Full time through winter in search of new life
- Thread starter dawsey
- Start date
Seems to be drifting into Spain, hope he knows where he isNot quite sure what you're saying... Are we on the same page? I was referring to a campsite on the Costa Dorada, not in France.
And I'd mentioned it because it has a railway track along the boundary of the camping, but the site is still successful and usually virtually full ie the noise from the express trains isn't a deterrent for holidaymakers.
El Templo del Sol appears to score 4.3 out of 5 (86%) on Google with 1474 reviews.
Camping El Templo del Sol · Via Augusta, 43890 L'Hospitalet de l'Infant, Tarragona, Spain
âââââ · Campsitetinyurl.com
Apologies to dawsey - didn't mean to cause thread drift.
Not quite sure what you're saying... Are we on the same page? I was referring to a campsite on the Costa Dorada, not in France.
And I'd mentioned it because it has a railway track along the boundary of the camping, but the site is still successful and usually virtually full ie the noise from the express trains isn't a deterrent for holidaymakers.
El Templo del Sol appears to score 4.3 out of 5 (86%) on Google with 1474 reviews.
Camping El Templo del Sol · Via Augusta, 43890 L'Hospitalet de l'Infant, Tarragona, Spain
âââââ · Campsite
Apologies to dawsey - didn't mean to cause thread drift.
In earlier posts I mentioned that we looked at a few naturist sites on the journey, I was always most impressed by them, both location, philosophy and the approach to maintenance. We couldn’t get fully comfortable with buying one though. The transition to ‘textile’ would have been too costly.
We’ve looked at this site with regard to how we might accommodate naturists alongside clothed campers, and concluded it isn’t possible due to the fact that a high proportion of the summer visitors are young french families and groups. Some of those battered old statics do still pay their way, the normal working class Frenchies still absolutely love a week in a cheap static in their own country, just as my mum and dad did when I was a little kid in the 70s. It seems the French never transitioned to cheap package deals to the costas as the Brits did.
However - one thing we do notice (all new to us, we have almost never stayed on campsites before) is that the other 75% of the campsite, which is given over to ‘real’ campers which means pitches that take anything from a tiny tent to a 10m 7.5 tonne behemoth has quite a freewheeling feel.
European ladies and gents of all ages into 60s and 70s are very comfortable wandering around in the tiniest bikinis, and it seems, as long as it’s just 95% nudity and not the full 100%, everyone rubs along happily.
It has made us conclude that there's no point in trying to accommodate the ‘full monty’, because I’d guess that most naturists would be happy with 90-95% nudity for the typically very short period they would be on this, essentially transit, site. It’s also laid out in such a way that with a carefully positioned van, a windbreak and some fresh hedges, full naturism can be done on many pitches in one corner of the site with no one else ever seeing anything, so people who want to be fully naked could do so without it ever being acknowledged or advertised. They would just have to be discreet, and always slap on shorts or bikini to head to the bar, cafe or pool.
I mention naturism as we’ve already met one or two brits on the site who do declare themselves to be naturist, it would be nice to be able accommodate as many people as possible. Food for thought
mikebeaches
LIFE MEMBER
Interesting to hear your current thinking on the naturist perspective, and great that you viewed sites of that persuasion that impressed.In earlier posts I mentioned that we looked at a few naturist sites on the journey, I was always most impressed by them, both location, philosophy and the approach to maintenance. We couldn’t get fully comfortable with buying one though. The transition to ‘textile’ would have been too costly.
We’ve looked at this site with regard to how we might accommodate naturists alongside clothed campers, and concluded it isn’t possible due to the fact that a high proportion of the summer visitors are young french families and groups. Some of those battered old statics do still pay their way, the normal working class Frenchies still absolutely love a week in a cheap static in their own country, just as my mum and dad did when I was a little kid in the 70s. It seems the French never transitioned to cheap package deals to the costas as the Brits did.
However - one thing we do notice (all new to us, we have almost never stayed on campsites before) is that the other 75% of the campsite, which is given over to ‘real’ campers which means pitches that take anything from a tiny tent to a 10m 7.5 tonne behemoth has quite a freewheeling feel.
