Where to go in France? Quick help needed!

[Howmanysleepstilchristmas]

It’s my job to find our family holiday and I need to find something soon! We’ve decided France as we need to drive/ ferry because airfare and car hire add up v quickly due to number of dc!
I’ve found lots of areas I’d like to visit, but they keep getting vetoed... to avoid this I need: few mosquitoes (so not near rivers/ lakes apparently); not too far from Calais (could do 8/9 hours with a stopover for a couple of nights 2-3 hours past Calais en route, subject to finding a stopover that also meets the criteria!); warm enough to swim in an outdoor pool; not too isolated; not too busy; not Atlantic coast (too cold/ rough); not excessive toll roads en route.
Kids would like to be near beach for at least 1 week of 2-2.5 week holiday.
We normally do destinations and travel around, this year I can’t find one!
I’d like places to see (ruins, scenery), nice villages, some active stuff to do in the area, but I’m getting to the stage of just wanting somewhere (anywhere!) to get away from it all without complaints!

Hopefully these properties will tick your criteria www.pierreetvacances.com/gb-en/ge_holidays-normandy

if you don't want Atlantic coast and don't want lake or river beaches, then that only leaves the med which you won't drive to in 8 or 9 hours driving from Calais.
I'd maybe reconsider the lake river thing.
Have you looked at ardeche?

What about l'Ile de Ré?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Île_de_Ré

Not France but have you considered Holland.

Duinrell is good. It’s next to a small,theme park,which you have access to. Plus the beach is nearby as well as places such as Amsterdam.

duinrell

I’ve listed Eurocamp but all,the major tour operators list it.

Alternatively, Centre Paris in France and Holland, which work,our cheaper than the uK ones. No beach, but access to the swimming pool,complexes.

Why is the Atlantic coast too cold/rough? It is rough down towards Biarritz but the Vendee has some lovely beaches that are safe for kids. The weather is great. Outdoor pools are in use May through to the end of September(if heated). 6.5hours drive from Calais gets you to the South Vendee.

Fly to Nice. Skip car hire and train out to Monaco, Northern Italy, Cannes etc. Very cheap rail.

I don't think the Atlantic is particularly rough in summer.
It can be off season but then so can the Mediterranean

Try st george de didonne near la rochelle. Lovely beach resort village place. Swam to in sea there last year and water was lovely and bay sheltered.

I loved the Loire. If you swap Calais for Portsmouth - Caen.

We stayed close to Angers. Loads of vineyards, weather is gorgeous as slightly further South.

Visited Puy du Fou, Futuroscope and lots of chateaus.

Oh sorry, Loire isn't beach's. But you could do some time there then do beachy stuff near Caen?

I would go south of Normandy. Noirmoutier is like Ile de Ré but possibly less busy.

Arcachon and Cape Ferret area is beautiful with calm waters inside the bay. You could take a train to Bordeaux, have a cycling tour round the wine village of Margaux and a couple of nights in this tree house..
www.canopyandstars.co.uk/france/aquitaine/gironde/chateau-lestange/la-palombiere.

9 hours from Calais, break your journey at Fontainbleu. Don't drive on a Saturday.

I was in Normandy last week and it was fabulous. You just need good weather...

We did Airvault and La Rochelle on our last France trip, which were beautiful and highly recommended and then drove across to Paris for a city break.

Howmanysleeps..... did you find somewhere? I live in France (brittany) but spend lots of time in pyrenees. Pick my brains as I have got to know many areas! We've done camping, gites, most kinds of accommodation.Personally, if you can stand a drive I'd head down south....but there are lovely places all over. If you like the idea of being near mountains in pyrenees PM me as I have a couple of suggestions.

Hopefully you've found something by now!

I wouldn’t mind the drive but we’d need a few nights break between there and Calais somewhere nice to make it part of the holiday rather than an extended journey... which I’m struggling to find. I’m fairly easy to please, it’s dh who’s saying we don’t want x y and z (and he’s driving!)

France has loads of internal man-made beaches which are good. Depends if you're your husband is desperate for sea sea. I'd head for Burgundy. Gorgeous, great weather, loads to sea.

yeah pretty much every reasonably sized lake has beach areas and lifeguards in summer. France is great for that.

Look at the Jura? Lac de chalan

www.chalain.com/en/

Il de re is lovely, nice beaches, not rough sea at all and much warmer than Brittany.

lac de chalain is beautiful. We did a eurocamp there a few years ago. turquoise waters. Just wonderful . The jura is underrated and often forgotten about

Why isn't DH sorting it then?

South East Brittany around Vannes is great. Some lovely family friendly beaches e.g. Damgan. Gulf of morbihan- inland sea/lagoon with lots of mini islands, great for boat trips, island trips. Vannes itself is beautiful city with medieval parts. Would go in a flash if I could

I'd also recommend Jura, stayed at Lac de chalain as well - was lovely. We stayed in Troyes for a few days on the same trip, also lovely