Camping in Ancelle

It's summer in Ancelle: flocks of sheep graze on the lush green slopes of the surrounding mountains. The air is filled with the babbling of clear mountain streams and the twittering of the local birdlife. Well-developed hiking trails lead holidaymakers to imposing peaks, through idyllic Alpine villages and to deep blue lakes. In winter, Ancelle and the surrounding landscape are covered in white powder snow. Downhill pistes of all levels of difficulty leave nothing to be desired for skiing enthusiasts.

Special features of camping in Ancelle

Ancelle lies at an altitude of between 1,160 and 2,779 metres in the middle of the Alps. The French municipality has only around 900 inhabitants, so peace and quiet are guaranteed here. At the same time, everything you need for basic supplies is just a few minutes' walk away. There is a bakery, a butcher's shop, a small grocery shop, restaurants and a weekly market with regional specialities every Sunday morning. The campsites in Ancelle are open all year round and are located in the immediate vicinity of the area's exciting attractions. Both the ski piste and the starting points of several hiking routes are just a few minutes' walk away.

How to get there

The shortest route to Ancelle is from the west of Germany via Luxembourg and Lyon, and from the centre and east via the Swiss cities of Bern and Geneva. It is 935 km from Cologne, 828 km from Munich and 1,354 km from Berlin for caravan or motorhome drivers to reach their destination. When travelling via Luxembourg, it is worth stopping off at a service area with a petrol station due to the low petrol prices. However, these are only located directly on the motorway at the border crossings. The Lorraine Regional Nature Park between Metz and Nancy, with its extensive forests, the Moselle valley and the Lac de Madine reservoir, is ideal for a longer break. The route leads directly past Lake Neuchâtel via Switzerland. The towns on the shore, such as Neuchâtel or Estavayer-le-Lac, have numerous campsites and are ideal for a relaxing overnight stay. As the journey takes you along one of the main routes towards the French Mediterranean, you can expect increased traffic, especially during the summer holidays.

Activities and excursions

The French municipality of Ancelle combines all the attractive advantages of a typical mountain destination: well-developed paths for hiking, bubbling mountain rivers and mountain lakes for water sports and snow-sure pistes for skiing enthusiasts in winter.

Relaxed hiking at Lac de Serre-Ponçon

The picturesque Lac de Serre-Ponçon reservoir is only around 30 kilometres from Ancelle. The height differences on the paths along the lakeshore are minimal, so families with small children can hike here comfortably. During the lunch break, there is the option of a refreshing swim, and in the afternoon, adventurers can continue the hike by canoe on the water. For young and old explorers alike, the Muséoscope du Lac is located not far from the dam with an interactive exhibition about the construction of the dam and the former villages that lie beneath the surface of the water.

Sun-kissed snow paradise

During the season, everything in Ancelle revolves around winter sports. There are 15 different pistes over a distance of more than 26 kilometres. In addition to a snow park and a boardercross course for snowboarders, cross-country skiing fans are also catered for with two trails of 20 km and 18 km each. Snow is guaranteed: around 80 per cent of the pistes can be covered with artificial snow.

Gastronomy

Like probably every region in gourmet France, the Champsaur high valley, where Ancelle is located, has its own traditional cuisine. Tender lamb, flavoursome cheese and fresh mountain herbs are just some of the locally produced ingredients used in regional dishes. Tourtons are a typical dish: deep-fried dumplings made from mashed potatoes and filled with cheese or prunes. They are also known as pillows of the little Jesus, as they were traditionally made at Christmas time. Another regional dish is oreilles d'âne, or donkey ears. The name comes from the wild spinach leaves the size of a donkey's ear, which are baked in the oven with béchamel sauce and cheese between several layers of crêpe dough.

Best time to visit

The climate in Ancelle is partly Mediterranean and partly Alpine. This makes for warm, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. As most of the rain falls on the Écrins massif, holidaymakers benefit from numerous days of sunshine, a total of around 300 per year. During the day, temperatures range from an average of 24 degrees Celsius in the warmest months of July and August to 3 degrees Celsius in the coldest month of January. The nights are typically cool in the mountains all year round, with temperatures below freezing from November to April. Ancelle is worth a visit all year round. Spring, summer and autumn offer ideal conditions for long mountain hikes due to the numerous sunny days. With a winter-proof caravan or motorhome, camping in Ancelle is the perfect starting point for descents on the nearby ski slopes.