European ladies and gents of all ages into 60s and 70s are very comfortable wandering around in the tiniest bikinis, and it seems, as long as it’s just 95% nudity and not the full 100%, everyone rubs along happily.
It has made us conclude that there's no point in trying to accommodate the ‘full monty’, because I’d guess that most naturists would be happy with 90-95% nudity for the typically very short period they would be on this, essentially transit, site. It’s also laid out in such a way that with a carefully positioned van, a windbreak and some fresh hedges, full naturism can be done on many pitches in one corner of the site with no one else ever seeing anything, so people who want to be fully naked could do so without it ever being acknowledged or advertised. They would just have to be discreet, and always slap on shorts or bikini to head to the bar, cafe or pool.
I mention naturism as we’ve already met one or two brits on the site who do declare themselves to be naturist, it would be nice to be able accommodate as many people as possible. Food for thought
Also, nice to know that VERY discreet au natural relaxation might still be feasible in a limited way if sufficient personal privacy is achieved by way of secluded pitch location and use of suitable windshields etc.
On occasion, we have certainly enjoyed being in and around the van in the buff at ordinary clothed campsites in just the circumstances you've described, and without any problems.
And it could enable you to access a small slice of a reasonably big niche market where, by word-of-mouth, it is known that the owners are not hostile to the idea.
If we were seeking an overnight or a short stay in an area without a naturist resort in the vicinity, we'd certainly choose a site where we were aware the owner/manager was sympathetic to some degree, provided no adverse/negative impact was caused to other holidaymakers.
suavecarve
LIFE MEMBER
Thankfully re found this thread after our holiday.
Loving the van as I hadnt put 2 and 2 together that it was yours. Any buyer who wants to use a motorhome for touring Europe is mad not to consider yours in that budget range. I have a brand new van and am giving it some thought, but to leave it in your name and leave it at your campsite and just fly down to Lyon to use it, with insurance, ownership etc with you, I wont but I thought about it. Just wondering if there was more value in you keeping it as a "Static" especially for your workers
I was also kind of hoping the site was near Poitiers where the van is "located" in its advert, so we might have been able to pop in and be one of the first to see the site owing to going that way somewhere in September, but luckily for us we will be going your way (if all things go well your end) next year and we will definitely be stopping, if for no other reason than to support your venture with what I consider to be a cracking venture and still remember your first posts about going into this with your eyes open and risk assessed.
Its been mentioned previously but the benefits of a vlog and the free advertising you will get from that (as well as the posterity) will "see them come" and will also show your customers the transitional process at the site and on youtube and would be on my agenda if I were in your shoes (I wish) even if you just took the videos and sent them to someone to edit them for you. A "Before and after" walk round video is a huge selling point and would immediately negate previous negative comments on Trip Advisor etc.
Would it be worth contacting the review sites (at the appropriate time) telling them of the change of ownership and how previous reviews of the previous campsite with previous owners is now defunct and harming your business so you then get a clean slate to advertise with.
Just loving this thread
Loving the van as I hadnt put 2 and 2 together that it was yours. Any buyer who wants to use a motorhome for touring Europe is mad not to consider yours in that budget range. I have a brand new van and am giving it some thought, but to leave it in your name and leave it at your campsite and just fly down to Lyon to use it, with insurance, ownership etc with you, I wont but I thought about it. Just wondering if there was more value in you keeping it as a "Static" especially for your workers
I was also kind of hoping the site was near Poitiers where the van is "located" in its advert, so we might have been able to pop in and be one of the first to see the site owing to going that way somewhere in September, but luckily for us we will be going your way (if all things go well your end) next year and we will definitely be stopping, if for no other reason than to support your venture with what I consider to be a cracking venture and still remember your first posts about going into this with your eyes open and risk assessed.
Its been mentioned previously but the benefits of a vlog and the free advertising you will get from that (as well as the posterity) will "see them come" and will also show your customers the transitional process at the site and on youtube and would be on my agenda if I were in your shoes (I wish) even if you just took the videos and sent them to someone to edit them for you. A "Before and after" walk round video is a huge selling point and would immediately negate previous negative comments on Trip Advisor etc.
