News - english version - camping-iscledeprelles.com

[february 2009]

Relax at the Monetier les Bains Health Spa - newly opened in summer 2008 !
For years the villagers dreamt of having a spa ; Christmas 1999 “Les Bains” opened. You can now relax in anatorally hot (37°C) swimming pool, half inside, half outside, summer as in winter. During the day looking at the glaciers… and at night stargazing !
Lounging around in the pool is the perfect way to end a “hydromassage” session in one of the individual cutom baths. Various courses are available – all overseen by qualified therapists.
I just wanted to tell all those ladies who don't really like skiing, that while the man in your life is off enjoying the slopes at Serre Chevalier or Puy Saint Vincent, why don't you treat yourself to some pampering with one of the many treatments on offer at the natural thermal spa. A moment of total peace and quiet guaranteed - I've tested it for you (and for myself of course!). The campsite is only half an hour away from the 'Les Bains' Spa so go on - treat yourself!

Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Cécile et Dominique

[january 2009.b]

The 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pelvoux Ecrins!
Let the Hautes-Alpes and Southern Alps win for France ! (13/01/2009)
On the 10 January 2009, Pelvoux Ecrins 2018 presented its Nature Candidature in a bid to be the official French candidate to host the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This magnificent candidature file, topically focuses around sustainable development with nine out of ten sites already in place and all within a 40km radius. It provides for the use of local military and industrial heritage , with the choice of a rail transport system. Backed by Italy and Marseille Provence, Pelvoux's ambition is simple - to win the bid to be the French candidate by proposing, on behalf of France and the Olympic world , to stage the most beautiful Winter Olympic Games ever.

Gerard Semiond, the mayor of Pelvoux has come up with a candidature slogan that sums it all up :- 'back to our roots" - the roots of the Olympic spirit, of sport, of simplicity and common sense aiming to return to a society where the values that matter are respect for your fellow man and for the environment. The bid will be formally submitted to the National Olympic Committee and French Sports (CNOSF) in Paris on the 21 January.
And what if the Winter Olympics were organised in the mountains? The answer seems obvious but the International Olympic Committee's selection criteria have to be met.
'This is the case and our problem is almost the opposite as we have so many potential sites and so much accommodation capacity", declared Guy Hermitte, mayor of Montgenevre and spokesman for the candidacy. He is pleased to see the whole region turn out to back this bid with unanimous support from champions, the sporting and political worlds and significant backing from businesses which have enabled the project to come to life.
"More than 3 million people from Marseille to Turin are hoping for victory!" pointed out Franco Capra, mayor of Claviere in Italy, proud to see Turin 2006 infrastructures such as bobsleigh and ski jumps enjoy a second Olympic life thereby cutting the budget and saving public expenditure. This cost-conscious concept is totally in harmony with the environmental excellence of this mountain region and potential Olympic area where no fewer than 4 national parks can be found. The Mayors of all the sites concerned have stated their pride at taking part with the magnificent flag-bearer, Pelvoux Ecrins.
The big ski resorts of Serre Chevalier, Les Orres, Puy Saint Vincent, Montgenevre, Risoul and Vars as well as neighbouring resorts in the Champsaur, Ubaye, Queyras, Devoluy and Pays de la Meije are all getting ready. Briancon and Montdauphin will be able to display their Unesco heritage to the world . Barcelonnette, Embrun, Argentiere la Bessee, Vallouise, Saint Crepin, Freissinieres and the Roche de Rame are preparing their future and that of this region where we are ready and waiting to host the Olympics.
No risk for France or for the National Olympic Committee and French Sports (CNOSF) with Pelvoux Ecrins!
France will send a message to the whole world about her choice of society for the years to come with Pelvoux Ecrins! Let France win and host the most beautiful winter Olympic Games ever with Pelvoux Ecrins!
Support the Pelvoux Ecrins candidature on the website www.pelvoux-ecrins-2018 !

Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Cécile et Dominique

[january 2009.a]

Dear campers...
New things on the web....
Come and check out our new On-Line Booking.
Just a few clicks of the mouse and you will soon be on holiday at the Iscle de Prelles campsite.
You can now book your 2009 holiday wihout paper or stamps , saving time and money!
Saving time because you can find out pitch and rental availability in real time! Just one click of the mouse and you can choose the accommodation and holiday dates that you want. Just fill in the form with your personal contact information and then choose your payment method.
We save time too, because I can consult and validate your booking option the next morning and you will receive a booking confirmation by internet by return. This computer environment should be user-friendly and if there are any questions we can still communicate by telephone.
I hope that this new service will make booking your holidays much easier. Move with the times and surf the web. Book on-line and wake up at the Iscle de Prelles campsite!

See you soon for more news direct from the Latin Alps.
Cécile et Dominique

[december 2008]

Dear campers...
Oh dear, I have fallen behind with my writing, and haven't written anything for 13 months. I hope you will forgive me. So let me start with a short summary of summer 2008!
The unsettled weather, - more sunny days than grey ones though! - ,didn't put off our regular campers, who have been coming to the Icle de Prelles for more than 20 years now! Those who first came in 2007, came back too. We were really pleased that everyone enjoyed the campsite and entertainment on offer . Some of our new customers left promising to come back in 2009 and others almost made us cry because they didn't want to leave, like Hervé and Valerie, Laurent and Virginie and Axelle.... impossible to mention everyone or I would need more than one page!! So what can we expect in summer 2009? In any case, please do not change, you are great. Please keep your sense of humour, your happiness, smiles and laughter because we really appreciate it!

In summer 2008, there were lots of new things at the campsite :
- landscaping of the swimming-pool
- it was just a start, still more flowers to add!
- total renovation of the snack bar
- it used to be too far away from our activities.

So we converted the old fitness room (which no longer exists but luckily no one seemed to notice!), and therefore the snack bar is now close to the swimming-pool and childrens' play area. We wanted to build the snack bar in a mountain style with mountain pine and larch wood. An artist has given it soul by painting a mountain scene in the corner, playing with the real larch wood. It depicts spring, the first of the four seasons, that we want to continue on the covered terrace wall - little by little we are getting there!
In the autumn , in partnership with the municipality of St Martin de Queyrieres , work started to reinforce the electricity networks. This will be completed in spring 2009 when the snow has melted.

In November, we put up road signs on the main RN94 road. Two big orange/green and blue signs, the colours of the campsite, are now up to guide you when you arrive so that no one can miss the entrance to the Iscle campsite. We also want to add a few more facilities especially for children - but it's a surprise!
Talking about children, Santa Claus will soon be here with all the magic of Christmas , closely followed by the New Year.
So together with Angèle and Dominique I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all the best for 2009.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Cécile et Dominique

[july 2008]

THE FORTIFICATIONS DESIGNED BY MARSHALL VAUBAN ARE REGISTRED WITH UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE !

On July 7th 2008, the exceptional news spread throughout Briançon : Vauban’s fortifications had just been registered on the World Heritage List. The actors and partners of the project were thrilled, along with the rest of the population; it was a happy end to many years of hard work.
The story began in 2001… the town of Briançon started thinking about the projet of having the fortifications of Briançon registered on the World Heritage List. En 2003, the Ministry of Culture and Communication opted for a candidature for a series of Vauban’s works. Many fortified sites then got together, showing a whole range of Vauban’s defensive works. A committee of scientific experts retained the 14 French sites most representative of Vauban’s works, most authentic and best preserved. In order to coordinate their actions and organise lasting cooperation, along with a common communication and promotion approach, a federative structure was set up, called Vauban’s Major Sites Network (RSMV).
By the beginning of July, part of the work was finished. The World heritage Committee, meeting in Quebec, decided to register Vauban’s fortifications on the World Heritage List and therefore recognized and emphasized Vauban’s defensive works, with their diversity and richness. Out of the 14 sites present at the beginning of the project, 12 were retained: BRIANCON et MONTDAUPHIN (the two sites in the Hautes Alpes), ARRAS, BESANCON, BLAYE/CUSSAC-FORT-MEDOC, CAMARET-SUR-MER, LONGWY, MONTLOUIS, NEUF-BRISACH, SAINT-MARTIN-DE-RE, SAINT-VAAST-LA-HOUGUE, VILLEFRANCHE DE CONFLENT. Considerable work thus began for each town: the preservation and promotion of their registered heritage, as part of territorial development.
The town now needed to be sure the plan was carefully applied, which is one of the conditions to keep its registration at UNESCO.
The coherent carrying out of the management plan of the Vauban site will guarantee the sustaining of a remarkable fortified site, but will also encourage the emergence of a concerted and sustainable territorial project.
As a great advantage for the future, the registration with UNESCO opens up truly worldwide opportunities, not only for the town of Briançon, but also for the Hautes-Alpes department and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.
Apart from the reputation and international influence that the registration will certainly bring, it will also create security in terms of preservation, protection, promotion and restoration of the heritage. However, the consequences of this registration will not only be cultural and patrimonial; but also economic, touristic, urban and environmental. Thanks to ist fortifications of the 17th and 18th centuries, Briançon becomes on of the most prestigious sites of the world. The town thus increases its advantages and confirms its motto: small town, big reputation!
Article written by Isabelle Rive, head of the Unesco project.

