France for FamiliesTaking your dog to France
Thinking of taking your dog to France on holiday with you? Read our essential guide here…
Last-minute offers for Gites in France
New – look out for our new special offer emails featuring deals across a range of family-friendly gites in France.
As well as our top posts on all things France (from driving licence rules to taking pets abroad) you’ll also benefit from our latest deals as we have them.
Poitou-Charentes
Escape to Charente, Saint-Front, Charente
3-bed luxury gite with pool, BBQ, free bikes and ponies.
Extra 5% discount, can be used with other offers we have, July / August £1200 per week without discount.
http://www.escapetocharente.com
Brittany
Emerald coast gites, Cotes d’Armor
7 high quality 1-4 bed gites & glaming lodges with pool, bar & play areas
25% discount on all June holidays when quoting France for Families.
http://www.yourfrenchgite.com
Languedoc-Roussillon
Imagine Roussillon, Canet-en-Roussillon
High quality baby & child-friendly apartments with pool, Jacuzzi & gym
20% reduction for 4-18 June. when quoting France for Families.
www.imagineroussillon.com
Charente Maritime
La Bigorre Holiday Cottages, Saint Germain du Seudre
4 holiday cottages 30 minutes from Royan beaches, with pool, free bikes & games area.
June and September – 10% off all bookings when quoting France for Families.
http://www.labigorre.com/home/4587968110
Poitou Charentes
Deux-Sevres , L’Absie, Deux-Sevres
3 child-friendly gites wit pool, games, private patios with BBQ.
15% off June breaks when quoting France for Families.
www.lesglycinesgites.com
Midi-Pyrenees
Tournesol Gite, Pampelonne, Tarn
3 gites with private patio & BBQ, pool overlooking valley, games, fine dining options.
Offer – Sat July 23rd to Sat July 30th – price £800 instead of £895 when quoting France for Families.
http://www.tarn-aveyron-gites.com
Christmas in France
CHRISTMAS is a time for traditions – but expatriates in France will have noticed several differences between the French way of doing things and what they have been used to.
Here are just a few ways Christmas in France may be just a little different…
Christmas cards
Although Christmas cards are available in shops, French people are generally not in the habit of sending greetings cards at Christmas, except perhaps to distant family members.
Instead, they send cards after New Year and often late into January, wishing family and friends “Meilleurs voeux”.
Decorations
The Christmas tree, or sapin de Noël, first appeared in Sélestat, Alsace, in the early 16th century, when it became the first town in France to authorise the felling of evergreen trees for Christmas.
As well as bringing seasonal cheer to many homes, Christmas trees also decorate town centres and shop exteriors. Many houses, churches and schools will have a crib scene.
One “Advent” tradition peculiar to Provence dictates that moist wheat from the previous harvest is placed in three cups to germinate in celebration of Saint Barbara’s day on December 4. The green shoots are decorated for Christmas table. Many boulangeries in the south sell sachets of seeds in dishes for charity.
Food
The main feast in France is le Réveillon, on Christmas Eve, when families sit down together for several hours. Unlike the UK, where turkey and Brussels sprouts are traditional, there is no fixed Christmas menu – but delicacies such as oysters and foie gras often make an appearance.
The bûche de Noël cake was first created in France in the 1800s by a pâtissier – from Lyon, Paris or Monaco depending on the story – and pays homage to the tradition of burning a yule log during the festive period.
The bûche was known as the suche in Bourgogne, Etéau-nedelecq in Brittany, tronche in Franche-Comté, tréfeu or tréfouet in Normandy, choque in Picardy and tison de Noël in Poitou-Charentes.
At the end of the meal, a candle may be left burning for the Virgin Mary. In Provence, the meal concluded with treize desserts – 13 little dishes, the number representing Christ and the 12 apostles at the Last Supper.
The galette des rois – a regular sight in shops at this time of year – is eaten at Epiphany (January 6). This pastry cake is baked with a hidden “bean” or inside. Whoever finds it in their slice becomes king for the day.
Father Christmas
Unlike the UK, where children traditionally hang stockings at the end of their bed for Santa on Christmas Eve, in France children have historically left their shoes by the fireplace for Père Noël to fill with gifts such as sweets, fruits, nuts and small toys.
Père Noël also visits schools and Christmas markets in towns and communes, telling stories and bringing gifts for the children. – See more at: http://www.connexionfrance.com/france-christmas-traditions-cards-pere-noel-food-tree-16469-news-article.html#sthash.KBpRTMax.dpuf
Which French holiday suits you?
From luxury villas to practical apartments and authentic gites in France to camping and mobile home holidays, we feature a variety of family-friendly accommodation here at France for Families.
Which holiday in France would suit you? Take a look at our suggestions below and see which one would be your favourite.
A touch of luxury…
Check out the Luxury Vendee Villa for a high-end spacious child-friendly holiday.
This high quality accommodation in western France offers luxurious living in a private paradise within easy reach of a good selection of activities. There’s a welcoming village with shops and restaurant in walking distance plus family-friendly sandy beaches within a convenient drive through the French countryside.
