Family Holiday in France - Suggestions

[Nezquick]

We're looking to go away to France next year for an extended family holiday. All in all, there will be roughly 12 adults and 3 kids (and 2 dogs).

We went a few years ago to a place near Limoges which was great, but there wasn't a great deal to do around the area we were in and the house we stayed at was miles from anywhere, meaning we needed to get in the car to get to the local town.

Next year, we're looking to stay somewhere a bit further north, preferably the west coast (perhaps around Royan, or that kind of area) and nearer a beach.

Does anyone have any recommendations in terms of a nice area/location, and perhaps websites where we can try and find a property big enough. Cost isn't that much of an issue given how many people are going, but we want somewhere where we can walk to a local town/village, close to some restaurants and places to visit, maybe close to a beach (although that's not essential).

Thanks in advance!

[NDA]

Nezquick said:

We're looking to go away to France next year for an extended family holiday. All in all, there will be roughly 12 adults and 3 kids (and 2 dogs).

We went a few years ago to a place near Limoges which was great, but there wasn't a great deal to do around the area we were in and the house we stayed at was miles from anywhere, meaning we needed to get in the car to get to the local town.

Next year, we're looking to stay somewhere a bit further north, preferably the west coast (perhaps around Royan, or that kind of area) and nearer a beach.

Does anyone have any recommendations in terms of a nice area/location, and perhaps websites where we can try and find a property big enough. Cost isn't that much of an issue given how many people are going, but we want somewhere where we can walk to a local town/village, close to some restaurants and places to visit, maybe close to a beach (although that's not essential).

Thanks in advance!

I've used VRBO for many years to find villas - and they'll have some choices for you.

Around La Rochelle would be good... at your budget/type of property, it will almost certainly have a pool. Personally I'd be looking around Bergerac - a little further to the south. There are so many good spots around there - I could reel off a list of villages.

[Nezquick]

NDA said:

I've used VRBO for many years to find villas - and they'll have some choices for you.

Around La Rochelle would be good... at your budget/type of property, it will almost certainly have a pool. Personally I'd be looking around Bergerac - a little further to the south. There are so many good spots around there - I could reel off a list of villages.

Thanks for that. If you could let me have the names of a few villages that would be great - it gives me a target location then and I can do some research.

[blue_haddock]

We love the area of france around Royan up to Le Palmyre and Les mathes.

We usually stay in eurocamp or sandaya caravans so maybe not what you were looking for but here are plenty of sites in that area.

One place i would recommend though is Palmyre Zoo, its absolutely fantastic and is our fave zoo in the whole world. You can hand feed popcorn to some of the animals and the kids just love it. They also have a platform at head height to the giraffes so you can get some amazing selfies with the giraffes!

[NDA]

Nezquick said:

Thanks for that. If you could let me have the names of a few villages that would be great - it gives me a target location then and I can do some research.

These are not all necessarily next door to Bergerac - however they're towns and villages heading east... in the region. Sarlat (as a good example) is not huge, but stuffed with shops and restaurants in an attractive medieval town. There are so many places nearby - towns like Monpazier (further south) which are just lovely.

Bergerac
Issigiac
Lalinde
Saint Cyprien
Le Bugue
Sarlat
Souillac
La Roque
Gourdon
Rocamadour

[Rushjob]

NDA said:

These are not all necessarily next door to Bergerac - however they're towns and villages heading east... in the region. Sarlat (as a good example) is not huge, but stuffed with shops and restaurants in an attractive medieval town. There are so many places nearby - towns like Monpazier (further south) which are just lovely.

Bergerac
Issigiac
Lalinde
Saint Cyprien
Le Bugue
Sarlat
Souillac
La Roque
Gourdon
Rocamadour

Not exactly easy access to a beach though at 2.5hrs min at a rough guess

[NDA]

Rushjob said:

Not exactly easy access to a beach though at 2.5hrs min at a rough guess

OP said "maybe close to a beach (although that's not essential)" HTH

[Nezquick]

Rushjob said:

NDA said:

These are not all necessarily next door to Bergerac - however they're towns and villages heading east... in the region. Sarlat (as a good example) is not huge, but stuffed with shops and restaurants in an attractive medieval town. There are so many places nearby - towns like Monpazier (further south) which are just lovely.