The Patrimony Service of Briançon, Town of Art and History, offers a large panel of guided tours, discovery days and programms. Our tours are guided by qualified speakers registered by the Ministry of Culture and Communication. Let yourself be guided trough the pages and imagine your trip… medieval Briançon, Briançon by Vauban, a church signed by: the Collegiale, Salettes Fort, Briançon through ist great figures, mural inscriptions…
Looking forward to meeting you in one of the winding streets in the Vauban fortifications

Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Cécile et Dominique

[november 2007]

Dear campers...
Today, the 14th November at 7 am , we opened the shutters and what a surprise! Everything in the campsite has changed to white , nothing but white.
Hurray!!
The snow has arrived - it's magic! You can imagine the children's joy as they hurry to have a snowball fight and build the first snowmen of the season. The winter is looking good with lots of snow for the pleasure of big and small alike. So see you on the slopes at Puy St Vincent,

Pelvoux and Serre Chevalier.
Get out the sledges, and the skis! Ready, off you go and get away from it all at the Iscle de Prelles!

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Cécile et Dominique

[october 2007]

Dear campers...
The peace and quiet of autumn has arrived at the Iscle de Prelles campsite. The squirrels and small birds have come to taste the delicacies. The larch forest is clad in golden robes and the shrubs are orange and red - its beautiful!

Summer 2007 was fantastic too with sunshine to make you jealous ; although three quarters of France was grey with rain and wind, the holidaymakers at the Iscle de Prelles enjoyed the swimming pool, games of petanque and other outdoor entertainment.
This summer we got to know you all with lots of different faces and names from all over Europe and even beyond - Japan, Korea, North America.

What good memories! Beautiful photos to share and we offer some on the Visitor's Book page ( if you don't want to appear please send us an Email) Your smiles and good humour, your kindness and encouragement warmed us to the core.
We made the most of this holiday period to talk to you, to listen, to ask your opinion and what you would like to see at the campsite. There were a wealth of suggestions and exchanges. We are now ready to begin!
So let's hope that the weather conditions this winter and spring will let us get on with the work, so that we can offer you new facilities in 2008.

We look forward to seeing you soon for new adventures at the Iscle de Prelles
Cécile et Dominique

[april 2007]

Dear campers...
We would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves, but first of all a big thankyou to Gilles and Anne-Marie, the previous owners, who welcomed us so warmly and made us feel at home.
Taking over a campsite has been our dream for many years. Now aged 38 and 40 we wanted to live close to nature and get to know lots of people and different cultures, obviously in a professional way, but above all in friendship and fun .
We have been coming to the Alps for several years to recharge our batteries and it was while holidaying at La Grave overlooking the Meije that we really fell under the spell. Since then we have been dreaming of settling in this beautiful region because we love hiking, further and higher up looking for wild animals and flowers. Angéle can't wait to see marmots and chamois again!
Gilles and Anne-Marie have allowed us take over and we are highly delighted! We are going to have to adapt and integrate but with your presence the Iscle de Prelles will continue in style. We will try to meet your needs and expectations and hope to bring you as many good times as during the last 34 years.

We look forward to meeting you.
See you soon.
Cécile et Dominique

New for the summer season 2007:
- Brand new toilet block especially equipped for winter use and ready for this summer!
- A mini-club for 4-12 year olds offering sports, creative and leisure activities , run by a qualified member of staff.
- Would you like to buy a mobile chalet in the mountains? Don't put it off any longer but come and talk to us !