We are in a wait-and

Just steps from the reception, the newly repaired automatic barrier is back in operation. The first vacationers have settled in for the Easter weekend, under the pine trees of the Kergo campsite, in Ploemel, halfway between Auray and the port of La Trinité-sur-Mer. It’s a gentle start to the season for Breton campsites, whose activity continues to grow, according to Nicolas Dayot, the president of the National Federation of Outdoor Hospitality (FNHPA): “In 2025, in Brittany, campsites recorded 14.5 million overnight stays, whereas 15 years ago, there were only 8 million.”

This year, due to the Easter holiday schedule, we will have to wait a few more days for the Breton vacationers to start their vacations for a real restart. The camping site of Mané Guernehué, located near the Gulf of Morbihan in Baden, has chosen a date to open its doors to the first vacationers.

“Next weekend, we are expecting about a hundred arrivals, totaling nearly 500 people,” says Jean-Marie Madec. Along with his two brothers, he represents the third generation at the helm of this five-star campsite. With its XXL water park, restaurant, bar, grocery store, and even a horse riding center, the facilities reflect the upscale trend of the camping industry in Brittany. The SME, with about fifteen permanent employees, will employ nearly 100 people at the peak of the season.

For Nicolas Dayot, the recipe for success is maintaining the customer base of predominantly popular and middle-class clientele over the past 25 years, while attracting new customers with comfortable accommodations. This new clientele has led to investments and a gradual decline in the number of pitches for tents and caravans in favor of mobile homes.

The camping industry in Brittany, as the first collective accommodation mode, may benefit from tourists staying in France due to the situation in the Middle East. Last minute reservations are common in spring, and there is still apprehension among those who had planned to travel abroad. Overall, reservations in campsites are at normal levels.

As vacation budgets shrink, three-star campsites like the one in Ploemel are increasingly popular for calm and green vacations. The camping site, awarded the 2025 Sustainable Development Prize by the FNHPA, has seen an unusual increase in reservations for July.

Over the past two years, there has been a shift towards medium-range accommodations and pitches for tents or caravans, even among the clientele of the five-star campsite in Baden. This trend is likely due to the decreasing number of options and the lower costs, while still seeking authenticity alongside the comfort of five-star amenities.

The reduced financial margin of households has led to shorter stays. May 2026, with its long weekends, is shaping up to be a good month, especially for regional clientele looking for more affordable vacation options.

Vacationers from across the Grand-Ouest region are eagerly anticipated by the teams at the Mané Guernehué campsite, busy with final preparations for the opening. Foreign clientele, on the other hand, is not expected until June. Brittany continues to progress, bolstered by the upgrade of its facilities. Next summer, nearly half of the campsite’s customers will come from Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, or the Netherlands.