Ferme Noemie

Mention Bourg d’Oisans and most travellers will think of Alpe d’Huez, the world-famous ski resort that sits 21 hairpins atop of the bustling town. Advanced cyclists are likely to froth with excitement; they view these mountain bends the same way that Catholics view Lourdes, religiously, harbouring lifelong desires to visit their Mecca. Not for the actively-challenged, the climb is steep: it can take three hours to pedal to the top (or under an hour for the pros), but once there you can buy a certificate testifying that you’ve conquered what was the first alpine climb introduced to the Tour de France, in 1911.
 
Alpe d’Huez may boast the longest black run in the world, the 10-mile (16-km) ‘La Sarenne’, but as thrilling as the snow-covered mountain range is, summers here are truly special. Regardless of whether cycling is your bag or not, time spent sprawled out on the lawns of Bourg d’Oisans’ outdoor swimming pool will do wonders for your limbs. It will bronze them at the very least. The scenery is delightful, engulfed by magnificent Rhône-Alpes, and the toddlers’ pool and fun slide will entertain tiny tots for hours.
 
After a tartiflette lunch in town, march off the frighteningly calorific potato, cream, and cheese dish among the 425 miles (680 km) of walking trails at Ecrins National Park. It is the largest of France’s six national parks, created purely to protect the environment. Mountains loom from all angles, cutting into the landscape like a helter skelter of peaks and valleys, visible, in all their glory, from the campsite at Les Sables, just up the road from Le Bourg d’Oisans.
 
Ferme Noemie has around 20 numbered pitches, in homage to the Alpe d’Huez hairpins. The owners Melanie and Jeremy are great skiers. They met working for a UK ski-holiday company in the late 1980s and basically never returned home. He’s good with his hands; the chalet shower block and loft apartments are all his own work. And Melanie is a consummate hostess. Should the nights turn chilly at this high altitude, warm blankets are handed out. An office reception is crammed with information leaflets, a coffee- making machine, microwave, and fridge. If you’ve run out of beer, the couple will lend you theirs; they won’t want anyone to go dry. In fact, they’ll give away cider made from their own apples, gratis. Plastic tables and chairs are allocated to most pitches, so you can picnic under the gaze of the national park.
 
The adjoining cliff face is striking and majestic. Caravans have to park on the right of the driveway, so that they don’t spoil the alpine serenity. ‘Camping for softies’ is the couple’s latest project: bell tents with beds, duvets, wine glasses, plus a sheltered cooking stove. So successful are these tents that there are now four on site, cosy and contemporary-cool in green and cream.
 
Whenever you need a break from nature or sport (really?) the nearest places of interest are pretty niche; various museums celebrate minerals, fauna, hydro-electricity, and crystals. Or spend a day perusing Domaine deVizille’s exhibitions dedicated to the French Revolution, set in a stunning deer park. Then, perhaps, you could try varying your itinerary. As well as walking, cycling and swimming, how about trying out rock- climbing, rafting, canoeing, horse-riding, fishing, golf, or parapenting. The latter basically involves running off the side of one of the gorgeous mountains with a large gliding canopy attached to you. This certainly isn’t a campsite for the bone idle – you’ll be fighting fit and ready to tackle those hairpins yourself by the end of your stay.