1964 : The pioneers
But what could have pushed Robert and Marcelle Vaquer, then 33 years old, to leave the orchards of Ille-sur-Têt to settle in the hamlet of TAXO in Argelès-sur-Mer with their little daughter Anne-Marie? Why did this farming couple from Roussillon abandon their peach trees in bloom on the foothills of the Canigou for the seaside?
To understand it, we have to go back a little and try to put ourselves in the context of the time … almost 50 years ago! If my maternal grandparents changed their lives in 1964, they owe it, without knowing it, to two men in particular: Léon Blum and Charles de Gaulle.
The first, because by signing the Evian agreements in 1936, Léon Blum opened the way to the creation of paid vacations which will allow the development of tourism on the Catalan coast after the war. The second, because it is under the impulse of Charles de Gaulle that the Languedoc-Roussillon coastline was equipped with the necessary infrastructures to welcome the first holidaymakers and that many campsites were created in the 1960s.
Did my grandparents foresee the importance of tourism in our country’s economy? Did they anticipate the advent of the 4th week of paid vacations in 1968 and the 5th in 1982? I doubt it. But they have invested all their energy, all their savings and part of their health in this project of a lifetime. They bought, hectare after hectare, small plots of land to plant, one by one, the pines that gave the campground its name. As they said so well, “it was not a question of being lazy” and it is by dint of work that ” Taxo-Les-Pins ” was born.
If today Argelès-sur-Mer can pride itself on being the European capital of camping with 55 establishments and 13,000 pitches (according to the Argelès-sur-Mer tourist office), it has not always been so. It was therefore necessary to develop and equip ourselves with the necessary infrastructures for the smooth running of the vacations. However, modernization takes time and it will be necessary to wait nearly 16 years before the camp-site inaugurates its first swimming pool in 1980 and thus, bascule in a new era.
1987 : The child of the ball
Since 1978, the first “mobile homes” have appeared, depriving campers of the monopoly of camping. It’s just too much! But these “caravans”, which were born in Great Britain in the 50s and will keep forever the English name of “Mobil Home”, are not only a fashion effect. This is what Anne-Marie Vaquer became Perez and her husband Jean-Marie understood at the end of the 70s. They decided to start the adventure and began to buy mobile homes in order to offer the first rental stays to the customers of the campsite. It is also at this time that the campsite sees arriving a big bearded Dutchman. Family legend has it that he broke down with his truck not far from the campground and never left. On this last point, I can attest because “Jacob” is always there.
The 80’s will be the scene of many changes for the camping in general and for Taxo-les-pins in particular. First of all, the family is growing. I was born in 1979 and my brother Jérôme in 1982. The 2 little boys that we are then spend their summer vacations in the middle of the summer people and share their time between the swimming pool and the skirts of their already busy mother. In 1987, Anne-Marie took over the business. After 23 years of total investment, my grandparents retire to take a well-deserved rest. It is therefore “little Anne-Marie”, whom the first campers knew as a child, who takes the reins of the family business. It is now up to her to make the campsite evolve and meet the expectations of holidaymakers in an increasingly competitive environment.
Over the years, the campsite has grown in size and equipment. From the 90’s, Taxo-les-pins is a shady park of 11 hectares with an aquatic area of several pools, multi-sports fields, a grocery store, a restaurant and a large mobile home park. The campsite ceases to be a simple means of accommodation and becomes a place of life and leisure. The animations are developing. The days are punctuated by sports tournaments and the nights by “disco” parties. The open-air hotel industry is booming and the campsites are taking their cue from the Club Méditerranée. We now speak of “camping club” or “leisure park”. Institutions are becoming more professional and large groups are beginning to emerge.
2006 : From mother to son
The early 2000s saw the rise of large financial groups. Camping is in fashion in the media and financial companies invest massively in this sector. Taxo-Les-Pins is now confronted with competitors with significant financial means. However, the choice is made to remain independent and totally master of its destiny.
In 2006, after studying management, a Master’s degree in tourism and several summers as a seasonal worker, Jérôme joined the Taxo-Les-Pins team to take care of the operational management of the site. While it is in line with the continuity of the family action, it also brings a fresh look at the development of the activity and new ideas in terms of management. Respectful of the environment and concerned about the risk of fires that regularly threaten the region, he first undertook a thorough work to develop the campsite. The pines planted half a century ago are gradually being pruned and replaced by less flammable species. The pitches are gradually being redesigned to offer more comfort and privacy.
The beginning of the 2010s was marked by the financial crisis and we witnessed a consolidation movement by large groups that limited their investments in the outdoor hotel sector. But it is well known that family businesses are more resistant to the crisis. Taxo-Les-Pins therefore decided to continue to modernize its infrastructure and invest in a quality rental park. As a knowledgeable professional, Jérôme is aware of the challenges of the future and the need to continue to progress in order to meet our customers’ expectations.
Season after season, for almost 50 years, the history of the campsite has been intertwined with the history of our family and those who make it live every day. Since the 1960s, many employees and seasonal workers have worked with us to ensure that you have a pleasant time with us. We sincerely thank them for their help and involvement throughout the years.
Finally, and this is the most important, we would like to thank all the people, Works Councils and Tour Operators who have done us the honor of choosing Taxo-Les-Pins to spend their vacations under the Roussillon sun. Without you, none of this would have been possible and it is thanks to you that, season after season, we hope to continue writing the history of the campground for the next 50 years.
As they say in Catalan: “Per molts anys!”
