The Rise of Glamping
Holidaymakers look set to carry on Glamping
If you can’t decide between the great outdoors or a luxury hotel on your next holiday, you may be one of the growing number of people who decide to split the difference and go Glam-Camping, or “Glamping” instead.
Glamping originated from festivals like Glastonbury where celebrity festival goers decided they wanted a sumptuous and mud free experience. An increasing number of Camping pods, Teepees, Yurts, Bell Tents and Shepherd’s huts are springing up all over Europe, with more than 150 Glamping sites across the UK alone in 2011. Prices can vary, ranging from £50 to £350 a night depending on the accommodation size, amenities and location.
Gone are the days of tinned beans and burnt sausages, Glampers enjoy access to electricity and any number of luxury appliances. This is just as well, when the likes of celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver can be counted among their numbers. Even the Naked Chef might struggle to whip up the perfect soufflé on a camping stove. Then after a power shower it’s off to bed with the happy Glampers. Not into a rustling, smelly sleeping bag but into a full size spring mattress with Egyptian cotton sheets. You get the idea.
It is certainly bringing harmony to families whose members are split between camping haters and lovers. Offering the perfect solution and being Eco-friendly to boot, it is little wonder that this trend is catching on fast.
However Glamping is not going to appease those who relish the rough and ready appeal of a traditional camping holiday (or “tramping” as some are now calling it)and all the challenges to character that this can bring. France has long been one of the most popular European camping destinations with its thousands of well-provisioned, low cost and often scenic campsites. French campsites even offer swimming pools and entertainment, so it’s no real surprise that our neighbours over the channel have already cottoned on to the demand for a more lavish camping experience and are offering some interesting Glamping breaks.