The Villa sleeps 14 plus young children in 7 bedrooms with 6 bathrooms. There’s free Wi-fi and French / UK sky Television plus a games room with pool table & games.
Perhaps best of all is a private heated salt-water swimming pool and peaceful private gardens with south facing veranda.
And right now, Luxury Vendee Villa has a special offer on summer holidays:
Saturday 15th July – Saturday 22nd July was £4450 NOW £3750 (£38 per person per night based on 14 people)
Saturday 26th August – Saturday 2nd September was £5450 NOW £4750 (£48 per person per night based on 14 people)
Find out more about Luxury Vendee Villa here >>>
Budget mobile home and camping
Holidaying on a budget? We’ve just taken on a new partner, One France, who has three private mobile homes for rent on the campsite Les Amiaux, a 4 star site located in St Jean de Monts, in the Vendee region of France.
This campsite is one of the best in the area with many facilities and is safe for children. Les Amiaux facilities include individual private mobile home plots with parking, 3 swimming pools (1 indoor with child pool, 1 outdoor with kiddies splash pool & 1 water chute pool 4 slides). Plus there are tennis courts, table tennis, games room, shop (with U.K. newspapers), a laundry, bar, restaurant, take-away, cycle hire, crazy golf, play areas, sand pits, boules court, basketball and a five-a-side football pitch and more.
The mobiles homes for hire all offer patio tables, chairs, parasol, sun-loungers, reclining chairs and a gas or charcoal BBQ’s. Each plot receives plenty of sunshine and shade during the day. Internally all are fully equipped with full gas cookers, water heaters, microwave ovens, fridge/freezer, electric kettle, duvets, pillows, and bathrooms with W.C. wash basin and shower unit.
The 3 bedroom vans have a double bedroom, and 2 x twin rooms. The two bedroom vans has a double bedroom, and one twin bedroom and double/single make up bed in the living area to accommodate up to 6 persons.
Each has a DVD player and television set on which you can play and watch recorded DVD’s and play CD’s.
John from One France is offering these caravans at great prices, starting from just £125 per week per caravan in low season (September) and from just £495 in the main school summer holidays.
Find out more here or you can email John direct on onefrance@hotmail.com for more info and to book.
Stylish apartments and resorts
If you like the idea of a family-friendly resort in France with plenty of facilities on site, but prefer an apartment or house to stay in then check out Pierre & Vacances.
They tend to offer a large choice of fully equipped accommodation such as apartments with balcony or terrace, house with garden or Provencal-style cottage.
On their resorts they feature swimming pool complexes with wave pools, slides, diving pools etc – plenty to keep the kids entertained! Plus there are a variety of children’s clubs on offer to suit various age ranges. These tend to be quite French orientated, perfect if you want to immerse yourself into the French way of life and avoid many of the ‘Brits abroad’ campsites and holiday parks.
One family-friendly holiday resort we like the look of is Holiday Village Normandy Garden in Branville
Two hours from Paris, and less than 15 km from the beaches of Deauville, Cabourg and Villers-sur-Mer, the Normandy Garden holiday village is located in the heart of the Pays d’Auge, a stud farming region. Built in a beautiful, rolling 12-hectare resort, it features houses and apartments in a traditional Normandy style.
The 12-hectare resort is made up of 4 pedestrianised areas with houses and apartments:
– The Garden Club area has ground-level, Superior-range houses with terraces and spreads out from the center of the village where the reception, bar, restaurant, mini-market and water parks are located.
– The Pommeraie area is located near the entrance to the Holiday Village. It comprises the “Superior” range duplex houses with lovely façades and wooden terraces.
– The Hameau area has been recently renovated and offers apartments with a balcony or loggia and open views of the Normandy woodland.
– The Le Bocage area has semi-detached houses with large balconies.
On site you can relax in the swimming pool complex, including an indoor and outdoor pool, plus you’ll also find a mini-market and specialty restaurant on site.
Pierre & Vacances is currently offering savings of up to £400. Find out more about Holiday Village Normandy Garden here >>>
Family-friendly gite in the Charente
Prefer a more mid-price range private option?
Head to Le Petit Chêne, a fully modernised three bedroom cottage in the southern Charente.
Situated in a secluded valley close to Aubeterre, arguably one of the prettiest villages in France, this light and comfortable south facing gite has a heated swimming pool plus – height of all modern luxury – a hot tub!
The large solar heated swimming pool measures 11m x 6m with roman steps and a custom built hot tub. Sensor lights automatically illuminate the pool terrace in the evenings as dusk falls and two large roman style pots pour water into the pool.
The cottage is part of an old farm complex it is separate from the main farmhouse and converted barn and has it’s own private garden to the front and side. Fully renovated and all on one level the kitchen/sitting room opens on to the south facing terrace for the sun lovers while at the side of the property is a covered terrace where you can relax in the shade.
The market town of Chalais is a two minute drive away or a twenty minute walk, plus bike hire is available.
