This weekend, I purchased the new book “Le Québec en camping” (“Camping in Quebec”). It was with a bit of anticipation that I started to leaf through it the store, hoping to see us mentioned. I had seen an article in the newspaper La Presse about the guide and recognized the name of the author from a media request for photos received a few months ago. Maybe we were mentioned?
“Yes! We are in there!” I happily told my husband Nick, our biggest fan and our most valuable collaborator as our website designer. With great glee, he showed the page to the cashier, who honestly could not have cared less. We quickly sought to share the news with a more appreciative audience: my parents, the owners.
We are thrilled that the guide’s description of our campground focuses its serenity and tranquility. It is an aspect our clients truly appreciate. It is with that goal in mind that we decided in the 1980’s to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the number of sites dedicated to seasonal rentals. The guide says those seeking to party it up are not welcome. It may seem harsh but it is indeed true. We love those who are in bed early, getting ready for a busy tomorrow of kayaking/hiking/boat excursions. Some will find us boring, but that’s ok…we take it as a compliment! 😉
My favorite part of the guide is when the author says (translation from French) that the Queenton family takes obsessive care of the campsites found on the domain. There couldn’t be a greater nod to my father Normand who has been developing this site for over 40 years as well as to his colleagues Clément, Marcel and Marielle, who work with so much dedication. We do take great care of our campground’s cleanliness and maintenance. We often have guests stopping by the reception on their way out wanting to express that our campground is the cleanest they have ever seen. As I often respond, it is no magical feat, it is the result of cleaning many times a day.
The reference to “domain” brought a smile. I had a thought for my grandfather Romuald who purchased the land and started developing the grounds 50 years ago, speculating that the announced creation of a national park nearby might bring a greater number of vacationers. I think he too would be proud to read that.
Managing small campgrounds is not always easy. Many of my colleagues and I have other jobs in the off-season (I do web development and work as a tour guide). Since our marketing budget is practically non-existent and we rely on word-to-mouth, recognition such as this are worth their weight in gold.
Other mentions we are particularly tickled by :
We were the only campground mentioned in the Journal de Montréal in their article ‘tour envoutant de la Gaspésie’ last year : http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2016/07/10/un-tour-envoutant-de-la-gaspesie
All your Trip Advisor reviews : https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g494965-d7100133-Reviews-Camping_Griffon-Gaspe_Gaspesie_Region_Quebec.html
Your Google comments : https://www.google.ca/search?q=Camping+Griffon&ludocid=8296460145255453121&gws_rd=cr&ei=Bzn-WKDqLqXVjwSX_r_IBg#lrd=0x0:0x7322f28bab2311c1,1
And all the nice things you write on our Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/campingengaspesie
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all the kind words. They truly are our most sincere reward!
‘Le guide Le Québec en camping’ by Marie-France Bornais is published by the Éditions de l’Homme. ISBN : 978-2-7619-4779-4