Page 3 | Why bother with northern France? Why not go to Cornwall and save the ferry fare? Talk me into it....

ggglimpopo · 15/01/2006 19:58

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Hayls · 15/01/2006 20:05

Brittany is fab. We stayed in a place called Quimper and it was amazing- the campsite was luxury and the scenery and surrounding areas brilliant.

HeyBaby · 15/01/2006 21:33

Would Northern France be too cold and miserable for a Feb holiday? Is it similar to London weather or colder?

foxinsocks · 15/01/2006 21:41

I have to agree with you Orinoco. The South of France is so fantastic, I'd be tempted to try and persuade dh to go there. You could always break up the drive down with an overnight stay somewhere.

Bozza · 15/01/2006 22:09

Oh Scummy we loved it in Normandy. But we had beautiful weather in June. And the beaches are fantastic for littlies.

Yes we have to go in school hols for the first time. And littlemissbossy I wish our two were as good travellers as yours. DS at 6 months decided he wouldn't sleep in his car seat at the start of a holiday to Cornwall. We had to stop and lay him down across the seat to have a nap then entertain him while travelling. Really convenient - not. Then he developed travel sickness on long journeys. This was cured by tablets once he hit 3 - and last year he had a little plastic walkman and was brilliant. This year he got a grown up CD walkman for Christmas so should be fine again.

DD just gets bored and grumpy. Although I suspect a hint of seasickness on the fast cat on the return from France - wasn't sick, but whined and wouldn't eat and was fine and happy as soon as we docked.

ja9 · 15/01/2006 22:14

DON'T DO IT!!!!

Unreliable weather, rude locals ( sorry for generalisation, but very true ime).

Go to Cornwall!

WestCountryLass · 15/01/2006 22:32

That is Cornwall isn't it Ja9?????? LOL

lucy5 · 15/01/2006 22:34

I love Normandy!

OldieMum · 15/01/2006 22:39

I love going to France (we go every year), for all sorts of reasons, but especially the care people take with the supposedly little things of life. I also like both Brittany and Normandy, but I would hesitate before committing myself to a summer holiday in either region, after spending August 2004 looking out at torrential rain for two weeks in southern Brittany. We usually go much further south (the Lot Valley), where the weather is more reliable.

Aero · 15/01/2006 23:23

Is it this one calpopscalum?

Original poster

Orinoco · 16/01/2006 20:52

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OP posts:

Marina · 16/01/2006 21:02

I think the Pas de Calais is great, too
Love it. Three hours door to door for us, vs. 10 hours last year to sodding Devon.
Same price in August gets us basic (fine, but basic) self-catering accomm in N Devon as it does a spacious and much better equipped gite only a few minutes from Northern France's wide, empty, white sanded beaches. And yes, it's not hot like Aquitaine or the Luberon etc...but that is way too hot for my family anyway. We don't like sand you can't step on without frying your insteps and we don't like beach holidays where you have to trek back and hide for four hours in the middle of the day
We also like: no mosquitoes; reedy canals and green lanes; beer and cider as well as wine; fabulous lush green vegetables and salad; interesting cheeses; and the fact that because it is not prime tourist fodder, the Nord from Calais down to St Valery and inland to Amiens and St Omer really tries with attractions and facilities. There is masses to do within 45 minutes of Calais/Boulogne and Lille and even Paris are a day-trip possibility.
Stuff we don't like about Northern France is the same the country over...closing things out of season without warning; the "bof, alors" attitude of some tourist office folk; occasionally the driving; and the crotte de chien all over their pavements.

Marina · 16/01/2006 21:04

and don't get me started on Normandy = useless you bad scummy you!
Calvados is a wonderful departement and Caen rules
(I take your point about St Aubin not being a heaving metropolis full of exciting diversions though).

Ellbell · 17/01/2006 00:52

Ooh, I'm having a Normandy night on here tonight! Definitely go to Normandy. Stayed on the Cotentin last August and it was fab. Carteret beach is just wonderful, especially with kids as the tide comes in and makes pools which are just right for paddling or bobbing about in with armbands/rubber rings (just watch out because it does come in quickly!). Lots to do around there. Aquarium in Cherbourg is good. Donkey riding was fun. Great food. Sorry, no advice re. campsites as we went self-catering. But plenty of places out there.