Fancy discovering your artistic side? Painting tuition can also be provided during your stay.
Prices start from just £600 per week, you can find out more about Le Petit Chêne here >>>
Last-minute Easter Ski Holidays
Auberge & Chalets sur la Montagne offers a hand-picked selection of both luxury and more affordable accommodation at family-friendly Sainte Foy Tarentaise in the heart of the French Alps.
Close to Val d’Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs and La Rosière all our accommodation is equally well-placed for winter skiing or snowboarding holidays and summer walking or cycling holidays.
Easter Ski Holidays – 25% off, free night & free kids lift passes
It’s not too late to book for the Easter holidays! Auberge & Chalets have reduced their prices by 25%, plus giving away free nights.
Pay for a 7-night stay from Saturday April 8th or Sunday April 9th and stay until Easter Monday, or even Tuesday 18th to make the most of the Easter weekend and the last days of the season, and the extra nights are on us!
What’s more for every 6-day adult lift pass bought for Sainte Foy for use between March 25th and April 17th, you can get a free pass for kids aged up to 13!
With these savings, you might want to treat yourselves to our catered service and let our professional staff take care of the cooking and cleaning, leaving you free to relax and enjoy your holiday.
For more information on all our properties or to book, contact our reservations team at
info@auberge-montagne.com
Auberge sur la Montagne
The Auberge sur la Montagne is our owner-run, boutique, catered chalet featuring contemporary design in a rustic setting. It is located in the peaceful alpine village of La Thuile, just 3kms from the resort. There are 5 comfortable bedrooms in the main chalet sleeping up to 15 guests, with additional accommodation for 6 in the adjoining Garden Wing apartment. There is a spacious lounge with well-stocked bar and roaring log fire and a separate Kid’s Den. In the stylish dining room, you’ll be treated to a fine-dining experience with delicious meals freshly-prepared by our highly talented professional chef, Will Manley.
Frontline sur la Montagne
Frontline sur la Montagne is our selection of luxury apartments in the prestigious Balcons de Sainte Foy development. They’re in an enviable ski in – ski out location at the foot of the nursery and sledging slope, right next to the ski school meeting point, and a stone’s throw from the shops. With 1- 4 bedrooms they’re the perfect base for your winter or summer mountain holiday.
Chalets sur la Montagne
Chalets sur la Montagne are a hand-picked selection of more affordable catered and self-catered chalets and apartments in the heart of Sainte Foy resort and Sainte Foy village.
Ranging from bijou Marquise sleeping 4, to the spacious Great Escape sleeping 14, you’re sure to find your perfect holiday accommodation.
Personal Service
Wherever you choose to stay you’ll benefit from our personal service, attention to detail, and the experience that comes with over 20 years of ensuring that our guests enjoy their holidays to the full.
The team at Auberge & Chalets sur la Montagne can help take the strain out of organising your holiday by pre-booking the following for you: transfers, instruction or guiding, equipment rental, lift passes, childcare. They can help you make the most of your holiday by making things easier during your stay too. They can advise on local restaurants and make bookings for you; book après-ski activities, a soothing massage or spa treatment; order a birthday cake or have fresh flowers delivered for that special occasion.
Whatever your request, the resort team will be happy to help. Find out more about Auberge & Chalets sur la Montagne >>>
Best theme park attractions in France
France do theme parks differently. Way differently. Here we’ve described the biggest and most popular across France.
Name: Futuroscope
Description Mix the London Science Museum with Thorpe Park and you’ve got Futuroscope.
Who’s it for? All the family, possibly older children over 8 will enjoy it more.
Rides This futuristic theme park celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2017. It has themed rides that appeal to the thrill seekers, such as the new Jules Verne inspired ride. The only flight motion platform in Europe, Futuroscope has created a ‘technology-leading attraction system that combines a 90° tilting platform and a 6K film showing a mix of real and computer-generated 3D images on a 6,450- ft2 surround screen to bring visitors the ultimate immersive experience of flying like a bird around the world.’
What’s so special? What the French do well is the evening show at most theme parks and every evening show is included in the price of admission.. For example the aquatic fairytale evening show from Cirque du Soleil is a big-bang blend of visual, aquatic and pyrotechnical effects. The constellation of fairytale scenes tells the story of a young real girl who meets a virtual giant with his feet on the ground and his head in the stars.
Does it cater for the UK guest? We can recommend this French attraction even if you don’t speak French. Some attractions are translated via headsets which you can borrow free of charge, just bring your own headphones or you can hire headphones, and other attractions don’t require translations.
Where is it? Futuroscope is located near the Atlantic coast, in the Poitou-Charentes region (newly renamed Nouvelle Aquitaine), between the Loire Valley and the Vendée. You’ll pass it when driving down the main roads in western France, heading down to the Vendee, Charente and Bordeaux etc.
Cost: Tickets start form 40 euros for adults and 36 euros for children. You can book in advance on line.
Website: www.futuroscope.com
Name: Disneyland Paris
Description All singing, all dancing theme park featuring very well known Disney characters, rides, shows and shops. Lots of shops.
