Father accuses French campsite staff of 'bias' against English tourists - claiming they 'ganged up' on his family with false claims against his children

Daily Mail​

5 days ago

A 'fuming' Englishman has claimed that a French campsite unfairly accused his family of 'tearing' a trampoline up and 'leaving rubbish everywhere' - saying they have a 'clear bias' against the Brits.
Taking to TikTok, father-of-three James, who runs @thedaurats - an account with more than 11,600 followers - blasted staff at Camping des Lancieres, in the Rogny-les-Sept-Écluses region, for 'ganging up' on them.
'I'm raging,' he said the video, which has racked up some 119,400 views. 'We're travelling through Europe in a campervan and we're in France at the moment.
'We needed somewhere to stay for a couple of nights and we found a campsite and we thought this was brilliant value. It literally was like €9 per night on this site.'
James admitted the play area was 'a little bit basic' but there was a 'trampoline'.
'Our children then went to play,' he continued. 'They were fine. I kept checking on them every so often.
'There was another family at the other side of the site who have children who were playing with our children.
'But I could see that the two boys were being rough, like, hitting my child to a point where I said, come off the trampoline.
'Later on, they came over - and they were playing fine... all getting along nicely. They went back anyway and they went back on the trampoline.'
Then however, James said his daughter was 'pushed into the side netting of the trampoline' - and 'fell out'.
'Luckily she was okay,' he assured. 'We've taken pictures. We took pictures straight away of the net to show that it was torn and how she fell out.'
He explained that, however, the following morning he heard knocking from a site 'warden' at his door, saying she was 'shouting': 'You must pay for the net!'
'So what has happened is the families of the other children, the French families staying in the caravans over there, which are right next to the trampoline, who I think are long term stayers, have all coincidentally got the story from their children and messaged the person to say our children were picking apart and tearing the net... and that's what's caused it to break,' he said.
James then shared a clip of his conversation with someone at the campsite, which appears to have been facilitated by a translator on the phone - who also works at Camping des Lancieres.
The woman on the other line appeared to be trying to get James's side across to the warden, in French saying: 'They seem to be saying they took the kids away... that it wasn't them.'
In return however, the warden sarcastically quipped: 'Yeah right, they're angels.' Then, she claimed the family 'left rubbish everywhere'.
She added: 'You can tell them if they cause another problem they're being kicked out because other campers are fed up.'
James also denied claims that he and his family were leaving trash around the site.
'She's pointing out that I left a tissue,' he said in the clip, trying to speak to the warden.
'She said, you're leaving rubbish I could work out. You're saying you're leaving rubbish on the floor. It was under the door. When I've opened the door, it's fallen off the counter... Look at this plastic that's not even ours.'
'How can we have a conversation when you're walking away?' he continued. 'Because every time I try and speak to her, she's just walking away.
'She's received emails from other families that we've done something, when clearly she's made up her mind. I can only assume that it's the English family's fault. She just didn't like us.'
It did however also seem there were language barriers in place, and it is unclear if both parties truly understood one another.
'This is the worst experience of my life. I feel like they've clearly ganged up on us,' James said. 'We're the English family. We struggle. We speak a little bit of French, but not much.'
Commenters appeared divided, and as while many voiced their support, others insisted James's family should pay for the net
MailOnline has reached out to the family and the campsite for comment.
Commenters appeared divided, and as while many voiced their support, others insisted James's family should pay for the net.
'I'm so sorry this happened to you!' one wrote. 'I'm a Brit living in France and do feel like the the French always side with their own as I've had a few similar issues here with French neighbours in my apartment building (not the same issue I know, but I do understand your situation a little bit!)...
'It's such a shame and I hope you got it sorted in the end.'
One also recounted: 'Not being funny but I've noticed a lot of micro aggressions over seating in cafes and restaurants - parking at tourist destinations, taxi drivers, passport control and even beach chairs.
'I've traveled in remote areas of Africa and Asia for 25 years and never had so much low level snark from people clearly annoyed by strangers and perhaps over tourism. Literally in the last 2-3 years I'm a Gen X so am pretty laid back and not about it.
'I also live in a tourist area in the UK so am very respectful of locals when I travel abroad because I know what a pain tourists can be. I think humans have changed since Covid - road rage, Reform, Trump. It's not you mate.'
Others however appeared to site with the campsite.
One questioned: 'Why didn't you report to the campsite owners if you had nothing to hide.'
'Families will always side with their own children, even if they are in the wrong, no matter what the country, these days,' elsewhere, someone penned. 'Tourism is taking the back lash for the immigration crisis, today.
'Most of the countries that rely on tourists are taking their frustrations out on the tourists. It's very sad.
'And yes, there are terrible tourists that can't behave themselves, mainly adults.'
The campsite has largely positive reviews on TripAdvisor, with a 4.3/5 score. Reviewers said the accommodation is 'restful' and service is 'top notch'.
The Daurats call themselves a 'home education family' and share their travels on social media, with their children Henri, nine, Genevive and Gabriel, who will be one in October.