might be physically
demanding to the point of exhaustion at 30-35°C. High temperatures are commonplace
in the region of Aude in June, July & August.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO
YOU HAVE FREEZER FACILITIES?
Yes, located in the communal part of the sanitary block.
The freezer is free to use but not for glass bottles/containers for obvious
reasons. CAMPING TIP: Freeze drinking water in plastic bottles. It not only
keeps your cooler-box or bag cold, but when the ice starts to thaw, you can
drink it too!
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU
HAVE A WASHING MACHINE FOR USE BY YOUR CAMPERS?
Yes, it's a brand-new front-loading machine located in the communal part of
the camping sanitary block and is for the exclusive use of our camping site
customers. The 2010 price per wash is 5 euros including powder and you pay in
advance at reception.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU
HAVE A TUMBLE-DRYER OR A PLACE TO DRY CLOTHES?
We
don't have a specific place to dry clothes. However, it's a good idea to bring
a length of washing-line and pegs (purchased very cheaply at your local hardware
store or supermarket) to string-up between two trees or, between your caravan
or tent and the nearest tree, but always being mindful of your camping neighbour
because the last thing they want is your laundry blowing in their face. Please
do not hammer a nail into the trees as it will damage them or worse still, quicken
their demise. Always make a tie around the tree and then fix your line.
TUMBLE-DRYER FACILITY - your clothes will dry quickly here at La Royale hung
out on the line but in the rare event of inclement weather, we can offer the
services of our in-house tumble-dryer for a few euros. This facility is especially
useful regardless of the weather if you want to do a wash but don't particularly
want your smalls hanging out on the washing-line.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU HAVE
CLEAN TOILETS AND SHOWERS?
Yes. We have separate Ladies & Gents, toilet and shower facilities and they
are inspected and cleaned twice a day. See and read what the campers have said
about our sanitary facilities in our
Guest Book.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO I REALLY
NEED TO MAKE A CAMPING SITE RESERVATION OR CAN I JUST TURN UP?
That choice is yours. Our camping site is usually very busy in July & August
so you might think about telephoning perhaps a day or two in advance to check
availability. If you don't want to do that and arrive without a reservation,
you take the chance of being turned away because we are at full capacity.
BACK
TO THE TOP |
| |
IS YOUR CAMPING
SITE OPEN IN APRIL OR SEPTEMBER?
No. Our camping
site is closed.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
CAN WE USE
A BARBECUE ON YOUR CAMPING SITE?
Yes. A self-contained purpose-built BBQ / Barbecue is okay to use on our campsite
but make sure you have a bucket of water standing nearby just in case of an
accident. Open-hearth fires for cooking and all bonfires no matter what their
size, are prohibited by me (and the mayor).
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU GET
MOSQUITOES?
No, our camping
site is too far away from standing water such as a pond, lake or river and "skeeters"
(mosquitoes) don't like moving air.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU SELL
CAMPING GAS?
No, there are specialist shops in Carcassonne that sell camping equipment and
consumables and a limited selection of camping gas canisters and stoves are
available at local DIY stores and large supermarkets.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
IS THE CAMPING
SITE IN TOTAL DARKNESS AT NIGHT?
No,
there are 14 outside lanterns which switch on automatically dusk to dawn.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN THINK OF THAT I SHOULD BRING?
Yes, please try and wear a smile when you arrive and don't forget to pack your
sense of humour :-) Of course, I am mindful that when you get here you will
have most probably have travelled all day, are hot and sweaty, your back aches,
you've got a bit of a headache, you want a shower, a cold beer and something
to eat! I promise to book you in and show you around the campsite
as fast as is humanly possible!
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
I WOULD LIKE
TO GO HORSE RIDING AND MY HUSBAND WANTS TO HIRE A BOAT
Not difficult,
although you will have to convince the French that you are proficient. This
won't be a problem if you can speak French fluently AND are conversant with
French examinations or skill levels in the specific activity, which can include
anything from rock-climbing to sky-diving. For example, if your want to hire
a racing dinghy, bring your sailing club membership card, a photo of you in
action and photocopies of any awards or examinations you have passed. The same
kind of thing goes for horse riding - bring your equestrian membership card
and any supporting accreditation and photos of you at a canter or winning that
cup. This all helps to assure the French that you are capable and competent
and gives them an idea of your skill level. They won't let you rent their shiny
new catamaran if they are not convinced of your ability to handle the craft
safely! Think of it this way - nobody will rent you a car without seeing your
driving licence!
