The area is easy- the Vendee is great. Lots of good campsites and nice towns. Getting there is more difficult though, my geography isn't great so I'm not sure where you would fly into. How do you feel about doing a complete road trip? Might be worth weighing up the cost of flights and car hire against, ferry over to Holyhead, drive down to Portsmouth and Ferry to Caen. If you built in overnight stops each way you could extend your holiday and it may not end up costing you any more in the long run.

We are going to Berlin and for the cost of flying, by doing a self drive we have got 3 extra nights by way of overnight stops in different places en route.

I know it would be a long journey for you- if you aren't too worried about 'temperature' you could try brittany which is a bit closer and is meant to be lovely.

Pam

I would second the Vendée region of France, with a visit to La Rochelle if you can make it. As regards car hire, I would recommend HOLIDAY AUTOS, a UK broker, whose rates are reasonable and payment for your car is paid in sterling before you go. I have never had a bad car from their overseas suppliers and I have used them in Greece, Turkey and Spain.

Driving - A ferry from Cork to Cherboug is competative and that would leave you around a 3 hour drive (with no tolls!!!!) to the Vendee. Which has a great climate and lots to do and see.

Flights - Once yuo're up in the air the extra hour makes little difference, I'd go for the South of France. We've hired via Hetrz at both Mairselle and Nice and the prices were reasonable. BUT once you add in flights and car hire you're stunningly close to the cost of driving down - making the journey part of the holiday.

I'm a fan of Siblu caravan sites but other companies are available : Easy reach of Ireland would be Normandy or Brittany - Brittany is a better site for teenagers. Normandy is a lot quieter, smaller, and with simpler facilities.

Gulp

around a 3 hour drive

......... Barry at this sort of speed you'll be paying a fortune in speeding fines!! 3 hours from Cherbourg might get you as far as Laval or Rennes ......... but you'll need to get a bit further south to call your region the Vendée, unless it has moved since I last looked at my atlas!!

I'd be interested - joking apart - to hear your routing for this.

Eeek you caught me out Alsacienne - I should know better than to throw numbers around...

OK Summer 2007 from St Jean De Monts )south of Nantes) to a little village past St Lo. took just a little over 3 hours, cruising at the posted limits circa 130/110. AA Autoroute gives 3h 46m for the same run so I guess I recall it wrong And I know that Cherboug is another hour or so further North.

Ignore me