Deckchairs: war is declared!

This is the most taboo phenomenon of vacations. Every summer, campsite pools are besieged by sunbed squatters. No one escapes it, not even 5-star hotels!

The evidence for this is the many videos that pop up on the internet. They are both funny and despairing, showing tourists sometimes racing as early as dawn to reserve a sunbed... They lay down their towel so that the spot is reserved for them when they decide to sunbathe.

The guilty party is always someone else

A certain lack of civility annoys most of you. More and more of you are reporting this situation on social media and in satisfaction surveys... which leads to numerous debates.

The guilty party is always someone else... However, according to a survey by the British tour operator Sunshine, 71% of respondents admit to practicing the wild privatization of sun loungers while criticizing those who do it. A discouraging finding that raises questions about our own behavior.

There is no miracle solution

What solutions are there to put an end to these abusive behaviors? What is the role of the campsite in such practices?

According to some of our customers, lifeguards should monitor the sun loungers and free up those that are unoccupied. For Philippe Giner, the director, there is no miracle solution: "We have already tried to implement this policy. The problem is that when lifeguards go after towels, they are not watching the pool. Our priority is the safety of our customers."

Other businesses in the industry, on the other hand, have implemented much more radical solutions. Aqualand, the famous water park, has chosen to charge for sun lounger reservations, and they are not the only ones. Many campsites now offer rental packages. A new system of connected sun loungers even allows you to pay for the reservation of your sunbed using an electronic bracelet. Other establishments are even considering removing sun loungers altogether. At Farret, we don't want to go that far.

There is currently no 100% satisfactory answer! But according to psychologist Samuel Comblez, this type of behavior should become rarer over time. With responsible tourism, behaviors become more respectful towards local populations.

"Don't reserve your sunbed if you're not there!"

We all need to relearn how to live together: that's what camping is all about! Conviviality and sharing should be at the heart of holidays.

Successful vacations do not necessarily mean zero constraints, and respect should never go on vacation.