Vicky Lissaman

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Half an hour into the drive across Brittany, we pulled over at a roadside rest stop. “There’s no loo in this one,” announced my six-year-old daughter, Charlotte, on opening the door to one of the toilet cubicles.

Quickly, I summoned the family. This was an important sight. Something which, on childhood foreign holidays, instils fear and fits of giggles in equal measure…

“This,” I declared, pointing at metal footplates either side of a saucer-sized hole, “is a French toilet.”

Surprise, disbelief and laughter was then followed by a fight between my kids over who was going to test it out first.

In terms of value for money (free), queuing time (none) and accessibility (by an A-road near Dinan with parking), this increasingly rare, historic and interactive attraction proved to be an unexpected hit on our French holiday this summer.

Last time I was in Brittany I was an awkward 13-year-old holidaying with my parents. It was 1988 and the world was a very different place…

The currency was still the French franc, drinking bottles of Evian was considered the height of sophistication and hovering over a squat loo was something foreign visitors had to get used to. Now I was returning with my own family to the place of that unforgettable summer – La Pointe St-Gilles campsite in Benodet – to soak up the French culture and learn some valuable lessons in life.

Nostalgia holidays are now a big trend according to TripAdvisor, with almost half the population taking their children back to seaside resorts they fell in love with as kids.

The location of La Pointe St-Gilles was just how I remembered it – so picturesque, sitting beside the pristine promenade that weaves its way to the beautifully kept town and sandy beaches.

Facilities-wise, however, the campsite has seriously moved on from the summer when Glenn Medeiros was top of the charts.

The swimming pool complex has been lavishly upgraded to include a lazy river, racing slides, a duo of flumes and splash-zone areas.

An early morning dip and slide became our routine, followed by a trip to the excellent on-site shop for freshly-baked baguettes and croissants, French cheeses as well as wines for under €4 – a great tradition still going strong.

There’s also now a modern play park with outdoor gym equipment, a luxurious spa with indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and treatment rooms,