Puy du fou - where else to visit?

[holidaydreaming]

Hi all,
We've got a couple of days to play with either side of going to Puy du Fou. We're driving there from Calais and afterwards we're heading down to Bordeaux. It's me, DH and 3 pre and teenagers. Happy to be adventurous, sporty, but probably not too much history as we're covering that at PdF.
Has anyone got any recommendations? Thanks in advance all

I’d go and stay in one of the chateau hotels in the Loire. Samur is in testing to visit the horse show. A vineyard tour?
we went to Ile de re post puy du fou last time, but it’s maybe a bit far fit just a couple of days.

Thanks underneath. Would you recommend any particular Chateau hotels?

Have enjoyed Terre Botanica in Angers previously, but that might be too similar to Puy de Fou

La Rochelle is always a favourite stop for us, but we love aquariums so we are biased.

Could also go to the beaches at Les Conches or Longeville - good for surfing / body boarding.

Zoo de La Flèche is great and has lodges where you can stay looking over the animals, probably a bit late for booking that this year though.

One holiday friends we were with went to Le Grand Defi and had a great time, I refused due to a fear of heights!

Have never been but O’Gliss Water Park is supposed to be popular.

Thanks Cherry- that's loads to get on with!

La Rochelle is fab, lots to see and do. You could go to Ile de re for the day from here, we’ve done that before, a drive over the bridge. We went to ogliss park last summer and it was heaving! Having been to a water park in Portugal a few months before ogliss really wasn’t a patch. It was v concretey and our boys were excited about the foam party until a load of drunken twenty somethings turned up! I wouldn’t go back!!
we’ve stayed around Royan and Palais sur Mer before, lots of great rock pools near Palais, safe beaches but also fantastic bodyboarding around Le Grand Cote. For something different, we stayed at Mortagne Sue Gironde here https://www.domainedumeunier.com/ which was fab, they have a pinball hall which is brilliant and loads to do nearby- Talmont, Calvados about an hour away nd you can canoe down the river but lots to do close by and beaches only around 30 mins away.
so many fab places!

@Holidayqueen1

• *You have just made me feel better about deciding not to go to O'Gliss last summer. We stayed in Tranche sur Mer and the kids were keen but heard mixed reports.

OP If you want a smallish French seaside resort for a few days, with nice beaches, fab restaurants etc I can highly recommend La Tranche sur Mer.

Depending on when you're in the area, Vintage Vélo in Saumur is lovely. Loads of people dressed up riding old bikes around, vintage market etc.

Brocantes, mainly Sundays and public holidays.

Chenonceau chateau is my favourite, Chambord also good.

Lac de St Cyr great for a day on a beach, not far out of your way.

Guinguettes, riverside bars.

Boat trips on the Vienne....

French tourist offices are amazing.

@WickedUsername , good dodge for sure!!
yes tranche Sur Mer is lovely too, agreed!!

the other place which is nice is the Maria’s Poite in, hire a boat and go down the green canals.
all
the places I’ve mentioned are kind of on the way down to Bordeaux from Puy de Fou but I’ve realised you may be on your way back!!

@holidaydreaming where did you end up going and was puy du foy good... We are going soon

@Summerwashout we went to ile de ré for a few days. Very laid back and enjoyed it mucho. Stayed in Saint Martin de ré which was buzzy enough for the kids but the beach was a 10 min walk along the coast and lovely. Also on the same trip on the way back we visited Villandry and stayed in Tours. Also recommend. Most of Tours and Ile de Ré was about finding the best ice cream which makes the holiday for the kids!
Puy du Fou was fabulous. It was a very long day but worth it. I would go back if we were in the area definitely.

@holidaydreaming thank you. I really wanted to fit I'll de re in but we couidnt combine the times etc