Please recommend an area of France with two small kids

[Crabsy]

We live in the south east. Kids will be 2 and 4 and we have 7-10 days around the end of June. We can’t decide between:

a) euro tunnel or ferry (Portsmouth is closest but Dover also ok) and then spending the hols somewhere around Brittany or Somewhere as far up as maybe Honfleur. Pros of this is that we could take our own car so don’t have to worry about car hire/car seats. Cons is that it’s potentially a lot of driving both sides depending on where we go, and the weather in the north is maybe less reliable?

b) flying from Heathrow to somewhere like Nice or Marseille and then hiring a car. I’d thought about somewhere like Le Lavendou. Pros are the better weather, kids will be excited to go on a plane, maybe less driving overall. Cons are that it’s more expensive and have to faff about with car hire and seats.

Any recommendations of where to go? We’d like a quiet villa or chalet somewhere fairly quiet but within walking distance of a few shops or restaurants. We’d like a pool even if it’s shared and also like to be max 15-20 mins drive from beaches. Ideally a lovely quiet town with a few playgrounds, family restaurants and low key beaches around. We aren’t really into big attractions or super busy places.

Thanks in advance!

We did the eurocamp near Paris last year. Was really good. This year we are doing the eurocamp des menhiers I think it's called. In carnac in Brittany. We will be doing the overnight ferry there. Not sure about back yet. Driving from NW England so a good ol' drive!

I wonder about the Loire Valley, somewhere fairly close to the mouth, so that beaches are reachable? Nantes is a really interesting city- and check out Les Machines de l'Ile for kids! I was really impressed with the Loire Valley last year- it's not just chateaux, there are loads of things to do. Bike trails, caves, a couple of zoos etc, good transport infrastructure, oh and the wine of course...😉

Ferry from Portsmouth to caens, it’s then a 3hr drive down to Carnac in Brittany, lovely quiet place with lots of restaurants, gorgeous beach and lots of quiet bits and pieces to do in the area for the kids

I'd stick to Normandy/Brittany with small children. So many lovely areas, and having your own car and being able to take as much stuff as you want is a not to be underestimated bonus!

We spend half the year in France, and I'd say that you need to go further south than Normandy for reliable weather in June.

Provence/south coast should be lovely at that time of year. Does it have to be by the coast? What about a town like Aix en Provence? Or something completely different, maybe Lac Vassiviere in central France? It's a huge lake with beaches, lots of pretty, peaceful villages and plenty of history. And far fewer tourists than some places.

Thank you all. Lots to research. Sounds like there are some lovely places in Normandy and north but part of the reason we are choosing France over the uk is I want nice beach weather. I don’t want to schlep all the way over there only to have the same weather I could get in wakes! I know it can’t be guaranteed not even in Greece but it sounds like southern France is more reliable?

We loved this one. You can't go to far wrong with a Eurocamp type holiday in my view. There is so much of France to explore! Think about what entertainment you might value for the kids (bigger sites =more options and more kids around) whether you want to be near a beach and then how sure you want to be of good weather (need to be a bit further south for more likely sunshine/warmth).

You can get to La Rochelle or the Loire valley with not too long a drive from the overnight Portsmouth ferry to St Malo (4 ish hours which is easy given you'll land at 8.30 ish and, if it's Eurocamp, not be able to get into accommodation until 3) Brittany and Normandy are really lovely (& we've been lucky with weather there) but there are lots of good options 'down a bit' too.

Depending how close to Kings Cross you are the Eurostar is an option to consider...eurocamp and others near beziers can be reached by car, plane or train and weather is so much more reliable than northern france in June.

Driving is possible here siblu.co.uk/camping/france/south-west/la-reserve where we had a lovely toddler friendly holiday.

You can always get the Eurostar to Marseille (changing at Lille) if the kids aren't good in the car. Tickets aren't available for June yet, but you can do it in about 7 hours from London. It's not cheap but it's an option.

