Camping Pasteur: a long and beautiful family history...
It began at the end of the 1950s, with summer visitors coming from all over France, in "2CV", "4CV" and scooters, equipped with pup-tents and small camp stoves. They came seeking freedom, sun, and the pure air of Arès, already famous for the purity of its "Aérium".
This was the time when wild camping was mostly allowed, and it was not uncommon to see large campfires on the beach in the evening.
After a while, some of them wanted to improve the comfort of their holidays, and camping became an new way of meeting other holiday-goers, a new habit which went hand in hand with the creation of paid holidays in France.
At this time, those people would go to the town hall, in the tourist office, with the same question : "Where can we camp ?" They were then sent to locals who would offer them a camping spot on their private property : Hence, the beginning of the camping business !
Perfectly located camping grounds
Lucie et Armand Ducamin-Coq, grandparents of the actual owner Jean-Marie, owned this well located, wooded piece of land, not far from the Basin, approximately 200 meters from the city center and the local businesses. The Pasteur Campsite would be the first campsite created by oster farmers.
Away from the loudness of the cities, it was togetherness, friendliness and sharing that would prevail : Lucie would play cards with the campers, and all would gather for dinner in the evening, roasting a chicken with fries before a lovely game of "Pétanque".
, possédaient ce terrain boisé, bien situé , pas loin du Bassin, et à une encablure du centre ville et des commerces. Le Pasteur sera le premier camping créé par des ostréiculteurs.
Loin des grosses machines, c’est la convivialité et le partage qui dominaient ici : Lucie jouait aux cartes avec les campeurs, et, de grandes tablées permettaient de partager le poulet frites du dimanche midi avec l’ensemble des touristes, avant les parties de pétanque…
Later on, Colette, Jean-Marie's mother, came to lend a helping hand and then took over the family business.
Her husband Jean, an oyster-farmer, never hesitated to take entire families on a boat trip on the discovery of his job, around the Basin and the sea.
A perpetuated family tradition
It was in this simple state of mind that Jean-Marie and Patricia keep this story going, having kept those family values of authenticity and togetherness.
Of course, things have improved a bit and the campsite now offers Swimming pools, Playgrounds, Snack, Bike rental and Mobile-home rental and so on, but it still has that "good ol' times" feeling floating around.
Have no worries for the future : Once Jean-Marie's son Jean-Baptiste, member of the French sailing team, retires from his sports career, it will be with wind in his sails that he will carry on the camping family saga.