Who’s it for? Disney is probably aimed at the under 10’s, but I know couples who go, plus teenage children to mature couples. Disney is all encompassing! It has a great mix of everything – the rids are exciting for the teens, but toddlers and younger kids will love the gentle rides and meeting the characters in Fantasyland. But it’s not just the rides – it’s the whole experience, the sights and sounds, parades and light shows that create the place ‘where dreams come true’, as the publicity blurb says.
There are two theme parks – Disney Studios and Disney Park as well as the Disney Village that is accessible free of charge.
Rides: Disneyland Paris has 58 attractions (or rides), built to suit tots to teenagers. The top ride as voted for by their visitors are
1. It’s a Small World (Fantasyland)
2. Space Mountain (Discoveryland)
3. Big Thunder Mountain (Frontierland)
4. Pirates of the Caribbean (Adventureland)
5. Buzz Lightyear’s Laser Blast (Discoveryland)
If you have younger children they will be desperate to meet the characters. You’ll be able to come into close contact at Fantasyland where characters wander round and there is an extremely popular meet and greet a Disney princess. Head to Mickey’s Café in Disney Village and Buffalo Bill’s live Wild West show in Disney Village to see them perform and all the hotels in Disney Village have a daily slot for meeting the characters. Buffalo Bill’s show is highly recommended – a lively action show on horseback!
What’s so special? The couple of times I’ve visited I found the welcome and the customer service to be top-notch. Even from driving into the immaculate car park, to the hotel welcome to entering the park, the welcomes are warm and the organisation is outstanding.
Don’t get me wrong, the merchandise shops on every corner will drive you insane after a couple of days, but set the expectations of your children early and you’ll be ok! Plus the food on offer in the park is pretty dire – all expensive fast food. Eat a hearty breakfast and take snacks if you don’t want to be dependent on pizza and chips.
The whole Disney experience is sensory overload and towards the end of the day the park starts to resound with the whining of over-tired children, so pace yourself. On a day trip you can only see the highlights; in three or four days you could see pretty much everything and do your favourite rides more than once. Consider hiring a buggy even if your child is used to walking.
Does it cater for the UK guest? Very well, the best of all the theme parks. Being an American attraction in France, all customer service staff is bi-lingual to a very high standard.
Where is it? Located near Marne-la-Vallée to the east of Paris and reached from central Paris via the RER suburban train (line A).
Cost: Tickets start from £36 per adult and £30 for children in low season (2017 prices). . You can book in advance on line.
Website: www.disneylandparis.co.uk
Name: Puy du Fou
Description A theme park like no other, Puy du Fou is made up of a series of spectacular live action shows which are steeped in the History of Man. Thousands of actors and animals recreate high drama, from Roman gladiators to King Arthur, with mind-blowing special effects.
Who’s it for? It will amaze and entertain all age groups.
Rides? Rides? Where you’re going you won’t need rides…
What’s so special? The title ‘theme park’ is misleading if you want rides and adrenaline rushes.
However, if you want to explore historic villages, towns, and cities with craftspeople working in recreated situations, be entertained by breathtaking shows and aerial bird shows then this is the place for you.
This fabuous park has been voted best theme park in the World! Most Brits have never heard of it, but it is France’s second most popular theme park after Disneyland Paris and it’s had phenominal success.
If you’re visiting then you must book the Cinéscenie, a spectacular performance by more than 1000 actors, which takes place on selected Friday and Sunday nights.
The key difference is the lack of commercialism compared to other parks. There aren’t shops on every corner trying to sell you tat. There are no stressful or boring ride queues. The woodland and gardens that make up the setting allow the luxury of a relaxing and fun day.
Mind you, the queues leaving at the end of the night may take a while to negotiate.
Does it cater for the UK guest? Because all the attractions are so visual, it becomes an easy attraction to enjoy and understand. The website is a bit limited in English and staff on park seem to speak enough to get by. Don’t let this put you off though – it’s a must-see attraction!
Where is it? In western France, the Vendee, address 85590 LES EPESSES
France.
Cost: Grand Parc tickets start from 23 euros, Grand Parc and Cinescenie tickets start from 54 euros. . You can book in advance on line.
Website: www.puydufou.com/en
Name: Park Asterix
Description: Great French theme park with fun Asterix themed rides and a good alternative to Disneyland Paris.
Who’s it for? It feels more mature than Disney so suits teens and adults. INpsired by the Asterix comic books, the theme park has sparks of humour that appeal to adults, while managing to be thoroughly entertaining for young children too.
Rides: Expect water splashes everywhere! There’s plenty of Asterix themed rides from carousel where you get to sit in Obelix’s bottom, plus the dizzying Druidic cauldron and the Menhir Express, a flume ride in which you sit in a mock prehistoric standing stone (Obelix, of course, is a menhir delivery man). Other attractions have a Roman theme. Le Défi de César is wacky – and great fun.
