France in Summer holidays please help!

[TheDrsDocMartens]

Mumsnet sorted last years holiday with even more complicated requirements so hoping you can help again!

We want a week in France in the summer. Self catering but near enough to potter into town/beach etc.
Need to fly from Manchester, Liverpool or Glasgow. Six of us, teens tend to class as adults for flights.
Don't want to hire a car but pretty sure we will have to just to get to/from airport

Forgot to say , we need cheap!

There are flights from Liverpool to La Rochelle. From there either get the bus over to the Ile de Ré or hire a car and drive 45 mins to the south Vendee and stay somewhere near Fontenay Le Comte. Ile de Re wouldn't need a car but accommodation is cheaper in the Vendee.

La Rochelle is on my list as somewhere that suits.
I'll look into the bus.

Buses are rare things in rural France. I advise you to drive rather than fly.

Driving would take too long in this country and probably cost more in petrol!
We are three hours from an airport at this end , saves a lot of time.

Definitely hire a car then

If you are going to the il de Ré from la Rochelle Airport there really is no need to hire a car. Once on the island everyone gets around by bike and there is a bus from the Airport to the island.

That's exactly what I need!
Thanks