Welcome to France For Families' 11th newsletter.   Just a few weeks to go until the summer holidays get into full stride.  No doubt you're busy getting ready, just like we are!  Don't forget that there's a lot of useful information on the France For Families website - advice on getting ready, packing lists, route planning, driving in France, keeping the children entertained.... and much more besides!

In recent months we've come across a lot of ideas for holidays with a difference and speciality holidays and so in this newsletter we would like to focus on ideas for autumn holidays (or very advance preparation for your 2007 holiday!).  Also towards the end of the newsletter there is a feature about holidays in the Dordogne (full of useful suggestions for those of you travelling there this summer).

Firstly if you still need to book an overnight stop on your way south, here are some options to consider:

Hotels for Overnight Stays

You'll find an exhaustive list on our website of hotels that are conveniently placed for overnight stays.  There are some chains that specialise in hotels close to the autoroutes such as Ibis and Formule 1.  It's really worthwhile breaking up your journey with an overnight stop at one of these - it makes a stressful journey so much easier to cope with, especially for younger children.

B and B's (Chambres d'Hôtes)

We love stopping over in bed and breakfast accommodation in France as it gives you a chance to get really close to French culture - it's quite likely you'll be treated as part of the family during your stay, even eating around the family dinner table!  However if your French isn't so good, you can still find many English owned B and Bs. One we have come across recently is Le Bourg which is conveniently located in the tiny village of Châteauneuf in the Brionnais.  The old gendarmerie has been transformed into a four bedroomed chambres d'hôte. Upstairs there is a large family room sleeping four to five; a double bedded room with an extra single; and a twin bedded room. On the ground floor there is a double room. All are light and spacious, each with new shower room en suite. The guests' breakfast room also has a TV and tea and coffee making facilities, available throughout the day, and the garden provides a lovely place to relax with a glass of wine.

Holidays with a difference

Starting our section on holidays with a difference - why not try a B and B for the whole holiday.  If you like variation then you can stay in different places - we recently were able to book a 5 day stay for one of our parents at very short notice during  the peak holiday season.  So even if you haven't booked your holiday yet, it's still worth trying!  The B and B detailed above (Le Bourg) is one option you could consider, offering loads of personal advice on activities in the area.  Another B and B we've known about for a while is Okalani - fabulously located in the Haut Languedoc national park and with excellent feedback from the families that have stayed there (look at their online guestbook).

Country Kids in the Pyrénéean foothills offer another kind of catered holiday with activity holidays specifically targeted at children and even toddlers!  You can select from a range of different activities which are all laid on for you.  Or just relax by the pool!

Whilst France hasn't been quick to embrace the market for accessible holidays, things are improving and there are some that target this market specifically.  For instance La Coume - a renovated 17th Century farmhouse set in the rural heartland of the Languedoc-Rousillon region of France where you will find both Gites and Chambres d'Hôtes offered with wheelchair access and owners that are expert on accessibility!

Now here's something completely different - home swapping!  We've personally never tried it but we've been contacted by several people that rave about home exchanges with French families.  The big benefit is the cost - for instance one family of four had 3 weeks in the Alps last summer for just £430 in total!
Websites to have a look at are www.homelink.org.uk or www.homebase-hols.com.  The way it works is that you register with these websites (for a small fee) and leave details of your property whilst browsing for properties that may interest you.  Either you can make contact with people offering properties of interest..or they can contact you.  You exchange a bit of information and then decide whether you want to proceed with an exchange.
Obviously there's a risk that something may go wrong (you're trusting people you don't know with your home and maybe even your car!) and you have to take responsibility for that risk when you enter into a homeswap.  However we know one family that has done 14 home swaps in the last four years and they cannot speak highly enough of their experience.
One of the big advantages of homeswapping (apart from the wonderful homes you can get to stay in) is the fact that it really gives you a chance to live like a local.  All homeswappers leave details of where the best places are to shop, to eat and to visit in their local area (so you don't go to eat, for instance, at all the rubbish tourist places).

