Spotlight on Les Ormes, Domaine & Resort
Sonia de La Chesnais, on the right, with her brother Arnaud and her sister Séverine
Three words to describe your campsite?
Our campsite is like a giant electric train set.
Three things people don’t know about running a campsite?
To run a campsite, you need to be a real all-rounder, full of energy and highly adaptable. We’re basically running a small town, and we even provide toilet paper for our guests — so it’s more than being a mayor!
What famous people have you hosted?
We’ve welcomed quite a few well-known figures here, from Tony Parker and David Douillet to Jacques Chirac. Not all of them stayed under canvas — Tony Parker stayed in one of our cabins.
What was your best season and why?
Without a doubt, 2022 was our best season. It came after Covid, so it felt great to have a proper season again. There was a real desire to celebrate, meet people and reconnect. We also saw a new balance between French and international guests, which worked really well.
What is your next project?
Our next project — and there are many — is a large half-timbered building in the centre of the site. It will be like a small village, with a shop, bakery, patisserie, deli, snack bar and restaurant. A kind of motorway service area, reinvented the “Les Ormes way”.
What is your biggest fear?
That the sky might fall on our heads! More seriously, accidents are always a concern. You can’t avoid that risk completely, but you have to learn to live with it.
Your greatest pride?
The cohesion of our teams and the atmosphere we’ve created on site.
Your greatest achievement?
Probably the mix of our different types of guests — golf, camping and hotel visitors — along with the Dome, which has allowed us to extend the season. We’re now open from February to November, which is fantastic.
Your most unusual anecdote?
The lockdown in April 2020 was quite something. We had just six guests for two months — Republican Guards from Paris with their horses. It was surreal: we were doing horse patrols and hardly saw anyone else. The whole site, including the swimming pools, was just for us. A truly unusual moment.
Your passion?
My passions are horses, nature and the environment — and people are part of that environment too. The goal is to create a balanced, enjoyable place to live.
In your opinion, what does it mean to be a “Castels” site?
For me, being part of Castels means having a site that is balanced and pleasant to live in. These are like family homes that we share with our guests. And when you share your family home, you’re inviting people into your own space. We’re lucky to have such beautiful places — whether inherited or developed — and sharing them with our guests is our vocation.
