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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

hopeful plea...

56 replies

NappiesGalore · 24/02/2007 16:53

ok, what i want is this:

-house or villa or aptmt or something.
-3 or 4 bedrooms
-1 week in april
-actually small child friendly (ie fenced pool, enclosed gardens, roman steps in the pool)
-somewhere warm
-somewhere easy to fly scheduled flights to. (ideally from southampton! or LHR)
-not too long a flight (canaries too far apparently)
-easy walking distance to shops, restaurants etc. beach can be driving distance.

any ideas???

(dp is the fussy bugger who wont stay in a hotel, nor fly budget airlines w small kids. budget v flexible)

OP posts:
aznerak · 25/02/2007 16:06

There is a page within the villa section that tells you about the vicinity.
London it isn't!
The villa is in the heart of a wine village and it is just a few minute's walk from the local shops etc. For example, at the end of our road is the village tennis court. Just round the corner is the boulangerie / patisserie, general store/supermarket, village wine cave, medical centre and town hall. A bit further down the road (only a couple of minutes by foot - it is only a village!) there is a café-bar, tabaconnist, post office, hairdressers, florist, beauty salon and launderette (though not needed for us as the villa has a washing machine!).
The closest village to us is Puisserguier - just under a mile away, where there are several restaurants and numerous local shops. In the other direction (about 3 miles away) is Capestang, which is beautiful. It is on the Canal du midi and a popular stopping point, as there are some lovely restaurants and cafés there too, together with some large supermarkets.
If there is anything else you want to know, just ask!

Original poster
NappiesGalore · 25/02/2007 17:28

ooh, yes; restaurants. how many and are they good? (may take some babysitting help with us and hoping dp and i can saunter off for a few meals to ourselves...as well as some family meals out. (3 young dc). is this all v feasible?

OP posts:
aznerak · 25/02/2007 18:11

In the village, there is just a café-bar serving plat du jour.
However, in the neighbouring villages, there are lots of restaurants - from expensive gourmet types to extremely good value, family friendly places. Once people have booked, we send an extremely detailed and thorough guest information pack. This covers everything and there is a section within it detailing names of local restaurants that we (or other guests) personally recommend.
We go there with 2 young children and take my parents for babysitting so that we can have the odd evening to ourselves!
Almost all restaurants are incredibly welcoming of kiddies though.

aznerak · 25/02/2007 21:26

Message deleted by Mumsnet

swedishmum · 25/02/2007 23:13

My parents lived for many years in S of France - if you want to swim you'll have to be pretty brave in April. Ditto Majorca - can be gorgeous, but can be wet and cool. Heated pool would be high on my list.
Canaries isn't so far - we've just been here for the second time in a year simply because of the good weather out of season. I know you are looking for a villa, but as someone who thought Tenerife would be very common before actually going there I was very pleasantly surprised.

Original poster
NappiesGalore · 26/02/2007 10:27

hi aznerak - havnt gotten a firm answer out of him yet.it certainly looks likely that we'll book for some time or other, but not sure yet when. i personally quite like the idea of driving down in the motorhome...

thanks for that swedishmum. i do think canaries might bo worth considering from a weather POV at this time of year.

lol at 'common' btw call a spade a spade, eh??

OP posts:
aznerak · 26/02/2007 12:51

Afternoon NG. No worries - just always interested to get different feedback hence asking what your DP thought!
I would massively recommend driving down - we always do. I can certainly let you know our recommended route if you decide to book and also give you details of cheap hotels en route if you decide to do it over 2 days instead of an all-dayer.
The villa has tons of parking so that certainly wouldn't be a problem. If you get to the stage you are thinking of making a booking, drop me an email so I can confirm the discount my parents would be happy to offer you as a mumsnet member! Remember to let me know who you are in your email so I can link your MN name with your RL name! lol
Take care

Original poster
NappiesGalore · 26/02/2007 13:04

thanks aznerak - i'll be in touch!

