France with little ones and in-laws, where to stay?

[kombuchabucha]

My OH and I would like to take our boys to France next year (will be 2 and 4). I'm overwhelmed by the accommodation options and wondered if anyone could recommend a good area or even a specific house!

We're planning on going in June/July 2025. We will be going with my in-laws, so looking for a self-catered house with a pool that can accommodate 8 adults and our two boys. Would like to have some decent day-trip options nearby too, such as interesting villages/towns/cities, or nice forests/rivers/beaches to explore.

Any recommendations welcome!

Are you planning to drive? Loire valley is lovely, plenty to do and easy to get to. Have always had good weather there in the summer when we've been but it's not always reliable. The Dordogne region also has plenty to do and more likely to be hot weather.

For the coast Southern Brittany is great for kids, but again not completely reliable with the weather. Charente Maritime is also very nice with lovely towns and beaches.

Le Logis du Pressoir in the Loire valley. We stayed there in a family group a few years ago and it’s absolutely lovely. The owners are super friendly and helpful.

https://logisdupressoir.com/

Emerald Coast Gites has a house big enough. It’s in a lovely area and has great child-friendly facilities onsite.

Try child friendly gites in the Charente. They manage two small complexes of gites so families can socialise and they do a separate villa too if you want to be just you. It’s fairly rustic but good value and very enjoyable! Charente-maritime is drivable too with good days out and places to visit
https://www.childfriendlygites.com/

Thirding or fourthing the Loire Valley. Loads of simple, child friendly things to do like cycling on flat safe routes (you can hire bikes and child trailers), boat trips, there are various zoos etc etc, and plenty of adult things like visiting chateaux and wine tasting. All very beautiful, and the climate is mostly neither too hot nor cold. Nantes, with les Machines de L'Ile, is amazing for a day trip.

Thank you for all the suggestions! I will have a good look at all the suggested locations and accommodation and share it with the group. The Loire Valley sounds like a winner, I do remember going there as a child myself now you mention it!

@lavenderlou yes we are planning to drive. We are thinking of doing the overnight ferry from Portsmouth, but could do Dover too, or the Eurotunnel. I'd welcome thoughts on the best way to do that journey by car! It'll be our first long trip with the kids, and we're coming from the north of England so it's a fair trek!

We always do the overnight ferry. It's a lot more expensive but then an easy drive to the Loire or the West Coast from St Malo or Caen. The DC love it.

I don't know whether you'd consider a couple of gites on the same site. Le Banquet in Les Eyzies, Dordogne was recommended to me on here about 10 years ago. We went a couple of times with our kids, it was lovely. The owners lived on site and it was handy having them nearby if we needed them. They've sold it onto another family now but they're still running it as a holiday gites.

It can get VERY hot in high season though. One year we went and it was like 34 degrees. Obviously the houses have no air con so the nights were a bit unbearable in one of the bedrooms. June would be fine though I think.

There is lots to see in the area - mainly prehistoric stuff. Caves. the chateaus are good, and there is a a great activity park for kids in Le Bugue. The villages and towns are beautiful and the scenery is stunning. We went kayaking on the Vezere river, was a lovely afternoon (and i'm not sporty at all!) For older ones there is accrobranche (those tree-climbing places like Go Ape)

@lavenderlou the overnight ferry does sound like a nice way to break up the journey, and I suppose saves on paying for a night of accommodation elsewhere! Will look into it :)

@CurlyhairedAssassin I really like the look of these gites, quite like the idea of our family being able to have our own space but then being able to go to the bigger house with the rest of the family for meals / hanging out by the pool together. Would love the kayaking and the french go ape too! Thanks so much for the recommendation!