Frequently asked questions from the Association Tarnaise de l'Hôtellerie de Plein Air

ATHPA

The FAQ section of the ATHPA (Association des Campings du Tarn) helps you plan your vacation with ease: accommodation, equipment, motorhomes, pets, payments and opening times.

Here you’ll find out how our site works, with a list of campsites in the Tarn region, many of which can be booked online. Each answer takes you to the detailed descriptions of the establishments and the search filters, so you can quickly find the campsite that suits you best.
If you need to make sense of camping, PRL, unusual rentals, private or shared sanitary facilities, length of stay… everything is explained.

And if you have a general question, contact us: karine@campingtarn.com or + 33 (0)5 63 36 18 44.

What is ATHPA?

ATHPA stands for Association des Campings du Tarn. It’s not a campsite, but the association that works with all the campsites in the Tarn. We don’t have our own pitches or rentals, the Tarn campsites do.

Our site lists all the outdoor accommodation in the Tarn and allows you to book most of them.

If you’d like to get in touch with a particular campsite, you’ll find its contact details on its page. If you have a more general inquiry, don’t hesitate to send it to us by e-mail at karine@campingtarn.com or by telephone on 00 33 (0)5 63 36 18 44.

They are numerous and varied: restaurant or snack bar, bar or refreshment bar, swimming pool, paddling pool, sports fields (soccer, tennis, volleyball, etc.), table tennis, table soccer, bowling green, children’s playground, fitness area, gym, massage corner, etc.
You’ll find this information in the detailed description of each campsite.
Certain facilities can be used as search criteria in the “campsite” tab, to highlight only those establishments offering this type of service.

Yes, of course!
You can choose to stay at one of our small campsites in the Tarn, which have special pitches for you, or traditional camper pitches at your disposal, with all the collective services and facilities offered to their customers…
Or to stay at dedicated, automated, free or paying reception areas.
For a stopover, an overnight stay or a longer stay, it’s all possible.
All these options are listed on our site under the “Motorhomes” tab, and you can check to see only campsites, or check to see only parking areas.

YES, the vast majority of campsites in the Tarn are delighted to welcome your four-legged friends in the camping section (tent, caravan, motorhome, van, etc.)
But in the rental section (chalets, mobile homes, lodges, etc.), not all establishments offer this service. You’ll find this information on each campsite’s detailed page.
But also as a search criterion in the “campsite” tab, to bring up only pet-friendly campsites in the Tarn.

Yes, in the vast majority of cases, chalets and mobile homes are equipped with individual private sanitary facilities. So in your rental, as in your home, you’ll have a private shower, a private toilet and a sink.
Please note that some rentals, such as lodges (canvas and wood) or unusual rentals (pods, yurts, caravans, bubbles, tree houses, etc.) do not have private sanitary facilities. But in this case, it is clearly mentioned in the details of each accommodation.

Yes, if you are in the camping area (tent, caravan or motorhome pitches) you will of course have access to the campsite’s communal sanitary facilities.

If you’re renting (chalet, mobile home, bungalow, etc.), you’ll have private sanitary facilities inside your rental. But if necessary, you’ll also have access to the campsite’s communal sanitary facilities.

Good to know: more and more campsites are offering “Premium Pitches” in their camping section. These are tent/caravan/camping-cars pitches equipped with individual private sanitary facilities for your entire stay.

Yes, the vast majority of campsites & PRLs in the Tarn accept payment by ANCV vacation vouchers.
Some also accept payment by ANCV connect (dematerialized version).
You’ll find this information in the detailed information sheet for each campsite.
You can also use the “campsite” tab to search for campsites in the Tarn that accept ANCV vacation vouchers.

A number of campsites & PRLs in the Tarn accept payment by VACAF.
You’ll find this information on the detailed page for each campsite.
But also as a search criterion in the “campsite” tab, to bring up only those campsites in the Tarn that accept payment by VACAF vouchers.
Please note that we advise you to enquire earlier about this type of payment, as the amounts and dates depend on each regional caisse.

