Somewhere sunny, driveable and not too expensive in the summer holidays ... ?

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

I think my spec is impossibly large/vague but any suggestions to hone it down a bit would be very welcome ...

I would like to go for a sunny summer holiday. This year we went to Cornwall, first day was glorious, then it rained the rest of the week. Last year we went to Brittany in the last week of June - remember how it was freezing in the UK? We were about two miles inland and it was bloody freezing there too. The year before we went to the Republic of Ireland and it rained all week. I am beginning to feel as though our summer holidays are doomed. DOOMED.

All my childhood summer holidays were in the south of France, always the same bit (Provence/not far from Nice etc) as it's where my grandparents lived. I don't really know much about the rest of France. Am prepared to drive to the south of France if necessary (we drove most years) but if there's a warm bit a bit further up that would be good too.

In Brittany we stayed at a Yelloh Village, first time trying that kind of thing and actually it was fab, so may well so that (Eurocamp/Canvas etc) again. Previously we've done s/c but would like somewhere with stuff for kids to do but not too noisy/busy.

We will have a 6 yo, a 4 yo and a 3-5 month old.

Not sure where else is driveable with three small children - Netherlands? Would prefer to drive as makes packing easier/no hire car and car seat stress/both DH and I mildly plane-phobic.

Thanks for reading!

In France, you need to be south of the Loire for it to be (reasonably) reliably warm in summer - not absolutely guaranteed, of course, but very likely. Poitou-Charente is popular with French people from the North (less touristy and cheaper than Provence) and you can get there is about 6-7 hours drive from Calais. Dordogne is popular with Brits (hotter than Poitou-Charente and very pretty) but an hour or two more's driving. Burgundy is pretty reliable weather-wise and only 5 or 6 hours drive from Calais.

I don't think the weather in the Netherlands is reliably sunny in the summer - better than the UK but not much. What about mid-southern-ish Germany? Or Austria?

Good luck finding somewhere!

You can get a ferry from south of England to Northern Spain.

To Santander or Bilbao - from there you could explore the norther Spanish coast, or drive across country to the Med coast, depending on how much driving you want to do.

the Charente area has as many sunshine hours as provence and is barely 5 or 6 hours from calais. Much less if you get the brittany ferry, although that costs more.

wow it is pricey though, circa £800 return for the summer holiday dates I looked at. I guess you would do a lot less driving than driving than driving to south of france so could factor fuel savings into that.

We've been through exactly the same thought process as you.
Ended up in dordogne last year and was extremely disappointed with the weather. When it was hot it was hot. but nowhere near consistent enough for me. Completely justifies the extra 3/4 hours driving down to the med as far as we're concerned.

the amount of people thinking france isnt that sunny in the summer because of last year.

last year was disappointing in august, but they had a hot may/june and then an indian summer for sept/oct

france usually has very warm summers. Last year was unusual

i was in the charente and then the Languedoc in august and it was very hit and miss. It wasnt cold, but it wasnt a hot summer even right down south.
The year before was boiling, and every year ive been before that.

We go to Charente-Maritime - 7 hours from Calais and from mid June on it's pretty reliably hot. Last year was bonkers - 44' in August.

We have a mobile home there - can really recommend it - very very French area, not many English tourists although the numbers are increasing.

Actually previous posters are right - we didn't go last year - the mad hot was the year before

Lovage - while I normally advertise Germany, being a German, we had really bad luck last August.

We went to Lake Constance, an area with normally fairly decent and warm weather. We had under 20 degrees and rain.

Weather wise is Germany normally similar to the UK, as most of this part of Europe.

Could you take a ferry to Spain or Southern France? I drove with a 3 months old and didn't like it very much, lots of breaks for feeding and to get her out of the car seat.

Thank you all for the replies

We took the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff (so 6 hours) last year and though it was fab on the way there (overnight), we had a day crossing on the way back and I really suffered from sea sickness, which has put me off long crossings a bit (otherwise love the idea of the Spanish route). Also the cost, it is crazily expensive (for our limited budget).

Have only visited Germany briefly and loved it so have looked at that in the past but think it's a bit far/tricky this time.

Stayed up way too late last night looking at campsites etc and have worked out an itinerary taking ferry to Calais then driving down the centre as far south as Le Puy (Auvergne region?), with brief stop offs on the way there and way back, so three (!) sites in total over two weeks (possibly excessive) - two with rivers and playgrounds and lots of nature to kick back, and one with water park and kids' club etc.

If we are cold in all three sites then I'll just assume that it's something to do with us

Try and go places where there are still things you can do if its not boiling hot.

Even last year with its relatively shit weather wasnt actually cold, it just wasnt hot. It was more like a british summer and a bit temperamental If you head somewhere with a heated outdoor pool it will be great for children anyway

"sunny and driveable" not two things that I put together- but then I am in Scotland.

I have teenage kids and we have tried all sorts of holidays over the years.

We have found holidays in the UK similar price wise to jetting off to the med.
Best value holidays and the ones we have found cheapest are all inclusive in Greece and Turkey.

Easy to find two weeks in Turkey in July for a family of 4 for £1700 and that includes flights, accommodation and all food , drink and entertainment for the fortnight.

Sorry to hijack but ireallydontlike Monday could I ask whereabouts in Charente maritime you go. I am looking for campsites at the moment and reading this thread for inspiration.