Family holiday help... please

[Tonka76]

It's a 70th birthday and a holiday has been requested. Probably France or Spain. Flying anywhere is not an option.

We're 17 all in all. 2 grandparents 7 other adults, three teens, three middley ones and two babies..

The idea of meals for 17 twice a day every day is making me want to weep quietly in a corner.

My vision is small contained places... say 3 or 4... around a pool. Table tennis table or other entertainment for small folk... small town for the occasional outing to buy the pain du jour and some vin rouge.

Does this exist? And if so where? I can't even think what to google...

Has anyone got any advice on this? Please don't leave me sharing a kitchen with my sister in law for 2 weeks

I can't get past 'not flying' but heading for Spain

In the UK, there are loads of places where it would make sense for you to hire perhaps 4 cottages in a barn conversion , but , somewhere hot, could you not just hire 4 rooms in a hotel, or apartments in a block ?

Alternatively, what about a cruise? You can get on the boat on the SOuth coast and the holiday is the journey. You'd obviously have your own cabins and catering provided.

A cruise is a great idea.

Link for holiday homes in France (Dordogne) that might suit:

www.lescrouquets.net/?fbclid=IwAR31_1Rez_Q5w_tmjBhO4KUu6P8Cx9556ebcq06Q-wOMpgrMcZcmIPHzlpE

Some alternatives:

www.giteslafoye.com/?fbclid=IwAR1LVqgzFpujz8Z5RVcaYEPL-fMmEoEaTszidydvcXLquGJsHGDnSj0KdR4

www.beausoleilholidays.com/?fbclid=IwAR2HPk112g-150f3moJHKz3-WxlafvKAn691zr3PKP4Qr_HrQhwST8LfE8I

Honestly 2 weeks for 17 of you is madness. why not book a week together and have the second week on your own. Huge family holidays with wide age ranges mean that there are always one or two people left with the burden of shopping and cooking. If money is no object then look for a farmhouse type accommodation where it includes a chef.

Not particularly cheap but beautiful place with loads of facilities. A group of cottages around a large pool, lovely Scottish and french owners so language not an issue . Loads of facilities, play barn, woods, donkey when we went years ago, badminton etc. Loads of space to run around and give kids some freedom.

Downside is it is a drive to anywhere but loads of things in easy reach.

www.lescrouquets.net/

Google Le sarrail just outside Carcassonne. Perfect for a celebration kits of own space

Get a villa with Scott and Dunn or similar comes with chef and nanny

You can drive to northern Spain (Costa Brava area). We did it years ago, and despite it looking silly in the era of low cost airlines, I'd love to do it again and go over the Millau Bridge. But a gite in France is probably a better idea if you are driving.

But I don't understand with about 12 adults/teens, only you and SIL would be responsible for meal production .

I would split everyone except the middley ones and babies into pairs and each pair is responsible for 2 days of cooking each. Share the washing up and shopping on a similar basis and the load is shared evenly with everyone getting plenty of downtime too.

Go for the cruise! We're just back from a holiday for my Dad's 70th. He wasn't overly keen on it to start with but once on the ship he loved it so much that he and mum have booked another for May! They agreed that it was great that no one had to cook, we didn't have to do everything together, it was super easy parking and getting on and off the ship, service was great and very friendly, great entertainment and there were children's clubs so everyone was catered for and got a break.

We went with P&O for 5 nights and had an awesome time!

Another vote for the cruise. Kids clubs available if you want them, you can escape each other to do different things if you wish, and nobody has to cook!

Cruise as you can get lost on the ship and meet up for grub