Happy & Healthy
How a hotel snob turned into a camping fanatic
You now know that I am a hotel snob. That is obviously not my own fault, it comes from the fact that I once stayed at the incredibly luxurious Le Meurice in Paris on an invitation from Chanel. And since then, nothing can top that experience. Really: no matter how celebrated the hotels are where I sleep, I always have to be a bit of a snob (is that a word? I think it is) about the service, the styling, the beds, and the coffee. You will understand that the shock was colossal when I discovered last summer that I now also take pride in camping.
Yes, it indeed says camping.
You should know that I live on the fourth floor and have two sons. We do have a magical rooftop terrace, but oh my, how I secretly wanted a garden. Bare feet in the grass, long tables with fluttering lace tablecloths, a veranda to drink liters of tea/wine, that kind of thing. A garden would also be oh so nice for my little boys. For a long time, however, I lived in the doomsayer's assumption that there was really no solution for this great loss, except moving to a countryside house with a garden. Until we discovered the Dennenbos at camping Bakkum , a bohemian camping paradise just 25 minutes drive from Amsterdam.
Admittedly: when I was a little girl, I already camped at the neighboring campsite (Geversduin). After that, I had completely forgotten about camping. But it was love at first sight again. The pine trees smell so wonderful and wave so beautifully. On a nice day, you feel like you're suddenly in la douce France. The campsite is also close to the sea: with the cart, you walk through the dunes to the beach. And as the icing on the cake, there is Snoes the caravan. A creative specimen from the eighties, including a romantic wooden veranda, which I decorated with a large standing candlestick and a brass candle chandelier à la Game of Thrones (I am quite into the boho/baroque styling), plus of course a vintage rattan Rohé sofa with the richest sheepskins in the world.
“Camping is, for me, a blessing, a breath of fresh air, the ultimate luxury, and the ideal way to leave the busy (online) life behind for a while”
The observant reader might now say: it's not a tent, it's not a tent! But we feel love. It is also really tough, you know. There is no electricity, our bed is basic, there are ants and spiders, you have to sweep the sand out of the caravan all day long, and when visitors come, you find yourself washing up until the late hours. But the freedom, the fresh air, the smell of the forest, eating outside, the beach, even the coffee from the camping cafetière makes you just take those things for granted. It actually feels nice to be a bit nostalgic about it. Camping is, for me, a blessing, a breath of fresh air, the ultimate luxury, and the ideal way to leave the busy (online) life behind for a while. Something we are all looking for in this time, I believe. So I say cheers, it’s easy to guess where I’ll be hanging out this summer.
And for those who are now thinking: I want a camping paradise like that too, here’s a list of all-time favorite campsites in the making.
Camping de Lievelinge in Vuren, a beautiful green creative camping oasis where you can make campfires and swim in a lovely pond. There is also a petting zoo and a restaurant with a vegetable garden.
Natuurcamping de Roos in Ommen, with an idyllic river where you can swim, a tea house, and a kiosk with organic products http://www.campingderoos.nl
Camping Stortemelk on Vlieland is stunning and super beachy. The atmosphere is super relaxed, and you can walk straight to the beach. There is also a nice restaurant on the premises and a recreation building that doubles as a pop stage.
Camping de Lakens in Bloemendaal is located 200 meters from the Bloemendaal beach, with all its nice beach tents. There is a wellness bus and in June, there is the super cool Surfana festival.
Duincamping de Lepelaar in Sint Maartenszee, a 15-minute walk from the beach. You camp a bit wild in the dunes, among the dune roses, rose hip bushes, and birches, sheltered in a dune hollow or on a little dune. Gotta love it.
