What Les Castels does

Les Castels (legally LES CASTELS CAMPING & CARAVANING) is a French non-profit association (Association Loi 1901) founded in 1959 and headquartered at Manoir de Terre Rouge, 35270 Bonnemain. It functions as the central brand and marketing platform for a curated network of 13 independently owned, family-operated premium campings (4- and 5-star) across nine French regions, including notable estates in Vendée, Sologne, Bourgogne, Normandie, Creuse, Sarthe, Bretagne, Centre-Val de Loire, Ardèche, and Côte d'Opale. The association does not own the campings; it acts as an intermediary connecting campers with member properties through a centralized website (les-castels.com) available in five languages (French, English, Spanish, German, Dutch).

The platform offers a broad product surface spanning traditional pitches (with Castels Suite for private sanitation and Castels Premium tier), rental accommodations (mobile homes, equipped tents, chalets, gîtes, apartments), unusual lodgings (treehouses, yurts, bubbles), and themed categories (5-star, 4-star, nature, beach, eco, wellness, sports, château, heritage, luxury, motorhome, pet-friendly, accessibility-adapted). The underlying technology stack is modest: the Ctoutvert reservation module handles real-time booking across the network, Google Analytics with DoubleCookie remarketing supports acquisition, and OVH provides hosting. The association operates with a small central team of approximately 10 employees.

Commercially, Les Castels functions as a marketing and booking intermediary. Reservations are processed through the central booking engine, but contracts are executed directly between campers and individual campings, with payment options including credit cards, on-site payment for pitches, and French tourism vouchers (ANCV, VACAF). Pricing is unit-based and ranges from approximately €84/week for basic pitches to €490+/week for premium accommodations. A 'Best Price Guarantee' and waived booking fees support conversion. Marketing is multi-channel: SEO-optimized destination and blog content, email newsletters, social media, printed brochures, and display remarketing. No revenue, funding, or ownership data is publicly disclosed.

Name

Les Castels

Legal name

LES CASTELS CAMPING & CARAVANING

Website

https://les-castels.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Les Castels is a 1959-founded French non-profit association that markets and books a curated network of 13 independently owned premium campings across nine French regions, serving French and international tourists via a multi-language website and the Ctoutvert reservation platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor hospitality and camping services

NAICS

RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (721211), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Campgrounds (Tent & Mixed-Use) (THAMAJAB)

Keywords

• Outdoor camping holidays
• Premium camping France
• Camping pitch rental
• Glamping accommodations
• Independent campings network

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonnemain

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Accommodation rental - holiday homes: Les Castels generates revenue primarily through renting holiday accommodations including mobil-homes, chalets, gites, safari tents, unusual accommodations (treehouses, yurts, bubbles), and premium pitches with private sanitary facilities. Prices range from approximately €84 to €490 per week depending on the property, season, and accommodation type.
2. Camping pitches: Revenue is also generated from renting traditional camping pitches for tents, caravans, and campervans. Balance payments for pitches are typically collected upon arrival at the campsite.
3. Cancellation insurance / warranty: Some campings offer optional cancellation insurance or guarantee that customers can add during the booking process for an additional fee.
4. ANCV holiday vouchers and VACAF vouchers: Some campings accept ANCV holiday vouchers and VACAF vouchers as payment, providing additional revenue collection channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Les Castels is a non-profit association that curates and markets a network of 13 independent, family-owned high-end campings across France, offering pitches, mobil-homes, chalets, gîtes, equipped tents, and unusual accommodations (treehouses, yurts, bubbles). It operates as an intermediary platform that facilitates online booking through a Ctoutvert-powered reservation system while each member camping retains its individual ownership and identity. Revenue is generated primarily through accommodation rentals priced from approximately €84 to €490+ per week, plus optional cancellation insurance and gift vouchers.