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
IS
THERE A BIG SUPERMARKET OPEN IN CARCASSONNE ON A SUNDAY?
Frayed knot. All the really big supermarkets in Carcassonne are closed on a Sunday. Butcher
shops and bakeries are generally open for business on a Sunday morning plus
a few local "corner-shops". There is terrific mini-market called "SUPERMARKET
G20" which is open all day on a Sunday - it's opposite the railway station in
Carcassonne town-centre selling fresh fruit and vegetables and a huge selection
of foodstuffs and well worth a visit if you need a few bits and pieces for Sunday
lunch or afternoon tea. And
also, "MONOPRIX" a small supermarket which also sells
clothes, near the town square in the middle of Carcassonne town-centre which
is open on Sunday mornings only. An "ED" and "LEADER PRICE" stores also open
on Sunday mornings in Carcassonne.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
IS THERE MUCH SHOPPING IN CARCASSONNE?
Carcassonne must be the fastest growing City in the South of France - every
week there is a new factory, shop or offices being built.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY IN ADVANCE FOR CAMPING?
Because we need to know on a daily basis who is going and who is staying the
next day, especially in July and August when we have to answer daily telephone
or email enquiries about immediate camping pitch availability. Don't forget
that we are a small camping site and get full very quickly and if you pay in
advance, I know for certain that you will be staying. I don't need to walk around
the campsite every day asking everybody if they will be leaving tomorrow or
the day after tomorrow! If I had a large camping site with a hundred or
more camping pitches, the question of camping pitch availability wouldn't be
an issue.
So, please arrive with sufficient funds to pay in advance for the days you want.
I really don't mind if you are not sure when you get here and just want to pay
for a couple of days and then see how it goes, because that's what touring and
camping is all about but please let me know as soon as you can that you want
to purchase more camping days otherwise I will assume that you will be leaving
on the day that you said you would, and I may have already promised your pitch
to new arrivals!
CAMPING RESERVATIONS IN EXCESS OF 7 DAYS:
If you have reserved more than a week of camping, your reservation is of
course guaranteed, but
I won't ask you to pay for more than a week in
advance when you arrive. Why? Because
people change their minds. Personally, I feel much happier that if
on day 5 or 6, you offered to pay for more camping here or told me
that you had decided to move-on and explore another region, because
that way, it will allow me to offer your camping pitch to a new
customer the day after tomorrow.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHAT IS YOUR
REGION LIKE?
Apparently,
its very like Tuscany, if you have ever been there. I haven't. Many of
my Italian customers, say it is.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WILL
I MEET ANY BRITISH PEOPLE? Yes. Carcassonne
is the only city in France where you drive on the left and all the signs are
in English. I jest, but Carcassonne is very popular with the Brits. "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" will probably
get changed to "The United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and
Carcassonne". I reckon, 1 in 10 people who live in Carcassonne and
the surrounding area are from the UK, probably more.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU KEEP GOATS?
No.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
|
WHAT KIND
OF PEOPLE DO YOU GET CAMPING AT LA ROYALE?
All types of people from all walks of life from teachers to architects and dentists
to air-traffic controllers. Our campsite is very popular with couples of all
ages and families with very young children because
older children
and teenagers get bored here very quickly
as there is
not enough on our camping site to keep them occupied. So, if you have teenagers
or children aged 5 or older, maybe it's best to look for another camping
site in the region that has a swimming pool, adventure playground, discotheque
and other activities on-site to keep them entertained?
|
In 2009, our campers
were approximately: |
In 2008, our gite rentals
were approximately: |
|
35% |
Netherlands |
45% |
UK |
|
35% |
UK |
45% |
France |
|
10% |
France |
5% |
Ireland |
|
5% |
Belgium |
5% |
Other |
|
5% |
Spain |
|
|
|
5% |
Italy |
|
|
|
5% |
Other |
|
|
|
BACK TO THE TOP |
|
| |
DO YOU GET HOARDS OF
SCREAMING KIDS AT YOUR CAMPING SITE?
Shall I rephrase that question?
:-) Do you mean... "Do we get lots of youngsters loudly enjoying their
camping holiday?" No. To find out why, see the question and answer above.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO
WE SPEAK DUTCH?
No.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WILL YOU LEND
ME A MALLET?
