French Family Adventures for 2017
Our nearest neighbour to the UK, France has been a popular holiday destination for decades and it’s easy to see why. The French landscape offers a varied and exciting adventure for the holidaymaker and scenery aside, it just reeks of romance, good food, great wine and all round sophistication, don’t you think?
From rugged coastline in the north to glorious, golden beaches of the south and chic, vibrant cities in between, there’s really something for everyone.
The dazzling capital city of Paris is an obvious choice for your first taste of France in my opinion. There’s loads of ways to book your dream Paris city breaks but some of these operators are doing decent packages just now… EasyJet, Jet2holidays and Thomas Cook.
The city of love is just crying out to be discovered and adored by everyone who sets foot on her streets. Paris is perfect for romantics but it’s also a great family destination now that the ultimate entertainment resort of Disneyland Paris is nearby. Dare I say it; you could combine some cultural education on your holiday and maybe get the kids to try out a little French. Their teachers would certainly be impressed with their ‘what I did on my holidays’ essay.
Previously known as Euro Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris has pulled out all the stops to recreate the wonder of the American dream on European soil. However, staying on site might prove fairly costly and even more expensive if you were to pitch up at one of the chic city hotels in gay Paree. More so if you have kids in tow and need to book a couple of rooms.
A possible solution to combing a visit to either the city of Paris or Disneyland Paris might be to opt for a nearby resort, such as a campsite or mobile home park and Al Fresco Holidays might just be the answer to your prayers.
The ideal spot for easy access to Paris is the La Croix du Vieux Pont holiday park. This family friendly set-up has coach travel available directly to Disneyland Paris, which makes it the perfect solution if you want to combine family ‘downtime’ with the thrills and spills of everything on offer at Disneyland Paris.
Paris itself is accessible by train from the nearby towns of Compiegne or Soissons but the park also offers coach travel right to the heart of the capital.
Don’t dismiss Compiegne or Soissons as just somewhere to commute to Paris from. Both of these towns are worthy of a day trip themselves, especially Soissons which boasts four medieval abbeys and an impressive Gothic Cathedral. Compiegne is equally charming with a beautiful park and a hidden chateau and it’s just 40 miles or so from Paris. Again, a touch of culture for the family?
We all love staying in plush hotels and having our every need and whim catered for, but self catering definitely takes the sting out of structured meal times and cramped conditions when you’re all in the same room. When you are travelling with the kids, you all need your own space. I know I do. It’s lovely to spend every waking hour together but by night-time, I like to wind down a little and have some grown up conversation and quality time with my husband. It’s our holiday too and I think everyone’s needs have to be met.
So, back to my dream French adventure and where I think my family be going this year…
With an amazing choice of destinations, these mobile homes and lodges from Al Fresco Holidays offer the sophistication of French resorts yet with economical and practical benefits to suit every family and every pocket for that matter. On-site adventure playgrounds, swimming pools, great nightlife and entertainment all in one place will make for an easy life for mums and dads that want to keep their little ones amused all day (and that gets my vote!) The availability of holiday parks on the continent at genuinely affordable prices means that families can enjoy home from home facilities, yet still add a touch of foreign glamour to their holiday.
If you fancy taking that car this year but don’t feel confident of tackling such a long drive, Brittany might be a good option for first timers. The Al Fresco parks in this region are just a short drive to from the ferry ports. Brittany has all the makings of the perfect holiday – in the north you’ll find over 1700 miles of coastline… perfect for fun days in the sun with the kids. Buckets and spades at the ready! In the south you’ll find pretty villages and peaceful countryside where you will feel like you’re a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
If you fancy hitting the glitzy south coast, there’s even a campsite/holiday park on the famous French Riviera…
There’s a couple of tempting sites along the Cote D’Azure. One that has caught my eye is The Esterel site on a lovely stretch of coastline between Agay and St Raphael. It’s also close to the pretty harbor town of Frejus and within a short drive to the world famous resorts of Cannes, Nice and St Tropez. How glamorous!
Have a look at some of the amazing parks on offer from Al Fresco. I am definitely going to give one of these a whirl this year. Mobile homes are pretty cool again, right?
I am a travel crazy mother trying to suit the needs of a family of thrill seekers and culture vultures, there’s no where I won’t go. I dream of travel and I live to travel, all whilst holding a day job and organising my family.