What’s so special? Parc Asterix feels nicely quirky in a lovely French way. Meeting the roly-poly Obelix and the diminutive Asterix is a highlight – they hang out and pose for photos amid the thatched huts of their Gaulish village, alongside other splendidly costumed, life-size characters, such as Unhygienix the bellicose fishmonger and Vitalstatistix the obese chief. Decorative touches in the village include flowerpots made from Roman helmets.
Does it cater for the UK guest? In contrast with Disneyland Paris, it makes little or no linguistic concessions in its attractions and shows to non-French speakers. However the hosts are very friendly and they give good support.
Where is it? It is located an hour or so from Paris. 60128 Plailly, France
Cost Tickets start from 41 euros for an adult and 38 euros for a child (2017 pricing) . You can book in advance on line.
Website www.parcasterix.fr/en
Top gites in the Charente
Discover our top gites in the Charente – a fabulous family-friendly area of France and personally recommended by France for Families
NEW gites in the Dordogne
We’ve recently welcomed some new properties onto France for Families, so check out some highlights in the beautiful region of the Dordogne, in the Aquitaine region of France.
These gites in France all have a unique character, whilst sharing this gorgeous location. Suitable for families or couples or even a group of friends enjoying a holiday together in France, this range of gites and holiday homes also offers something for all budgets.
The Dordogne is one of the most popular inland destinations for the Brits, due to the stunning medieval castles, historical villages and towns, and the famous prehistoric caves of the UNESCO listed Vezere Valley. Highlights include Sarlat, popularly known as the ‘medieval capital of the Dordogne’, the ancient stone houses along the river at La Roque-Gageac and Chateau de Montfort, a fairytale castle on a hill a few kilometres from Sarlat.Why choose the Dordogne for your holiday to France? Check out more about the Dordogne region here.
Maine de la Garde
Aquitaine, Dordogne
Saint Martin de Riberac
4 bedroom, sleeps 6
£500 – £900 per week
Situated on top of a hill with superb views over rolling countryside, Maine de la Garde is a spacious 18th century farmhouse, fully renovated to be a comfortable and well-equipped family home.
There’s great emphasis on the outdoors, with a 12m x 5m heated pool, and two and a half acres of garden and hilltop meadow, surrounded by fields and woods – so lots of space for children to run around.
It’s a remarkably peaceful location, yet close to Ribérac with its famous market and all the amenities you need. Great for painting, walking, cycling, canoeing, or just relaxing and enjoying the many and varied delights of the region.
Find out more about Maine de la Garde here >>>
Les Chardonnerets Luxury Gites
Aquitaine Dordogne
Thiviers
2 bedroom, sleeps 6
£325 – £875
This beautiful selection of gites in the Dordogne offer you everything you need for a relaxing holiday.
These 5 individually designed gites are each furnished and equipped to the same high standard but with their own unique charm.
Features that you will enjoy as standard in all of the accommodation include:
• Fully equipped kitchens including dishwasher, microwave, washing machine, coffee maker and toaster
• Comfortable living areas with lounge furniture and log fires.
• English TV and radio as well as a DVD and CD player.
• Private patio & garden area with garden furniture and BBQ provided.
• Toilet facilities upstairs and down.
• Central heating for year-round comfort.
Plus the all important internet access!
Find out more about Les Chardonnerets gites here >>>
La Roche Chabrelle – Papillon
Aquitaine, Dordogne,
Saint Just
Bedroom 4 Sleeps 6
From £345 ato £995 per week
Set in spacious grounds on a hilltop with wonderful views, La Roche Chabrelle is a family friendly gîte complex with 4 gites.
Three of the gites are near to the heated 12 x 6 swimming pool, the other, Papillon, is more secluded with a private garden.
There are plenty of walks and cycle rides on the doorstep, canoeing on the nearby river Dronne and many cafes bars and restaurants just a short drive away. Brantome, the nearest town is known as the Venice of the Dordogne and has an excellent market.
Papillon is an exceptional Gîte with a very well equipped fitted kitchen including cooker, fridge, freezer , dishwasher and microwave. The beautiful large vaulted and beamed sitting room overlooks the garden. There are two twin bedrooms and one double bedroom. Bathroom with bath and shower. Washing machine. Separate WC. Private garden with terrace, garden furniture and BBQ. The kitchen/diner has a wood burning stove. Bed linen and a generous welcome pack are provided. Free Internet access is available as is UK & French TV, subject to availability.
This is a paradise for children who love having the freedom of five acres to play in. There are swings, a badminton net, a small football pitch and a cricket rebound net and a games cave with table tennis and table football. There is also have a troglodyte cave on site which was inhabited during medieval times.
Find out more about La Roche Chabrelle here >>>
Les Charmettes
Aquitaine, Dordogne
Saint-Geyrac
3 bedrooms, sleeps 5
£350 to £695 per week
Les Charmettes is a beautifully restored French farmhouse within easy reach of Perigueux in the Dordogne.
Surrounded by meadows and trees, the house offers all creature comforts and privacy, where you can either chill or explore the nearby towns of Les Eyzies, Le Bugue, Sarlat, Lascaux, to name a few.
