If we were to do France with a 3 year old and a 9 month old, where would you recommend?

[maldivemoment]

We usually holiday in the the UK and have had many brilliant holidays here but I think we need some sunshine this year!
I don't even know where to begin in terms of 'googling' and I can't face the prospect of spending HOURS online so if any of you can point me in the right direction, to get me started, I'd be most grateful.

Not really looking for a 'sit-by-the-pool' type holiday. Off the top of my head;

Ideally fairly close to airport
Campsite or self catering
Plenty to keep little ones amused
Nice beach
Close to village
Bike hire, that sort of thing
Access to pool

I'm sure I could go on and on but you get the idea.
If you can help, thank you sooooo much!

La Carabasse with Siblu? Walking distance to the beach, village, huge fun fair, mini golf, supermarket etc. Lovely pool complex, tiny tots club each day, playgrounds. You could cycle to Adge Cap D'Agde along the Canal to Midi, or do boat trips. Very close to Beziers airport.

Link here

French campsites are great for babies. Shallow pools baby bath rooms I love it. Beaches are amazing too.
Will you drive or fly?
We were heading south last summer but stopped in the Vendee as the weather was lovely.
We dove from Calais but found it a long way so this year we are going to get the ferry down further.

Ile de Ré, every time!

You can fly to La Rochelle and get a taxi transfer onto the island where there is plenty of mid-priced accommodation (lots of camping). There are bike paths all over the island and lots of lovely beaches and villages.

I have thought about that part of France before Bonsoir but is the weather reliable in summer?

Bonsoir do you fly with a tent or rent a pre made one?

It isn't Saint-Tropez reliable, but it is the most reliable part of the Atlantic coast (better than Normandy, Brittany or the Biarritz area). We have had lovely weather there in July/August, and not as scorching for young fair skins as the south of France.

We don't camp - we live in France and we drive from Paris (5 hours) or take the train, and self-cater or stay in a hotel.

We were near Biarritz last summer and it was postively baking (45 degrees at one point). Thinking of near Carcassonne this year - thoughts? We always get a gite.

Thoughts on gîtes: most of them are overpriced! You can, funnily enough, often get better VFM in a hotel.

when I say "gite" I don't mean from gites de france or whatever it is. The last 2 summers we've used ownersdirect.com which is very good once you get over the nervousness involved in paying the money over to people you've never met! Chez Nous also seems to have good and reasonably priced properties.

Sure, gîtes just means a holiday rental.

I live in France and, tbh, we rarely rent properties for holidays - we mostly find that we get much better value for money in small (owner-run) hotels.

I like to self-cater, but then you have to remember that as I don't live in france the whole shopping, finding random stuff we don't get here and taking it home and cooking it is all part of the holiday fun...last year we stayed near the most lovely town which had the best markets, made british farmer's markets look like the overpriced slums they very often are. Also I like space and my own pool, if poss, and so do the DC.

We had a great holiday here . The kids loved the site and there was so much to do in the surrounding area.

Fair enough!

I'd say Campsites all the way with small kids - the pool is far enough away not to be a danger if you take your eyes off your kids for a minute, there are usually playgrounds and other kids to play with. I would aim for the coast near Bordeaux - with north or south of the Garonne. Better weather than further north but with an atlantic breeze (hopefully). We used to rent houses - VERY expensive option but as we went with my parents they would not entertain campsites. In the last few years we go to campsites and they would be my childrens first choice - and happy kids mean happy mum and dad.

Thank you so much. Plenty for me to go on...

One final question; 7 or 14 days?

Oh 14!

Bonsoir - happy to see your recommendation of Ile de Re. I've been eyeing it up as a holiday destination for years but never (yet) convinced DH.

What sort of accommodation are you looking for, WildRumpus?

Also marking place re Ile de Re. Camping Interlude gets very varied reviews but I'm wondering if the location itself would outweigh any negatives.

Ile de Ré campsites

We much prefer the far end of the island - Ars-en-Ré and then Loix are my favourite villages, and the whole West end of the island is quiet and pretty.

whats the weather like at easter? ile de re that is

We usually prefer to self cater if its longer than a night or two - more flexibility for mealtimes etc

Sorry to butt in but we were recommended Ile de Re for the past several years. Having tried (and hated) the ile d'Oleron but loved the surrounding mainland we were reluctant to try Ile de Re. Last year we stayed in La Rochelle and cycled to the Ile de Re - cycled around the south east of the sland and then cycled back over the bridge. It made for a fantastic day out but I was left with the impression of a beautiful island but somewhat contrived - as in picture perfect just for all the tourists. Which is fine but I could not have stayed there for two whole weeks (or even one - I reckoned three days max. would have been sufficient) Each to their own of course but when I mentioned this to someone who had recommended the island to me they agreed and said 3 days was as much as they'd ever spent there!