Mumsnet Talk

Hello, I am looking for suggestions on the French atlantic coast.
After reading some old threads I have narrowed it down to the Vendee and
Charente Maritime, however, I need some more help with actual names of towns and places! I have tried to look up places MNers have referred to on here and can't seem to find them on the map, or maybe my map is the wrong scale, anyway, I need help!..

We would like to go somewhere toddler friendly, self-catering, preferably with a pool and close or an easy drive to a sandy beach. Sunny but not searingly, cant-go-outside hot.

Also, what is the scenery like in the Charente Maritime region? I read on here that the Vendee can be very flat - our taste is more towards slightly rolling countryside!

All suggestions gratefully received.

Not your area but Lacaneau Ocean is fabulous but expensive. It is further down you have to drive around Bordeaux.

Would agree with Lacanau Ocean, although I actually prefer Carcans (make sure it's plage, not ville.) or Maubuisson which has a lovely child-friendly lake. We also spent a few days on the spectacular Ile de Noirmoutier which might be good for you too.

We were in Les Sables d'Olonne (Vendee) a couple of years ago. It was pretty good.

Our site was on the beach, but also had a great pool complex and bar.

We were a short drive from the town, where there were great restaurants and a very wide, maintained beach.

I thought it was reasonably hilly.

Biarritz is lovely, also slightly further down the coast. St jean de luz was really nice. Not far from biarritz airport

OK, I have found a better map now, this is starting to make sense! Thanks for suggestions.

Lacaneau Ocean and Sables d'Oblonne look good. Biarritz might be a bit too far - likely to be driving.

How was the weather in these locations? What would the level of 'busy-ness' be in early July?
Thanks.

We went to Les Sables in early/mid July and is was fairly quiet but not so that nothing was open. There were plenty of people with smaller children and also lots of Irish families on our site. The English ones didn't start arriving until our last day.

The northern part of the Vendee is v different to the south - has the rolling hills you describe. Can't believe no-one has mentioned La Garangeoire yet - used to be a MN favourite. In a lovely rural location, about 15 minutes from the coast (Bretignolles is closest beach)

Haven't stayed there but Camping Les Dunes is in the same area but right by the beach & looked nice

Camping Les Dunes is where we stayed.

We are looking at the Vendee for this summer. I think it has more to "explore" for toddlers, especially around Noirmoutier with the salt flats and rocky beaches, crabs etc.

I know the beaches in the Bordeaux area very well having spent most of my childhood summers there (my mum is from Bordeaux and we still have loads of family there). If you were going to go to that area then I would say stay in Maubuisson which is by a big lake with sandy beaches so is more toddler friendly. The beach at Carcans is easy to get to either by car or by bike through the pine forests. Maubuisson is very nice and has plenty of bakeries, cafes and restaurants, and fabulous ice cream place which serves the best ice cream in the world and plenty of places oyu can get very, very good ready made food.

However, the waves are strong, the currents can be very deceptive (there are always safe areas with lifeguards but they get crowded) and the beaches relentlessly hot, there is no shade at all. I don't see it as very toddler friendly to be honest which is why we are going to go elsewhere and just dip down to Bordeaux for a couple of days to visit family. I honestly think my kids will get bored there (they are 5 and 3). I adored it as a teenager when I got into all the watersports but when we were little a day or 2 was more than enough.

We discovered Charente Maritime 2 years ago, and loved it so much we are going back this year.

There are some lovely towns - Saintes, Cognac, St Savinien. We stayed in a hamlet about 5 mins from the lovely town of St Jean D'Angely.

There is so much to do, we didnt see some of what we had planned because the children were so happy at the gite comlex we were staying in. We hope to get out and about a bit more this year.

The weather was lovely, 23-32 degrees apart from one wet day. The weather of course cannot be guarenteed, but apparently Charente Maritme has a 'microclimate' !! There was a fab indoor pool in St Jean that is good on a poor day.

We cant wait for our trip this year.

My ILs are near St Jean d'Angely. I agree it is a great area but the coast is a bit of a drive (an hour) and gets very busy in summer.

Loads to do though. The coast round Royan is very attractive and there are some lovely beaches off the beaten track. La Palmyre zoo is also excellent.

Just south of Bordeaux Cap Ferret is beautiful but overpriced and I would guess overcrowded in summer. Nice off season though.

We stayed near Royan and was great, the kids loved it. The zoo was good and lots of nice beaches/ playgrounds. Did a week there and a week on the Ile de Re, which was lovely but not as much to do.

Definitely look at la garangoire - area there Is a lot nicer than on the immediate coast IMO, but its still a close drive away if you fancy the beach. Loads to do on site - hardly any need to leave it.

Thanks, everyone! Very helpful. I am starting to veer towards the Vendee/La Rochelle area rather than going as far as the places around Bordeaux.

These all seem like good bets:

Royan
La Grangeoire area (St Jean de Monts?)
Noirmoutier
Les Sables D’ Olonne

We are not campers, so any suggestions of toddler-friendly gites would be much appreciated.

We stayed here several years running some years back. About 5 minutes from the beach. Very peaceful.

http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/France/holiday-house-Vendee/p16554.htm

It is such a nice area and wasnt massively busy. Les Sables has wonderful markets and restaurants.

Ooh, I like it! Thanks.

I've been narrowing things down for our holiday, there are some fabulous looking places on Owner's Direct. Found some for £200-£250 for summer half term! Some slightly more expensive ones but still very reasonable are little groups of 3/4 gites with play areas and shared pools. Definitely worth a look I think.

If you want to be nearish to La Rochelle then all the places you mentioned are too far. Particularly Noirmoitier which is a two and a half hour drive to La Rochelle. Royan is a bit nearer at an hours drive on a good day, but it can be very busy round there, and it isn't exactly rolling countryside.

My suggestion would be the area round Fontenay le Comte (south Vendee) - which has the mervent forest area for the rolling countryside, beaches within about 40 minutes, and La Rochelle 40 minutes.

Either that or the area round St Jean D'angely in the Charante Maritme.

You could try www.vendee-vacances.co.uk but they might be a bit big for you.

Go to St Jean de Luz, or Hendaye.

Thanks - taking notes vigorously!

We have come to the conclusion that we want this to be a 'beach' focused holiday, so have decided upon the criteria that we stay under 30 minutes from the beaches. Currently looking on Owners' Direct and that is helping to narrow it down a little!