Meru
Tarn-et-Garonne, France
Le Camp
- Our low price promise from £164 €186 p/n
-
Safari tent
Sleeps 5
- One king-size bed and three single beds
Suitable for children of all ages
Pets welcome
Overview
Adventurous families will love it here, picnicking by the river, taking in the view (and great lungfuls of fresh air) of the Aveyron valley, roaming wild around the natural pool with the frogs and the dragonflies for company. Inside your safari tent is one big space with big comfy beds and a sitting area. The highlight is your treetop shower – no need to hide your modesty, only the birds can see you up here. There’s a proper safari sink built around an oak tree, and an eco-friendly composting loo. There’s no skimping on the luxuries here: you’ve got a marble-topped dressing table, fluffy towels and crisp white sheets, pot plants and a wardrobe for keeping everything stashed away. Owners Anne and Philippe have thought of everything.
You’re tucked away in a secluded glade but all paths lead to the pool and summer kitchen, where the spaces at Le Camp each have their own cooking station. Share recipes with fellow guests, and make friends around the table or simply eat as a family. Meru is on the west side of camp with easy car access if you’re planning on lots of day trips. And plan you shall: treasure hunts through medieval villages, canoeing on the rivers, hiking in the hills. Active families will be very happy with what’s on offer in camp too – with five acres to roam and vast space all around, you’ll sleep very well in the bush of the Midi-Pyrenees.
Read more
Essentials
The important stuff
- Check in: 4 PM
- Check out: 10 AM
- Please bring a torch, walking boots and flip flops to wear on your way to the swimming pool
- Access to the swimming pool is included in your stay
- Please note, there is no lifeguard at the swimming pool but it is fully fenced with a safety gate. Children must be supervised
- There is one parking space near the space
- 12V phone charging ports in the tent
- 240V sockets available in the gatehouse and kitchen area
- Dogs are welcome at 5€ per night payable directly to the owner
- Early check in and late check out are only available if there are no guests booked in either side
- Mobile phone signal available
- There is a tourist tax of 0.33€ per adult/per day to be paid directly to the owners
Sleeping arrangements
- One king-size bed and three single beds
Extra space available
Space for 1 baby no charge.
Space for 1 pet no charge. Dogs are welcome at 5€ per night payable directly to the owner
Kids & Pets
Children welcome. Baby equipment is provided on request. Dogs are also welcome and guests must read and sign the dog welcome charter to confirm that you accept the sites conditions for welcoming dogs.
Cooking
- Communal kitchen equipped with ovens, gas hobs, a microwave, BBQ and a fridge with a freezer compartment
- Cooking utensils, crockery and glassware provided
- Dishwashers available
Washing
- Private en-suite shower and compost loo in the safari tent
- Communal bathrooms with showers and flushing toilets 200m from the tent
- Toiletries provided
- There is a shower room for guests with limited mobility
Heating, lighting & bedding
- Bed linen and towels provided, except for pool towels
- Solar powered lighting
- Paths around the estate are lit
- Bedside lights
- No heating but duvets and blankets provided
Entertainment
- Canyon Grail gravel bike hire - €140 per week or €25 per day, payable directly to the owners
- Communal swimming pool
- Board games and books
- Drawing and painting materials
- Cards, darts, table tennis and boules
- Children's playground
- Fitness area
- Chalkboards
- Toy cars and animals
Read more
Getting there
Le Camp, Lieu Dit Pech Contal, Varen, 82330, France
Main road turn off: ///express.busying.grinning
Le Camp can also be found on Ggoogle maps, which makes sat nav easy as long as you have used the above address! Le camp is in the woods, several kilometres from Varen. Don't worry if you see road signs to Varen and the GPS doesn't follow that direction - trust the GPS, it knows where Le Camp is! Guests should pull in in front of the main entrance and call the owners who will then direct them to their parking and their tents, and give them a quick tour of the facilities.
There is one parking space for each tent. The furthest away is Bamburi and Shimoni (80 metres). For these tents the owners will help guests to transport their luggage with a trolley.
