Stéphanie and Christian Bonnet became owners of the “Le Taranis” campsite in Mostuéjouls for their love of nature

Stéphanie et Christian Bonnet ont acheté leur camping fin 2022 après un vrai coup de foudre pour le lieu. MIDI LIBRE – P.CHALIEZ

Situé sur la commune de Mostuéjouls, le camping Le Taranis, du nom du dieu
gaulois de l’orage qui aurait donné son nom à la rivière profite d'un magnifique environnement naturel. 

Originally from Cantal, Stéphanie and Christian Bonnet have been living in Aveyron for over 20 years. When they arrived in Rodez, they fell in love with the Gorges du Tarn. Passionate about outdoor sports, they often go there for hiking, canoeing or via ferrata. Christian was then a self-employed swimming pool manufacturer while Stéphanie worked in the construction sector.

“We asked ourselves what we could do that would be more like us for our last 10 professional years”, says Stéphanie Bonnet. “During one of our many weekends in the Gorges, we saw a campsite for sale. Christian and I fell in love with it. We looked at each other and knew that this was what we wanted.” After a few days of thinking about it, the couple confirmed this project. “We bought the campsite on December 22, 2022. We had to do a lot of work. It will take us 3 or 4 years to get it back on track. We will have a beautiful campsite, we are on the right track.”, confides the manager.

A major renovation job

After a major pruning job upon their arrival, the couple redid the reception area, installed a terrace inviting customers to sit in front of the snack bar that they wanted to focus mainly on local products. Last winter, they redid the toilet building. The next project will be to redo the swimming pool which is 40 years old. “We work with ADEME (Environment and Energy Management Agency), it's in the air and it provides us with funding”, explains the entrepreneur.

Located in the commune of Mostuéjouls, the Le Taranis campsite, named after the god
Gallic storm that would have given its name to the river, allows "a total immersion in nature, in an incredible environment. Currently, we can observe the nests of vultures opposite on the ledges", shows Stéphanie Bonnet. She particularly enjoys sharing her passion for the surrounding nature: “I had an XXL map of the region made and we have a telescope available to our customers”.

Two dwarf goats for maintaining green spaces

After October, Stéphanie and Christian Bonnet hope to be able to explore other authentic landscapes with their camper van, as they were able to do in the Pyrenees last year. In the meantime, a hypokhâgne student, whom they met last summer when she was staying at the campsite with her parents, will be joining the Taranis team for the summer season. “We built bonds during their stay. At Christmas, she sent us one of the clay statuettes that she makes herself as a gift. It was only natural that she was asked to come and work with us at the campsite for the season and she accepted”, says Stéphanie Bonnet. Within the Taranis, 2 dwarf goats initially purchased for the maintenance of the green spaces are now in semi-freedom and rub shoulders with the delighted children.

If Stéphanie Bonnet knew administrative and management work because she already carried out these aspects when her husband had his own business, she was also not surprised by the hours required to run a campsite. "What I really discovered is working outdoors, I feel much better", rejoices -She. "We no longer have time for hiking, we devote ourselves 100% to camping currently but we hike every day at a rate of 15 km per day in the campsite, she jokes.

The couple has no time to get bored with 40 pitches and 10 rental accommodations: 7 mobile homes and 3 lodge tents. "We have a lot of requests for tents, we have been full since January. Customers appreciate this proximity to nature while having a little more comfort than in a classic tent. The Le Taranis campsite is open from May 1 until mid or end of September depending on the year.

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