where is the best region of France for a holiday- vote now!

[millimat]

Apologies if you replied to my other post but we've decided the vendee is not for us, too touristy. So we're being ideas on where to visit. As a general question, where in your opinion makes the best family holiday in France?

We've still not decided...

i think you should give the jura another try and hope for better weather, because it really is a beautiful under appreciated region, and one of the less touristy bits

Did you visit les cascades du herisson?

Noirmoutier is lovely and not too touristy. It is a sea side, summer holiday location but quite sleepy and relaxed. Lots of houses that look like they have been owned by families for generations.

I like the Loire - but thats because it's flat and we go off on our bikes

LittleEsmeWeatherwax - We went to Annecy last year, stopped off at Lac de la Liez at Langres on the way down and coming back stopped off Lac d'orient in Troyes - Would recommend both for a couple of days stop. Like I said we go off on our bikes and there was plenty of cycling, although getting to Langres itself was a get off and walk challenge!

We have dealt with the long drive problem by dividing our travel. DH (who, admittedly, doesn't mind long-distance driving) drives down on his own with all the kit in two stages with an overnight in an IBIS or similar to break the journey. DD and I fly to the nearest feasible airport to our chosen campsite at an appropriate time and he picks us up - we all go to the campsite and pitch and then reverse the procedure on the way home two weeks later.

In our case, this was driven by the fact that DD gets very car sick and could only go about 2 hours at a time in the car which made a drive through France very long. We like to get where we are going, pitch and stay for as long as possible so lots of overnight stays in different sites were not an option for us. It has meant we have had our last couple of summer holidays in the very south of France, which has made for better weather by and large.

There is obviously a cost involved although we try to book the flights as far in advance as possible to make it more cost effective, and obviously we only have one child to pay for so it is perhaps not realistic for a much larger family.

But it can work provided one of you doesn't mind a lot of driving by themselves.

Cahors and the Lot region in general - fantastic medieval villages, beautiful river and less touristy than its' neighbour, the Dordorgne.

(the local wine is also very good if you like an Argentinian Malbec style red)

We stayed on the border between the Dordogne and the Lot I think and it was stunning. Best of both worlds - kids really enjoyed a night out in Sarlat watching the street entertainers but we were able to dip in and out. Where we actually stayed was completely off the beaten track and untouristy as you like. Lovely hot weather too.

Had a few lovely days in the Loire on the way back - I really enjoyed it - but it was noticeably cooler.