By train
There is a TGV, as well as a regular train service from Paris to Toulouse. From Toulouse, you can travel by regional rail to Lexos, the nearest train station, a 10 minute drive. The owners can arrange picking up guests from Lexos (no charge) but if arriving without a car, will need to hire bikes to get around as Le Camp is situated in a very private location, on a hill so this option is only suitable for serious cyclists.
By car
Le Camp can be found on Google Maps and it is possible to navigate to the village of Arnac by Sat Nav, using the postcode 82330. By motorway, Le Camp is a 9-10 hour drive from Calais.
From Arnac
If coming from the south side of the village, turn left at the war memorial (big white cross) and continue up the road and out of the village (turn right if coming from the north side). You will pass a small sign for Le Camp. Keep going up the winding tree-lined road for 2-3 minutes. Le Camp’s main entrance will appear on your right. Guests should pull in here to meet the owners and unload their luggage. The owners will then direct guests to the parking.
Parking is located about 20 – 200m away, depending on the tent. The owners can transport guest's luggage to and from their tents on changeover days.
By plane
Le Camp is a one hour and 30-minute drive from the airports of Toulouse and Rodez, which are served by EasyJet, Ryanair, British Airways and Air France.
The airports of Bordeaux, Brive, Carcasonne and Bergerac are just over two hours away. All the major car hire companies are represented at these airports. There are direct flights from many of the UK's regional airports to these destinations during the summer season.
Read more
Food & Drink
At Le Camp
Tea, coffee, oils, vinegar, herbs and spices provided.
If guests send a list a week in advance, the owners can stock their fridge and cupboards with food ready for them on arrival.
Stays are self-catered but each morning there is warm bread and pastries to purchase as well as complimentary tea, coffee and hot chocolate. A continental buffet breakfast is available for group bookings with advanced payment.
Local shops
The closest supermarket is Carrefour in Saint Antonin, although some guests do most of their fresh food shopping at the Sunday market.
Places to eat
Beffroi (6.6 miles) - restaurant just off the main square in Saint Antonin. Very popular so needs booking in summer months (the owners can arrange this for guests)
Bar de la Plage (13.2 miles) - a small but excellent bar in the beautiful village of Najac. From the outside seating area you can gaze upon Najac’s spectacular chateau. Serves drinks and bar food
Le Segalar (3.5 miles) - the owners favourite place to eat. A small restaurant very popular with locals. Serves a set lunchtime menu which is excellent value, but you need to book
Read more
Activities
At Le Camp
There are 2.2 hectares to explore with plenty of wildlife to spot. Guests are free to roam and build dens, hunt for bugs and create their own woodland adventure.
The natural swimming pond is heaven and guests can spend hours each day swimming with the frogs or chilling out on sun loungers around the pebbly beach.
There is a sandpit with buckets and spades, ping pong and a pétanque court too.
Guests are welcome to help out with gardening. The owners grow herbs, fruit, vegetables and flowers and guests are welcome to help themselves to the harvest. There are also friendly pets to cuddle.
Things to do
Saint Antonin (6.6 miles) - the setting of Steven Spielberg’s 2014 film “The Hundred Foot Journey” starring Helen Mirren. The Sunday market is an absolute must-see, and guests can pick up fresh bread, local produce, jewellery, clothing, handmade pottery and souvenirs.
Najac (13.2 miles) - officially listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France.
Gaillac (25 miles) - visit the vineyards, where there are numerous tasting tours that guests can book on.
Toulouse (63 miles) - home to many museums and historical religious buildings. One hour away on the train.
The Tarn et Garonne region is developing into the market garden of France and the whole area is becoming dedicated to organic farming. Nearby there are many fine restaurants, homely bistros, local markets and organic food projects.
Outdoor & Active
Pech Merle Caves (36 miles) - discover 29,000 year old cave paintings
The Gorges de L'Aveyron (13 miles) - idyllic cycling country. This and surrounding areas are a relatively well kept secret, meaning quieter roads, lower prices and beautiful unspoilt landscapes. Bring your own or hire one of our Canyon gravel bikes and get to stay at a unique and beautiful destination. Bike hire is €140 per week or €25 per day, paid directly to the owners.