Would it be worth contacting the review sites (at the appropriate time) telling them of the change of ownership and how previous reviews of the previous campsite with previous owners is now defunct and harming your business so you then get a clean slate to advertise with.
Just loving this thread
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The site is near Poitiers. Vienne the Department, not Vienne the town near Lyon.
We haven’t given any thought to videos and marketing and stuff as yet. We can certainly make some ‘interesting’ videos of the degredation, and just how clapped out everything is right now…. but there is such a mountain to climb, and we will probably end up doing most of it ourselves it will take years before we can really do before and after.
we have to renew the swimming pool as it is completely clapped out/dirty/disgusting and we are presently trying to work out how best to do it without it costing 200grand. My plan is to dig out and just enlarge it. Reroute some pipes, put a heavy base down, replace cheap knackered old lining with concrete and resin, and replace all the mouldy concrete. This alone is going to be a few months works.
We today had a frank conversation with the current owner about his inability to manage his own staff. There are 5 full time and non seem to ever do any work. The owner goes for afternoon nap about 12 and they close the reception and all sun bath together under a tree until he wakes up about 3pm. Then they pretend to work until the end of their shift. The cleaners don’t clean, the gardener doesn’t garden, the cook, well, less said the better. A known letch but he’s been employed 3 years. Despite 10 staff statics he has to live in a caravan in a field outside the walls but next to the site to stop him pestering the young girls. You couldn’t make it up.
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- Feb 22, 2011
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I thought it was Vienne ?
500 klm away
suavecarve
LIFE MEMBER
Your advert for the van is located near Poitiers so thought (incorrectly) that the campsite might be there as well.
- Feb 22, 2011
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I think dawsey gets about quite a bit 
The van, me, Bea, and the site we are buying are all near Poitiers. Poitiers is the capital of the Vienne department, in the north of nouvelle aquitaine.
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Read post 426 again, if I read it right the van and campsite ARE near Poitiers which is in the Vienne Department not Vienne the town which is in Isere Department
EDIT: Dawsey beat me to it
- Feb 22, 2011
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Apologies, I was looking at Vienne town near Lyon.
UptheGas
Free Member
Anywhere near Futuroscope ? Promised I’d take my daughter back there one day !
Well I’ve looked at every site in a 50 mile radius and found nothing that comes close… I’m going bonkers at the anticipation..
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It’s that bad it’s not listedWell I’ve looked at every site in a 50 mile radius and found nothing that comes close… I’m going bonkers at the anticipation..
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Of course. A major factor in the calculation.
Can’t be communicated, sorry.Well I’ve looked at every site in a 50 mile radius and found nothing that comes close… I’m going bonkers at the anticipation..
So many of the truest things are mentioned in jest….It’s that bad it’s not listed
Did you see the one that the Brits are selling in Airvault?Well I’ve looked at every site in a 50 mile radius and found nothing that comes close… I’m going bonkers at the anticipation..
5 acres 2 Ha and €1.4m asking. caters only to Brits. We had a good look at that one.
suavecarve
LIFE MEMBER
The question for me now is, "What is the likelihood of you being owners before September 25th ?"
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I just can’t wait to hear what site it is, I’m going to be one of your first customers/helpers/freeloader/victim…
Contact the Ukranians, they will geolocate any photo for you.
Minxy
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You just want an excuse to go play with a larger monkey frame (scaffolding tower) than your own!I just can’t wait to hear what site it is, I’m going to be one of your first customers/helpers/freeloader/victim…
make of it what you will… It doesn’t match my other descriptions thoughIs that a hint…
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I just can’t wait to hear what site it is, I’m going to be one of your first customers/helpers/freeloader/victim…
We need hardcore gardeners landscapers joiners, cleaners, general builders, plumbers electricians, roofers, tilers, screeders tree surgeons plasterers, french polishers, scaffolders and did I say, gardeners?
Every building trade there is - and gardeners
Much to do, the 10yr plan continues to develop. Once we have secured the loans for purchase, we go straight to the 500k loans needed for the first 4 years of investment (all beyond the maintenance and repairs that will be done with these {now gone very soft} little pinkies typing all this). Years of hard graft. Bring it on.