The gite itself caters for nature lovers with a wide range of animals and birds from hares to hawks and buzzards, and many varieties of wild flowers and butterflies.
The gite offers the following:
• Comfortably accommodating two couples or a family of four, the gite is light and airy.
• Well appointed kitchen with hob, oven, fridge, dishwasher.
• UK & French TV is available as is free WiFi connectivity.
• Off the kitchen is the master bedroom, which has its own ensuite bathroom.
• Off the main hallway is another double bedroom with its own loo/shower.
• The upstairs twin bedroom has a beautiful view over the meadow.
• The tiled floor has u/f heating for winter lets.
• Outside there is a rear patio for private sunbathing, and the terraced deck offers an excellent al fresco dining area for BBQ cooking or breakfast outside; overlooking the paddock.
• Pets are welcome.
Find out more about Les Charmettes gite here >>>
Le Magnolia Chambres d’Hotes (B&B)
Aquitaine, Dordogne
Cherveux-Cubas
3 bedrooms, sleeps 6
55 euro to 75 euro per night
This bed and breakfast gite is nestled in a quiet corner of the little village of Cubas, yet with very easy access to many towns, including Excideuil, Hautefort and Perigeux.
The beautiful Maison de Maitre has been fully renovated to provide a very high standard of accommodation whilst remaining cosy. The large garden offers somewhere to relax or run around, depending on your age! The gite is within easy walking distance of two fantastic restaurants, a bar, butcher, baker, doctor, pharmacy and post office and three minutes walk brings you to the river and canoeing facilities.
All three of the bedrooms are arranged around a guest landing which makes us particularly suitable to families. If you were to book all three rooms you would effectively be able to keep bedroom doors open which helps when you have little ones! A full continental breakfast is included in all prices which are per room, per night.
Find out more about Le Magnolia B&B here >>>
Dormouse, Pont de Fournil
Aquitaine, Dordogne
Saint Laurent des Hommes
1 bedroom, sleeps 4
220 – 270 per week
In the heart of the Dordogne lies the picturesque Pont de Fournil, a beautifully tranquil campsite with holiday gites.
Nestling amongst the trees on an 8-acre site are six pitches with electric emplacements with hook-ups and choice of hard standing and tree shade, and three charming chalets. Both with a stunning views of the River Isle, which flows serenely past creating an enchanting setting for a perfectly relaxing holiday in the Dordogne.
You can be as laid back or energetic as you like, either lounging round the swimming pool or making full use of the tennis court. There is also a three acre fishing lake on site.
The Dormouse gite sleeps 2/3, this smaller gite is ideal for couples, or people who are looking for a longer stay (great savings to be made ….the longer you stay the less you pay) with lovely views over the River. The accommodation comprises of one double bedroom with ensuite toilet and shower, an open plan lounge and kitchenette with sofa bed plus an
outside terrace with patio set.
Find out more about Pont de Fournil here >>>
La Grange
Aquitaine, Dordogne
Razac de Saussignac
4 bedrooms, sleeps 10
£1000 – £3000 per week
La Grange Sud is a stunning farmhouse gite in the Western Dordogne, close to the pretty towns of Bergerac, Duras and Eymet.
The villa is easily accessible by car being six hours from Caen and St Malo ferry ports – (guests receive a 20% discount with Brittany Ferries).
This holiday property offers space for solitude as well as communal areas for socialising, and has many interests for the very young as well as older guests.
Facilities include a very affordable optional chef with a range of dining experiences, heated pool with retractable cover, complimentary WIFI, UK satellite TV with full sports package, air conditioning, safes, supersize trampoline, plasma TV, hundreds of DVD’s, large selection of new bikes and helmets in 3 sizes, golf trolleys, clubs and bags, book library, board games, flat screen TV’s in bedrooms.
A heated pool is at the centre of the private pool area. A retractable cover and night lighting ensures the pool can be enjoyed continuously from Easter to the end of October, with a guaranteed minimum temperature of 24 degrees.
Guests can choose whether to relax by the pool, enjoy a range of beauty treatments without leaving the farmhouse, cycle through the large network of quiet lanes, taste the famous local wines of St Emilion and Monbazillac, visit the colourful Issigeac market, enjoy canoeing and go karting, sample the delights of L’Imparfait in Bergerac, one of the many wonderful restaurants, or enjoy a peaceful round of golf at Chateau Vigiers, followed by a golfers massage at the house – La Grange Sud is a wonderful holiday venue with something for everyone at any time of the year!
Find out more about La Grange Sud here >>>
Acabanes
Aquitaine, Dordogne
Thenac
6 bedrooms, sleeps 16
£1200 to £4500 per week
Welcome to Acabanes – a large, luxury holiday home, in a beautiful area of the Western Dordogne, South West France; close to the pretty towns of Bergerac, Duras and Eymet. For golf enthusiasts, it is 4 miles from Chateau Vigiers.
