In a nutshell Aquitaine is a sprawling region that accommodates most tastes. There is the city of Bordeaux, which is one of the most chic in France. Explore further and you’ll find a rugged region made up of medieval towns, vineyards, huge pine forests, and long beaches. Best beaches Lake Biscarosse and its lakeside beach are gorgeous and [...] [...more]
In a nutshell The region of Côte d’Azur loves the limelight and is famous for its lively nightlife and glitzy reputation, but there are also a few publicity-shy places that are worth their salt. It has a star-studded history as the play place for rich tourists looking for a healthy winter retreat, and then for Kings, [...] [...more]
In a nutshell How to describe Languedoc? Well, it’s the bit of France’s Mediterranean coast that most of us can’t name without being prompted, ie, it’s not the Cote d’Azur. But being the south of France, you still get buckets of sunshine, incredible beaches, a relaxed attitude to life and beautiful scenery. While the weather and Med [...] [...more]
In a nutshell The Vendée, a coastal departement of the Pays de la Loire region, is one of the most fantastic family holiday destinations in France. There are beautiful wild beaches —140kms of big sandy, sunny coastline — and very civilised towns with excellent shopping and restaurants. The Vendée also boasts more 3* and 4* holiday [...] [...more]
In a nutshell The Val de Loire was the play-place of French royalty before they lost their heads, which is why the region is still dominated by 160 stunning châteaux. It’s a World Heritage Site with many small villages and towns which have grown around the larger châteaux over the years, so there is plenty to discover [...] [...more]
In a nutshell Brittany has the longest coastline in France and is most famous for its rugged beauty and ancient traditions. The region is a Gallic mirror of Cornwall, and even has its own Côte de Cornouaille which offers lots for young families who love the seaside, food and history. Brittany does food very well, and the [...] [...more]
Charente Maritime, a coastal departement (like a county) in the region of Poitou Charente, is the sunniest part of France’s west coast (according to the French Met office). So combine the sunshine with massive sandy beaches screened by forests of pine trees, and fun seaside towns, and you have the perfect mix for a top [...] [...more]
I am a big fan of Futuroscope, which is essentially an interactive Science-parc on the outskirts of Poitiers, about 90mins from our siblu parcs in Charente Maritime. Futuroscope is the second most visited theme parc in France (after Euro Disney) and yet, it seems to me, most British families know nothing about it. The parc is unlike [...] [...more]
I often see Dune du Pyla (or Pilat, as it is sometimes spelt), written about as some kind of natural monster, gobbling up towns and roads as it slowly lumbers onwards. On the siblu website we say it is “immense, with a life of its own in a scary Triffid-type way”, and Nigel Thompson, travel editor [...] [...more]
Our Les Charmettes holiday parc recently featured on national TV news in France as a business optimistically looking forward to 2010 after so much of the country’s west coast was hit by fierce storms earlier this year. Tempete Xynthia lashed the Vendée and Charente Maritime regions in February, causing damage to those parts it hit and, tragically, some [...] [...more]
A selection of photos from our flickr account
