France - Hotel or Self-catering

[Elly1801]

Hi there,

Looking for toddler and baby friendly recommendations for s/c or hotel stay in France in summer 2008.

We're in Fife so thinking of ferry from Rosyth to Zeebrugge then drive, or the non-eco friendly cheap flight option from Edinburgh!

We stayed in a fantastic house in Northumberland (s/c) a couple of weeks ago for a short break and it was fantastic - toys, crockery, emergency bits and bobs in case you'd forgotten anything etc and we'd love to find somewhere so thoughtfully and usefully equipped on Francophone shores.

Any ideas?

There are loads of independent lets that are well equipped. What can work out really well is a British owned holiday home, because they will have the kind of stuff you expect.

If you are in a place with lots of local restaurants, a self-catering place can work out well - you eat out when you want and eat in when you want. When we have self-catered with little ones, we would basically eat out for lunch every day and have a simple supper at home.

ScienceTeacher is right. We are big fans of gites ruraux, which are French-owned, but the gites calins (supposedly especially suitable for babies...) can be very variable in terms of the modernity of the equipment offered. Ds has been treated to a distressed rusting ironwork cot (which would have cost a fortune in Islington but which looked pretty lethal to me) and a downright bizarre highchair that doubled as a commode/potty, in his time ! He survived and so did we, but it was a bit nervewracking.
British-owned properties are usually concentrated along the West Coast, in the Dordogne, and down in the Languedoc. They are more expensive - because they are usually better-equipped for young families - and get very booked up.

If you can go June or Sept you will have a far better chance of booking something now.

I can thoroughly recommend any campsite operator that goes to France - all child/family orientated. Got everything on site you need!!

Altewrnatively if you want a house try tots2france - can't remember exact web site! Sorry!