Brittany is a risk.its the Britain of France after all! I would like others echo again the loire region.so much to do.in and around. We went back over a dozen times to the regions around there.eventually making it further to the dordogne when we got older.
The drive even as littlies was one of the best bits.im sure we were shits at times.but stopping g for picnics.swrvice stations.then overnight and arriving at our tent ⛺️ for the night. You can now get beautiful mobile homes in the campsites. Spent many a happy a day on site too. In the pools.lakes.golf.little market and pastry shop.play areas. Then venturing out as and when.the garden and chatuex are stunning.but thee is so much more round there.

The South Coast of Brittany is markedly warmer than the North, if that helps. Another thing to consider, with small children, is the possibility of it getting TOO hot. Intense summer heatwaves are getting more and more common in continental Europe with climate change. One of those green pharmacy signs was showing 42 degrees as we drove through Orleans early last August- so not even the South. Even the North Coast of Brittany was 39 degrees in that heatwave (but by the time we got there the heatwave had broken and the weather was a bit meh 🙄)

I would do southern Brittany, Vendee or Gironde (or Ile de Re/Ile d’Oleron). Great beaches, lovely weather, plenty to do.

South of France is more of an adult’s/ older children’s holiday IMO. It’s markedly more expensive, and less child-friendly in general as a rule. Aix/Nimes/Beziers/Cannes/Sete etc. all great if you want sightseeing, marinas, nice touristy (but expensive) restaurants, Roman ruins, coffee in lovely cafes for hours, art galleries, and don’t mind it being blisteringly hot with little shade. For little ones, though, I’d choose the west Atlantic coast where things are a little more relaxed and beachy.

Dover to Calais then drive down to Brittany. Lovely sandy beaches. We love Morlaix. Bike hire place that hires out those bikes with child bike or cart on the back. Long green cycle track (route verte). Little port to walk around about 2 km. Cafe and ice creams along route. Very pretty with flower baskets all around. Lit up by night. Beach 20 mins away. Putting course and boule also large play park 10 mins away. Shops and restaurants and market on Saturday.

Another vote for south brittany/carnac area. went there loads of times when our kids were young. its like cornwall with less people, less tat, better weather and better food. And the eurocamp type holiday. generally the weather is a bit better than uk/north brittany.

we found it much easier to load the car up with stuff than catch a plane. An we loved watching the entertainment in the bar on the ship.

Definitely a great place for a holiday. It’s not that near the beach but fab for little children and the best zoo we’ve been to. Kids loved it there.

Cap Ferret nr Bordeaux (not Cap Ferrat). Very lovely for family holidays.

The Dordogne is a fab area with young kids. Plenty to sea and do, hire your own gite with a pool to relax before / after trips out. It’s a long drive from the ferries but we once flew to Limoges and then hired a car. Weather pretty reliably warm in summer.
In general France does ‘lake beaches’ very well so even inland areas like the Dordogne have loads of swimming spots around.

Plus a lot of the camping sites now have their own lakes. One place,Parc de farbois loireregions( not the spelling sorry!) Was amazing.had a lake which was pretty much our beach.we were there all day everyday.and a pool.a camp shop,play,tent,homes,safari tents.amazing for kids.

When ours were that age we always went to Southern Brittany. Have been there many times and always had weather that's fine for the beach (although personally I find the Atlantic too chilly for more than paddling - DH and DC always happy to go in). When I've been there temperatures have ranged from 22 degrees to 37 degrees.

Ferry to roscoff and stay here. Absolutely fab place. Little ones can use the water slides on your lap. www.yellohvillage.co.uk/camping/les_mouettes

Forgot to say it's a 20 min drive from roscoff so perfect for avoiding driving in france that much!

So i read the post and thought oh I'd do eurocamp - then realised that waspretty much everybody had said!!
Definitely take the car then you can pack as much as you need.