Canvas/Keycamp etc - The Definitive Hints & Tips List

[ChippyMinton]

mildmanneredjanitor asked for tips for this type of holiday (she's off to Italy, I'm off to the Vendee) so i thought I'd start a new thread.

Please stick all your best tips here.
I'll start:

Take clothes pegs and a bath mat
Pack lightly as you may spend most of your time in a swimming costume
Other people will let their children stay up late - adjust your bedtime accordingly.

I have started a box for stuff to take even though we're not going for another 10 weeks! So far it contains a new Famous Five CD and a multipack of orange & lime tictacs for the car, and a road map.

we've always booked linen and towels

taking a wee paddling pool has been a huge hit with our under 5s. tesco do a pretty tiny one that keeps them happy but fills very quickly

Oh, well done for this Chippy - we're off to Le Bois Dormant on Monday and really must get cracking with some packing this weekend. It's our first time on one of these sort of hols so all the tips are very useful!

sling or pushchair for small ones

cobb bbq with cool sides

flip-flops and sandals (reefs) and trainers

lots of swimming cossies

story book with serveral inside

go-glow

wooden spoon and tongs

you're not missing school are you? Have a great time.

Another tip:

There is a book recommended by others here:

about the Vendee

If you are going to Le bois dormont there is a good hypermarche about 5 minutes drive north, on one of the round abouts that from the ring road round St Jean.

St Jean market is good, and worth a visit. You can hire buggies to cycle up and down the prom which is fun.

I can help with other places to visit in the area if you ae interested

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just in case weather is bad ( as last yeaR) I'D bring new craft kit type thing or new card games for wet afternoons.

Yes Chippy, ds1 will be missing 1 week of school - but they're fine with it; the school secretary rang me on the day I put the request in to say it had been authorised!

MB, would be grateful for any ideas of things to do if the weather isn't great - I'm checking the forecast daily and it keeps changing, not sure how it'll turn out! The ds's are 5 and 2, so anything suitable for them would be good. Thanks!

love this thread! I have been with CH a few times and worked for them as a student, but never been to deux fontaines in brittany - any tips for the site?

There are lots of ideas in The angela bird book on the vendee.

A few things that I can think of.

There is a castle in Apremont which has some good views, and a very nice pancake house at the bottom of the castle walls.

There is a water part at Noirmoutier, which has an indoor bit I think. Noirmoutier is worth a drive, as the cause way you can cross is quite impressive, and the main town had a castle and nice church to mooch about. The shopping complex at Les Sable D'ollone is great and has a fantastic hypermarche which does terrific food (I kid you not!!!)

Have always been v lucky with the weather

icod - when you say way in advance - how much do you mean - days or hours?
There's a take away too,non? Would that be open in the evening? We're hoping to arrive about 6ish but god knows when we'll actually get there...

Thanks MB - castles especially good for soldier/army obsessed ds1! Will definitely check out that book as well.

Yes cod re the restaurant - do you mean for the first night or for any night you plan to eat there?

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Brem sur mer and Jard sur mere are nice.

St Gilles-Crois de Ville is also v nice and have a fantastic fish resturant in the square by the church

my best tip - take tea towel - i always forget and end up washing the pots and drying with a bath towel.

those vacume bags are the dogs bollocks and tiny hand held hoover - if in small car saves oooooooooooooooooodles of space.

Jay cloths are well

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bois dormant et bois masson across the road from each other used to be haven but butlinsy - dormant was quieter which is where we stayed but ou can cross the road to masson for the agadoo - if thats your bag

little train into st jean de monts - which is v. nice. bohemiany - we hired a 4 wheel cycle car thing - much fun

agree sables d'lonne pile of wank

good zoo for the littlies in Sable tho.

and fabbo E L'eclerc hypermarche on the outskirts [sad shpper emoticon]

Small kite kit (the more basic the better) is fun on windy day. We spent good few hours flying them recently.
Agree to take old towels that you can chuck at end of holiday, although usually end up using them to secure wine on return trip.
Take fold up lite scooter for eldest dd to ride on which makes long walks more bearable.

can I ask about the bath mat (v ignorant, first time coming up)

is it for use as a door mat or when you go have a shower?