Overall Beermountain Rating
Camper Profile
Slightly older campers, motorhomers and serial LM fans with hairdryers and big fridges.
Beermountain Special Award
The only camping site at Le Mans with official hook up to mains power on every plot.
Current Issues
None.
Beermountain Special Award
The only camping site at Le Mans with official hook up to mains power on every plot.
Current Issues
None.
OUR RATINGS
CATEGORY
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RATING
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COMMENTS
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OVERALL
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GREAT FULL SERVICE CAMPING
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SECURITY
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AVERAGE, KEEP VALUABLES LOCKED UP
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TOILETS / SHOWERS
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UNDER PRESSURE
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NOISE
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MOSTLY PEACEFUL
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ATMOSPHERE
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MOSTLY FUN AND FRIENDLY
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Smaller in number of plots than it's more "full on" neighbour, Camping Houx is situated behind the village, opposite Houx Annexe. The site offers better than average facilities. Its biggest and unique distinction is that each pitch comes with access to an electrical hook up included in the price of the ticket. There is also a block of toilets and showers in the style of an old school French campsite. Plots are nearly all numbered and just of one standard pitch size.
Pros:
Hook up, generally peaceful neighbours and not a bad location
Hook up, generally peaceful neighbours and not a bad location
Cons:
Some pitches are amongst trees so not good in multi pitch bookings, the far end of the site from the entrance is prone to flooding in a few places.
Close by:
Nothing really, other than access to the back of the village.
Did you know?
This is one of the oldest campsites, still with very French style outdoor sinks at the wash block. It is the only standard campsite to have hook up electricity.
You can find a pitch map in our map room.
On a sub four hundred mile journey my biggest delay getting there this year (despite there being no queue) was getting through security at the entrance. Even the traffic at Rouen caused less obstruction.
It took about four controle to check my tickets... 'Oui Madame that does say Houx'. And then they wanted to search my boot. They promptly gave up when they saw how packed it was and this dose of 'couldn't be assed' then extended itself to the cyclist supposed to direct me to my pitch for shoulders were shrugged and I was left to find it for myself.
I then came over all British as I wasted a good half an hour interpreting the painted pitch direction and deciding if this was mine or if I had to be the row to the left or right.
Then the heavens opened, which I won't hold Houx or the ACO responsible for despite the clear provocation.
Mercifully despite the weather I managed to remain dry all week which was an achievement for three metres from my pitch was a swamp forcing it's campers to pitch up in the access lane.
My new gazebo worked a treat as for the first time ever i enjoyed a shelter that actually kept the water out and kept things within it dry. Even my cheap and nasty (and I do mean nasty) tent I got from Asda (which I broke in multiple ways before even sleeping in it once) somehow survived the rain despite a broken zip and being held together by duct tape.
This years neighbours were quite loud. They liked their music on notch eleven and maximum base. At one stage they blasted out 'it'll be lonely this Christmas' by Mud (no I don't know why either) and this was followed by 'I can see clearly now the rain has gone' by Johnny Nash even though at the time it was pouring it down. I gave them five bottles for humour. I would have appreciated it had they thought to turn the volume down before four o f***ing clock in the morning though.
The best thing about Houx remains the electric hookup. This works a treat and I was well powered all week.
The worst thing about Houx are now the toilets. My local block this year (for I was quite near the entrance) was the old one which is reassuringly old school French. Oui mon copaine I kid you not... hole in the floor squat shit.
Not to worry though for when my bowels complain I'll just go and use the more modern block up in the other corner right? Oh ye of little faith. All but one of the toilets there are now broken.. and we are now treated to a whirlwind tour of either broken seats, missing seats, doors which won't lock or no toilet paper.
But at least they keep it clean though. I mean the cleaners were there nine times out of ten when I visited the facilities carrying out a close approximation of cleaning work and yet it was still filthy.
However the shower water was at an acceptable temperature and being a bit of an early bird of late I didn't have to queue much.
I'm going to be cheeky and give Houx a three and a half bottle rating. It's pros (proximity to the village and electricity) still outweigh the cons... but these toilets definitely need sorting out.
2015 review by Mr Pool Pugilist
After trying a couple of sites over the years (Bleu Nord and Houx Annexe) we have settled at Houx.
We have used the site for the last 3 trips and fully intend to carry on with future visits.
Ideal for those with Motorhomes/Caravans due to the Electric Hook Ups, these have improved significantly in quantity and quality even in the 3 years we have camped here. You can use a standard British Electric Cable (Although I would take a Continental Adaptor as well just in case!!) but would advise taking at least 50m of cable, to be polite, you will want to lay around others pitches rather than as the crow flies!