River Averyon (11 miles) - plenty of opportunities for watersports. The owners can book long or short canoe trips for guests.
Grote du Bosc caves (5 miles) - nearby horse-riding, paragliding, climbing, karting… all available to book through local businesses.
Read more
Meet your hosts
Meet your hosts
Anne and Philippe have been proud owners of this eco-domain since January 2024, after previously running a small traditional family campsite in Ariège. Before that, they were both teachers, shaping them into the people they are today.
Anne loves to cook, read by the fire and be in nature. Philippe is a DIY enthusiast, and his passion for cycling makes this area of France particularly special to him, with amazing cycle routes right on the doorstep of Le Camp. As well as embracing the great outdoors, Anne and Philippe took Tao Yin classes together, and are happy to give lessons to camp guests, should they wish to discover it!
The intimacy of Le Camp is what truly won Anne and Philippe over, and they love the fact that they can combine their personal values for ecology with their professions, and share this with their guests.
Wildlife & Environment
Le Camp is situated in 2.2 hectares of oak woodland which guests are free to roam and explore. There is plenty of wildlife to spot, with regular visits from deer, red squirrels, snakes, lizards, owls, and all sorts of birds and insects. There are wild boar too, but they don’t come into the camp, however you can sometimes hear them running along the other side of the boundary fence.
The owners try to encourage as much wildlife as possible at Le Camp, with lots of fruit trees, wildflowers, leaf and log piles, hideyholes and and large areas of the camp left untouched for nature to do its own thing. The lavender outside the kitchen is covered in butterflies all summer long. The natural swimming pond is teeming with frogs, newts, dragonflies and damselflies! Reclaimed materials and solar power are used wherever possible with the grey water from the showerhouse used on pot plants, and all garden and kitchen waste collected to compost.
Read more
-
Overview
Adventurous families will love it here, picnicking by the river, taking in the view (and great lungfuls of fresh air) of the Aveyron valley, roaming wild around the natural pool with the frogs and the dragonflies for company. Inside your safari tent is one big space with big comfy beds and a sitting area. The highlight is your treetop shower – no need to hide your modesty, only the birds can see you up here. There’s a proper safari sink built around an oak tree, and an eco-friendly composting loo. There’s no skimping on the luxuries here: you’ve got a marble-topped dressing table, fluffy towels and crisp white sheets, pot plants and a wardrobe for keeping everything stashed away. Owners Anne and Philippe have thought of everything.
You’re tucked away in a secluded glade but all paths lead to the pool and summer kitchen, where the spaces at Le Camp each have their own cooking station. Share recipes with fellow guests, and make friends around the table or simply eat as a family. Meru is on the west side of camp with easy car access if you’re planning on lots of day trips. And plan you shall: treasure hunts through medieval villages, canoeing on the rivers, hiking in the hills. Active families will be very happy with what’s on offer in camp too – with five acres to roam and vast space all around, you’ll sleep very well in the bush of the Midi-Pyrenees.
Read more
-
Essentials
The important stuff
- Check in: 4 PM
- Check out: 10 AM
- Please bring a torch, walking boots and flip flops to wear on your way to the swimming pool
- Access to the swimming pool is included in your stay
- Please note, there is no lifeguard at the swimming pool but it is fully fenced with a safety gate. Children must be supervised
- There is one parking space near the space
- 12V phone charging ports in the tent
- 240V sockets available in the gatehouse and kitchen area
- Dogs are welcome at 5€ per night payable directly to the owner
- Early check in and late check out are only available if there are no guests booked in either side
- Mobile phone signal available
- There is a tourist tax of 0.33€ per adult/per day to be paid directly to the owners
Sleeping arrangements
- One king-size bed and three single beds
Extra space available
Space for 1 baby no charge.
Space for 1 pet no charge. Dogs are welcome at 5€ per night payable directly to the owner
Kids & Pets
Children welcome. Baby equipment is provided on request. Dogs are also welcome and guests must read and sign the dog welcome charter to confirm that you accept the sites conditions for welcoming dogs.
