Northern France

[moocowmrs]

As a child and and now with my own children I have travelled in France a lot but struggling this time, I go with my dad and my 3dc every year DH stays at home, my sister comes sometimes but not this time, we need somewhere to explore we like travelling to Caen but have done that area alot so looking for a change, couple of hours drive, plenty to see don't mind house campsite but we like our morning walk to the bakers!

Give me your best ideas please !

Our past few years' holidays have been to France. Only once spent more than a couple of nights up in the North though.

Our first family trip was to Brittany - Perros Guirec. Very pretty coastline - with a couple of nice beaches. We stayed at Le Ranolien in a mobile home.

The weather wasn't brilliant - sunny at times, but light rain other times - so we tended to stay further south since that trip.

thanks for your thoughts would love to go further to the vendee but it's only for a week so its a long way, will look into Brittany went there as a child, this year we went just along from Dieppe which was lovely lots of seaside towns but feel we have done that area a bit ! Umm wondering how warm a mobile home would be at whit !

What age are your DC? The Somme has loads and loads to offer if they would be interested in WWI?

Nord Pas de Calais has a lot to offer and the beaches of the Opal Coast (south of Boulogne)'are fabulous. The seaside towns can seem a bit grotty, but they do come alive in the summer.

How old are the children? We stayed in Le Crotoy summer before last and it was wonderful, doesn't depend on good weather either as there is loads to explore in the bay, it completely empties when the tide goes out and you can walk all the way across and there are loads of crabs and such in little pools of water left behind. There is a steam train that goes over the salt marshes, a bird sanctuary, seals to spot plus it is a proper little fishing port so fish and seafood piled everywhere. Has several boulangerie plus a smattering of ice creama nd waffled.

I used to have a little place at Le Pouldu in souther Brittany.

We used to drive from Caen and it took a couple of hours.

There was a little animal farm at the end of the lane and the beach was a short walk away. You could hire caravans from the owner.

And when I can remember the name of the site, I'll post it. Lovely area. It was near quimperle

Camping du quinquis

That's it. Had some nice swimming pools.

Here

www.campingquinquis.com/en/accommodation/mobile_homes/2-bedroom/classique

We had a great trip to the Loire Valley this year - stayed in Blois which is about 3 hours from Caen (we got the cheap ferry to Le Havre with a much longer drive )

Our kids are grown up so I can't make any specific child-friendly recommendations, but there are loads of chateaux & they were all packed with kids when we visited!

www.experienceloire.com/kids.htm

Have you been further east in Normandy? We had several camping trips to Houlgate at May half term when our kids were small - lots of nice seaside places & countryside & the weather was warm enough for a tent

We stayed here with Eurocamp

www.campinglavallee.co.uk

We've been to this campsite 2 years in a row. Quiet, but with a small pool & bouncy castle. Great beaches, bakery a short walk away & lots to do on the peninsula - highly recommend the Galloise Village for a day out.

They rent out fixed tents and mobile homes (get the more modern as some are a bit dated).

www.camping-abricotier.Fr

Local towns with beach pools & great ice cream parlours too.

I love northern France - Normandy and Brittany are gorgeous - and I don't know why people prefer the far more crowded and built up south. The weather I guess, in Brittany it can be similar to Cornwall. The Pink Granite Coast is lovely and lots of beaches that stretch out for miles, so ideal for kids.

Drive 3 hours to the Puy du Fou theme park and a couple of nights nearby, there's plenty of hotels. Then drop down to Southern Brittany, lots of interesting beaches, towns, menhirs.