Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Hello. We have booked an Air BnB in Breville, Cognac. We're travelling with two children, age 5 and 6 and are struggling to decide on how best to get there. Options are to either drive and have a stop off on the way, maybe a day or two somewhere, or else to fly into Bordeaux and get a car hire.

If anyone has any experience of this part of France, we'd really appreciate your thoughts, either on how best to get there, or for nice places to stop off, or visit near by. Thanks

Link to comment
https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/97540-some-holiday-advice-cognac/
Share on other sites

We went to that area a couple of summers ago, near Matha. We went via Calais and drove. It was a LONG drive. Lots of audio books got us there. We stopped off overnight in Le Mans - which was functional but that's all. If doing it again I'd try to get the ferry to St Malo or Caen or somewhere to reduce the drive or maybe a longer break en route and stay somewhere nice. Or fly, if you don't need too much kit.


We were at a gite so most of our time was there or going more towards the coast. It seemed more of an area to pootle around rather than having lots of family activities. But we're not always the best at unearthing the hidden gems so maybe others can tell you more.

We stayed near Cognac last year. We got a flight from Gatwick to La Rochelle and drove - I think it is about a 1.5 hour drive or maybe under an hour I can't quite remember. Motorways so smooth and driving really easy.


The flight to La Rochelle is so quick (think it is about 1 hour and 20 mins) and flights when we booked last year in May half term were very reasonable on Easyjet and at good times of the day. La Rochelle airport is tiny which in some ways is good as you don't have to navigate loads of walking to get to your terminal. You literally get off the plane, go into the terminal and then within about 100m you are at the car hire area once you've got your luggage.


I would recommend a trip to La Rochelle Zoo with your kids it is amazing - one of best zoos we have been to and a great day out. There is also a fantastic playground by the river in Cognac which we used on some days to entertain for the odd hour. Also we spent one morning at one of the local towns (can't remember what it was called) when they had a farmers market - it was fascinating for the kids as there were lots of animals there for sale (bunnies, chickens, goats etc), v eye opening. And of course lots of amazing cheese to taste.


I would add it was more expensive than I expected (i.e. cost of supermarket food etc). Memories of my own childhood summer holidays to France because it was 'cheap' seem to be a distant memory!


Make sure your husband takes Speedos and your son too (if you have a boy) - we took a trip to a local swimming pool and my son and husband had to 'borrow' some Speedos at the leisure centre as they don't allow swimming shorts.


Enjoy - we would definitely go back if not least because the journey via La Rochelle is so quick and easy (we live in Beckenham so Gatwick quite an easy drive for us, that always helps!)

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • What was he doing on the stage at Glastonbury? Or on the stage at the other concert in Finsbury Park? Grinning like a Cheshire cat whilst pissed and stoned 20 somethings on the promise of free internet sung-- Oh Jeremy Corbyn---  What were his policies for Northern mining towns with no jobs or infrastructure? Free Internet and university places for youngsters. What were his other manifesto pledges? Why all the ambiguity over Brexit?  I didn't like Thatcher, Blair or May or Tony but I respected them as politicians because they stood by what they believed in. I respect all politicians across the board that stick to their principles. Corbyn didn't and its why he got  annihilated at the polls. A socialist, anti imperialist and anti capitalist that said he voted for an imperialist and pro capitalist cabal. He refused to say how he'd vote over and over again until the last knockings. He did so to appease the Islington elite and middle class students he was courting. The same people that were screaming that Brexit was racist. At the same time the EU were holding black and Asian immigrants in refugee camps overseas but not a word on that! Corbyn created and courted a student union protest movement that screamed at and shouted down anyone not on the left . They claimed Starmer and the centre right of labour were tories. He didn't get elected  because he, his movement and policies were unelectable, twice. He turned out not to have the convictions of his politics and died on his own sword.    Reform won't win an election. All the idiots that voted for them to keep out Labour actually enabled Labour. They'll be back voting tory next time.    Farage wouldn't be able to make his millions if he was in power. He's a very devious shyster but I very much doubt he'd actually want the responsibility that governance requires.
    • The purge of hard left members that were part of Corbyn's, Mcdonnel's and Lansmans momentum that purged the party of right wing and centrist members. That's politics. It's what Blair did to win, its what Starmer had to do to win. This country doesn't vote in extreme left or right governments. That's partly why Corbyn lost  We're pretty much a centrist bunch.  It doesn't make it false either. It's an opinion based on the voting patterns, demography and statistics. Can you explain then why former mining constituencies that despise the tories voted for them or abstained rather than vote for Corbyns Labour?  What is the truth then? But he never got elected!!! Why? He should have been binned off there and then. Why he was allowed to hang about is an outrage. I hold him party responsible for the shit show that we've had to endure since. 
    • Depends on what the Barista says doesnt it? There was no physical confrontation with the driver, OP thinks she is being targetted when she isnt. These guys work min wage under strict schedules so give them a break unless they damage your stuff
    • CPR Dave, attendance records are available on Southwark's website. Maggie Browning has attended 100% of meetings. Jon Hartley has attended 65%.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...