The South of France: worth the journey

I flew to foreign fields and learned over time that the best way to enjoy most destinations was to be impulsive, only draw up the briefest of schedules, and walk whenever possible.

Then, as I said, children struck.

Since then, life has been about routine, order and only walking if a buggy/backpack/snacks/drinks/car are available.

Suddenly the thought of holidaying in sunnier climes, with airport lounges, flights in small cabins, hot sun and no nights out, filled my husband and me with dread.

I have friends who claim taking children abroad is simple. One, from New York, often hops across the pond with two pre-schoolers for company.

But not me. I’m clever. I reduce the stress of holidays by sticking to a wet and windy British beach.

But last summer we bit the bullet. There is only so much wet and windy you can take – even though most under fives appear to thrive on it (and sleep a lot better as a result). We were ready to leave Blighty, and Siblu, a company offering holiday camps in France and other Mediterranean countries, enticed us.

Each of their parks has a range of luxury mobile homes or lodges offering every mod con you could think of. You can even pre-order linen and beach towels to cut down on your packing, and treat yourself to a food hamper for your arrival.

Although Siblu has sites throughout France, I wanted guaranteed sun, so we plumped for the south, with the Med on our doorstep and more hot-blooded culture than you could charge a bull at.

And here’s the clever bit. To reach the Languedoc-Roussillon region – a mere 780 miles from Oxford – we weren’t going to set foot on a plane. We were going to take the safer option of driving, with two children, aged two and four.

After packing the car, we took the small journey to Portsmouth and caught a 10.45pm Brittany Ferry to Caen. These ferries are massively impressive and have a vast array of restaurants, cafés, bars and entertainments to amuse passengers throughout the seven-hour journey. The Evans clan had an outside four-birth cabin, and after we set sail we were able to put the children to bed.

Despite the reasonably long trip, the night ferry does not necessarily leave you refreshed.

Tannoy announcements ring out until about midnight, and you are woken up an hour before disembarkation – in the early hours of the morning – so there’s little time for R&R. On the plus side, a cabin is a calm, cosy private family space, away from the general chaos, and an outside cabin guarantees you a spot by a window to gaze at the horizon.

France has a fantastic private motorway system, so although the car journey to our holiday park was long, it was smooth and congestion-free. No contraflow systems fencing off un-manned roadworks here! And along the way, there are plenty of basic service stops, with greenery, picnic tables, fresh drinking water and loos. Some even have play areas, while others are a little more equipped with fuel, shops and cafés.

The only downside of motoring to the south of France is the cost. A round trip costs about £80 in road tolls and £160 in fuel.

We made a much-needed pit stop half way down, in the seemingly ugly industrial town of Clermont-Ferrand, but families with older children might have braved the trip in one day.

The journey is worth it just for the scenery, which becomes more Mediterranean and hilly half-way down. In fact, grown-ups travelling alone could be tempted to leave the motorway to explore one of the many little Gallic towns hidden in the nooks and crannies of the countryside.

Although we reached our destination, 10km south of Montpellier, a little tired and haggard, Le Lac Des Reves holiday park soon released our tensions. Our huge static caravan was one of about 500 nestled under the shady pine trees of the park, right next to the lagoons of the La Camargue marshlands.

Most of the hi-tech homes are privately owned, so each has different specifications (ours for instance had no television, but very welcome air conditioning). Each has bedrooms, a kitchen, living and dining areas, and one or two bathrooms. There is also a private garden and patio area.

Although there seem to be an enormous number of homes on the site, the atmosphere is village-like and relaxed.

There is a small bar and restaurant, and a shop selling fresh bread and essentials.

A range of sports, including tennis, boules, mini golf and cycling are at holidaymakers’ disposal, and a holiday club for children – which our youngsters absolutely loved – was on hand to entertain most days.

Night-time amusements were definitely aimed at the British market, with variety shows and a weekly kids’ talent show, that even the youngest whipper snappers were encouraged to join.

Our four-year-old daughter especially enjoyed dressing up for the nightly fun, although her parents often craved a quiet night in. I fear this may be a sign of teenage things to come.

Best of all, there were two pools sparkling in the Mediterranean sun. The baby pool had fountains and water slides, and a special shallow area where little ones could splash around in safety, playing with their buckets and toys.

Although many would criticise rules disallowing poolside food and drink, it meant we took a leisurely walk back to our “van” at lunchtime to indulge in an equally leisurely lunch under the shade of our patio umbrella.

This was a lovely habit to have, and meant we could have quiet family time at least once a day.

Le Lac Des Reves is strategically placed close to beach resorts like Palavas, La Grande Motte and Sete, and some beaches are within walking distance along coastal paths, although free parking is abundant too. In high season, however, the beautiful sandy coastline is a bit too hot to take and the holiday park pool seemed like a better option.

There is also plenty of culture, with a real Basque feel (lots of bulls, paella-like dishes and passion).

If you can bare the heat of high summer, the town of Aigues Mortes is built within the walls of a medieval fortress and, if you are lucky like us, you may get to witness the annual saint’s day festival.

Nimes has many Roman remains, while St-Guilem le Desert sits next to the beautiful and cathedral-like Clamouse Cave.

But our children were happiest spending time by the pool. In fact, Le Lac des Reves was such a hit that we even considered buying our own little mobile home!

The only negative was the long drive home.

Seven nights at Le Lac des Reves Siblu village from August 20 start from £838 for a family staying in a two-bedroom holiday home, including a saving of £75 for bookings made in January. For information visit siblu.com or call 0871 911 7777. Return fares from Portsmouth-Caen in August start from £360 return for a car and family of four, based on a week away. For more information or to book, visit brittanyferries.com or call 0871 244 1400.