Product overview

Les Castels is a collection of independent high-end campings in France established in 1959, operating as a unified brand offering diverse accommodation types and themed vacation experiences. The portfolio spans traditional camping pitches (with options like Castels Suite for private sanitation and Castels Premium for upgraded amenities), rental accommodations (mobile homes, equipped tents, chalets, gîtes, apartments), and unusual lodging (treehouses, yurts, shepherd's huts, bubbles). The company organizes campings across thematic categories (5-star, 4-star, nature, beach, eco-friendly, wellness, sports, castle-themed, luxury, motorhome, heritage) and geographic regions, providing activities ranging from water sports to equestrian, tennis, golf, cycling, and fitness, supported by facilities including water parks, swimming pools, spas, and wellness centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Camping Pitch Rental (Emplacement camping) Traditional camping pitches for tents, caravans, and motorhomes across the Les Castels network of 13 campings in France, starting from approximately €84 per week depending on campsite and season.
• Castels Suite (Premium Pitch with Private Sanitation) Premium camping pitches with private sanitation facilities for guests seeking enhanced comfort on traditional pitches, priced under the Castels Suite brand within the Les Castels network.
• Castels Premium (High-End Pitches and Accommodations) High-end pitches and accommodations offering superior amenities, premium location, and enhanced services across the Les Castels network of 4- and 5-star campings in France.
• Mobile Home Rental (Location mobil-home) Rented mobile homes providing self-contained accommodation with bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom facilities, available across the Les Castels network of 4- and 5-star French campings.
• Equipped Tent Rental (Location tente équipée) Pre-equipped tents combining the traditional camping experience with ready-made bedding and furnishings, available across the Les Castels network in France.
• Chalet Rental (Location chalet) Wooden chalet accommodations offering rustic charm with modern comforts and private terraces, available across the Les Castels network of premium campings in France.
• Gîte and Apartment Rental (Location gîte et appartement) Gîte and apartment-style accommodations providing independent living spaces for families and groups across the Les Castels network of French campings.
• Unusual Accommodations (Camping insolite) Unconventional lodging options including treehouses, yurts, shepherd's huts, transparent bubbles, and other unusual structures for memorable stays across the Les Castels network.
• Glamping en France Curated glamorous camping experience combining outdoor living with luxury amenities and comfortable accommodations across the Les Castels network in France.
• Activities and Services Portfolio Comprehensive activity offerings across member campings including canoe-kayak, fishing, tennis, equestrian, hiking, cycling, fitness, mini-farm and animal encounters, music, water parks, and swimming pools.
• Cancellation Insurance / Warranty Optional cancellation insurance or guarantee that customers can add during the booking process at participating Les Castels campings for an additional fee.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.4/5 customer satisfaction rating across the network

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CtoutvertcoreTechnology or IntegrationCtoutvert provides the reservation module integrated into the Les Castels website, enabling customers to make real-time bookings across all network campings. The SARL is registered in Toulouse (RCS 433 265 618) and handles the technical booking infrastructure for the association.
• NoksiminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNoksi is the digital agency responsible for the design and development of the Les Castels website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Huttopia: Huttopia operates a network of nature-focused campings and glamping resorts in France and internationally with strong eco-tourism positioning. It overlaps with Les Castels on premium outdoor stays, glamping, and eco-responsible branding.
• Camping Paradis: Camping Paradis is a French branded network of independent campings with strong mass-market recognition tied to a TF1 television property. It competes for the same family-vacation camping customer in France under a multi-operator affiliation model.
• Vacanceselect: Vacanceselect is a European online booking platform specializing in campsite and mobile-home reservations. It competes for the same booking funnel as Les Castels, offering a comparable multi-property reservation experience to French and European campers.
• Yelloh! Village: Yelloh! Village is a French network/chain of premium independent campings offering pitches, mobile homes and rentals across France. It is the closest direct comparable to Les Castels in business model, premium positioning, and curated independent-operator structure.
• Flower Campings: Flower Campings is a long-established French network of independent 3-5 star campings marketed collectively under a shared brand. Its network/affiliation model, French geographic focus, and family-vacation positioning directly mirror Les Castels.
• Tohapi: Tohapi is a French mobile-home and camping distributor operating a network of partner campgrounds across Europe. It is comparable as a multi-camping distribution/booking intermediary similar to Les Castels' association-led booking role.
• Vacanciel: Vacanciel is a French network of vacation villages and campings marketed under a shared brand across France. Its network/affiliation structure and French family-vacation focus make it a directly comparable multi-property camping operator to Les Castels.

Emerging players

• Canvas Holidays: Canvas Holidays is a UK camping holiday operator offering mobile-homes and tents at European (largely French) campsites. It competes for the same UK-tourist segment Les Castels targets via ferry cross-Channel travelers.
• Eurocamp: Eurocamp is a UK-based operator of mobile-home and tent holidays at European campgrounds, including France. It overlaps with Les Castels on accommodation types (mobil-homes, pitches) and on the UK-to-France inbound tourist flow.

Broad incumbents

• Pierre & Vacances / Center Parcs: Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs is a large French-listed holiday residence and village operator offering premium nature-based family stays. It is a broader incumbent in the same family outdoor vacation category Les Castels targets, with far greater scale and capital.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-castels

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Les Castels