Gites in France.../ France Euro camps

[CurlyTop1980]

Hi

My first time posting on this board. I am now working in a job which gives me loads of holidays (private school)and now I have the opportunity to go on holidays properly and not rushed (I know I'm really lucky and before suitcases would be left unemptied for weeks as I had limited a/l).

Anyway I wanted to know about French Gites. Way before covid a friend of mine booked a house in France near to La Rochelle in the last week of July and the weather was patchy, raining and we couldn't really use the pool.

So my question is.... last week of July, first week of August which area in France is best for the weather? And has anyone driven to southern France and stayed in one gite and then driven back up north towards calais and stayed in another place?

I have seen on this post the euro camp near the northern coast mentioned here. My daughters are twins and they will be 12 next summer and they are very active,sporty.

Thanks on advance.!

The weather in Northern Framce is often very similar to the South of the UK.

If you want warmer and sunnier weather you need to go much further South.

I would look at places on the Mediterrenean coast (so near Montpelier, Narbonne, Beziers, Nimes, Perpignan etc..) where in July/Aug temperatures tend to be in the high twenties/low thirties and it is much drier (but with the risk of the odd biblical thunderstorm!) We tend to stay in cities and towns but it is a popular area for French families to holiday so there are a lot of holiday camps and beach resorts.

Obviously the downside is that they are much further away if you are driving or getting the train. We get the train. We went to Perpignan this year and got the Eurostar from London to Paris and then the TGV to Perpignan. It is an easy journey and took around 8 hours (that included a two hour break in Paris to change trains - the post Brexit loss of the direct South of France Eurostar is a real pain in the bum).

Thanks so much for replying. We're looking to drive and stay more rural.

But I will look at those areas you mentioned. I have seen a nice gite (shared pool) in Tolouse area.

Once you are south of the Loire the weather is usually dependably warm - Bordeaux and below. The Dordogne is very
popular and is less of a drive than the very south, with lots to do and see. It is thought expensive as a result compared to some other areas. The Pau is also warm, much cheaper, but a bit less to ‘do’.

Yeah areas near or on the border with Spain seem to less popular with Amercian and UK tourists and therefore cheaper as a result.

I tend to prefer those areas as I like the mix of Spanish and French cultures and food, plus I really love the Med coast.

Thanks all. I like the look of the areas near Spain too. I think maybe driving from Calais then stopping over one night somewhere like Lyon, then going south and staying for a week and then driving back along the coast to somewhere like La Rochelle and staying a week there.

That sounds like a good idea and a lovely trip!

Lyon is a very pretty city as well.

Maybe do a tour of the Lyon Stadium as have a football mad child.

We've stayed in a few different Eurocamps in Southern France- St Cyprien, Argeles-Plage type of area and they've been great we drive through and have stopped midway in Paris, Disney, Center Parcs to make it more manageable. Always hot and sunny in the South but changeable in mid regions. Great adventure for older kids!

@CurlyTop1980 Football mad Mr Monkey enjoyed visiting Lyon football stadium - be warned there is a shop - with A LOT of football tat.

Thanks. This is a such a great idea. We did DL this year. So maybe a stop in Paris would be good. I've never taken the kids to Paris proper!

Driving in Paris to get to wherever you are staying is a bit hair raising but we managed (just!!). The kids loved Paris, loads to see and do. We're going to the Annecy region this year but haven't been before so can't comment just yet!

The eurocamp at Beziers is very nice, it's called domaine de la yole. Nice pools, lots of activities, next to the beach, public transit on the doorstep. You can get taxi transfers from the airport for £12 each. The Lidl and supermarket are in the public bus route but the sure facilities like supermarkets etc are really not that terribly priced . We would definitely go back for a nice simple holiday as our kids really loved every minute of it

Thanks so much for your comments. I moved jobs so last minute this year and had no understanding of holiday and a/l that I completely missed the boat around organising holidays. I've always been really last minute and not focused. But now I want to try new stuff and enjoy holidays.

Definitely look at the area around St Cyprien-Plage - it’s years since I was last there but a lot of the campsites we used are still there and right on the beach. Easy access to Spain for day trips as well and it’s less frenetic than the Côte d’Azur.

You could also look at the Landes area near Biscarrosse-Plage - pine forests and sand dunes, on the Atlantic side, but far enough south that I’d expect the weather to be reliable.