Yep can do all that
apart from French polishing, don’t do that French stuffYep, that will square me up nicely, when’s the rest coming
I do not have a business in France, but do own a house. I now know a lot of people over there and am familiar with "French life" One thing to consider is french emplyment law- you have said the gardener and cleaners are next to useless, you may find it is quite hard to "get rid" due to strict employment laws. I hate work shy skivers and will not tolerate them in my line of work- you may find it harder to deal with this issue (you may have to wait till they reach 62Thanks guys. Don’t worry, we aren’t kids and do know what we are getting into.
To be clear, Bea is 100% onboard and excited and we are not pulling out of this… I post bluntly about the negatives, which I can see freaks people out, but am less forthright about the positives. It’s because they are perhaps not immediately obvious.
It is depressing staying on the site and seeing how it is run. We have never said what this place is so there’s little chance of the French owners seeing these comments, but in any case it wouldn’t matter. There is nothing they would not have seen a hundred times in their own reviews (and a hundred times more harshly expressed). They seem blind to it, unwilling to understand, to listen to their own customers. There’s this arrogance…
The problems (in order) are the complete lack of maintenance of the grounds, gardens, walls, woodlands, everything. The second is the complete lack of proper cleaning (of the sanitary/shower blocks). The third is ageing facilities, swim pool, shower blocks too small for modern times etc. The first two, while yes requiring hard work, are pretty obvious to address.
The third is where the banks need to help us, or we liquidate other assets to invest - but, it can be done over several years maintaining turnover.
In essence - the first two to maintain what is already a very high turnover, the third to grow it.
I give examples. There is a full time gardener, paid full time. All we ever see him do is ride round for 20min a day on a lawnmower. The landscaped grounds could and should be utterly beautiful with a real full time proper gardener. They are not. They are shocking. There are full time cleaners who spend five minutes cleaning the showers, and they remain beyond disgusting post clean.
Best example ? The cook. Think Gerard Depardieu in the movie ‘Pi’.
I could write a lot, but I just don’t think you guys would believe it. You would think I was making it up.
I will announce what this place is soon enough as the noises from the banks on both acquisition lending and partnership investment lending have been good. It’s an utterly beautiful and glorious place that just needs taking back to former glory and maintaining, repairing, modernising. I will be installing kids water slides from 14th century tower bowman windows into enlarged swimming pool and we will creat something magical and unique.
We will build it and people will come…
For those interested, who are keen gardeners - we will absolutely offer a free holiday to all who can help. Gardening, hedge laying, pruning, dry stone walling, getting rid of invasive tree species, removing ivy, clearing undergrowth, dead trees, tree surgery etc etc
Lastly - no need to worry about us. I will try not to put any more alarmist posts. We are looking at this in a very hard headed way as well as using imagination. There’s no choice if we are to persuade French banks to become our long term partners (that’s what they are indicating they seem to want).
)
Thankfully not. All are seasonal/temps and have no employment rights. We also made sure it was specified in the compromis.I do not have a business in France, but do own a house. I now know a lot of people over there and am familiar with "French life" One thing to consider is french emplyment law- you have said the gardener and cleaners are next to useless, you may find it is quite hard to "get rid" due to strict employment laws. I hate work shy skivers and will not tolerate them in my line of work- you may find it harder to deal with this issue (you may have to wait till they reach 62
We know that employing anyone in this country can be a nightmare. I think many (especially younger) brits are quite lazy, but the French take it to a whole new level. Employment costs are high and social charges at around 80% means you have to pay twice. They aggressively police it, everyone is encouraged to report ‘black market’ activity so everyone must be ‘cards in’. It’s not like the UK where you could and still can bring any foreigner on any job, pay them cash in hand and nobody asks any questions. The French hugely protect their labour markets, despite the unemployment.
It’s a key reason why all these economic immigrants in the small boats don’t want to stay in France or the rest of Europe where things are broadly similar. They can’t get any work. They want to be in the UK with its huge black labour market, and no legal requirement to carry ID, as has always been the case.
The daily mail must be very confused about who to blame these days..
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