OP posts:
popmum · 26/02/2007 13:13

we've booked with this website : in france, but maybe worth a search? You need to choose the area but then can find a house by date/and other features. Have some amazing ones in portugal (we're off to normandy)
HTH

aznerak · 26/02/2007 13:40

Message deleted by Mumsnet

Original poster
NappiesGalore · 26/02/2007 13:55

what is the flight time to the canaries like anyway??

OP posts:
Original poster
NappiesGalore · 26/02/2007 13:56

will do aznerak

OP posts:
spoogs · 26/02/2007 14:10

Message deleted

Original poster
NappiesGalore · 26/02/2007 17:15

hmmm, 4.5 hours on a plane with a 3, 2 and 1 yo... sounds almost as relaxing a start/end to a holiday as cutting off my own feet and nailing them back on again.

OP posts:
spoogs · 26/02/2007 17:34

Message deleted

Original poster
NappiesGalore · 26/02/2007 18:38

it does look wonderful spoogs. hope you have a great time

re:september, dp said last night he didnt want to go away in sept coz ds1 will have 'school'... hes 3! well, he'll be four then, but still. by next september, we'll be tied as a family to school holidays for the next 18 years, personally reckon we should make the most of it while we can.

OP posts:
spoogs · 26/02/2007 19:02

Message deleted

aznerak · 26/02/2007 23:10

Hi NG
Agree about Sept and going while school hols are not yet a total issue. But if your dp feels strongly, how about the first half of June instead? The weather then is lovely, nothing's manic as schools haven't broken up...worth thinking about perhaps?
Not long now Spoogs! Lucky thing - wish we were going then!

swedishmum · 26/02/2007 23:35

NG I used to have the same situation as you - 3 under 3s, and admit that we used to use mum and dad's place in s of france a lot then. Journey down is no problem. BUT I do think that air travel is as stressful or unstressful as you make it. I've flown loads with 3 (and now 4) children without dh and only needed the odd G and T! Dd (no 4) flew to NY at 5 weeks, and Bahamas at 4 months. Our Tenerife flight was 4 h going and 3.5 coming back. But I do see your point with the ages yours are now!! At least in the car you can take everything you might possibly need.

swedishmum · 26/02/2007 23:36

PS agree that June in S of France is gorgeous, and so much less traffic.

Original poster
NappiesGalore · 27/02/2007 13:39

shouyld hopefully be settling back into our house in june (Yayyyyy!) (after having the builders in for a year by then!) so prob not a good time for a hol... ()

agree btw SM about the flight thing. is entirely feasible... and have flown several short-haul's with the two as 1 and 2 yo's and the baby to san francisco when he was a few months...so it is do-able. i just cant be bothered with the potential for stress! absolutely LOVE the idea of driving down, either in the motorhome thing, or in my VW caravelle...

hell, i may just get my mother to come down, hire a night nanny to help her out, and go away for a few days with dp instead!! now that sounds relaxing

OP posts:
aznerak · 27/02/2007 13:44

Then go away early - mid May so you come back refreshed and ready to settle back into your revamped home.
Sorted!

Original poster
NappiesGalore · 27/02/2007 14:50

lol. would that it were so simple... sposed to be in by may. but they said last christmas at one point. and about november 06 was the original date... since christmas its been creeping forward from march, to april, now to may...and pos even to june. it cant possibly be later than june, but whatever it is, theres much to do between now and then, esp really close to the actual move date, whenever that happens to be...

OP posts:
aznerak · 27/02/2007 15:07

Oh poor you must be nightmare with little ones.
Then suggest you revert to plan A - April.
There is a special offer for that fortnight from Sat 14th to Sat 28th April for £800 all in. Drive down in your motorhome and then have a break for a couple of weeks!
Book it....sounds like you certainly deserve it....!

aznerak · 28/02/2007 23:01

Hi there NG
Did you manage to get your dp to make any decisions then or is he dragging his heels ?
Did he like the look of it and moreover, does it meet with his criteria ?
Hope we can sort something out for you all - sounds like you need it after the nightmare with the builders.
Keep me posted!

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