YES and NO:
Yes, because most of the campsites in the Tarn that offer rental accommodation (chalets or mobile homes) do so all year round, even in the middle of winter.
No, because almost none of them have the camping section (pitches for tents/caravans/camping cars) open in winter.

To check, you can find all the opening dates for the rental and campsite sections on the detailed pages for each campsite.
And to make things even easier, you can check their availability on the dedicated availability search engine on the site’s home page, so you can immediately see which establishment(s) is/are open at the requested period.

The world of the outdoors and camping is the vacation mode that offers the most possibilities and variety of accommodation!
You can camp, of course, with your own tent, caravan, camper van, van, etc.
Or you can rent a wooden chalet, a mobile home, a chalet on stilts, a canvas bungalow, a canvas & wood lodge, an unusual rental such as a Pod, a Tipi, a bubble, a Finnish Kota, a cabatente, a perched hut, a yurt, etc. There’s something for every taste and budget.

Overnight stays are the rule, but camping is all about flexibility. You can book or arrive for a minimum of 1 night and stay longer if you like (subject to availability of course).

This depends on the contract signed with the campsite manager.
Tourist rentals are generally for a period of 1 to 3 months maximum, renewable by amendment to the contract. A new contract or amendment must be drawn up to extend the period.
There are also contracts for the rental of fully-equipped plots (often with mobile homes), known as “leisure” plots. In this case, the campsite manager offers to rent the plot for a longer period (1 to 2 years), renewable by amendment to the contract, and the customer can occupy the plot during the campsite’s opening period. Please note that it is against the law to take up residence on a campsite.
Overnight stays are the rule, but camping is all about flexibility. You can book or arrive for a minimum of 1 night, and stay longer if you like (subject to availability of course).

If you don’t have any camping equipment, but want to give it a try, then try our canvas bungalows or canvas & wood lodges… you’ll be in a tent, already set up for you, fully equipped with separate bedrooms, a small built-in kitchenette…
You’ll be camping, but all you have to do is bring your suitcases, and we’ll take care of everything else for you before you arrive!

It’s normal to be afraid of making a mistake. Vacations are important, and we’re often afraid we’ve made the wrong choice.
To help you make the right choice, we’ve broken down the campsites in the Tarn region by “vacation style”: campsites with entertainment, campsites suitable for families with young children, campsites with little or no entertainment, naturist campsites, or campsites close to numerous sites to visit…
You’ll find the “vacation styles” in the dedicated tab, but also on the detailed description of each campsite.

What’s more, our coordinator, who has been with us for almost 25 years, is there to advise you if you need help. She has visited all our campsites several times and will undoubtedly be able to help you finalize your choice.

A PRL is a Residential Leisure Park. When they are hotel-based, which is the case for the vast majority of PRLs in the Tarn region, they are managed like campsites.
PRLs and campsites have administrative star ratings (1 to 5), renewable every 5 years.
PRLs and campsites can offer camping pitches (tents, caravans, motorhomes, vans, etc.) and rentals (chalets, mobile homes, lodges, etc.). PRLs and campsites can also offer communal facilities such as a swimming pool, children’s playground, sports field, entertainment, etc.
The big difference is that in the Tarn, PRLs only offer rentals, the vast majority of which are wooden chalets.

ATHPA stands for Association des Campings du Tarn. It’s not a campsite, but the association that works with all the campsites in the Tarn. So no, we don’t have any pitches or rentals ourselves, the Tarn campsites do. There’s only one outdoor establishment in Albi, and you’ll find it on the interactive map, with full details and rates.

Each campsite has its own booking policy and cancellation conditions, which are mentioned during the booking process.
Please note that ATHPA offers promotions if you book on our site…These promotions are available during specific periods and are only valid at participating campsites. (see details on the page dedicated to promotions).

Tarn, the Green destination

The Département du Tarn has been awarded the Silver level Green Destinations label, recognizing its commitmentto sustainable tourism on an international scale.

Tarn is the first département in France to receive this award.

Log Tarn Occitanie - Green destinations, médaille d'argent