Yes, of course. Mallet rental is very reasonably priced
at around 1p per whack :-)
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN AUDE AND LANGUEDOC?
The best way to explain
it is to think of Languedoc, which is short for Languedoc-Roussillon and pronounced
"lang-dock-roo-see-yon", as one of the "States" of France and then
Aude as a county within the "State" of Languedoc-Roussillon.
The country of France has many "States" which the French call
régions
that each contain several smaller "counties" which the French call
departments.
The departments are then divided into smaller chunks which the French
call pays. Pays often become well known for their produce which
needn't always be wine! The pays could be famous for producing
top-quality olives, garlic or cheese. For example, take a closer look
at the label on a decent bottle of French wine at your local supermarket and
it should say which pays it came from.
|
Languedoc-Roussillon departments :
|
|
Lozère |
Inland |
|
Gard |
Short coastline |
|
Hérault |
Coastal |
|
Aude |
Coastal |
|
Pyrénées-Orientales |
Coastal with a Spanish border |
 |
Click this link to see where they are in Southern France and
in relation to Spain and the Mediterranean Sea and see what
the weather is doing here at La Royale in Aude.
|
|
|
Click this weather link to see the whole of France and what
the weather is doing where you are planning to take your holidays in France.
|
|
BACK TO THE TOP |
|
|
| |
WHAT IS YOUR LOCAL WINE CALLED?
You may already be familiar with wines called
a Minervois, Corbières or Limoux which are
produced here in the department of Aude. If you want to try a
very local wine before you arrive at La Royale, ask your wine merchant
for a bottle of Cabardès (pronounced cabbar-dayz)
red or rosé (apparently, 2003 is a good year) and you'll experience
the wine that is produced by vineyards that you can see from La Royale.
Incidentally, the term AOC seen on the label means that the exact geographical
origin of the grapes is monitored and the wine is not made from a mixture
of grapes from different neighbouring pays. AOC does not
necessarily mean that it's a good wine, merely that it comes from
where the label says it does.
BACK TO THE
TOP |
| |
IS IT SAFE TO PARK OUR CAR IN YOUR CAMPING
SITE CAR-PARK OVERNIGHT? Yes.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
HOW LONG DO PEOPLE BOOK YOUR CAMPING?
Normally, campers book 7 days to take advantage of our "Pay for 6 days
Camping and get 1 Free" Promotion. Other campers stay just a couple
or three days to see Carcassonne and Lastours. Some will book 2 weeks
camping, again benefiting from our camping promotion. Incidentally,
the camping record at La Royale is 27 days during the summer of 2005
by a Dutch couple camping with a tent.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
YOU SEEM VERY EXPENSIVE FOR YOUR CAMPING?
You will find many camping sites in the region
where camping pitches are a lot cheaper than at Camping La Royale!
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU GET MANY CAMPERS COMING BACK TO LA ROYALE?
If you mean... "Do we get reservations from previous camping customers?"
Yes we do and a lot of referrals from both our gite and camping customers
too. Often, campers return and rent our gîte the following year.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DOES IT GET COLD DURING THE NIGHT- DO I NEED TO
BRING ANY WARM CLOTHING? During June, July and August, definitely not - the overnight temperature
is normally 15c to 20c. What you should think about bringing is one
of those very thin but waterproof over-jackets with a hood to keep you
dry in the event of a Summer downpour. Some campers use those thin capes
that cyclists wear in the rain, which are ideal. Summer rain is usually
very heavy and short-lived (half-an-hour) and then the sun comes out
again, so all you need is the appropriate camping gear and clothing
to keep yourself and the contents of your tent dry, rather than warm.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU LET ANYONE STAY
AT YOUR CAMPING SITE?
No, our camping facilities
are provided for tourism, leisure and house-hunting.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
IS THERE A DRESS-CODE
AT YOUR CAMPING SITE? No. Consider yourself at La Royale as being
"sur la plage" (on the beach) - we don't make a thong and dance
about it. For couples madly in love, I know a great "secret" place
at the bottom of my land for romancing things - perfect for a picnic
fest with a bottle of plonk. Fashion Code! - whilst I have your
undivided attention about clothing, any garment that is coloured
beige, off-white, camel, bamboo or straw is strictly banned at La
Royale. If you cannot resist wearing a colour that resembles khaki
then I suggest you don your pith helmet and go camping in the Amazon
! :-))
BACK TO THE
TOP |
| |
DO YOU APPLY
CAMPING AND CARAVANNING RULES?
