1 - Is the construction date of the mobile home important?
Yes. Don’t hesitate to ask how old the mobile home is. A mobile home built over ten years ago and with a flat roof cannot be rented at the same price as a more recent construction. What’s more, it’s obviously not as pleasant, if only from an aesthetic point of view.
2 - What facilities are available in the mobile home?
The level of equipment varies a great deal from one model to the next. At the least, you will find an equipped kitchen with a (small) refrigerator, a cooking hob and dishes. An oven is sometimes on offer as an option. The same is true for garden furniture. But in top-of-the-range accommodation, you may well find a flat-screen television, a toaster, a freezer, a dishwasher, air-conditioning, a safe, a portable grill… Some campsites can even rent you a personal jacuzzi!
Please note: towels are seldom provided. The same is true for sheets. So it is recommended to bring your own. But you can generally rent them onsite, at prices that are sometime exorbitant… Ask before you decide. If you rent off-season or in regions where temperatures are sometimes low, covers are provided free of charge. There is one for each bed, which is not always enough.
Remember that you can often rent an oven, sheets, a cot or high chair, and even a television onsite.
3 - How big is the campsite pitch?
In the campsites with a star rating, the size of pitches is officially regulated. On average, it is 90 m² in 1- and 2-star campsites, 95 m² in 3-star campsites, and 100 m² in 4-star campsites. But the minimum surface area must be 70 m² in 1- and 2-star campsites, and 80 m² in 3- and 4-star campsites. Official regulations also stipulate that accommodation must take up a maximum of 30 % of the surface area on each pitch. So, on a 100 m² campsite pitch, a mobile home cover more than 30 m². The patio (which must be moveable) is not included in the calculation.
All the same, pitches on offer in campsites increasingly vary between 100 and 150 m². Even better, some campsites have pitches of 200 m² and over. Obviously, the price is then higher!
4 - Does accommodation sleeping four people always mean there are two bedrooms?
No. There might be one bedroom and a sofa bed in the living room. In most rental accommodation, there are two bedrooms, one with a double bed and one bedroom with two single beds for children. There is often a sofa bed in the living room. This is described as a mobile home sleeping 4 to 6 people. If there are six of you, for reasons of comfort, it is better to opt for a mobile home with three bedrooms. For the past few years, in fact, campsites have been investing in this kind of accommodation to meet the needs, among others, of families with three children. And blended families.
5 - Is there a patio with all accommodation?
No, some campsites (unfortunately!) have mobile homes without a patio, but this is more and more unusual. Patios (usually covered) are either a part of the mobile home or chalet, or are next to the accommodation (in which case, they are not necessarily covered).