Focus on the Dordogne

The Dordogne is a hugely popular destination for the English (and in fact it vies with Brittany as a favourite destination for second.or even first homes!).  However it still feels like France and with the wide variety of attractions, coupled with great weather it makes a fantastic holiday destination.  The only downside is the lack of easily accessible beaches but it makes up for that in more ways than you could imagine....

There are more than 100 châteaux in the Dordogne and although some of them are not really so child friendly (for example Beynac only allows you to visit as part of a guided tour and the tour we went on was conducted in French with doors locked in front and behind you so you had no choice but to follow the tour..although the setting was quite dramatic), whilst there are others such as  the Château de Castelnaud which are completely oriented to the younger audience.  You can see more about our favourites on the website.

Canoeing is another popular pastime in the Dordogne as there are several rivers that can be easily rowed down.  There are lots of companies that will set you off on your canoe and then pick you up down river at a pre-arranged place/time (or vice-versa).  And even young children can be taken along in canoes that can often seat three or four people.  The only thing we would advise would be to be careful not to under-estimate the journey time on hot days and in the middle of summer when the current can be quite slow.

Naturally the amount of water in the Dordogne also means there's lots of caves.  They aren't really ideal for the very young, but a short visit can be a nice break on a really hot day (when it can be 33 deg C outside and 13 deg C inside!).  We list the best ones on the website.

There are many other towns & villages that are worth visiting such as Sarlat (have a look for the street artists and get a sketch of your children that you will treasure for ever!), la Roque-Gageac, Rocamadour and much more besides.  It's all on France For Families.  But if you do come across anything we've missed, please let us know.  We're more than willing to add new features and to give the credit to you!

Cycling in the Dordogne

Cycling along quiet, winding, rural roads, while taking in the spectacular countryside can be just one of the many delights of being on holiday in France. An hour can easily pass without sight of any other vehicles, making this a relatively safe option for a family activity. Throughout France cycling seems to be becoming more and more popular for the casual cyclist (as opposed to the cycling clubs and such events as the Tour de France for which France is justly famous) as centres spring up where bikes can be hired - unless you have your own of course.

The Dordogne area is no exception with lots of opportunities for cycling on the backroads as well as the completely car-free 'Piste Cyclable' which runs south-east from Sarlat to the river Dordogne and then has several off-shoots, depending on how far you wish to go. The Piste Cyclable is a disused railway line that has been converted into a smooth tarmacadam cycle way. Much of the route is through wooded areas and so is shaded making it especially pleasant on a hot summer's day. There is a convenient stopping point halfway at the pretty village of Carsac-Aillac. Here, it is easy to leave the cycle path and head down into the village (keep an eye on younger children as a fairly busy road passes through the village) where the Bar/Tabac must do a roaring trade in season from thirsty cyclists. There are also a few shops as well as a glass factory - worth the slight detour to watch some glass blowing. Just beyond the glassworks look out for an ancient 'lavoir' and park area where everyone can let off steam!  Your onward journey carries on to the Dordogne river (for some paddling/swimming) and then once over the river the Piste Cyclable gives way to country lanes that continue on to the Base de Loisir at Grolejac. This would make an ideal spot for a picnic. In high season various water activities are available as well as somewhere to buy snacks.

We recommend a small but excellent British run company called Multi Travel, based in the heart of the Dordogne, who offer a first class bike hire service. In fact all our arrangements were pre-booked over the internet, and on the appointed day our bikes (including a tag-a-long for our youngest) arrived as planned. Bikes can be hired either from Multi Travel's base in Castelnaud or else delivered (for a small fee and within a set radius) to the place of your choice.

Well that's all from France For Families for this newsletter.  It just remains for us to wish you a lovely summer holiday in La Belle France.  Do let us know about your experiences so we can continue to expand the website content.

Best Wishes!