Help! Husband wants good food, wine, old buildings etc. Daughter wants to shop and hang out with other kids, son wants to surf and cycle. I want to keep them all happy! Don't fancy a gite miles from anywhere, but wary of Eurocamp as have heard horror stories of noise and overcrowding in Summer. Thinking of one week in Dordogne and other on west coast-Biarritz? Lacanau? Ile De Re? Has any one tried Pierre et Vacances? Any one got any ideas?

Hi, my brother visited France this summer with his 3 kids and they stayed at a Thomson Al Fresco park, they went by overnight ferry, then it was just a shortish 3 hour car journey the other, they took their bikes with them and had a fab time. Thomson Al Fresco seem very good, i have several friends who have visited these parks and they have said they are the best of the bunch. My brother said the kids went of during the day to explore the park and its grounds, they used the pool loads and also used the local train to visit further afield. It was there second time staying at this park and they will be going back again next year. They do get booked very early so if you fancy it book quickly. Hope this helps.

WE have been to P and V in Moliets - not as good as their other resorts (Port Bourgenay or Cap Esterel) as heavily golf orientated and not that many kids for ours to play with. Having said that we liked Moliets for the sheer quantity of restaurants, the cycling along disused railway lines, the beach and the Moules Shack! Also you need to factor in the fact that the weather is just not as good on the Atlantic coast as in the south of France - borne out by other friends who have been to the area over the years. I have to say that we have found Cap Esterel hard to beat in terms of facilities, English kids, not having to drive in the evenings etc - it's far from perfect but has the right blend of facilities for that age group and lots to do off site.

DON'T go to a place called Chateau du fretay on the Brittany/normandy border!! Look it up on tripadviser.co.uk to find out why!! We went there this summer and it was AWFUL (dead goats, bats in out bedroom. Soooo shabby... etc) The french tourist board found us accomm at a campsite called castille des ormes. We stayed in studios there (we had to have 2 cos we are a family of 7 and thats all they could get us quickly). They have campsites there though. It is a very busy and extremely well equipped site. Actually, it was too busy for us - we are boring people!! - but people we spoke to there loved it. they have a website.