Cooking
- Communal kitchen equipped with ovens, gas hobs, a microwave, BBQ and a fridge with a freezer compartment
- Cooking utensils, crockery and glassware provided
- Dishwashers available
Washing
- Private en-suite shower and compost loo in the safari tent
- Communal bathrooms with showers and flushing toilets 200m from the tent
- Toiletries provided
- There is a shower room for guests with limited mobility
Heating, lighting & bedding
- Bed linen and towels provided, except for pool towels
- Solar powered lighting
- Paths around the estate are lit
- Bedside lights
- No heating but duvets and blankets provided
Entertainment
- Canyon Grail gravel bike hire - €140 per week or €25 per day, payable directly to the owners
- Communal swimming pool
- Board games and books
- Drawing and painting materials
- Cards, darts, table tennis and boules
- Children's playground
- Fitness area
- Chalkboards
- Toy cars and animals
-
Location
Getting there
Le Camp, Lieu Dit Pech Contal, Varen, 82330, France
Main road turn off: ///express.busying.grinning
Le Camp can also be found on Ggoogle maps, which makes sat nav easy as long as you have used the above address! Le camp is in the woods, several kilometres from Varen. Don't worry if you see road signs to Varen and the GPS doesn't follow that direction - trust the GPS, it knows where Le Camp is! Guests should pull in in front of the main entrance and call the owners who will then direct them to their parking and their tents, and give them a quick tour of the facilities.
There is one parking space for each tent. The furthest away is Bamburi and Shimoni (80 metres). For these tents the owners will help guests to transport their luggage with a trolley.
By train
There is a TGV, as well as a regular train service from Paris to Toulouse. From Toulouse, you can travel by regional rail to Lexos, the nearest train station, a 10 minute drive. The owners can arrange picking up guests from Lexos (no charge) but if arriving without a car, will need to hire bikes to get around as Le Camp is situated in a very private location, on a hill so this option is only suitable for serious cyclists.
By car
Le Camp can be found on Google Maps and it is possible to navigate to the village of Arnac by Sat Nav, using the postcode 82330. By motorway, Le Camp is a 9-10 hour drive from Calais.
From Arnac
If coming from the south side of the village, turn left at the war memorial (big white cross) and continue up the road and out of the village (turn right if coming from the north side). You will pass a small sign for Le Camp. Keep going up the winding tree-lined road for 2-3 minutes. Le Camp’s main entrance will appear on your right. Guests should pull in here to meet the owners and unload their luggage. The owners will then direct guests to the parking.
Parking is located about 20 – 200m away, depending on the tent. The owners can transport guest's luggage to and from their tents on changeover days.
By plane
Le Camp is a one hour and 30-minute drive from the airports of Toulouse and Rodez, which are served by EasyJet, Ryanair, British Airways and Air France.
The airports of Bordeaux, Brive, Carcasonne and Bergerac are just over two hours away. All the major car hire companies are represented at these airports. There are direct flights from many of the UK's regional airports to these destinations during the summer season.
-
Food & Drink
At Le Camp
Tea, coffee, oils, vinegar, herbs and spices provided.
If guests send a list a week in advance, the owners can stock their fridge and cupboards with food ready for them on arrival.
Stays are self-catered but each morning there is warm bread and pastries to purchase as well as complimentary tea, coffee and hot chocolate. A continental buffet breakfast is available for group bookings with advanced payment.
Local shops
The closest supermarket is Carrefour in Saint Antonin, although some guests do most of their fresh food shopping at the Sunday market.
Places to eat
Beffroi (6.6 miles) - restaurant just off the main square in Saint Antonin. Very popular so needs booking in summer months (the owners can arrange this for guests)
Bar de la Plage (13.2 miles) - a small but excellent bar in the beautiful village of Najac. From the outside seating area you can gaze upon Najac’s spectacular chateau. Serves drinks and bar food
Le Segalar (3.5 miles) - the owners favourite place to eat. A small restaurant very popular with locals. Serves a set lunchtime menu which is excellent value, but you need to book
-
Experiences
At Le Camp
There are 2.2 hectares to explore with plenty of wildlife to spot. Guests are free to roam and build dens, hunt for bugs and create their own woodland adventure.
