Message Forums

 Hi all

We have posted a few messages on this site and have great regard for the the quality of the reponses and the positivity of the opinions.

We are sorry to say that we come to you with a question based on negative experiences at the Bois Joly.

We travelled there as two familliies, myself, half french, with my wife of mixed race and my best friend and Englishmen and his family very enthuisiastc to sexperience France.

On arrival my friend was given a mobile home that was far from acceptable, small, not completely clean, lacking in equipment and with issues such as a parasol covered in mold and dirt.

We did not complain and simply tried to enjoy ourselves, but found the management team strange and unfriendly as well as many guests making us feel as if their was an anti-Enlish/other sentiment.

On departure we were told that our mobile homes were left in a discusting state and that we must return and clean everything. This was conveyed to us in the very public bar and very aggressively and embarrisssingly. The woman who spoke to me actually grabbed my arm, and squeezed hard, physically, I asked her not to touch me and she let go, she did this again. The staff of the Bois Joly continued with this style of treatment untill my friends wife started crying and for about an hour. It was very public and a horrible experience.

We felt that we had been targeted and that it was a terrible way to behave, if the way we left the homes was not acceptable there were many ways to do this. I challenged the staff and said that the approach was aggressive. The response was that there were many homes to clean so that this was an appropriate way to deal with things and continued to try to humiliate us in a horrible way.

We are concenred about the way we were treated, the fact that there may have been prejudice against Enlglish or other and believe that this whole saga is a disgrace. After costs of the home (£400 odd pounds, £200 car hire, £500 flights and £600 spending we feel very let down.  Please let us know if their are similar experiences, since we will be making formal complaints. We really didnt deserve what we got, it was horrible.

Regards,

Richard

Thanks,

As I say I am half French, my mother is French, my children are a quarter French, quarter Enlgish, and mixed Brazilin, I have lived in France for 6 years as a French person and am also shocked based on my love of France ad the nice way of live in the Vendee.

I worked in Saint Jean when I was young, and loved it, especialliy for the way it was so orientated towards famillly life, thats why I spent so much money to got back.

I asked my English friend to come based on this, they are a lovely familly that really cant offend anyone, so I feel bad, I still enjoyed myself but I feel they got very upset, I wouldnt ever let other people spoil the little time I have, it didnt touch me. Thats why I didnt complain when they demanded €50 to clean our mobile home and after forcing our friends back o clean again also demanded and took €50 off them, I just said whatever. Like you say, France is a lovely place to be usually, hopefully, but this type of occurance is a great concern.

Regards,

Richard

Please see this other message bellow posted one minute after me, I didnt see it when I logged on since it took me ten minutes to write mine, and it was posted exactly the same time as mine, makes me think I am justified.

Richard

bcam Platinum Member Outfit: Sterling Eccles Amethyst Kia Sorento Location: Glasgow Joined: 22/6/2003 Posts:   692 Gallery Images:   0

hi all, just thought i'd let you all know of our experiences at le bois joly in St. jean du monts in the vendee, we arrived at about 8.30 p.m and were directed to a TOTALLY unnacceptable pitch, i couldnt get my van in, the guy who directed me down couldn't speak english and my french although not too bad wasnt good enough to tell him the problems with the pitch. after humming and hawing we got the pitch changed.... Phew, tried to set up and had to pull my van into position to make the most of the pitch space, not one single person offered to help us ( me and my wife ) although they were quite happy to stand and stare at us struggling !!! throughout the following days i tried totally in vain to speak to people  and make friends, nobody seemed interested in being friendly, i wandered around trying to find another U.K car but nope, we were the only brits onsite. i guess what i am getting at is i thought thats what was a big attraction in camping and caravanning, the cammeraderie and banter or maybe thats just me? i didn't want to move in with anyone or bother people, but just to be polite and friendly surely thats not asking too much?? the people onsite didn't even seem to want to talk to other french let alone a Scot ! this site is very french, all entertainments are in french, there is no shop, If you are looking for a site to go to and just be alone, then this is the site for you but if you are maybe hoping to meet others , maybe you should consider somewhere else!

Hi Richard, when were you there? we were there the last week in July, first in August.

Bryan

We were down the bottom just along from the entrance to the canoe hire, mine was the big black sorento with the Sterling van, just down from the last toilet block before you get to all the new statics, did you see the guy with one leg? i stayed just across from him, we actually left 3 days early and didn't get a refund because we had booked and paid up front.

Bryan

Was that the place were we were told we could canoe and fish that was covered in weed andlocked up. I was on the main path, one before the last toilet towards the back of the site.

I have to say that I understand what you are saying and had to fight to keep my English friends happy, it wasnt easy, and if they were on there own I believe they would have left early.

I and my friend will be contacting the Saint Jean de Mont tourist board about the matter, you are welcome to join us.

Best regards, and dont let them get to you, I certainly didnt.

Richard

Hi Richard,

I guess you stayed opposite me, we were the ones with a tourer and a goldy coloured vectra, I didn't realise you spoke english until your last day when I heard you.

Regards

Daz