Best bit of Normandy/Brittany for young kids?

[ElusiveMoose]

We're planning a one week holiday to France next summer with a just two year old and a nearly five year old. Found a lovely looking house in Normandy, about half an hour inland from Dieppe, but after a bit of investigation I'm worried that there isn't going to be much to do there (beaches don't look very nice, and the area is mainly farming), particularly if the weather's bad. So, does anyone have any recommendations of really good areas in Northern France with stuff to do for little ones? We don't want to fly or do an overnight ferry - don't mind one of the longer ferry crossings, or a reasonable drive the other end, but don't want to spend toooo long travelling, especially as we're only going for a week. We probably want to be near the coast, though wouldn't matter being inland if there were enough other things to do nearby.

Any thoughts?

We have been to Normandy twice with children about the ages of yours. They liked Festyland - a theme park on the outskirts of Caen, The Mont St Michel and Alligator Bay, which is near the Mont St Michel. We stayed near Caen the first time. The beaches there were lovely and sandy. The second time we stayed near Granville, at the bottom of the Cherbourg Peninsula. The beaches there were more the type with lots of rock pools.

We live near Vannes in the south of Brittany, and we have people coming back year after year (5 years with the family who are here this week!) and still doing new things! If you want, I can send you our lists of things to do, suggestions and other stuff about this area? just cat me an email address to send it to. For general info, this is our website.

We've been to Normandy 3 times - each time stayed 20 minutes from Caen at www.toddlerholidays.com - was excellent. The beaches are lovely but DS1 (aged 1, 2 and 3) also loved the local markets, the zoo and Festyland the last time.

Thanks for the replies, and sorry for not acknowledging sooner. We're now looking at a property about half an hour south of Mont St Michel. Rosy71, any more info about other stuff to do around there, and what the beaches are like? Thanks.