Have you ever wanted to explore the splendours of Southern France but worry your boisterous little one may not find it so engaging? If so, come to Pagel!
This loveable site's ethos is wonderfully simple: provide families with a safe environment which allows children to run free amongst nature, make friends and explore their own imaginations. And here at Hipcamp, we think they’ve succeeded.
Owner Mark discovered Southern France quite by chance. Back in 2002 he and his wife Lara dreamt up the notion of ditching the rat-race and moving to Mediterranean Italy. Then one drizzly London day, a chatty taxi driver offered a suggestion... “Well love, forget Italy and look into the Lot region in France, its beautiful and largely undiscovered.” Of course, he was right. Ten days later Lara, Mark, Benjamin and Charlie visited the region, instantly fell in love, and Pagel was born. A couple of successful years later, Lara and Mark attended a local ex-pats play when they recognised the leading actor; it was none other than that chirpy London cabbie who had also eloped to this glorious region. It’s a small world after all.
Pagel is a great site for the kids, ticking all their holiday boxes. The site boasts a swimming pool, toddler's pool, a myriad of adventures in the fields from a huge pirate ship, space rocket, two trampolines, a play barn stacked with toys, climbing frames galore, long grass (with paths cut in), and table tennis. That should keep the kiddies busy.
As one of the smartest glamping operations in the region, everything the owners do, they do to impress. The Moomba Lodges (opened in 2013) are African style safari tents kitted-out with cosy double beds, furniture, fully equipped kitchen, private bathroom, solid floor, but given all these creature comforts, they somehow preserve the romance of a canvas tent.
So, if you want the best of both worlds; a playful paradise for the kids, and some of Southern France's most beautiful sights on your doorstep, Pagel is most definitely for you. The only downside? How long you may have to wait for a vacancy, but such special, loveable places will always be in high demand.
Nearby Catus has some excellent shops including a small supermarket, butcher, post office, bakers, tabac, bar, restaurant and a tourist information office. Market day is every Tuesday morning. A short distance from the village is Lac Vert, a leisure lake which has a large sunbathing lawn and a small beach with a cordoned off children’s bathing area. There are bigger supermarkets and shops at Cahors and Prayssac, both are about 20 minutes drive away. Further afield, Bergerac, which takes its name from the celebrated wordsmith with the oversized snout. You can see his statue in the old town, that is if you’re not too busy stocking up on wine in one of a clutch of excellent wine-merchants. Red is the colour to go for here. The region is famous for its vino and there are great deals to be had. The old town undulates through a series of sun-dappled courtyards to the river and it makes for a lovely morning visit, wandering through the narrow alleys and getting lost. The beautifully-preserved 14th century town of Sarlat is a pleasure to walk around, especially early in the morning. The centre of the old town consists of impeccably restored stone buildings and is largely car-free. Sarlat has many restaurants, bars and cafes and one of the many joys of staying nearby is discovering them! As well as Sarlat, the Dordogne region of France offers many attractions for visitors including the Cathédrale St-Sacerdos and the Château de Marqueyssac (0033 553 313 636.)
An onsite chef service is available on Wednesday nights to prepare, cook and serve tasty three (or four) course meals direct to your accommodation. On Mondays there’s a family meal that takes place in the front courtyard with the wonderful views to the west and along the valley. Meals are made from fresh local produce and served around a communal table. Wine, beer and soft drinks are included in the price and tasty vegetarian alternatives can easily be provided with notice. The weekly family BBQ is a great opportunity to meet new friends and the site can also arrange a welcome basket (see website.) Pagel also supplies a range of chef prepared food from Cookfood (01732 759020) who rustle-up family meals, special dinners for two and specially created children’s meals. Within fifteen minutes of Pagel there are several excellent restaurants including the extra special Le Gindreau (0033 256 536 2227.) Exquisite Michelin star cuisine is served on a beautiful terrace overlooking a hillside, however it’s not cheap. For pudding, the pistachio soufflé is a real treasure but you could equally spoil yourself with a creamy truffle tart.