Bergerac
Issigiac
Lalinde
Saint Cyprien
Le Bugue
Sarlat
Souillac
La Roque
Gourdon
Rocamadour

Not exactly easy access to a beach though at 2.5hrs min at a rough guess

We're not particularly bothered about a beach - that was just a bonus. If I can find a nice enough house near to a small village or town which is walkable then that will be perfect, provided it has a pool.

Thanks for the suggestions so far, very helpful!

[Longy00000]

If no beach required then I would go for the dordogne area. Anywhere between Bergerac and Sarlat woukd be a great search area.
I too have used vrbo many times in that region to book large farmhouses etc. However given your numbers getting something suitable within a town / village is going to be tough. Getting one just slightly more remote would open up your choices massively but you would have to drive for town access.
Lovely region though and plenty to do along and on the entire river.

[Harpoon]

The Gites de France website has some bigger properties or groups of gites which can be booked together

[Mr Magooagain]

Have a look at this. Wonderful area.
https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/villa-le-passe-si...

[Nezquick]

Mr Magooagain said:

Have a look at this. Wonderful area.
https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/villa-le-passe-si...

That's exactly the type of thing we're looking for - thanks! Not available in the weeks we want though.

I'll check out some of the areas suggested. Thanks all

[omniflow]

blue_haddock said:

We love the area of france around Royan up to Le Palmyre and Les mathes.

We usually stay in eurocamp or sandaya caravans so maybe not what you were looking for but here are plenty of sites in that area.

One place i would recommend though is Palmyre Zoo, its absolutely fantastic and is our fave zoo in the whole world. You can hand feed popcorn to some of the animals and the kids just love it. They also have a platform at head height to the giraffes so you can get some amazing selfies with the giraffes!

This - all of it. The zoo is fab.

The beach is about 8 miles long, backed by dunes. Even in August you can easily find a spot 30 or 40 ft away from the next family. There's plenty of parking for the beach on the road and in a few car parks. Mind you, the trek back to the car through deep, soft sand, after spending all day on the beach is pretty exhausting.

[Puggit]

France is so big and varied that you'll find what you want (maybe not available!).

Ile de Re has been mentioned, great place for a week. Pootle around on bikes and just < chill >


For me, Amboise would be a great base for you in the Loire. Chateaux, wine, rivers, bike rides.

[Regbuser]

Something from here perhaps > https://www.oliverstravels.com/search/?start_date=...

[DoubleSix]

NDA said:

These are not all necessarily next door to Bergerac - however they're towns and villages heading east... in the region. Sarlat (as a good example) is not huge, but stuffed with shops and restaurants in an attractive medieval town. There are so many places nearby - towns like Monpazier (further south) which are just lovely.

Bergerac
Issigiac
Lalinde
Saint Cyprien
Le Bugue
Sarlat
Souillac
La Roque
Gourdon
Rocamadour

Thanks for this list. About to return to Beynac for the umpteenth time and theres a couple on that list we haven’t visited yet!

[Rob 131 Sport]

Another vote for the Sarlat Area of the Dordogne. We’ve had many great family holidays down there. Another favourite is the La Rochelle area. In fairness you can’t really go wrong with most of France in our experience. When the children were younger it was two (June and August) fortnight holidays annually in France.


After a miserable week in Devon, we never had holidays other than long weekends in the UK.

[gangzoom]

Nezquick said:

Does anyone have any recommendations in terms of a nice area/location, and perhaps websites where we can try and find a property big enough. Cost isn't that much of an issue given how many people are going, but we want somewhere where we can walk to a local town/village, close to some restaurants and places to visit, maybe close to a beach (although that's not essential).

Thanks in advance!

We are currently in Arvert, ended up here though searching on AirB&B for 6 people, and heated pool. Originally had accomodation west of Bordeaux but the heater for the pool packed up so rebooked about 2 months ago. If budget isn't an issue there is loads of choices around/head the west coast of France.

Really cannot complain, beach, large enough pool to get lengths in, amazing food, friendly locals, very few crowds (none), and zero feeling of being harassed/ripped off because your a tourist. Amazingly despite very few Brits around here the local don't even mind trying to speak English!!

[Nezquick]

Regbuser said:

Something from here perhaps > https://www.oliverstravels.com/search/?start_date=...

There are some lovely places on that website!

[V10Mike]

Our son has an AirBnB in Bonnes, near Aubeterre, and it really is a lovely area -great countryside and villages, very quiet and unspoilt, but plenty to do within easy reach. Unfortunately their house is not quite big enough for you -12 people in six bedrooms, but I highly recommend the local area.