Description: The word ‘camping’ has broadened its definition over the last few years and, in these parts at least, is now easily applied, without a hint of irony it seems, to large mobile homes replete with decks. The sites still bare names such as ‘L’Hippocampe’, ‘Camping del Mar’, and
‘Camping La Sirène’, but these appear anachronistic in a similar way to street names on new housing developments that are named after the farm buildings and pastures they’ve replaced.
I find it difficult to refer to this holiday as ‘camping’. Since when did camping involve air conditioning, a 2 metre high fridge freezer and a dressing room? It’s the sort of camping that my mother, not one accustomed to any level of deprivation or separation from a hairdryer, would wholeheartedly approve of but leaves me faintly embarrassed. Our ‘cottage’ (as it is referred to in the literature) had two ample bedrooms, one with the aforementioned dressing room, a shower room and a large living space with a more than adequate kitchen area, dining table, and lounge for those infrequent days when the sun doesn’t shine and the 25m2 deck is off limits.
There are a range of grades and size of accommodation at La Sirène; the smaller, cheaper units come without a deck and you have to make do with placing your garden furniture
on the ground. All are equipped with sufficient crockery, pans, cutlery and bottle openers to satisfy the average holiday chef. I made use of the gas barbecue (unsurprisingly, real fires are not permitted what with all the flammable accommodation, trees and the like) most nights, cooking up steak haché, entrecôte, and merguez for an appreciative family.
There are a few throwbacks to ‘the old ways’ if you look closely enough. Sheets and towels aren’t provided unless you pay extra for them and, in our cottage’s case at least, if the rain really comes down the water made an unwelcome intrusion. Granted, it was a thunder storm that lasted for a day and a half, but we had been spoiled; softened by all this pampering. A vigorous bout of mopping and grumbling about the weather soon put paid to that. I could at least take a camping hardship story home with me that had some credibility; whinging about how difficult it was to find the remote control for the air-conditioning probably wouldn’t have held water.
Having wandered around a couple of other campsites in the Argelès vicinity, it’s clear that La Sirène is up near the top of the market and is priced accordingly. This is mainly due to the quality of the facilities although, after our brief survey, I would also suggest its units are, on the whole, newer and better kept.
We booked direct via the
La Sirène’s website. Large operators such as Eurocamp and Keycamp have a presence too and a number of homes are privately owned and can be booked directly with the owner.
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