Growing up we spent countless Summers in France, taking the ferry over from Dover and enjoying a road trip south, sometimes even ending up all the way down in Spain. I always thought that one day I’d love to do the same with our children and so when Votre Vacances invited us to stay this Summer, and with the children old enough to make the drive slightly more bearable, it felt like the right time to say yes.

Votre Vacances is located at Chateau de la Foret, a 4-star campsite set in the grounds of an 18^th century chateau in the heart of the Vendee. It’s been a family home for over 200 years and, three decades ago they opened it up as a campsite where Votre Vacances have 8 luxury chalet style mobile homes available to hire.

Accommodation

Votre Vacances offer 2 and 3 bedroomed mobile homes which are set in a quiet area of the site just a short walk to the main facilities. We stayed in a 3 bedroomed model which provides an open plan living area, a shower room with separate toilet, two twin bedrooms and a double. There was also a decked area with table and chairs, sun loungers to the side and space for parking too.

The interior is quite compact with a table and chairs, a small corner seating area and the open plan kitchen. To be honest we find that when we travel abroad we spend very little time indoors and simply use our accommodation to sleep and prepare food. We much prefer to eat out on the decking and spend our evenings outdoors together.

In the kitchen you will find a fridge and a small freezer, a microwave combi oven, a sink, hob, kettle and crockery and cutlery to use throughout your stay. The one thing we would have liked to see was an oven as although the combi oven did the same job, as a family of five it meant we had to cook our food in batches which meant we couldn’t eat together as we would have liked. Should you prefer to cook together there are BBQ’s available to use throughout your stay if you let the host know in advance.

To the right of the mobile home you will find two twin bedrooms both with one single wardrobe and overhead shelving. All bed linen is provided and beds are made up on arrival, something we were very grateful for after such a long drive to the Vendee. The kids loved choosing between the pink and purple room and making themselves at home!

To the left is a double bedroom which was slightly larger than the twin bedrooms with a small bedside table to the side. I thought it was a great touch to have a UK extension lead in the main bedroom so we could charge all of our devices without plug adaptors. Votre Vacances pride themselves on offering little extras such as this, board games in the lounge and hand wash in the bathroom.

To the left you will also find the shower room with double access from the bedroom and the lounge area and consisting of a stand up shower and sink. There was ample storage beneath the sink for all of our toiletries as well as a non-slip mat and even a toddler step for those staying with young children.

The toilet is separate which works well for us as there is nothing worse than being interrupted every time you take a shower by a child who is desperate to use the bathroom! We also liked that the toilet was located next to the twin rooms which meant the children had easy access throughout the night too.

The one thing I would add is that the mobile homes do not have air-con and with just one fan in almost 40 degree heat, we really struggled with the temperature. I would love to see air-con units introduced, or even available for hire, as I think it would have made a real difference to our stay.

Chateau de la Foret

As per the name, the site centres around the chateau which, although not open to the public, creates a fantastic backdrop and really makes you feel as though you are right in the heart of rustic France. When we travel I love to fully immerse myself into every region and I love that throughout our stay it felt incredibly “french” at every turn which sounds silly to write down but I hope you know exactly what I mean by that.

Throughout the site are a number of outbuildings, many of which are used to house machinery or supplies for the site itself. I think it would be amazing to utilise these buildings to expand the site, the addition of a shop would be amazing as at present there is just a very small number of items available at reception.

In one of the buildings you can hire bikes although we didn’t see this open during our stay. There are some wonderful bike trails from the site and with the nearest beach just 12km away it would have been a fantastic bike ride with the kids. If you have a bike rack and are visiting via car I definitely recommend bringing your bikes to explore further afield in this way.

You will also find a large 2.6 ha lake at the site where you can fish for carp, pike, roach, perch and eels on a catch and release basis. If you are into your fishing there is Jaunay Lake nearby with 100ha to fish from and sea fishing trips organised daily from Les Sables d’Olonne and Saint Gilles Croix de Vie just 18km away.

Swimming pools

As a family swimming is usually a huge part of our holiday with three children who love nothing more than to be in the water each day. Unfortunately we were disappointed to discover that the outdoor pool is solely for over 18’s and if children wish to swim they must use the covered swimming pool over on the back field. I think this was the first time we have ever visited a family camp site like this where the outdoor pool was unaccessible to the children and although I understand that the owner wishes to create a peaceful, adult only pool, I think having adult only swim times would work far better.

