provence

[barbapapa]

Planning to go to South of France next year (Provence ) and planning to drive - me, dh and a then 2.8 and 5 year old [ completely insane emoticon!]
Not sure which crossing to take , thought about Dover - Calais just to save money really. The Michelin site says it's about 10 hrs drive from there.
Any mumsnetters also attempted / completed such a mad endeavour? Any hints on where to stay in Provence? We want to selfcater and are not very keen on a place with a pool as I don't want to worry about kids and water all holiday.

We have to go in school hols so were thinking of end August beginning September to avoid busiest/hottest time. We want to go for 2 weeks.

Any hints on the drive itself - we plan to do it over two days and stay at a hotel on the way .

Silly time to start a thread - just before kids bedtime - off to do baths but will be back later.

Sounds fab! only advice would be to avoid the roads at bank holiday time when all the French go back to work, hence chaos!

Will be taking notes!

French schools go back in mid August so less busy/cheaper after that. We've driven down there loads - I did it once by myself when pregnant with a toddler and my sick mum though I wouldn't recommend it!
Calais is easy for getting on the Autoroute. We usually use Eurotunnel but mainly because we live so close to the terminal - makes our journey quicker. If you have further to travel in UK boat might be more relaxing. Where abouts are you thinking of staying?

We've done it loads. My sister lived in Arles for years.

Found it very pleasant whichever way we went..just meandered (although it was pre kids..)

haven't really made a firm decision on where to stay in the Provence - any suggestions? (Just have romantic memories of wild horses and gypsies from when I was a child ...)
Also anyone know any companies that do selfcatering holidays apart from Brittany ferries ?
Thanks for the tip about the french schools going back, swedishmum.

Arles is lovely,and Avignon.
Ste Marie de la Mer is a wacky place,especially the church with all the calipers and crutches hurled aside by cured pilgrims.
Marseilles was interesting-potter around the Vieux Port and then a big bouillabaisse lunch.

It's all nice from my Ricard hazed memories.

Pricey though.....

Look at www-gites-de-france.fr for accommodation. It also includes Chambre D'Hotes (B&B) that you can use for the journey. I have book through Gites de France on many ocassions and always found them very good, go for 3 "ears of corn" or above.

You could consider the train that you put your car onto, sorry can't quite think what it's called. That will take you almost there and will be much better than being stuck in the car all of the time in very hot weather.

Schools go back on the 28th August in 2006 so be careful about dates, August is the busiest month.

Have a look in the Sunday times for rental sites and have a look at www.Cheznous.com for properties.

Bandol on the coast is a great area and so is Cassis. Inland runs the risk of being stifling without a swimming pool.

Barbapapa, I think that legally, all properties with pools must have them fenced in or rigged up with an alarm now. Don't know if this changes things for you. We stayed in a village called Bedoin last year at the foot of Mt. Ventoux, lovely. We are also going next year and staying near Orange, both booked through Chez Nous. Aix-en-Provence a nice day out. The drive isn't too bad, we took the ferry to Calais and stayed in a Novotel (child-friendly) about halfway down, near Dijon, I think. French service stations are fab, usually a slide & swings for the children and proper food, not just the crap you get here. Dh also waxes lyrical about the French motorways, you have to pay tolls, but he loves them, it's a man thing.