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Original poster

France - October Half Term recommendations please

16 replies

LIZS · 03/07/2007 09:14

I won the MN/Wake up in France competition a week or two back . Thinking about where to go but due to the date restrictions we are probably looking at going October half term. Sadly the South of France is a bit too far to drive down for only a week so considering Vendee, Brittany or, at a push, Il de Re. Has anyone been to any of these off peak season and know what there might be to do locally by then , particularly if the weather is not so great. tia

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ggglimpopo · 03/07/2007 09:20

HOw about the Bordeaux region? October is brilliant here - still warm (generally!) and all the chateaux do their big open day things and the vendenge (wine harvest) is in full swing so there are festivals and wine tastings galore? You are under an hour from the sea, a couple of hours from the pyrenees and spain and there is lots to see and do.

It is an hours flight from the UK or drive it but do a stop over half wayish?

BTW, Brittany is beautiful but likely to be less than warm in Oct and I tend to find driving there always takes twice as long as one imagines in the first place....

Original poster
LIZS · 03/07/2007 09:26

I'd be tempted tbh, spent a school French exchange between Perigueux and St Palais, but we are tied to certian locations (the Dordogne one in Montignac may be nearest ?) and they seem to be Saturday arrivals which may make an overnight on the way down from Calais trickier.

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Original poster
LIZS · 03/07/2007 18:14

bump

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Leslaki · 03/07/2007 22:38

Could you go near Eurodisney? Oct will be freezing in Britany etc nad as gglimpopo says it takes ages to drive - althougn you could get overnight ferry and it is like Cornwall only better!!
Eurodisney is fab for kids and not far to drive. If you stay offsite you don't need to spend a fortune on the on site food. Can visit Paris too.

supertrouper · 03/07/2007 22:53

We went to Ile de Re in June. There's not much to do if the weather isn't good as its mainly beaches.

Can you get a place that has an indoor pool just in case?

Agree, re Bordeaux, we only spent a day there but would love to go back as its a beautiful place.

MorocconOil · 03/07/2007 23:05

Il de Re will be all shut up that time of year.
La Rochelle will still be ok and there is other stuff to do there apart from beaches.
Rural France that time of year can be pretty dull. You may be better going to a major city.

Original poster
LIZS · 04/07/2007 09:07

Thansk for the feedback. Unfortunately we are limited to a few sites , in those specific locations, none of which have indoor pools as far as I can tell. It's one of those offers limited to off peak dates and must be used by the beginning of next May half term (otherwise would prefer to go then ) Thanks for the warning about Il de Re. dh already wondering if we can fit DLP in too, sadly no options over there though.

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MorocconOil · 04/07/2007 09:48

Easter can be very pleasant in south-west France. April is the time things begin to open up again. However it can still be a bit wet and grey.

Original poster
LIZS · 04/07/2007 09:55

Unfortunately with Easter being so early next year (March) and us already committed to going skiing then, we simply can't easily fit it in over the Easter holidays. Should n't complain really as it is technically "free", just frustrated by the dates.

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MorocconOil · 04/07/2007 10:09

What is the deal LIZS? Is it decent accommodation? If so Montignac at half-term would be lovely. The weather would be ok-ish and the autumn colours there are really beautiful. There are several lovely historical towns around there to visit, and things like boat trips and horse-riding for the DC.

Original poster
LIZS · 04/07/2007 10:13

Yes it is Dover/Calais crossing (dh not a good sailor, dd and ds untested!) and a 2 bed apartment on a complex, all of which look lovely on internet. The Brittany one has golf, @ dh ! Will have to investigate comparative drive times on AA routeplanner.

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MorocconOil · 04/07/2007 10:23

That's a mammoth journey through France to the Dordogne although you could stop over somewhere like Nantes. It could be quite exciting if the DC are good travellers. I don't know Brittany.

Original poster
LIZS · 04/07/2007 12:26

that's what I feared .

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aznerak · 04/07/2007 13:16

Hi LIZS. Can't add anything in terms of where to go, but assuming you are tied to school hols, it is worth noting that the school holidays do NOT fall over the religious Easter in 2008. As Easter is so early, they have decided to have the school holidays from Monday 7th to Friday 18th April, so the weather will be starting to improve by then. We were at my parents' villa in April this year (admittedly in the south in the Languedoc) and we had several days of 25c.
Hope that helps in terms of timings

Original poster
LIZS · 04/07/2007 13:20

Ours are actually over Easter (start on Maundy Thursday iirc and return mid April. It may be that our last week is a possibilty though.

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aznerak · 04/07/2007 13:21

Wow - long holidays then! Good luck

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