We went north, south, east and west, and we’d often go back time and again if we found somewhere we liked.
So this summer it was exciting, albeit not in a caravan or under canvas, to discover a whole new area that I had never visited before, and this time with my own little family.
Our base for the week, which was to be enjoyed by a large group of my wider family to celebrate my dad’s 70th birthday, was Domaine de Bellegarde – a stunning 19th century manor on the edge of the village of Soustons, in south-west France on the Atlantic coast.
Built in 1900 and completely restored in 2002-2003, it is about an hour’s drive from Biarritz, and 20 minutes to the surfing centres of Hossegor and Cap Breton. The nearest beach is just 7 km away and an easy cycle ride, thanks to the many miles of flat, well-maintained cycle tracks in the area and the fleet of bikes on site at your disposal.
And as the property boasts six acres of its own land to explore, a heated outdoor pool, hot tub, tennis court and countless other sporting facilities and pieces of equipment to try out, you really are spoilt for choice for things to do at home, let alone out and about.
- Lucy travelled to France with Condor Ferries. For more information and booking visit their website.
- For more information about Domaine de Bellegarde visit their website.[/breakout]
With a baby just a few weeks old, a holiday for which we could load up our own car – anyone with children will know just how much stuff you need – and hop on the boat with Condor Ferries to St Malo was ideal. After a quick and easy crossing on the ferry it took us around six hours – in our case spread over two days – to get to the property.
Domaine de Bellegarde, which sleeps 18 in nine ensuite bedrooms, has all the pros of a self-catering property – the privacy, the flexibility, the feeling of a home away from home – but without actually having to do any of the catering yourself.
Thanks to owner/manager Quintin – a Brit who lives with his family in a house next door – and his team, which includes a chef and host, you are spoilt from the moment you arrive.
Delicious breakfasts, which include one cooked option every day as well as the obligatory fresh croissants and pain au chocolat, are served daily, and during our week we enjoyed a series of three-course – four if you opt for cheese as well, five if you count the yummy canapés too – dinners, two lunches for the days when there wasn’t dinner and, if you have the room, daily afternoon tea with freshly baked cakes. Of course, we all found the room for the cakes, homemade by our host Jo, who has numerous years as a ski chalet host under her belt, as they were all, without exception, delicious.
In fact, all of the food from day one went down a storm, and the six children in our party were also extremely well catered for, with their own earlier mealtime to ensure that us adults got to enjoy our dinner later on.
Wine was included with meals – bubbles with the canapés before every dinner – and there was a plentiful supply of beer and soft drinks too, plus at least two well-stocked supermarkets nearby.
The property, with its original parquet floors, high ceilings and dramatic oak staircase, is extremely well stocked on all levels and perfect for a hassle-free holiday where you can focus on enjoying yourself.
Soustons and the surrounding area is great for active families wanting to get out and about. Aside from the beaches and surf academies, there are also a number of lakes nearby where you can take out boats, learn to stand-up paddle board, kayak and enjoy just about any other water sport that takes your fancy.
Adrénaline Parc Moliets is also worth a visit with the children or just for the young at heart. It features paintballing, quadbiking and a number of zip-wire-based assault courses through the forest to suit a variety of ages, abilities and levels of bravery.
Hossegor, with its clean, white beaches and chilled out surf vibe, is great for a day trip or a longer stay. It has great shops, bars and restaurants and during the summer months evenings are filled with live music, festivals and concerts.
This region of France is famous for its duck and foie gras, asparagus and mushrooms from the local forest and, as is typical in France, good food is par for the course. Not that a catered property gives you much opportunity to eat out, but there are occasions – the odd lunch and one dinner a week when the chef has a night off – to explore.
After learning that there was a two-Michelin star restaurant in nearby Magescq a small group of us decided to test it out – well, it would have been rude not to when we were so close by.
The restaurant, Relais de la Poste, has held two stars for decades and was ‘old school’ with waiters aplenty and a grand dining room to boot. The food too was typically French, but not overly fussy or over the top. The menu featured foie gras, of course, lots of fresh fish and a particularly impressive serving of pommes soufflés that got us all talking. The service, it almost goes without saying, was great and at the end of the night when they were struggling to find us a taxi the maître d’ and sommelier drove us home instead – how’s that for the personal touch?
France is, like it is for many Islanders, in my blood and the obvious choice for family holidays. But as we learned this summer, while it is great to go back to the places you know you love, it is also great to explore a completely new area.
And in this case I think it will be less ‘been there, done that, got the T-shirt’, and more ‘let’s go back again – and again, and again’.