The outdoor area was lovely but again we were unable to use this during our stay as children are not allowed pool side. It was definitely a source of disappointment to the children and in the summer months when all we want to do is enjoy the beautiful weather and an outdoor swim, it meant that we swam just once during our stay.

The covered indoor pool was very popular with families on site and as a result had limited seating and sun beds and felt very crowded at times. I was surprised to discover that there are no lifeguards at either of the pools which meant, even with three strong swimmers, we had to either be in the pool with them at all times or sit on the very edge to keep a close eye on them.

It also meant that with no life guards manning the water slides, children would come flying down one after another resulting in several injuries for each of my children. I always pride myself on being as honest as possible in my reviews and although it is often difficult to share the negatives, I do think the indoor pool had some real cause for concern and I have since followed this up with the owner of the site to pass on my feedback.

Courtyard

On a more positive note, the courtyard here is utterly beautiful and a real hub of activity in the evenings. Here you will find the bar, the restaurant, kids club, take away, a small pitch and putt and a nightly bouncy castle. On several of the evenings during our stay there was a singer who performed songs in both French and English and had the crowd up on their feet.

One evening a small french market set up with food, jewellery, clothes and a hair braiding stall which both of my girls were absolutely delighted with. It feels like a really safe haven in the evening with the children all playing together on the bouncy castle and the adults able to sit back and relax. After a long day out exploring it was exactly what we needed to wind down before bed.

Kids Club

Our kids didn’t attend the kids club purely due to us having lots of plans in and around the local area but it is open for children aged 4-11 years and they offer colouring, painting and sports throughout the day. In the evening there is a small indoor games room where you will find arcade games and table top football at an additional cost.

Restaurant

The restaurant overlooks the courtyard and is a great spot to eat in the evenings whilst the children play or you enjoy the entertainment. The menu is small but looked delicious with options such as burgers, pizzas and chicken and chips. They have various offers which you can also book in advance too plus for those who prefer to eat elsewhere there is a pizzeria within walking distance in the village as well as many more restaurants a short drive away in the surrounding towns.

Take-away

Even when the restaurant is full they accept take away orders for anything at all on the menu which is served in cardboard boxes and can be enjoyed back at your accommodation or in the main square. We actually preferred the laid back approach of a take away as opposed to waitress service so we could enjoy our meal in our own time in the evening.

We loved that once you’ve placed your order you’re given a collection time and it’s waiting for you at the pick up point. It means you’re not hanging around waiting for your order even if there is a long wait for food.

Mini golf

In the courtyard you will also find a small mini golf area which is a great way to keep the kids occupied whilst you wait for food or in the evenings when the adults want to relax. In the day time the courtyard is very quiet so perhaps that’s a great time to take advantage of it and have a game or two!

Table tennis

You will also find table tennis tables in a covered area behind the courtyard too. We were unable to find any bats and balls so I would recommend bringing your own with you should this be something you would like to enjoy. Our kids love table tennis and it’s a great way to tire them out!

Play area

There is a small play area here on the site with two swings, a trampoline and a small toddler play frame. I would love to see something larger for older children as at eight, nine and ten my children still love the playground but this was quite limited for their age range.

Football

Here you will also find a football pitch where kids club appeared to hold games throughout the day and in the evenings we could enjoy a game as a family. The kids love football and I think they would happily play it all night long.

Volleyball

To the other side is a volley ball pitch which we did not use during our stay but it’s great to have the option.

If group sports aren’t for you there is also tree climbing trails run by an outside business who also offer paint-balling for children ages 6+. All guests on the site receive a one euro discount on the tree climbing trails although we chose to visit Explora Parc which was about twenty minutes away and offered a whole range of tree top activities.

You will also find a pony riding centre here at the site for an additional fee to a third party which can be booked in advance. Again we didn’t take part in this but the children loved watching the ponies in the distance in the evenings.

We had such an amazing week in the Vendee, you literally cannot fault the location of Chateau la foret for exploring the region with so many attractions and beautiful beaches nearby. Although the swimming pool situation was disappointing we thoroughly enjoyed our days on the beach, swimming in the sea and having a much more active holiday as a result. If you’re looking for a central base to explore the Vendee Votre Vacances offer extremely competitive prices on their chalets and the booking and checking in process was excellent throughout.

You can find out more, check out the prices and book your own stay here at www.votrevacances.com.

We were invited to stay with Votre Vacances in exchange for an honest review. All words and opinions are my own.