There is a permanent toilet/shower block which is well tended by cleaning staff, this does get busy during peak times, if you can wait till after 10.00am you will be fine. There are Food/Beer Vendors on site selling the obligatory Kronenbourg 4% stuff and quite a selection of Hot and Cold Snacks, never tried the food so cannot comment. The Clientele tend to be regulars who bag the same pitches year on year which is an added bonus as you will know who you neighbours will be, the likelihood of being placed next door to some 24 Hour Euro Techno House Party are greatly reduced!! Access to all the action and the bottom of the Village is only a 10 minute walk away from the top end of the site, bit of a hike to get to the AMM at Bleu Nord, but hey, them’s the breaks…. In summary, a great site with more than adequate facilities, ideal for the Le Mans fan who likes things just a little more civilised.
2015 review by Silver Fox:
I have camped on Houx the last five years. Our pitch is to the top of the site near the village entrance
in this area we have excellent newish toilets with the same lady looking after them every year, toilets are always clean generally plenty of hot water and only busy at the usual times in the morning. We have the new electric points for electric hook up this is a bonus as it keeps the fridge working all week and the beer cold. There is also a cafe every year supplying hot food and drinks. I would rate this site as the best I've been on so far. Locals tend to be French who have been camping there for years - all very civilised apart from the one Danish invasion last year. I would say 5 bottles.
Some pitches are amongst trees so not good in multi pitch bookings, the far end of the site from the entrance is prone to flooding in a few places.
Close by:
Nothing really, other than access to the back of the village.
Did you know?
This is one of the oldest campsites, still with very French style outdoor sinks at the wash block. It is the only standard campsite to have hook up electricity.
You can find a pitch map in our map room.
2018 review by Niklas
For the most of it, this is a lovely campsite, but I did find a couple of things that are very much worth considering.
First up - do always bring long extension leads if you plan on using any power on site.
Second and most importantly: Do a thorough search all over your spot on the site before you drive off the tarmac and onto the grass. I found my plot absolutely littered with rusty nails and sharp metal objects last time around. I'm sure it comes from stupid people burning wooden pallets and stuff there, but this is seriously worth looking for.
I arrived with brand new tires on my car, and I would've been gutted if I had to replace one already. So here's an important tip for everyone - have a good look.
2016 review by Mr Sir Jim!:
So I'm back from another year on Houx... I lose count of the stays I've had there now (maybe four or five). On a sub four hundred mile journey my biggest delay getting there this year (despite there being no queue) was getting through security at the entrance. Even the traffic at Rouen caused less obstruction.
It took about four controle to check my tickets... 'Oui Madame that does say Houx'. And then they wanted to search my boot. They promptly gave up when they saw how packed it was and this dose of 'couldn't be assed' then extended itself to the cyclist supposed to direct me to my pitch for shoulders were shrugged and I was left to find it for myself.
I then came over all British as I wasted a good half an hour interpreting the painted pitch direction and deciding if this was mine or if I had to be the row to the left or right.
Then the heavens opened, which I won't hold Houx or the ACO responsible for despite the clear provocation.
Mercifully despite the weather I managed to remain dry all week which was an achievement for three metres from my pitch was a swamp forcing it's campers to pitch up in the access lane.
My new gazebo worked a treat as for the first time ever i enjoyed a shelter that actually kept the water out and kept things within it dry. Even my cheap and nasty (and I do mean nasty) tent I got from Asda (which I broke in multiple ways before even sleeping in it once) somehow survived the rain despite a broken zip and being held together by duct tape.
This years neighbours were quite loud. They liked their music on notch eleven and maximum base. At one stage they blasted out 'it'll be lonely this Christmas' by Mud (no I don't know why either) and this was followed by 'I can see clearly now the rain has gone' by Johnny Nash even though at the time it was pouring it down. I gave them five bottles for humour. I would have appreciated it had they thought to turn the volume down before four o f***ing clock in the morning though.
The best thing about Houx remains the electric hookup. This works a treat and I was well powered all week.
The worst thing about Houx are now the toilets. My local block this year (for I was quite near the entrance) was the old one which is reassuringly old school French. Oui mon copaine I kid you not... hole in the floor squat shit.
Not to worry though for when my bowels complain I'll just go and use the more modern block up in the other corner right? Oh ye of little faith. All but one of the toilets there are now broken.. and we are now treated to a whirlwind tour of either broken seats, missing seats, doors which won't lock or no toilet paper.
But at least they keep it clean though. I mean the cleaners were there nine times out of ten when I visited the facilities carrying out a close approximation of cleaning work and yet it was still filthy.
However the shower water was at an acceptable temperature and being a bit of an early bird of late I didn't have to queue much.
I'm going to be cheeky and give Houx a three and a half bottle rating. It's pros (proximity to the village and electricity) still outweigh the cons... but these toilets definitely need sorting out.
2015 review by Mr Pool Pugilist
After trying a couple of sites over the years (Bleu Nord and Houx Annexe) we have settled at Houx.
We have used the site for the last 3 trips and fully intend to carry on with future visits.
