| Champagne's R.V. Park |
| Reviewer : Herb Bagnall |
| From : Winnipeg |
| Date of review : August 26, 2011 |
| Rating : 9 |
| Date of stay : 8/2011 |
| Once in a while you find a campground a little more memorable than the others. That would describe the Champagne RV Park located a bit northwest of Lac Du Bonnet off of Highway #11. Owned and operated by Dennis and Irene Champagne, these people are obviously not afraid of work. The grounds are nicely landscaped and facilities are well maintained. Campsites offer a good selection of seasonal, daily, pull-throughs and tent sites. Internet service is good and you can get CBC TV on the antennae. Young people will enjoy the volleyball court, basketball hoop, and playground structure. But it is Champagne Forest that sets this campground apart. Champagne Forest is a kind of fantasy land built within a dense forest of pine, spruce, and birch. Theme displays are built along a series of trails that wind throughout the forest. The cartoon and nursery rhyme characters brings to mind a sort of Manitoba version of Disney World without the high teck. This must be particularly true when they give tours of the forest on the Ladybug train. Displays are modelled on popular nursery rhymes such as The Cow Jumped Over the Moon and Lady That Lived in a Shoe, and cartoon characters such as The Three Pigs. Theme structures include pirate cove, Indian village, doll house and doll display, cowboy cabin, saloon, pioneer farmyard, church, school, store and more. When I toured in August the Forest had been shut down due to the extreme drought and possible fire hazard, thus some of the themes were in need of a touch-up. Irene tells me they occasionally give group tours of the forest with proceeds to charity. Young and old alike will enjoy this campground. |