With six bedrooms and four en suite bathrooms, the villa can accommodate ten adults and six small children. Ideal for family groups and extremely child friendly but also perfect for couples wanting a romantic break. Acabanes has been successfully dog friendly for 15 letting seasons, with an enclosed two acre garden and fantastic traffic free walks from the doorstep.
The villa offers room for solitude in addition to spacious communal areas for socialising, and accommodates the very young as well as older guests with limited mobility.
Extensive facilities are provided for all interests; fast speed WIFI, 50” plasma, full satellite TV, Air Con in all upstairs bedrooms, laptop safe, championship pool table, kids snooker table, table football, trampoline, table tennis, racket sports, vast selection of DVDs, gym, infra red sauna, large selection of bikes, Wendy House, sand pit, toddler plastic cutlery & crockery, high chairs, push chairs, cots, Four Poster bed, football goals, play area, hammocks, sun loungers, hairdryers, tea/coffee in bedrooms, book library, board games, gaming table, Viners cutlery, Denby crockery, Le Creuset, Weber BBQ’s.
The 11 x 5 m private, saltwater heated pool has a retractable cover and night lighting, and is enjoyed continuously from Easter to the end of October, with a minimum temperature of 24 degrees.
Find out more about Acabanes here >>>
8 Euro-busting ideas for 2017 holidays to France
If you’re a keen traveller to France, then it can hardly have escaped your notice that the pound’s value in relation to the euro is not at it’s best.
It’s not quite the car crash of the near-parity experience we had a few years back, but it’s not great.
Even if the money exchange is not your thing, the constant talk of ‘Brexit’ and the instability of everything concerning this will certainly have brought the question of ‘how many euros / dollars can I get for my pound’ into regular conversation.
The question is, what impact will the exchange rate have on holiday-makers making their decision on where to go for 2017? If you want to take the family to France, how much is it going to cost you?
Will 2017 again be the year of the ‘staycation’ where most of the country descends on the somewhat cramped conditions of Cornwall or are you determined that your family holiday abroad is to be saved at all cost?
There are certainly ways and means of making your money go further so that your family break doesn’t require a second mortgage (although at the current interest rates that’s not such a bad thing).
So here is France for Families guide to making the most of your money for family holidays to France.
1) Buy in £s
It may seem obvious but the biggest spend is going to be the holiday accommodation. We are lucky in the UK that there are many big holiday companies who sell holidays to France in pound sterling. By purchasing in pounds you don’t have to worry about the exchange rate and whether you would get a better deal one day or the next.
HELLEGUY, BRITTANY
2) Buy smart – last minute deals
Here’s a top tip from someone who works in the travel industry (erm, me). The bigger holiday companies always price check against each other, on either a daily, weekly or monthly basis. New discounts tend to come out at the beginning of the month when they have assessed how the previous month has done.
The bigger French holiday companies, such as Eurocamp, Siblu Holidays or Pierre & Vacances will have a lot of ‘availability’ (holiday homes) to sell and would much rather it sold that lying empty, so watch out for those last minute bigger discounts.
BENODET BREAKS, BRITTANY
There is still a lot to be said for hanging on to the last-minute if you want a great deal and you aren’t particularly fussy where you go. The only thing you need to be careful of is your ferry crossing. The short sea crossings from Dover to Calais generally have good availability right to the last minute. However the longer western channel crossings from Brittany Ferries tend to get more limited and more expensive the closer it gets to the departure date.
Unfortunately, Brittany Ferries is a French-run company (and I mean that in the nicest way) and the French don’t tend to like discounting. One, they don’t need to because they are the only ferry provider on some routes so it’s their way or the no-way, and secondly because their availability gets booked up quickly.
This is something to bear in mind if you want to book a last-minute holiday to western Brittany, you could have a long drive from the Calais or Dunkirk.
3) Buy smart – French Gites
So, there are the big companies that are highly competitive on holiday accommodation and there are small privately owned companies who run their own campsites or gites.
If you are after a gite holiday to France, the tricky thing here is that they are sold on an individual basis. So if you like the look of a particular holiday home, you need to consider booking fast and in advance otherwise you will be disappointed.
So, how do you buy smartly for a French gite holiday?
LUXURY VENDEE VILLA, VENDEE
Firstly, many French gites are owned and operated by Brits, you’ll find many of them listed on franceforfamilies.com. This goes back to point 1 – find out if you can pay for the accommodation in pounds as oppose to euros. You may find that they have UK bank accounts that you can transfer money into, thus saving you money on UK to France bank transfer fees as well as potentially losing on the exchange rate.
Secondly any French gite worth it’s ‘sel’ (salt!) will have a listing on that well-known review site. Yes, TripAdvisor, that’s the one. Check it out. Read the reviews. Balance the negatives against the positives. If they have a nice four-star rating based on a good number of reviews you’re going to get value for money.
If the gite you’re interested in has good reviews then you probably need to get in quick and here is where booking in advance can do you a favour. If you book a year in advance it the owners will probably sell at the current years price. They will be keen to secure an early booking and so be inclined to give you an early booking discount. Don’t be afraid to negotiate, but do remember that most gite owners are independents and certainly with owners on our website, they are there for the love of France and to share that love with you. Don’t be too mean!
