France with 3 kids (family of 5)

[lafranceestbelle]

Hello,

I've been to a few French cities as a solo traveller. I now have 3 kids with the eldest being 7.

We've previously done package holidays in Spain (pool,sea, evening entertainment) for the convenience of not having to food shop but I'd like to try something new.

I'm open to eurocamp style/renting a house.

What's been your favourite holidays to France with 3 young children? Any tips/things to avoid, all welcome.

Merci.

We had a mobile home on a Siblu park and it was fab. We had great family holidays there for years. We loaded up the car with the kids and the dog and tons of crap, leave at 4am and drive down in one go. About 14 hours door to door.

The Siblu parks tend to be more French though entertainer/ / kids club have English speaking staff.

https://siblu.co.uk/camping/france/south-west-coast/nouvelle-aquitaine/les-charmettes?mckv=%7Cpcrid%7C%7Cpkw%7C%7Cpmt%7C%7Cpdv%7Cm%7C&gadsource=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw88yxBhBWEiwA7cm6pUxaUKkaMDU7MS8xnsSiM6jeQTA2W7DQSW0EC4oRnRAlNtbtr0IbbhoC5ygQAvDD_BwE

g.co/kgs/d3A2LUv La Pignade - Camping Siblu

Ah thank you! I can speak french so would be good to practice a bit!! Will take a look. I would be exhausted driving through the night tho. 😳 do you just do driving shifts?

We often drive down and we just set off a day or two early and break the journey on the way. This is actually really fun and if you pick carefully you can stop in really nice places.

Would definitely second SW France.

When the kids were younger DH tended to do most of the driving, as I sat in the back to keep them entertained. The dog got to travel in peace in the front. then as they got older we just split it.

Driving is easy in France (apart from Paris and Rouen!) on the payeage. you could always break it up either jn England or France depending on where you are driving from. Or fly into La Rochelle or Bordeaux and hire a car but it gets €€€€€!

We drove to Charente (about an hour inland from La Rochelle) when the kids were 4 and 6. Stayed in a gîte on a farm. The kids loved it. Spent 14 days there and 3 days in Dunkirk on the way back. We spent the night in Folkestone and then got the Chunnel first thing in the morning. Then it took about 6 hours to drive down which we took in turns. The kids still talk about it today even after all inclusive holidays since then! We could walk to a pub, boulangerie and having the car was amazing. We loved exploring the local area but also had days at the gîte in the lovely French sunshine. It was one of the best holidays we have had 🤩

Annecy and surrounds is pretty and family friendly. The lake is lovely for swimming and lots of activities if you are outdoorsy. Flights to Geneva are relatively inexpensive too.
We are holidaying on the Mediterranean coast this year at a Eurocamp but can’t say how it is as we haven’t been yet.

@PointerSister can I ask why you've not done it since?

We stayed in gites when the kids were small but I like eurocamp type places now with the pools and activities. We like Sandaya ones but Yelloh ones look good too. Have a look at the Loire, Normandy and Brittany, the Vendee, Carcassonne, Frejus.

@LoreleiG thanks, what age onwards would you say it's worth doing eurocamp style?

Covid! We had it all booked for the year after which turned out to be 2020. Then we have been stuck with taking MIL on holiday with us after FIL passed. This is not a holiday she would enjoy and her mobility isn’t great. Would totally do it again though! We still speak to the people that owned and ran the gîte 🥰

Camp sites are great for kids. Choose one with an indoor pool if more northern but just outside is fine for warmer parts of France. For a shorter road journey consider the Vendee region which is pretty warm, and the overnight ferry to Le Havre or Oustreme. Most have kids clubs though for little ones you often have to stay with them, the staff are usually multi lingual.

I first did this style when mine were 4&6.

We've been to this place a few times, it's absolutely lovely: www.lac-de-maison.com

We've done a good few campsite holidays in France, usually with Yelloh or Sandaya. We started when our youngest was 2, eldest 3 and the eldest still enjoys them at age 11. Kids clubs usually start at age 4 or 5 and you don't need to stay with them.

There's loads of choice of campsites - beach, river, mountains, quiet, lively and so on. We usually get an overnight ferry and drive for max 5 hours which gets us as far as the Vendee. We've also flown further south and hired a car.

We’ve down Le Shuttie and driven in France to various areas. Are you driving or flying?

The main until I can think of is that Sundays can be quiet in France. Also, they prefer Speedo type trunks and not boxer shorts swimming trunks.

Wine is very cheap!

Alternative to a long drive is take the overnight ferry to St Malo and get a cabin to sleep. It’s very comfortable and easy and means you can rest in between long drives.
Another vote for Eurocamp or Sandaya sites. Excellent for kids.

Any tips/things to avoid if you are planning to drive there try to avoid the "black" Saturdays in July/August when the roads are rammed because all French people insist on leaving for their holidays at exactly the same time (a quick google will tell you when these dates are are). If you can possibly travel on a Friday or Sunday (or any other day of the week come to that!) you will avoid a lot of jams and hold ups. Similarly try to avoid stopping at motorway services between 12 and 2pm - everyone in France stops for lunch between these hours so its always hard to get a parking space/seat. Conversely, when you are visiting small towns try have lunch between these hours because you'll find many places stop serving and don't start again until the evening. We loved Brittany when the kids were little - not too far to drive and not too hot. Rock pools, markets, crepes - preferably in a lovely gite where you can barbecue in the evening and play in the garden. Somewhere like the Ile de Ré is lovely when they are old enough to cycle. If going south, I prefer the Atlantic coast to the Med in the summer as the beaches are bigger and there's more of a sea breeze.

Eurocamp/Canvas holidays every time.

Drive down, then you've got the car. Children make friends almost immediately and you can usually spend an evening sitting by a playground, with a glass of wine. Loads to do in the day.

We've been all over, we would just ask everyone for a wish list and choose a campsite. Usually one with the best water slides.

Thank you so much all that have replied!! Really helpful.

@LillianGish do you independently find a gîte by using internet or where's best to look? I'm a bit overwhelmed with options!

After some recommendations on here we’ve booked La Rive for early summer, flights to Bordeaux and a good size car hire. It worked out about £80 dearer than driving and ferry from the North West so with two toddlers thought flying will be easier. We also did a Sandaya one near La Rochelle in 22 and that was fab, indoor pool, mini farm etc. I remember all my French site holidays until about 15 just chose one with plenty to do and near things if you want to venture out.

I’d completely second this advice. Changeover days are usually Saturdays. The bridge to Ile de Re gets rammed then, so I’d definitely try and stay a night before. When the kids are older - Puy Du Fou is fab.
with children the age of yours though, I’d get a holiday cottage in Brittany with a pool. There are lots here https://www.gites-de-france.com/en

the ferry to St Malo is lots of fun in itself.

I would look on Airbnb or Gites de France and book the Ferry/Eurotunnel separately. Or if you know where you want to go google search holiday cottage in that area and see what pops up.

@LillianGish @theeyeofdoe not sure how I didn't find gîtesdefrance before but I'm amazed at what you can book. What does it mean when it says "all inclusive"?

It means the price includes heating, sheets, towels and cleaning.

https://www.gites-in-vendee.com/