Can you accommodate a family of 5?

[Jamie]

There are six of us (2 adults and 4 young boys) and I find the hardest thing to book is the hotel on route. In the past most hotels would allow four plus a baby but now we will have to book an apartment or lodge.

[Hells Bells]

Jamie, look for Chambre D'Hotes, rather than hotels.Many of the ones we've stayed in have family rooms, sometimes even adjoining ones for large families, 3 kids (and even 4) is not that uncommon in France.

[Jamie]

Thanks for the tip Helen.

Going forward we obviously need to broaden our horizons.

We've never stayed in a B&B or a Chambre D'Hotes as it has never really appealed to us and now with a young family we aren't exactly the quietest guests either, but maybe we should give it a try as it is only for a night.

[Hells Bells]

Most of them we have stayed in will wlecome your kids, if they don't, they won't accept family bookings. Some of them will cook superb evening meals. You may even find hotels with suitable accommodation if you look beyond the chain hotels.

[Jamie]

Helen,

You've sold me on the idea. I'll have to have a good look this weekend.
Thanks,
Jamie

[Hells Bells]

Where were you planning on stopping en route? I am an old hand at this now, and have a long list of places bookmarked. My kids are grown up, but we've been doing this for at least 10 years.

[Jamie]

Thanks Helen
For the last few tripswe have usually stopped onroute near Disneyland as we try to do a maximum of 3 hours from Calais.

Our Direction is South West France so it doesn't matter if we stop either East or West of Paris.

The main point for us is accessibility, as we need to be on the ground floor. If you give us a few pointers that would be great.

Jamie

[Loopy Lou]

The very first family who booked my newly renovated cottage this year was a family of 5 - Gran, Mum, Dad and two small boys. I had intended to make it another gite for 2 + 2, but needed the booking so went ahead and bought a folding bed to add to the double bed and the double sofa bed. The cottage has one large bedroom and a living/kitchen/dining-room, so they crammed themselves in somehow. I think Gran shared the sofa bed with one of the boys. They seemed to enjoy themselves and appreciated the excellent renovation - though I says it myself! The boys did manage to demolish part of the raised flowerbed wall, though. Sigh.

The cottage is booked for the last two weeks of September in preference to the two Ecuries and despite it being more expensive, so I hope this means it's a draw to future guests.

Not a bad first season, though I certainly won't make my fortune or even a living at this rate. Most bookings were pretty last minute and I hope I will get some more sporadically through the rest of the year. On va voir.

[enid]

It's great to hear from you Lou - a good first season that's great - it will build year on year especially if you keep being flexible in your offerings