ELTIPS AV R T
Because with two young boys calling the shots, the France you see can be more yo-ho-ho than oo-la-la.
We drove to the Les Pierres Couchees campsite south of SaintNazaire on Brittany’s coast.
It was a lovely base for a family holiday and we struggled to drag Theo, seven, and Nathan, four, away from the on-site Pirates kids’ club.
Our adventure began with a drive from home in Hull to Portsmouth for an overnight stop, before boarding a Brittany Ferries boat to Caen.
The boys were giddy as we began the seven- hour voyage but they calmed down after we found the resident DJ and magician. Having a day cabin meant we arrived refreshed and ready for a three-hour drive to Saint-Brevin-les-Pins.
Holiday firm Siblu runs 17 family- friendly camping and caravan parks across France and the Les Pierres Couchees site is 300m from the beach.
We were staying in an Excellence mobile home and it boasted two good-sized bedrooms, a toilet and separate shower room and that all-important patio for meals outside.
Siblu homes are owned by families who rent them out between April and September so they tend to come equipped with everything you need.
Once bags were flung indoors we took the boys to check out the kids’ clubs – Bubbles, Pirates and Barracudas. The super-enthusiastic staff spoke both English and French and the boys had learned bonjour and au revoir in no time.
The fun took place in a little amphitheatre which was shaded, so I had less worries about sunburn.
This was also the place for evening entertainment of singing, dancing and magic. If that is not your thing, the site bar had football on the TV.
We were there in late August when the French children were back in school. But we were happy with the quiet atmosphere and the boys soon made friends with a couple of lads of a similar age.
When we could get away from IF you fly to France then hire a car. That way you can head off on your own family adventures and explore the beautiful coast at your own pace. MAKE good use of the reception staff at the site – they are happy to help and really clued up on the best local markets and top tourist destinations. TAKE time to browse the stalls at the markets. Prices can vary greatly so the canny buyer could bring home a bargain. Pirates club we enjoyed the beach with its sand dunes and water sports.
After a couple of days we visited nearby St-Brevin-les-Pins, where a traditional French market was in full swing. Having overspent on olives, bread and toys we picked up a few bottles of vino from the town’s popular wine store, Cavavin.
We were a bit overawed by the range of wine and local rum.
The next day was spent in the sophisticated resort of La Baule – one of the most famous and elegant bays in western France.
We spent an hour walking in the sea as we marvelled at the perfectly shaped beach, feeling a million miles from home.
Pornic was another must-see. It is a charming little town packed full of boutiques. We found one called Picktoshop on Rue Georges Clemenceau which sold lovely personalised children’s clothes.
After a week in the mobile home it was time to say au revoir. But we had one more treat in store – two days at Le Puy du Fou.
The theme park in the Vendee region has no rides but celebrates the area’s history with reenactments of battles.
Gladiators
We watched transfixed as Roman gladiators fought lions and tigers in a mini-colosseum, thundering past the audience in chariots. Then the boys were stunned when a thatched village in AD100 was set alight as a Viking ship rose from a lake.
Our accommodation was just as awe-inspiring – a yurt with fourposter bed and bunks. It was based on the Field of the Cloth of Gold, the site of a summit between King Henry VIII and King Francis I.
Not that the kids cared. They just wanted to know why we don’t stay in a gold topped tent every year. FACTFILE: Seven nights at Pierres Couchees site from August 26, £763 in three-bed Excellence home, siblu. com. Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth to Caen, peak summer fares from £169 each way for a car and family of four. brittanyferries.com, 0330 159 7000. Puy du Fou park entry 33 euros adults, 23 euros children, advance booking. Two-day park ticket and a night in the Field of the Cloth of Gold from 392 euros for a family of four in August. See puydufou.com.