Recommended areas in France approx 5 hours from Calais

[sequin2000]

Hi, can anyone recommend areas in France around 5.5 hours maximum from Calais. We would like to be near a beach or lake for swimming. Travelling with children aged 12 and 13 and would like a gite, caravan, lodge etc. Many thanks in advance.

The only sea you'll get within a 5-hour drive of Calais is the channel, but if you're up for swimming in that then Normandy is nice. We stayed in St Aubin sur Mer last year in a gite near the beach and there are little towns all along the coast with cottages for rent if you take a look at the gite de france website.

Alternatively, there are several Center Parcs in northern France that would also fit the bill and they tend to me cheaper than the ones in England. Some have lakes for watersports (not sure about swimming), but all will presumably have pools for that. www.centerparcs.eu/in-en/co_holiday-park-france