Let’s face it: holidays abroad with families can be expensive. Between the cost of travel itself, accommodation and eating out – the Euros can quickly add up.
Camping is not really my cup of tea – there is too much kit to bring. However, a mobile home – where you have real beds, gas, electrics and hot water – can be attractive and cost-effective option.
For example, a week-long mobile home holiday with Al Fresco for a family of six starts at just £260.
Couple that with a location like France – close enough to drive within a day – and exotic enough to really feel like you’re away. Plus food wise you can create quite a culinary experience just by shopping at a local grocery store.
We recently visited Brittany, staying as guests of Al Fresco Holidays at Chateau des Ormes, a campsite/mobile home park. The park is near the St-Malo seaport and known for its extensive water park and leisure facilities.
Our Vivaldi mobile home had two twin bedrooms, and one double. The rooms were small, but cute and cozy. The living area had all sorts of clever storage areas, and fold out tables and chairs and the kitchen was well laid out and fully functional. I made pasta with bacon, fresh tomatoes, parsley and cream and veal scaloppini!
Outside we had a wooden deck with white plastic chairs and a grassy area with lounge chairs.
Chateau des Ormes is a campsite, so others are close by. Our area had uniform rows of white and blue Al Fresco mobile homes.
If you are curious about what a mobile home really looks like inside, here’s a little tour:
Mobile home walls are thin, so you will be susceptible to the elements. We had a small heater, but that just heated the living area – not the bedrooms. It can still be cold in late Spring, and we asked for extra blankets, which did the trick.
The Al Fresco staff is very friendly – many are young adults from the UK on a gap year. They stay very fit going between the check in office and the campsite on bike, delivering extra blankets, missing items and generally spreading good cheer in a familiar British accent.
Come to think of it, I don’t think I saw any French people in our section of the campsite. Our neighbours to the left drove an Audi with a British license plate and had small children. Behind us was an Irish family (there’s a direct ferry to Brittany from Ireland). In front of us was a family with strong Yorkshire accents (I said the walls were thin). Everyone was friendly, but it could be a disaster if you got unlucky with loud neighbours. For the most part, families seemed to be grouped together, making it easy for kids to make friends. The girls kept saying they forgot they were in France because everyone sounded English!
The Vivaldi mobile home sleeps 6 and is comfortable and compact. The kitchen was well kitted out and had six of everything.
The campsite is huge! There are rows and rows of mobile homes and tents. Many visitors are from the UK.
The kitchen of our Vivaldi mobile home was well kitted out and had six of everything.
Chateau des Ormes is a child’s dream! It has the largest aqua park in Brittany – with a lagoon style swimming complex with waterfalls and slides and a separate indoor water park and wave pool! The girls loved it.
The park also has 3 tennis courts, bike hire, a multi sports pitch, fitness room, an 18-hold golf course, driving range, paddle boats, horse and pony riding, crazy golf, paintball, high ropes and zip wire – all on site. There are 3 restaurants, a bar, and well-stocked Spar that sells freshly baked baguettes and croissants each morning. Sometimes they are still warm – just out of the oven. You can get a (very expensive) English paper as well. Bliss.
The park has organised activities and includes children’s entertainment, sports competitions (football, volleyball and Ping-Pong) and evening entertainment with bands to cabaret shows to karaoke (it wouldn’t be camping without karaoke). The girls had a blast in the kids disco. On top of this, all the holiday operators also offer their own kids activities and kids clubs.
Up until 100 years ago, the local bishops from Dol-de-Bretange lived in this château. Now it’s the golf clubhouse.
The park also has 3 tennis courts, bike hire, a multi sports pitch, fitness room, an 18-hold golf course, driving range, paddle boats, horse and pony riding, crazy golf, paintball, high ropes and zip wire – all on site.
The 5-star camping/mobile home site is a child’s dream! It has the largest aqua park in Brittany – with a lagoon style swimming complex with waterfalls and slides and a separate indoor water park and wave pool!
This outdoor wave pool was a favourite with the girls. It has 1 metre swells to roll and ride!
The grounds in North Brittany are gorgeous. This lake is near the 10-hole golf course.
Yet another swimming pool! This is the tropical outdoor pool with waterslides and waterfalls.
The best part of a caravan holiday? Relaxing with a bottle of local wine, a fresh baguette and farmhouse cheese.
Note: Our accommodation was provided by Al Fresco Holiday for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own and my family’s.
About Susanna Scott
Susanna Scott founded the BritMums social network in 2008 after a career in marketing. She wanted to create a space for parent bloggers to network, and share ideas and opportunities. She is often quoted as a pioneer in the UK Mum Blogging space, and has been named a top female entrepreneur. She has been featured in The Times, The FT, The Independent, The Guardian, The Sun, Technorati, She, Primo Baby and Red magazine, amongst others. She speaks frequently about blogging, social networking and the BritMums community at industry events. Her blog A Modern Mother ranks in the UK’s top 10 Family Tarvel Blogs. Follow her on @amodernmother.
- Web |
- More Posts(191)