Ideal for those with Motorhomes/Caravans due to the Electric Hook Ups, these have improved significantly in quantity and quality even in the 3 years we have camped here. You can use a standard British Electric Cable (Although I would take a Continental Adaptor as well just in case!!) but would advise taking at least 50m of cable, to be polite, you will want to lay around others pitches rather than as the crow flies!
There is a permanent toilet/shower block which is well tended by cleaning staff, this does get busy during peak times, if you can wait till after 10.00am you will be fine. There are Food/Beer Vendors on site selling the obligatory Kronenbourg 4% stuff and quite a selection of Hot and Cold Snacks, never tried the food so cannot comment. The Clientele tend to be regulars who bag the same pitches year on year which is an added bonus as you will know who you neighbours will be, the likelihood of being placed next door to some 24 Hour Euro Techno House Party are greatly reduced!! Access to all the action and the bottom of the Village is only a 10 minute walk away from the top end of the site, bit of a hike to get to the AMM at Bleu Nord, but hey, them’s the breaks…. In summary, a great site with more than adequate facilities, ideal for the Le Mans fan who likes things just a little more civilised.
2015 review by Silver Fox:
I have camped on Houx the last five years. Our pitch is to the top of the site near the village entrance
in this area we have excellent newish toilets with the same lady looking after them every year, toilets are always clean generally plenty of hot water and only busy at the usual times in the morning. We have the new electric points for electric hook up this is a bonus as it keeps the fridge working all week and the beer cold. There is also a cafe every year supplying hot food and drinks. I would rate this site as the best I've been on so far. Locals tend to be French who have been camping there for years - all very civilised apart from the one Danish invasion last year. I would say 5 bottles.
2015 review by Sir! Jim
So Houx is much as I remembered it...
I turned up on Tuesday afternoon, had my tickets efficiently scanned and marked, and then had "Controle" shrug their shoulders at me and gesture me through. They were not fussed at all in directing me to a "non numbered" pitch. The nice lady did at least wish me "Bon Journey" though... which was nice. This resulted in me accidentally pitching on some one else's slot, but they were cool about it, and we befriended each other for the week.
The electricity at the campsite has been upgraded, the old dodgy ports replaced with swanky new ones with many more sockets. This is far better as my junction still had most of it's socket available late into the week. Or at least it would have been better had I come along with the appropriate plug and adapter, my new friends lent me theirs though in return for some room in my igloo chiller to cool the beers.
The shower queue was always manageable, with acceptably warm water and being relatively clean... but it would be nice if the hand basins had soap and were clean which they were not.
Houx's relative proximity to the village is always a bonus, the walk back from the podium is quite short... going out to Tetre Rouge or the Porsche Curves is slightly further though, and I advise you not to arrive at your chosen night vantage point only to discover that you left behind the tripod fitting for your camera and have to go back to the campsite for it.
Security is as standard (or not as the case can be) ... I believe my pitch did get ransacked during my absence at one point as I arrived back to find my tent wide open and it's innards strewn about. But more fool them as everything of any use or value was locked in the car or on my person.
I managed to miss the traffic each time on my sprees to Carefour... didn't really experience any delays of any sort. Maybe I just hit the traffic jackpot or maybe the early bird just gets the worm.
Overall, as long as I can continue securing tickets to Houx, I'll continue camping here, mainly for the electric and relative convenience.
Want the latest information and answers to some questions about this place?
So Houx is much as I remembered it...
I turned up on Tuesday afternoon, had my tickets efficiently scanned and marked, and then had "Controle" shrug their shoulders at me and gesture me through. They were not fussed at all in directing me to a "non numbered" pitch. The nice lady did at least wish me "Bon Journey" though... which was nice. This resulted in me accidentally pitching on some one else's slot, but they were cool about it, and we befriended each other for the week.
The electricity at the campsite has been upgraded, the old dodgy ports replaced with swanky new ones with many more sockets. This is far better as my junction still had most of it's socket available late into the week. Or at least it would have been better had I come along with the appropriate plug and adapter, my new friends lent me theirs though in return for some room in my igloo chiller to cool the beers.
The shower queue was always manageable, with acceptably warm water and being relatively clean... but it would be nice if the hand basins had soap and were clean which they were not.
Houx's relative proximity to the village is always a bonus, the walk back from the podium is quite short... going out to Tetre Rouge or the Porsche Curves is slightly further though, and I advise you not to arrive at your chosen night vantage point only to discover that you left behind the tripod fitting for your camera and have to go back to the campsite for it.
Security is as standard (or not as the case can be) ... I believe my pitch did get ransacked during my absence at one point as I arrived back to find my tent wide open and it's innards strewn about. But more fool them as everything of any use or value was locked in the car or on my person.
I managed to miss the traffic each time on my sprees to Carefour... didn't really experience any delays of any sort. Maybe I just hit the traffic jackpot or maybe the early bird just gets the worm.
Overall, as long as I can continue securing tickets to Houx, I'll continue camping here, mainly for the electric and relative convenience.
Want the latest information and answers to some questions about this place?
