You might also consider the Vendée - southwest France, or even Brittany if you can cope with a cold sea!

We do Eurocamp or equivalent every year and love it. We love the freedom of not being tied to hotel meals, etc and being able to do what we want when we want. Have a look at the Eurocamp, Keycamp and Canvas Holidays websites and you'll see lots of campsites with the pools etc for your son. If he's 4 or older look for one which has a kids club (Fun Station for Eurocamp and Keycamp or Hoopies Club for Canvas Holidays) as it will let him have fun with other children and allow you a couple of hours to yourself.

Thanks very much, I'll have a look now.

He will be 5 when we go, so yes, we'd like a kids club.

What are costs like? we want to go for 7 nights, or maybe 5 or 6.

Thanks

Nicola

The prices in June are reasonable but jump on the last Friday as the Scottish schools finish that day (we're taking our 2 out of school early and going on the Thursday). There are often deals on the websites. We went to Brittany last summer for 2 1/2 weeks and our holiday cost about £1200 including the ferry.

Some companies only have Saturday to Saturday bookings but others allow midweek arrivals and departures. Also if you are driving down to the South you should consider breaking the journey. We have alsways stopped at Formule 1 or Etap hotels. You can get a 3 bed room for less than £30 a night and can include breakfast for 4ish Euros a head as well (just book two breakfasts and feed junior off your plate). If you have to arrive on a Saturday then my advice is to stop twice on the way down. Once in the middle and then on Friday night within 50 miles of your destination then you will not get trapped in the saturday traffic jams.

Or you could do what we did last time and catch an easyjet flight to Nice and pick up a hire car - saves the long drive!

Gill

If you break the journey the drive becomes part of the holiday. Over the years we have seen many towns, cities and sights that we would have missed by flying. We also call in on friends as we go as well.

Eurocamp, Keycamp and Canvas all allow any start day and are flexible on the length of the holiday so you don't have to do 7, 10 or 14 nights. We've done various lengths over the years depending on travel arrangements and whether we're tagging something else onto the holiday (we stopped off at Legoland on the way home last year so had less time in France).

Or you could do what we did last time and catch a flight to Nice and pick up a hire car - saves the long drive!

Gill

this is what we plan to do next summer
using tesco deals for accom with frenchlife ( if still in the scheme by then!) and for flights too with airmiles

Vacansoleil also do mobile homes in France. I am using them this year and after lots of research I found them to have the best prices. May be cheaper to book direct with campsites but as it's our first time I wanted the back up of a holiday company.
We're going over via the eurotunel using our clubcard vouchers, and are going to Paris for 4 nights before heading for the Loire Valley.
We're staying at Parc de Fierbois near Tours on the recommendation of someone from work. They have been twice before and are there the same time as us. We have 2 daughters (14 &11) and they have a daughter 6 and son 9. Their friends will be there too with children the same age as theirs. We intend to go to Futuroscope while we're there as well (again courtesy of Mr Tesco)

Hi,
If you are going out of the high season,(mainlyAugust)check out http://www.holidaycheque.co.uk. They have top of the range mobile homes on 4 star sites all over Europe at prices cheaper than the site itself. There are loads in France and we have used them all over France for about 5 years now and been very pleased with them all. There is a minimum stay of 3 nights at each site, and usually pay for 6,nights,get one free.It is quicker to order a brochure- which has good photos and descriptions of the sites- from 01580 214004 than from the website.They can also arrange a crossing for you, but we always go by Speedferries.
I am sure your little boy will have a great time, with lots of playmates.