We went from Yorkshire too. Quickest way is to go from Poole or Portsmouth via Brittany Ferries to Cherbourg. But it's not cheap. We went with Norfolk Lines (ultra cheap - under £100 for 4 + car in August) but then had a mega drive from Dunkerque. I highly recommend investing in an in-car DVD player. On the way down last year we did stop overnight, but on the way back we set out from house in France at 6.00 a.m. and got back to Yorkshire at about 8.00 p.m. on the same day... all without a whimper! Dds were a bit Disney-ed out after that for a day or two, but it does work. Worth every penny in my view. We're driving to Italy this year!

cranberryjampots · 17/01/2006 00:59

ellbell - im looking for self catering for 4 people possibly in Normandy as suggested on here tonight. Can you email me the details of the place you stayed if it was easy to find and not too far from anywhere

Ellbell · 17/01/2006 11:41

Cranberryjampots, I've catted you the details. Let me know if you don't get my message.

Can I just add that Cornwall in August is a nightmare. I go down a lot because I grew up there and my family is still there, but it's getting worse and worse. There's just so much traffic everywhere that you don't feel like going anywhere.

Ellbell · 17/01/2006 11:42

Cranberryjampots, I've catted you the details. Let me know if you don't get my message.

Can I just add that Cornwall in August is a nightmare. I go down a lot because I grew up there and my family is still there, but it's getting worse and worse. There's just so much traffic everywhere that you don't feel like going anywhere.

Ellbell · 17/01/2006 11:43

Oops, sorry!

Bozza · 17/01/2006 11:50

How old are your kids Ellbell?

crunchie · 17/01/2006 12:07

I do france in the May bank holiday half term and Cornwall in teh summer hols

I also vote Vendee in France, great beaches, but less to do if it rains (bear in mind this is lateMay/June) in the summer the weather is supposed to be fab. I would defineatly recommend Vendee. We also did Soutern Bittany - Carnac a few years ago. Really lovely beach, near campsite nice smallish village (we had a pushchair and it was fine) We stayed at Camping de Menhirs Brittany which was OK, and near the beach. There is a better campsite other companies use, but it is a couple of miles inland.

When we did the Vendee we went Le Clays Plage and I would highly recommend this one. Near a beach - walkable, and lots of nice cycling around.

Last year we went to the Loire (again May/June) and we are going back this year hopefully, as there was more to do without being reliant on weather. Chateau des Marais

I also want to try the Il de Re as it looks beautiful Il de Re You can fly to La Rochelle with Ryan Air and let him pick you up there

Listmaker · 17/01/2006 12:30

We went to Village La Plage with Venue Holidays (also found from a thread here last year!) near Guilvinec in South Brittany. The campsite was fantastic and virtually right on a lovely sandy beach - great for little ones.

We walked to the town although it was a bit of a trek!

We sailed from Plymouth to Roscoff and it was about 2 hours from there to the campsite.

We had fantastic weather which did help of course but for us it was cheaper than Cornwall and the weather was better than I've had in previous years in Britain but that might have just been luck of course!

My dds were 7 and 5 so a bit older but slept OK on the ferry over and coped well with the travelling. Go for it!!

Marina · 17/01/2006 12:37

crunchie, my dsis went to the Ile de Re last year (no kids mind) and loved it. It does sound very boutiquey and chic (not to mention ££££) compared to most French coastal towns though...

Enid · 17/01/2006 12:40

brittany dumps all over cornwall

people are friendlier, it is less developed and loads nicer to eat out in. plus the wine is half the price.

Ellbell · 17/01/2006 12:51

Bozza, my dds are 5 and 3.

Went to the Ile de Re briefly pre-kids. Very pretty, but I think the toll to get across the bridge the mainland is quite expensive if you've going to be doing it a lot. Anyone going to that area, I can recommend a day trip to the Ile d'Aix. Small enough to cycle round in a couple of hours, no traffic, beautiful beaches... Really relaxing.

Bozza · 17/01/2006 15:03

Just wonder how much interest a 2 yo would show in the portable DVD. She doesn't really watch TV now (at 20 months).