WHERE IN FRANCE?

[MollyMooMin]

Hi! We're looking to take our daughter to France this year but as we've never been before, we don't know the best place to stay. She will be 7/8 months old in aug/sept when we'd be looking to go... So, where to?

Such a broad question! As a raving Frncophile I've lived and travelled all over France so happy to welcome new converts! You need to be a little more specific - are you driving? Flying? Do you intend to camp? Hotels? Are you looking for sea? Countryside?

Anywhere, its pretty much all fab. As Amsterdad says it depends how/when you'd be going.... I personally love the Auvergne and Cantal regions. A place called St Flour around there is beautiful. Brittany is lovely too, but weather not really guaranteed. Loire Valley? Dordogne? All lovely. Depends what type of holiday you want. Sorry can't be more specific, we've been to almost every corner of France so hard to know where to start!

We stayed in a chalet-style house in the Haute-Savoie region (south of Lake Geneva) last September and absolutely loved the area. We booked with VfB Holidays. We drove down there from Calais (stopping off for the night in Dijon on the way) - if I were to go again I would consider flying to Geneva and hiring a car from there though (although with a little one loading the car up with all the gear at home could be the more practical option).
There is loads to do in the area and as it is a skiing area in Winter as you can imagine the scenery is lovely.

O.k, we'd like to take the car so we're abit more independant over there. As she'll only be 7 or 8 months, we'd like somewhere very "baby-friendly". Beach would be nice, with plenty to see and do. Nice warm weather would be a God-send!! Lovely places to eat... I can almost see my ideal place, but does it exist? Any info would be a great help!

O.k, we'd like to take the car so we're abit more independant over there. As she'll only be 7 or 8 months, we'd like somewhere very "baby-friendly". Beach would be nice, with plenty to see and do. Nice warm weather would be a God-send!! Lovely places to eat... I can almost see my ideal place, but does it exist? Any info would be a great help!

If you want a beach and are travelling with a baby I'd go for Brittany or the Vendee (below Brittany) Or maybe as far south as La Rochelle. Cottage? Tent? Hotel?

We took DD to Brittany when she was 5 months old and we had a wonderful time - combination of beautiful scenery, good food and the French love of children. We stayed on the South Coast, but really anywhere on the coast in Brittany would be nice. Also, my cousin (who is Welsh, with a Breton DH) has a gite just outside Rennes if you were interested in that. She loves babies. It's inland, about an hour from St Malo. CAT me if you are interested.

Can thoroughly recommend Charente Maritime.Bit further south than Brittany , so the weather can be better.Lots of people with kids on the coast. plenty of variety- large wild beaches/ small coves/. Seafood heaven, as it is a big oyster farming area. restaurants full of fish, lobsters and mussels. Very french-lots of french second home owners. loads of well- organised events in the evenings all summer.( like night markets/ fireworks on the beach/concerts etc.) i can go on!!! send you the links if you like. We have been going to this region since 1976- thats since I was tiny an my sister was a baby. Both of us now bring our families there and it has changed little.still very old fashioned in some ways , but lovely.I love lots of other parts of France too, and admit i am biased as we have been going there for so long!
www.saint-palais-sur-mer.com/

this one has better pics;
www.bernezac.com/StPalais_general_uk.htm
and is in English

Don't drive too far! Normandy is lovely and often overlooked. Check out Gites on www.gites-de-france.fr, go to the Normandy (Calvados) area of the map and click on themed holidays, it will then list a load of baby friendly Gites. You can replicate this for Gites all over France. Enjoy

I like the south, Bandol is fab, been there twice. Camped once and stayed in an amazing villa we found on the net the 2nd time.

We are going back to the Lot Valley this year. It's beautiful, but has very few tourists. I can thoroughly recommend it. We also very much enjoyed going to Lot et Garonne a few years ago (even fewer tourists).

Thanks so much for those ideas! Sorrel, that place sounds perfect! Looking on those sites now. If we end up booking anywhere, I'll let yu know where !