Top tip for your cross-channel ferry– many gite owners have a discount arrangement with Brittany Ferries and may pass on this discount to you – always check when booking.
4) Pools & stuff
So you’ve found the type of holiday that you want, whether a traditional French gite or an all singing and dancing holiday park and you have decided on the accommodation you like.
Next thing to think about is the family. And by family I mean the children. Yes, the old adage “if the kids are happy then I’m happy” certainly comes into play for a holiday.
What is it that the kids need on holiday that will stop them hounding you day and night with their declarations of boredom? And most importantly, is it included in the price?
Holiday parks operated by Siblu offer ‘fun passes’ with their holidays, which give you access to their pool complexes, bars and restaurants. Their holiday parks or campsites in France tend to be quite full on with daytime and evening entertainment. Great for kids of all ages, but in particular older children and teenagers who love to get involved in clubs and activities such as football. You can basically kick them out of the mobile home in the morning and just welcome them back at mealtimes.
SIBLU LES CHARMETTES
Great for you to sit on the sunlounger and finish War and Peace. Or Fifty Shades. Or whatever the latest blockbuster is.
If you prefer something a little less ‘sociable’ and more private, then look for gites with private pools, or at least shared with just a few other people. These can very much suit the family just looking to get away from it all and relax in peace.
Some gites also offer games rooms, outdoor play areas with equipment such as trampolines etc, so check that out when booking. Although bouncing on a trampoline in thirty-degree heat may not appeal to you, it’s amazing what a ten year old still enjoy
5) Book with friends and families
There are lots of holiday homes and gites in France that cater for large groups, with places having up to twelve bedrooms for example or sleeping up to twenty-five!
Holidays are a great time for families to come together in a ‘neutral zone’, i.e. you’re not invading anyone’s home space. The biggest advice I can ever offer (with plenty of experience) is that you always seem to get on better with your in-laws in a home that isn’t your own. Or their own. And on holiday.
CHATEAUX LE SEGUIN, CHARENTE
And of course the great thing is you can share costs.
You can search on franceforfamilies.com by number of bedrooms and number of ‘sleepers’. (Just saying).
6) The dreaded tolls
If you’re heading from Calais in a direction due south, there’s no avoiding the toll roads. Well there is, but we wouldn’t really recommend it, your journey will become twice as long. If you want to know more about toll costs, read our handy gude here.
A handy tip for tolls is to pay on a credit card that you can use abroad free of charge. I have used a Nationwide credit card and a pre-paid credit card from the Post Office. Believe me, there is nothing worse that using a credit card which charges you an extra £3 each time you swipe it at a toll booth.
So find a good no-charge card and use that. It’s quicker than fumbling around for French change and you’ll get through the toll booths quicker.
Alternatively, here’s something to think about. There are very few toll roads in the west of France. Virtually none in Brittany and very few down through the Vendee and Charente. If you catch a cross-channel ferry from Portsmouth to Le Harve, Cherbourg or St Malo for example, you can travel around Brittany toll free.
7) Holiday shopping
Sorry I don’t mean the interesting stuff like bikini’s and new beach shoes. These are the essentials that you buy when you are on holiday, like beer and wine. And food.
I don’t know about you, but I was always a bit snobby when it came to Lidl and Aldi. (Did you know that both these companies are owned by brothers who had an argument and went their separate ways in the food supermarket industry?). However, Lidl in France was a bit of a revelation. When you can tear yourself away from the wonder of a new DIY cement mixer or three blankets for three euros in this local supermarket, you will discover some very nice food at extremely good prices.
The meat section is especially good, with some good BBQ items, perfect for that French gite al fresco experience and a range of nice cheap beers and surprisingly drinkable wine.
For the kids, you can do no better than to buy twenty-four ice-creams that are very similar to Magnums for a princely sum of about three euros. (I may have exaggerated slightly for dramatic purposes, but they are still great value).
8) Eating out
Eating out in France hasn’t been a cheap option for some time. But a holiday to France isn’t a real holiday without trying to work out what on earth steak tartare is, so here’s some handy tips:
- Look for a ‘formule’ deal, which is a French set menu. You may see a 10 / 12 / 15 ‘formule’ that offers a starter, main and desert. This will a more limited choice, but often good food.
- The restaurant will probably make up for lost profits with expensive soft drinks so if you can avoid the Fanta and Coke and see if you can make do with either water (free) or a ‘syrup’ – a cordial juice with water.
- House wine in France is much more palatable than house wine in the UK, so don’t be afraid to order a ‘carafe’ of the local tipple. It’s cheaper and tastes fine.
- The very touristy places on the sea front or by a harbour have a tendency not to be very good in my experience. Overpriced and poor food quality. So head inland slightly and you’ll find restaurants that work that little bit harder for your custom.
So here are some handy euro-busting tips from France for Families. Hope they prove useful for your next family holiday to France!