Tipis at Folbeix

The interior of a tipi at Folbiex

Featured in Cool Camping France, Nigel and Sheila Harding’s tipis at Folbeix in the enchanted forests of La Creuse are an unforgettable experience.

Can you keep a secret? They say there are two kinds of really great campsites: those you want to tell everyone about and those you want to tell no one about and keep for yourself. Nigel and Sheila Harding’s tipis at Folbeix in the enchanted forests of La Creuse definitely belong to the latter category. So, can you keep a secret? OK, then let’s begin.

The real attraction of this site is that it’s a haven of environmentally conscious living. Nestled in a coppiced wood are six snowywhite tipis, each on a raised platform of pine decking made from Forestry Stewardship Council wood and illuminated at night by candle lanterns and solarpowered lights. And if you’re still in the dark about the essence of this place, you can grab one of the wind-up torches available, because as you’ll quickly learn, sustainability and self-sufficiency are the watchwords here. It’s a philosophy that’s particularly apt in La Creuse.

This deep, dark region of France is where they used to speak Occitan, the old Romance language from the time of Dante. It’s the language in which travelling troubadours used to sing of their lost loves and favourite taverns. Although it is rarely spoken nowadays, there are vestiges of it in the thick local accent, full of rough, strangled vowels, characteristic of the cross between the languages of ‘oc’ and ‘oil’ (that’s the language of the Languedoc and of northern France).

And if this all sounds like something from The Lord of the Rings don’t worry. Although it’s a rich soup of sounds, it’s still recognisably French and you’ll soon pick it up. But the fact that the accent is so thick is a sign that this area of France has been pretty much left to its own devices for hundreds of years.

Fast facts

The upside: A wonderful, natural site with discreet areas for each of the tipis and an eco-friendly philosophy to match.

The downside: With only six tipis, it is essential to book.

The damage: £260 per for a family of four. The tariff includes a continental breakfast, with homemade jams and fresh bread collected from the village each morning.

The facilities: A new facilities block is being built for 2008, including toilets and showers, a cooking area and day room.

Food and drink: The theme is very much one of self-sufficiency and eating locally grown produce. There is a market every Friday just up the road in Châtelus-Malvaleix, which also has a boulangerie and pâtisserie. But if you pine for a night out, try La Bonne Auberge (see Treat
Yourself below).

Family fun: Play hippos in the mudbath. Just remember to use plenty of the eco-friendly detergent available at the site to wash up afterwards.

Treat yourself: To a local dinner at La Bonne Auberge (1 rue des Lilas, 23600 Nouzerines; 00 33 5 55 82 01 18). It has a delicious dessert option of local cheese known as Creuseois, made from unpasteurised milk. Délicieux.

Getting there: In keeping with the philosophy of minimal environmental impact, the site is not signposted and is easy to miss. Heading east from Guéret on the N145, turn off at the sign for Ajain and head for Ladapeyre. In the village take
the D990 towards Châtelus-Malvaleix. Folbeix is mile (1.5–2 km) or so up the road and is little more than a collection of houses on either side the road. The site is on your right just as you enter Folbeix. Pull in at the ivy-covered house.

Public transport: There is a train station at Guéret, from where the Hardings can arrange to pick you up for the 15-minute journey to the site.

Open: May–September.

Website: www.vacanesdetipienfrance.com

If it's full: There’s a fine site owned by English couple Neil and Linda Flinton at Fleurat, midway between Guéret and La Souterraine, called Camping Les Bouiex (23320 La Creuse; 00 33 55 41 86 81; www.campinglesboueix.com).

Cool Camping author Sam Pows says...

Sustainability and self-sufficiency are key watchwords for the hosts, so to match their green philosophy you could arrive by train. There are three to four passages a day from Paris to La Souterraine, with bus connections to Guéret where the owners will pick you up.

Of course, the bonus of choosing a site with tipis means you won’t have to lug a tent with you on the Eurostar. If you travel by car (remembering to offset the carbon) then visit Le Pays de Trois Lacs, ‘the country of three lakes’. The road plunges down through wooded gorges where peaceful waters reflect the surrounding forests – simply beautiful.

This is an extract from Cool Camping France, published by Punk Publishing (£13.45 inc pp)