On the camping pitches page I have written; "In any event, campground emplacements are strictly limited so that everybody enjoys a lot of space and the sanitary facilities are never crowded."
And I am always mindful of the requirement for "personal-space" or
"room-to-live" with de-limited camping pitch emplacements. And if I
think a camper is being greedy or inconsiderate with the amount of
space they are consuming, which has only happened a couple of times
since 2003, then I will put a flea in their ear and something gets
done about it. Yet there are still some campers who cannot resist the overwhelming compulsion
to email asking if caravanning rules and regulations are strictly enforced
here, especially that very important 6 metre camping rule, and, seek guarantees to that effect! The La Royale camping code I do apply
goes toward promoting health and safety and I will only suggest a
solution or alternative if I think you will come a cropper at your
current, "course & speed". For example, being
over-enthusiastic with your
barbecue, walking in long grass without being aware of the risks,
staying in the sun too long or pitching
your tent haphazardly - in other words, things that may bring danger
or discomfort to you or other campers.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
|
Is their a minimum dress-code for sunbathing in the gîte garden?
No.
The gîte garden offers a high degree of privacy. However,
please be discreet and stay within the perimeter of your gîte
garden.
Whilst I don’t object to a naturist lifestyle in any way, per se, I have no
wish to readily promote our gîte holiday rental as being “naturist”, because it
isn’t. This information serves only to
answer previous customer questions about
sunbathing in the gîte garden by customers who prefer to sunbathe
without clothing. If you seek a true outdoor
24/24 naturist experience, La
Royale’s holiday gîte rental is not really suitable - please
find alternative holiday accommodation that caters exclusively for
naturists doin' the naturist thang, 24/7.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHY HAVE YOU PUT YOUR CAMPING
PITCH PRICE UP THIS YEAR?
The camping
pitch tariff increases annually because gas, electricity, water, cleaning
products and sanitary sundries rise in price every year.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WE WANT A FEW DAYS B&B NEAR CARCASSONNE,
WHAT'S THE BREAKFAST ROUTINE? Out of
peak-season, our gite is available for Bed & Breakfast. Choose from
Continental breakfast or Chef's English breakfast delivered to your
door. For a special occasion, we offer gourmet breakfast served with
champagne and orange juice.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU HAVE ANYONE ON
YOUR CAMPING SITE WHO CAN ADMINISTER FIRST-AID?
In the absence of
somebody better qualified like a paramedic, doctor or nurse, then me.
I held a First-Aid certificate for 12 years.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHY DOES
PAYING FOR THE GITE RENTAL IN £GBP SEEM TO COST MORE?
Because of the prevailing exchange rate and local bank charges for
handling foreign transactions. Once gite rental rates are published
for the year they are unchanged for the duration, regardless of what
the exchange rate is actually doing on the day. So the prices
published in either in £'s or Euros, are fixed and guaranteed. So
when you make a gîte reservation, you know exactly what you are
expected to pay as a deposit and exactly what the balance will be on
arrival.
For UK customers wishing to pay in £GBP
If you don't have a bank account in Euros, the easiest way to pay a
gite rental deposit is by UK on-line banking in £'s sterling and
then paying the balance in £'s sterling when you arrive in cash or
by cheque. You can, as some customers do, pay the whole rental in
one go and be done with it.
For UK customers wishing to pay in Euros
You can pay the gite rental rate published in Euros and
organise an international bank-to-bank transfer to send the gite
rental deposit. And then pay the balance in Euros upon arrival.
Please remember though that UK banks or building societies will
usually charge you about £15 to make an international bank-to-bank
transfer and by using that method, you agree to pay any and all costs
involved with getting your gite rental deposit to us. So you have to
decide whether it is easier/more convenient/cheaper to pay the gite
rental price quoted in £GBP or Euros.
For the rest of the World
Either by cheque in Euros or via an international Bank-to-Bank
transfer and by using the international bank transfer method, you
agree to pay any and all costs involved with getting your gite
rental deposit to us. Then, on arrival, you pay the gite rental balance by cash
or cheque in Euros.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
IS YOUR
CAMPING SITE SUITABLE FOR DISABLED PEOPLE?
No.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
CAN I
CHECK-IN TO THE CAMPING SITE AFTER 7PM?
