To ask you where I should go in France?!

[AmUsername]

I feel like I'm going mad! I'm trying to find a reasonably priced holiday for us for the last week of July but the prices are scandalous!
I've now had the brain wave of driving over to France but I have literally no idea where I want to go!
We will be coming from Dover and will have 2 DC under 4 with us, so don't want to drive for hours and hours. The places needs to be quiet-ish but have enough nearby to entertain us for 10 days.

Anyone?

Have you looked at getting the train? Fares in France are quite reasonable.

Normandy and/or Brittany. You can go camping and drive around. Mont saint michel is quite popular.

Stop in Calais for a moule frites on the seashore.

You can get the Eurostar directly to Avignon. Then just get a cheap campsite on the outskirts of town.

Try Siblu or Eurocamp campsites. Loire valley is v nice.

If you can get the ferry to Caen instead then go to the vendee area (about 2 hours drive) or you can drive it from Calais too it’s just longer. So much to do for kids, and lots of sunshine in that region, we went last year and stayed at Siblu
Or I would do the new centre parcs Disney nature villages near Disney Paris, it may be a bit more expensive

Lots I think that could interest small children in Normandy, especially beaches for them to run around on.

Mobile home type holiday? We go to a nice one which is not too far from Calais and you can also drive to Paris for the day. It's called la Croix du Vieux Pont.

Siblu are great. The weather can be really shit unless you go south though.

Dinard is quite nice, you can get the ferry there too. It's a coastal town with a long beach, a bit like the French version of Brighton, and you can always take day trips as well to Paris or elsewhere in northern france. It being northern France though you're not guaranteed anything in terms of weather

So many lovely places in France, though personally I'd go for a slightly longer drive to get further south. I think the Loire could be a good compromise.

If you don't want to drive far, the coast just south of Calais is a popular destination in its own right - have a look at the Baie de Somme. Weather will be a bit hit and miss though.

Le Touquet is lovely. I was never there with children mind you.

Last week of July tends to be he most expensive for some reason.

Loire Valley is nice - lots of chateaus you can visit, there's the Beauval Zoo, Leonardo Da Vinci's house (great for kids - giant models of his inventions in the gardens that they can play with). If you've got a car you can easily stay in one of the villages where it's cheaper?

Oleron in Charentes Maritime. Used to love it there as a kid. Just had a quick look, you can get a 4-6 person chalet for around the 300-350 euro mark for your dates.
French campsites tend to be very good, with pools, restaurants etc.

Carantec

Loire valley is beautiful! And plenty to do.
We stayed in samuar and drove to difference towns... Blois was our favourite.

Loire Valley would also be my suggestion. Its saturated with cheap and good campsites and the castles are beautiful.

Pas da Calais region is nice. Great coast and beaches. Lots of history. Some nice french markets. Abbeville is nice. Hesdin a great market town.

Abbeville ks lovely as is the Loire valley.

Echo Dinard with the crepes and the cider as a bonus. Nice spot.

The Ile de Re is perfect for young families - it's completely flat, so great for kids on bikes and family cycle rides.

Lots of lovely beaches, campsites with pools, donkeys, lovely French markets, beautiful villages (St Martin especially) and salt marshes, amazing ice cream

Agree Saumur is lovely. Lots of history around there.

La Palmyre just beyond La Rochelle is quite a drive, but vv oriented to families with children of all ages. If you could do a stop might be worth it.

Have a look at yelloh villages- they are great! I agree that Normandy or Brittany are both great.

I’ve been to the site at Berny Riviere mammamia recommends and it seems great for kids (we don’t have any). We have used it 2-3 times as a stop off when driving from South of France/Italy with the motorhome as it’s a good stop to reach Calais/Dunkirk the next day.

You can go to Paris, Euro Disney or the Merlin Castle at Pierrefonds from there. You’re also a couple hours from Monet’s house and garden at Giverny, which I love.

Other options would be to take the EuroStar to Avignon (with the car all the way) and do that area - Avignon, Orange, Pont du Gard, Nimes, maybe even making it to Carcassone, etc. are all fab.