Things to do this holiday

[La Doretie]

Hi,

We have recently moved to between Brantome and Thiviers.  We have friends visiting over the school holidays.  Between us we will have two 5 year olds and a 3 year old.

Can anyone recommend good places to visit (don't mind travelling an hour or so) which will be open this time of year.

Cheers

Liz

 

[Penny29]

Hi Liz,

Our visitors with children have always enjoyed a trip to Grotte Villars (at Villars, not far at all from you) - basically it is a short trip through caves looking at cave paintings stalactites and stalacmites (sp??)- the guides usually speak English and the tour only takes an hour or less so the children don't get have time to get bored. They also enjoy time afterwards in the gift shop buying rocks, quartz and ice creams etc.

On a dry day there is nothing funnier than taking a canoe up the river Brantome & getting stuck on the weir!

Further afield - there are long boats which tour the River Dordogne, plus various caves and mock-ups of life in pre-historic times all along the Dordogne & Vezere River valley.

For car trips to touristy places we always keep them occupied by photocopying the Departmental map from Living France magazine and set them up with pen and paper to play the "Spot the number plate - Bingo" game - I've never had to pay out on this one as no visitor has ever seen ALL the departmental number plates!

But, to be honest, I've found the best way to keep young kids happy is to wrap them up in waterproofs and wellie boots and take them (and the dogs) down to the local lakes and rivers where they all spend glorious hours getting muddy and wet! After a week recently of taking a couple of kids all around every tourist spot, when it came to the end of the holiday they voted the Muddy Lake Day the best! And it didn't cost a penny!

 

[zeb]

Oh Penny - I love the sound of all that, and I've got no kids!!

Maybe I'll book a gite near you for a few days in the Spring (not far too travel - I'm only in sunny (huh) 16!

regards....helen

 

[La Doretie]

Hi Penny,

Thanks for all the suggestions!  Yes, I think the muddy lake will go down best.  As you say, you can arrange all sorts of outings for the kids, but if they are let loose on their own to get wet and muddy, they have much more fun!!  (think I shall dig out my wellies and join them!).

Thanks again,

Liz

P.S How is your back?