No, because that severely disrupts the timely and busy routine of this
establishment and can interrupt the peace and quiet being enjoyed by
your fellow campers. It disturbs their evening, especially those
campers with young families (I know this because they used to tell
me) and experience has proven that it degrades the level of service
we provide and individual attention we like to be able to offer our
present camping and gîte customers. I can multi-task but I can't be
in two or three places at the same time!
The camping site "awakes" at 7am, the reception usually opens by
8.00am so potentially, you have a twelve-hour window of opportunity
between 7am and 7pm in which to arrive.
If you can't get here by 7pm, then find
alternative accommodation. And
importantly, the fact that you have made a prior reservation does
not mean that you can ignore this check-in rule and turn up after
7pm.
There are hardly any camping rules here at La Royale, but this 7pm
check-in rule exists for a very good reason and is not a meaningless
whimsy that I have dreamt up, so please adhere to it or you will be
turned away regardless of your excuse, and I've heard them all. When
you travel a fair distance, allow an hour or two for things not
going according to schedule like getting lost, diversions,
traffic-jams, meals, rest breaks and so on, because your lack of
planning does not constitute an "emergency" that we are expected to
deal with.
Expect and accept traffic delays in
Southern France during July and August.
Particularly avoid trying to travel great distances across France
during the first and last weekends of August. And generally, don't
expect to be able to get anywhere without delays driving during
any
weekend in July & August, especially the further South you venture. During
your summer holiday travel, if
you (like me) prefer not to book accommodation in advance but drive
towards your destination and then find a nice hotel to stop
overnight, then don't stop driving at 6pm to try and do that. Stop
driving at 4.30pm absolute latest. 4.00pm is
better. Why? Because you stand a much better chance of finding a
hotel in Southern France that is not already fully-booked. That way,
you can enjoy a relaxed evening without having to franticly race
between hotel venues in the hope of trying to find available hotel
accommodation because, believe me, that experience will sour your
day. Been there - done that - not nice - never again! If you need to
make up for "lost" travelling time the next day, set your alarm
clock for 5.00am!
So many customers arrive here looking totally exhausted
(their eyes, demeanour and temper tell their travel tale!) and then take
the next two
days recovering from that experience, so please build in some travel
contingency plans or "travel-slack" should the totally unexpected
actually happen and become reality. The heat and sunshine in the
South of France during the Summer is f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c but not when
you are sitting in a traffic jam in the "middle of nowhere"
tired, hungry, hot & bothered and very late for anywhere that you
had planned on getting to for that evening!
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
CAN I SEND A FAX FROM
LA ROYALE?
Yes.
To pay, simply purchase wine from me at an amount commensurate with
the destination and number of pages in your facsimile.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
WHY IS YOUR GITE TARIFF
IN APRIL MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IN JUNE?
Because of ambient temperature.
The days and nights of April and the very beginning of May (and October)
are not as warm as June, therefore more energy is required to heat the
gîte building. More energy (electricity) means more cost. For safety
reasons, there are no gas fittings in our holiday gite rental. We have
electric radiators in every room and additional heated towel rails in
every bedroom.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
CAN I GET TO LA
ROYALE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT?
No.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
CAN
YOU SUPPLY A COT IN THE GITE?
Yes, and for camping
customers too! Advance notice is
required. Add a gite rental or camping reservation supplement of €50
/ £35. The cot is brand-new
(2007) and supplied with a clean mattress and mattress cover.
Linen not supplied - please
bring your own. Mattress size =
120 x 60 cm.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
DO YOU HAVE FRESH BREAD?
In July & August, the baker arrives in his van around 9am and you
select what you want from the back of his vehicle. At other times,
the nearest bread can be bought at a corner-shop in Salsigne (2 kms)
called Chez Isabelle who host a well stocked épicerie and a depot de pain. To accompany food in the
evenings, I usually bake my own.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
HOW
FAR ARE YOU FROM CARCASSONNE? 17
kms, which takes 20/25 minutes in the car depending on local
traffic. Hey campers! If it's only the castle in Carcassonne you want to visit
for the day,
there's a camping site closer to Carcassonne near the village of
Villemoustaussou just off the route D118 (look at a map) called Campin-Das-Pinhiers (telephone 0468 478190) and a camping site
within walking distance of La Cité called Campeole la Cité (telephone 0468 251177). Both have swimming pools.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
CAN YOU DO MIDWEEK OR SUNDAY-TO-SUNDAY RENTALS IN THE GITE?
