The history of camping
The history of the campsite les Charmilles de Torigny-les-Villes
Our campsite Les Charmilles has existed in Torigny-les-Villes for over 60 years. Ideally located less than 10 minutes from the shops, it is marked by a beautiful history, since it is adjacent to the castle of the Count of Matignon and his wife Louise de Grimaldi.
In the heart of a small village marked by history
Our pretty little village, formerly called Torigni-sur-Vire, has known its letters of nobility thanks to Count Jacques IV de Matignon, Lord who had his castle there and who married Louise de Grimaldi in 1715. Until 1841 (with Honoré V, Prince of Monaco), the Matignons kept a strong link with the region, returning very often to the castle, even if they took the name and arms of the Grimaldis.
The walks along the pond, to which the campsite still has direct access, are not new. If it is a small village, Torigny-les-Villes remains nevertheless a place impossible to circumvent of Normandy and its history.
A little more than 60 years ago, the retro littoral campsite was born, then municipal, located at the entrance of the village. The predecessors of the current owners continued to develop and maintain the property for many years.
The current owners of the campground have been in business since 2018. They continue to welcome customers with the same culture, the same desire to discover the geography and history of Torigny-les-Villes. The camping continues to develop and reinvent itself with new rentals, classic or unusual.
An eco-citizen and modern campsite
Today, without altering its beautiful history, our campsite is resolutely turned towards eco-responsibility. Also, we offer our customers unusual rentals, such as the Coco Sweet, for a unique experience close to nature.
Don’t think that we are going back to the stone age, since these rentals are comfortable and have all the furniture you would expect from a small 21st century vacation home (except for the sanitary facilities).
The history of the campsite is linked to that of the commune, and the ponds of Torigny-les-Villes still show the traces of the ditches dug around the castle, as well as the immense wall 300 meters long and 12 meters high, built under the reign of Jacques de Matignon, who wanted to protect his wife Louise Grimaldi from the winter winds of the North. It is now called the “Grimaldi Wall”.
A castle always present and restored
The castle of the Count of Matignon was confiscated during the French Revolution and bought back by the city in 1817. It was partially destroyed under the bombardments of the year 1944, and has now only its southern part. It has since been completely restored and now houses the City Hall.
To come to the Torigny-les-Villes campsite is to live a little of this beautiful history, and to plunge back into the memories of the village with delight and amazement.
Un camping écocitoyen et moderne
Aujourd’hui, et sans dénaturer sa belle histoire, notre camping se veut résolument tourné vers l’éco-responsabilité. Aussi, nous proposons à notre clientèle des locations hors-du-commun, telles que la Coco Sweet, pour une expérience unique et proche de la nature.
Ne pensez pas pour autant que l’on retourne ainsi à l’âge de pierre, puisque ces locations sont confortables et possèdent tout le mobilier que l’on attend d’une petite maison de vacances du 21ème siècle (hormis les sanitaires).
L’histoire du camping est liée à celle de la commune, et les étangs de Torigny-les-Villes montrent encore les traces des fossés creusés autour du château, ainsi que l’immense mur de 300 mètres de long 12 mètres de haut, construit sous le règne de Jacques de Matignon, qui voulait protéger son épouse Louise Grimaldi des vents hivernaux du Nord. On l’appelle de nos jours le « mur Grimaldi ».
Un château toujours présent et restauré
Le château du Comte de Matignon est confisqué à la Révolution française, et racheté par la ville en 1817. Il est détruit partiellement sous les bombardements de l’année 1944, et n’a plus actuellement que sa partie sud. Elle a été entièrement restaurée depuis, et y abrite maintenant l’Hôtel de Ville.
Venir au camping de Torigny-les-Villes, c’est vivre un peu de cette belle histoire, et se replonger avec délices et étonnement dans les souvenirs du village.
