In Pictures: Review of Family Camping le Gave d’Aspe in the French Pyrenees near the Spanish border (Day 37)

Somewhere over the rainbow.. Way up high.. And the dreams that you dream of.. Once in a lullaby, oh.. Somewhere over the rainbow.. Bluebirds fly.. And the dreams that you dream of.. Dreams really do come true-ooh-ooh… I had this wonderful song (Israel Kamakawiwoʻole version) in my head when driving in the south of France through the French Pyrenees, admiring breathtaking views of nature.

I literally felt like being somewhere over the rainbow 😊 Although, I am probably the worst climber there is who is definitely not in shape to climb a simple hill, let alone the Pyrenees mountains. For this very reason, my family and I were driving through it, not trekking.

My imagination, however, was not deterred by my physical imperfections. Enchanted by what we saw, we decided to at least stop for a night to absorb what was around us, even if it wasn’t from the mountain peaks, just looking up on them from a valley!

Camping le Gave d’Aspe offered just that–a no-frills camping in the south of France. Beautifully located, right along a mountain stream, surrounded by trees and mountain tops, it immediately left a lasting impression! Conveniently accessible just off of the main road, it had a feel of that home-type-of-camping, with doors wide open and warm welcoming atmosphere. All of us were very glad to have taken that opportunity to stay one more night in France, right before crossing the Spanish border the next day.

Here’s a quick review in pictures of Camping le Gave d’Aspe in the south of France, near a small village called Urdos, close to a Spanish ski town called Candachu.

This wooden cabin serves as a reception/kitchen/lounging area with a seating zone inside and outside. You can chill while watching your kids play at the playground and admiring beautiful views at the same time. You enter the showers/toilets on the side. Dish washing and laundry are in the back.

These views have a relaxing if not meditative impact on you. It is true what they say about connceting with nature. It does make you feel better.

We were the first ones to arrive! It does not happen often as we usually land pretty late at camping sites trying to cover as many kilometers as possible. We could not decide which pitch to choose!! Really! Finally kids said they wanted to be closer to the woods, which decision came back to haunt me (Ania) at night when an unidentified animal attacked.. not us! the trash that we forgot to through away! In my mind it was a bear, hehe.. Most likely though it was a hungry cat 🙂

Looks like this car has been here for a while!

Kids braved it into this jacuzzi or rather cold-uzzi!! So determined to have a dip, even freezing water did not discouraged them! No, they don’t heat it up!

Indoor seating area. A pleasant surprise as it is not standard at camping places.

Fridge, freezer, microvave–they are all there! Very ample eating space.

If you don’t feel like making your own coffee, you can order it at the reception desk. Bread, beer, water are also available.

Nice family friendly addition. Much appreciated by our children.

“Wow! I have climbed the biggest stone here!!,” yelled Kaj! The stream on the outskirts of the camping site turned out to be much better fun for the kiddos than the playground.

Camping le Gave d’Aspe offers pitches as well as cabins. There is ample space for caravans too!

Inseparable travel companions for us, the adults that is!

Decent dishwashing area with plenty of hot water.

Laundry and dryer are some additional amenities.

Well everyone’s gotta do it. So, here it is. Very clean place to do your business, thoug in quite a tight space… and with walls that look like you are in a mountain cabin.

Plenty of hot showers and NO problem with water drainage. A little old school, but clean and well functioning.

Ok bathrooms. Kids however had a hard time reaching the fosets.

NOTE: In case you’re wondering. . . No, we have not received any form of compensation or freebies or anything at all for reviewing or mentioning this or any others on our blog. We do it for the fun of it and it is helpful to you and others.

What we like about this campground?

What we liked about Camping le Gave d’Aspe is its location. Close proximity to the mountain stream and fantastic views of the Pyrenees made a difference. The greenery and ample space for kids to play were also much appreciated. The indoor and outdoor seating zone right next to the playground was a nice addition.

There’s also a freezer for ice packs and fridge for open use and a lending library and internet connection. . . all for FREE (or at least no additional costs). It is not all that usual for camping sites to have these extra benefits.

What we don’t like about this camping site?

What about what we did not like about Camping le Gave d’Aspe? Nothing in particular stands out here, maybe apart from some traffic noise off the highway nearby.

PRICE

Very decent price at 22.64 euros (including tax) for a family of 4 (2 kids–one under 5), 3-person tent WITH electricity during high summer season (August). If it wasn’t for the lost shoe (additional unplanned cost :)) that my hubby left on the ground when getting into the car, it would have been perfect!

PLAY area

Decent-size playground with a few playthings. The “stone-search” play at the mountain stream nearby turned out to be also a lot of fun for the little ones and the adults alike. Unfortunately, the water in the tiny pool or rather jacuzzi was waaaay too cold. Yup, it was not heated.

ACCESSibility

No problem finding the entrance to the camping site. It was clearly marked from the outside. Once you pull into the parking lot with plenty of spaces you’d see the reception with the charming looking cabin. No card is necessary to access the grounds.

SHADE

Plenty of shade from fully grown trees all around the camping site.

PITCH

How’s the pitch? Soft pitch with no problem sinking tent pegs. The grassy pitch is a bit tight, but luckily it does not get crowded there so you can take over some of the neighboring pitch in case you need more space for a table/chairs.

Privacy hedges

None, which was not an issue as there were no immediate neighbors.

SANITARY FACILITIES

Unisex bathrooms. Sufficiently basic, but clean and with toilet paper. There are two different sets of showers, old ones and renovated ones. Both clean and with hot water.

DINE or DRINKS

The reception offers some basic drinks and snacks/breakfast. Don’t rely on it though for a substantial dish. Best to have your own food and use their dining room.

WI-FI

Yes, and it was FREE (or at least no additional costs). But to get good connection you must be close to the reception.

others

There are also chalets and bungalows for rent open all year. Check this link for pricing: Chalets-bungalows in the Pyrenees – Le Gave d’Aspe Pyrenees campsite (campingaspe.com)

There is a grocery store in a town nearby, 2-minute drive from the camping site, Alimentation Le Compostelle in Urdos.

TIPs for Camping LE Gave d’aspe

It seemed like it should be simple enough to book a pitch just on the spot without prior notice. This gives you much more flexibility. There is a separate space for caravans and for those with tents or minibuses. Make sure to toss the garbage to the main trash can to prevent uninvited visitors at night. You are out in the nature after all!

what to do near CAMPING LE Gave d’aspe

So, what to see or do nearby?

Urdus – a small village of about 70 people in a charming location overlooking the Pyrenees from the Aspe Valley. Due to its location near the border with Spain, it has developed under the Spanish and French influence which is visible in its architecture and charm. Tourists come here throughout the year for hiking trails and a skiing resort of Somport-Candanchu in the winter.
Fort Portalet, “hanged” on a cliff overlooking what today is a highway (and used to be one of the main roads leading to Spain), it is a military construction of historical importance. It served as a fort, a prison, and currently as a tourist attraction. Visits are all accompanied by a guide and must be booked in advance.