Yes and no. July and August are always
sold out with back-to-back arrival-Saturday to departure-Saturday
gite rentals so that's a "no" there. But the rest of the year I try
and remain as flexible as possible. For example, September gite
rentals are usually Sunday arrivals so that's a "yes". Early June
and the rest of year is a mixture. What often happens is that
customers rent a week or two in the gite and because they have a
Sunday departure, they stay in a hotel or a B&B in the centre of
Carcassonne for that last Saturday night. However, arriving here on
a Sunday, they do miss out on one night's rental but may gain or
break-even with a reduction in price for Sunday flights and perhaps
enjoy more convenient travelling times. So for midweek or
Sunday-to-Sunday rentals, please ask us, but remember we definitely
don't offer that facility in July and August as I have explained.
BACK TO THE TOP |
| |
HOW CAN I FIND OUT QUICKLY IF THE GITE RENTAL PERIOD I WANT IS
ALREADY BOOKED OR STILL AVAILABLE?
Easy. Look at the
Gite Reservations Calendar.
It will show our gite rental calendar with the weeks beginning on a
Saturday. If you see a "P" against a date it means that someone has
"P"rovisionally booked that date(s) and have promised to send their
deposit (and they have 7 days in which to do that). If you see
a "B", it means that that date(s) is definitely "B"ooked and I have
received their deposit. The gite reservations calendar is updated daily, if not
sooner.
BACK TO THE
TOP |
| |
WEATHER-WISE, HOW CAN I BEST PLAN EXACTLY WHEN TO RENT THE GITE?
A tough question and a question so very often asked. You will have
probably seen our average temperature page and I've started
providing a day-by-day weather history here at La Royale for 2007
(earlier years will follow when I get around to converting my
hand-written weather charts into HTML). The World's most powerful
supercomputers are used to forecast the weather and I rely on
several forecasts from different sources to determine a likely
Carcassonne weather pattern. But when all said and done, I really
can't be more than 24-hour accurate. As you know, when you go on
holiday and want good weather, you can be "lucky" or "unlucky". If
it's sunshine you seek, then it's widely known that the Carcassonne
region does have a lot of sunshine BUT it may not always be as warm
as you might expect. Add to that, the wind, which, when it blows,
effects the whole of this region and not just us! But do remember
the gite is warm and cosy and it's double-glazed and draught-free.
There is also a covered patio area where you can enjoy the
fresh-air, even if it is raining. When the sun goes down, the patio
is also a great place to sit and watch the city lights of
Carcassonne twinkle like tiny coloured jewels on black velvet, and
if you are an amateur astronomer, there is no artificial-light
pollution which means top-quality star-gazing.
So, July & August, predictably HOT, HOT, HOT! June? HOT,
HOT, with a
few rainy days. May can be great and September (like this year) was
fantastic! October, cool (15-20c) but yielding bright vibrant sunny days and
usually, very little wind. April was extra-ordinarily warm this year but is
normally sunny, mostly warm with intermittent but heavy showers. This is not
a gambit to try and encourage you to rent the gite, it's simply an
answer to a question I have been trying to answer for years which
is, "What's the weather like?" But during July and August, whatever the weather brings, you
can still
choose from my menu in the evening if you didn't want to do the cooking and you will always
have UK-telly via satellite to warm the cockles, whatever the time of year.
BACK TO THE
TOP |
| |
DO YOU ALLOW SMOKING IN
THE GITE? Yes, but I would prefer
that you kept the windows wide-open or smoked on the patio
simply because tobacco smoke can linger in the curtains and other
fabrics. Most smokers are considerate and nip outdoors for a
puff.
BACK TO THE
TOP |
| |
WHAT DO I NEED TO CONNECT TO YOUR CAMPING ELECTRICITY
SUPPLY?
You will need a typical French three-pin plug (or adapter)
to plug into a standard three-pin French socket. La Royale is not
fitted with round caravan-style sockets. And, depending on where you
site your pitch, up to 25 metres / 30 yards of extension cable. If
you site your camping pitch near to one of the exterior sockets (of
which there are 4 groups) then you only need 10 metres. The message
here is it's best to bring more extension cable than you think
you'll need. So you need to go and buy some and what colour is best?
Orange,
only so that other campers can see it clearly and don't trip over
it, regardless of the colour of the grass!
BACK TO THE
TOP |
| |
|
| |
