Reply to: Where to go in france for holiday

[TheBigD]

The Ardeche (not far from Montpellier)
Interlaken (Switzerland)

[original PM]

We have a place in the Picardy region. about 1.5 hours north of Paris and only 2 hours from Calais so could get there easily enough and to Paris for a day trip. Lots of other great places around the area to visit like Chantilly and Sonlis. Château de Pierrefonds is the castle Merlin is filmed in. Very good for a vist also.

Yep went there last year - looks impressive!!!!

Also the Armistice Clearing is quite interesting.

[moggy]

We have a place in the Picardy region. about 1.5 hours north of Paris and only 2 hours from Calais so could get there easily enough and to Paris for a day trip. Lots of other great places around the area to visit like Chantilly and Sonlis. Château de Pierrefonds is the castle Merlin is filmed in. Very good for a visit also.

[eek]

We always had the top passes for all of us, because we tended to go at times when the cheaper passes didn't work like Halloween etc. We'd take our campervan and camp there for free, but we let them lapse a couple of years back because we'd done everything so many times and there weren't enough new things coming.

It will be 8 years since I last went, 3 years for the girls and 1 year for mrs eek (who is off there with the brownies for Whitsun ).

[TheFaQQer]

We do annual passes if going for any length of time. You buy 1 posh pass for parking and discounts and cheap ones for everyone else. Paris-Billets Spectacles offer a decent discount off the normal price...

We always had the top passes for all of us, because we tended to go at times when the cheaper passes didn't work like Halloween etc. We'd take our campervan and camp there for free, but we let them lapse a couple of years back because we'd done everything so many times and there weren't enough new things coming.

[OwlHoot]

if you do three days in Disney, it's cheaper to buy an annual pass instead of a three day pass

If you do more than three days in Disney, it would be cheaper to buy a revolver with one bullet

[eek]

Go by train to Disney instead of car - unless you have an annual pass that gives you free parking, it's not cheap to park there for the day.

We do annual passes if going for any length of time. You buy 1 posh pass for parking and discounts and cheap ones for everyone else. Paris-Billets Spectacles offer a decent discount off the normal price...

[TheFaQQer]

Also try Asterix Parc cheaper ... and better than Disney

That's what I've heard as well - it's where the French tend to go, and the food is better.

That said, if the kids want to see Buzz Lightyear, you aren't going to get that at Parc Asterix.

[Batcher]

We tend to stay for a week/fortnight in a gite and a week in and around Paris. Last time we stayed here - Hotel Novotel Paris Creteil le Lac: travel, stay or vacation, holiday at CRETEIL

It has an outdoor swimming pool and lovely walks around the lake. It's only a short drive into Paris or 10 minutes walk from the train station.

We've stayed in a few Novotels and they are pretty decent.

Vendee is nice but is a long drive from Calais. It's quite windy in the evening so take a kite for the kids

We tend to stay inland on farms and hamlets over Brittany, Normandy and Picardy which are a short drive to the beaches.

We stayed here once, it was good for kids, has a golf course and is close to the beach but the swimming pool wasn't exclusive for the village and was swamped by kids from the local schools. Pierre & Vacances Holiday Villages Belle Dune (Fort-Mahon-Plage, France - Picardy) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor

Edit: ** Oops, just checked out the photos on the last link and it looks like the place has gone downhill in the years since we stayed there. The accomodation looks in need of upgrade **

[TheFaQQer]

Next year is 4 weeks near Paris. The plan is to be somewhere near a station to allow us to catch the train into central paris and a car to get to Eurodisney...

Go by train to Disney instead of car - unless you have an annual pass that gives you free parking, it's not cheap to park there for the day.

[eek]

Not sure if you are after a hotel or camping but we stayed Here

Also try Asterix Parc cheaper ... and better than Disney

Nope we'll be renting a house / apartment for the month.

It may be easy as one of our friends is now a CofE vicar for one of the parishes just outside Paris so with luck we may be able to house swap or rent there.... My plan is however to get through this Summer before I worry about next Summer...

[original PM]

Next year is 4 weeks near Paris. The plan is to be somewhere near a station to allow us to catch the train into central paris and a car to get to Eurodisney...

Not sure if you are after a hotel or camping but we stayed Here

Also try Asterix Parc cheaper ... and better than Disney

[doodab]

I was there recently and a French tourguide told me that all the French leave the City in July & August, so presumably it won't be too busy there either.

Some stuff will be closed though, some restaurants and suchlike.

[eek]

Next year is 4 weeks near Paris. The plan is to be somewhere near a station to allow us to catch the train into central paris and a car to get to Eurodisney...

[original PM]

The atlantique coast is probably nearer 10 hours+ from Calais -

Try a west channel ferry crossing Portsmouth - St Malo is a good overnight one (which is a bit of an adventure for the kids) and they you are maybe 3-4 hours drive to Vendee, Britanny and Gascogne