The natural swimming pond is heaven and guests can spend hours each day swimming with the frogs or chilling out on sun loungers around the pebbly beach.
There is a sandpit with buckets and spades, ping pong and a pétanque court too.
Guests are welcome to help out with gardening. The owners grow herbs, fruit, vegetables and flowers and guests are welcome to help themselves to the harvest. There are also friendly pets to cuddle.
Things to do
Saint Antonin (6.6 miles) - the setting of Steven Spielberg’s 2014 film “The Hundred Foot Journey” starring Helen Mirren. The Sunday market is an absolute must-see, and guests can pick up fresh bread, local produce, jewellery, clothing, handmade pottery and souvenirs.
Najac (13.2 miles) - officially listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France.
Gaillac (25 miles) - visit the vineyards, where there are numerous tasting tours that guests can book on.
Toulouse (63 miles) - home to many museums and historical religious buildings. One hour away on the train.
The Tarn et Garonne region is developing into the market garden of France and the whole area is becoming dedicated to organic farming. Nearby there are many fine restaurants, homely bistros, local markets and organic food projects.
Outdoor & Active
Pech Merle Caves (36 miles) - discover 29,000 year old cave paintings
The Gorges de L'Aveyron (13 miles) - idyllic cycling country. This and surrounding areas are a relatively well kept secret, meaning quieter roads, lower prices and beautiful unspoilt landscapes. Bring your own or hire one of our Canyon gravel bikes and get to stay at a unique and beautiful destination. Bike hire is €140 per week or €25 per day, paid directly to the owners.
River Averyon (11 miles) - plenty of opportunities for watersports. The owners can book long or short canoe trips for guests.
Grote du Bosc caves (5 miles) - nearby horse-riding, paragliding, climbing, karting… all available to book through local businesses.
-
Your Hosts
Meet your hosts
Anne and Philippe have been proud owners of this eco-domain since January 2024, after previously running a small traditional family campsite in Ariège. Before that, they were both teachers, shaping them into the people they are today.
Anne loves to cook, read by the fire and be in nature. Philippe is a DIY enthusiast, and his passion for cycling makes this area of France particularly special to him, with amazing cycle routes right on the doorstep of Le Camp. As well as embracing the great outdoors, Anne and Philippe took Tao Yin classes together, and are happy to give lessons to camp guests, should they wish to discover it!
The intimacy of Le Camp is what truly won Anne and Philippe over, and they love the fact that they can combine their personal values for ecology with their professions, and share this with their guests.
Wildlife & Environment
Le Camp is situated in 2.2 hectares of oak woodland which guests are free to roam and explore. There is plenty of wildlife to spot, with regular visits from deer, red squirrels, snakes, lizards, owls, and all sorts of birds and insects. There are wild boar too, but they don’t come into the camp, however you can sometimes hear them running along the other side of the boundary fence.
The owners try to encourage as much wildlife as possible at Le Camp, with lots of fruit trees, wildflowers, leaf and log piles, hideyholes and and large areas of the camp left untouched for nature to do its own thing. The lavender outside the kitchen is covered in butterflies all summer long. The natural swimming pond is teeming with frogs, newts, dragonflies and damselflies! Reclaimed materials and solar power are used wherever possible with the grey water from the showerhouse used on pot plants, and all garden and kitchen waste collected to compost.
-
Reviews
Our guests say...
The Canopy & Stars team
Our guests say...
This place is brand new to our collection so doesn't have any guest feedback yet, but we're sure you'll love it. Book a stay and be the first to write a glowing review!
The Canopy & Stars team
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Want to know a bit more about glamping? Read about...
This place is brand new to our collection so doesn't have any guest feedback yet, but we're sure you'll love it. Book a stay and be the first to write a glowing review!