Introduction
Eribalife En France 2023 is going to be hosted at Camping I’isle Verte, Montsoreau in the Loire Valley, from Monday 12th to Monday 26th June 2023. Your host will be Clément de Carvalho. Camping I’isle Verte is part of the C’est Si Bon camping group and as a result, attendees will benefit from the discounts that C’est Si Bon offer.
Pitches are available for the complete 2 weeks (14 nights) of the rally at 209€ or for the first week or for the second week (7 nights) at 114€ both prices include electricity. There are a limited number of pitches available and they will be allocated on a first come first served bases.
Camping I’isle Verte is a well-established campsite on the banks of the river Loire in the small town of Montsoreau. The town of Saumur is approximately 12 Km to the west and Tours is 63 km to the northeast. Montsoreau has a tourist office, supermarket, bars, restaurants and other attractions all within a few minutes walk of the campsite. Chateau Montsoreau is a museum of contemporary art. The town also has a vibrant wine industry with producers and cellars again within walking distance, some of which we intend to explore during the rally.
The Rally - what to expect
The Eribalife En France Rally is scheduled to take place over a two-week period, 12th – 26th June. Camping I’isle Verte is set on the south bank of the River Loire and has a total of 144 pitches which about 80 are set aside for touring placements. The number of Eribas able to take part in the rally is limited to 30. The pitches allocated for our use are at the west end of the site. As the campsite is going to be busy we have decided to set aside one of the pitches as a place we can congregate as a group to socialise and enjoy each other’s company. The cost of this will be covered by a small surcharge to each of the rally attendees.
The Campsite has a small bar/bistro with are larger covered and open seating area outside near the swimming pool. We will have two group meals on-site using this facility. Please be aware the bar/bistro facility is not open on Mondays.
The last Eribalife En France Rally required travel by car to all the off-site events and activities. This year most of the off-site events will hopefully be walkable for the majority. All the events are intended to be dog friendly. Rally participants with dogs are expected to be fully conversant and compliant with the campsite rules on dogs and to be respectful of others who do not have dogs. For dog owners, between the campsite boundary and the river runs a foot/cycle path that will provide a variety of dog walking opportunities. The town of Montsoreau with all its facilities is within a couple of minutes walk of the campsite.
Programme of Events
It is always hard for any organisers of any rally to find the balance between organised events, free time and allowing for the inevitable off-the-cuff socials that occur. Below is outlined the proposed events and activities that will be available to all rally participants. (If you are a rally participant you will be provided with full details and pricing). As ever with Eribalife rallies it is entirely your choice as a rally participant as to which events you wish to sign up to. As organisers of the Eribalife rallies, we are acutely aware that we want our rallies to be inclusive and for all to feel that they are involved. To this end, we have arranged for one of the pitches to be kept free for the sole purpose of social gatherings where all are welcome.
Monday 12th June
Arrival Day – There will be a reception in the bar area at 18:00 hrs.
Tuesday 13th June
Use the day to get acquainted with other rally participants, the campsite and the locality.
Wednesday 14th June
For those interested there will be Boule de Fort in Montsoreau at 11:00hrs. Boule de Fort is a traditional local game played in slippers with shaped balls and curved playing surfaces!
Thursday 15th June
An organised evening visit to the unique wine estate of Château de Parnay.
Friday 16th June
Pétanque tournament.
Saturday 17th June
A free day, for your information there is a market in Saumur
Sunday 18th June
A free day, for your information there is a market in Montsoreau
Monday 19th June
Event to be confirmed
Tuesday 20th June
Event to be confirmed
Wednesday 21st June
This is a free day, but across France, it is fête de la musique. This means that most Cities, towns and villages will have live music events to enjoy
Thursday 22nd June
09:00 at the Bar/Bistro wine growers’ breakfast (cured meats and cheese, wine and coffee). This event will last about 2 hours giving you the rest of the day to enjoy.
Friday 23rd June
11.00hrs a two-hour boat trip on the river Loire with wines tasting.
Saturday 24th June
A free day, for your information there is a market in Saumur
Sunday 26th June
The day to pack up. At 19:00hrs there will be a 3-course ‘Farewell’ dinner (table grill) with wine will be served in the campsite Bar/Bistro.
Monday 27th June
Departure day – There will be complimentary tea/coffee and croissants at the Bar/Bistro.
Hopefully you will see that the programmes of events are such that there will be plenty of time for you to explore this part of the Loire Vally in you r own way. For those who want to leave their car on the campsite and strike out further afield, there is a bike hire shop in Montsoreau – La Petie Reine.
The Loire is famed for its wines and if your interest is in wines I am sure this area will not disappoint. The nearest winery to the campsite is Domaine de la Perruche, which is only a two to three-minute walk from the campsite. One of the Domaine’s more recent developments is a red wine that is intended to be served chilled!
Look forward to seeing you in the Loire! Bon Voyage!
Interested in joining us with your Eriba in the Loire?
Visit Eribalife Facebook Group or email simon@eribalife.co.uk
