Bel Air Gites is home to four child-friendly rustic gites (holiday cottages), and a traditional French farmhouse. A warm Irish welcome awaits you from owners Patricia & Paul, who are fluent in both English & French and live on site to assist during your stay. Patricia & Paul have been the owners of Bel Air gites since 2010, when they decided to escape the rat race and settle in the relaxing & beautiful French countryside.
They chose the Charente Maritime due to the wonderful microclimate, with its mild winters, and it is also the hottest, sunniest place on the Atlantic coast. Bel Air Gites are situated in a great location, just 20 minutes from many wonderful beaches and only just over an hour from La Rochelle & Bordeaux airports.
The Farmhouse sleeps 6 in three bedrooms and the other four gites sleep 4-6. If you’re planning a large group or family holiday why not rent them all and have Bel Air to yourselves!
Bel Air Gites are set within 25 acres, meaning there is loads of space for little ones to simply run free and explore. There is a large playground with slides, swings, climbing frame and a trampoline.
The gardens are also home to a large heated pool with lots of pool toys to keep children entertained for hours and we mustn’t forget the play barn with toys, books, DVDs, table tennis table, pool table and lots of outdoor toys.
All of the family-friendly cottages are equipped with the usual child friendly equipment (cots, highchairs etc) however Patricia also includes lots of extras such as night lights, black out blinds, pushchair & towels, so you really can pack light.
The closest town is Gemozac, a 10-minute drive, where you will find 2 supermarkets, butcher, bank, post office, pharmacy, restaurants, bakeries, beautician, hairdressers, newsagents & florist!
There is also a weekly market and a racecourse (races are held at the beginning of the summer).
There are lots of fabulous family friendly restaurants all within a 15-minute drive, here are four favourites below;
- Chez Lou – fabulous pizzas & burgers.
The chef has just won a place in the final of the ‘French Pizza Championship’ to be held in Paris at the end of March – the pizzas are amazing!
- Le Cheval Blanc – delicious fish & chips & Sunday roasts (complete with Yorkshire puddings!)
- Spago Ristorante – another super Italian restaurant serving wonderful pizza & pasta
- Restaurant au Vietnamien – beautifully presented & delightful Vietnamese food
Bel Air gites are within 20 minutes of numerous wonderful sandy beaches, we have chosen two for their family-friendliness;
- Saint Georges de Didonne beach – is a 3km long sandy beach with lots of activities on offer.
There are swings, slides and trampolines for little ones on the beach as well as a sailing club for the more adventurous. The town centre has a lovely square with cafes that are perfect for lunch or ice cream.
- Royan – is home to many (from busy tourist hot spots to quiet & wild) lovely beaches, the main beach ‘La Grande Conche’ stretches for 2km from the south of the town. There are sunbeds & umbrellas to hire and activities such as trampolines & water sports on the beach. The main attraction is simply the beautiful sand (little ones will love building sandcastles) and gently shelving beach which is perfect for toddlers to paddle.
The promenade is lovely for a family stroll and there are also funfair rides for children just set behind the beach – carousel and bumper cars. The promenade is also home to many cafes & restaurants, whether you want ice cream & crepes or moules for lunch, there is a huge choice.
Bel Air gites are perfectly placed for a huge choice of days out, check out six ideas here;
- Coolongolook adventure park – adventure climbing park suitable for children from four years old.
- Planet Exotica – is an Exotic animal Zoo, home to tropical plants as well as snakes, alligators plus other reptiles and insects. There is also a mini petting farm, which is super for little ones.
There are also 50 reproduction dinosaurs set within the gardens and a dinosaur museum.
- Family Fun Park (Meschers-sur-gironde) – family play centre with bowling, trampolining & cinema, perfect for a rainy day or a change from the beach
- Port Miniature – Saint-Savinion – child sized replica motor boats. Children will love being the captain of their own vessel – All Aboard!
- Chateau des Enigmes at Pons – has a brilliant treasure hunt for kids, follow the clues, solve puzzles and play games. The grounds are large and the games are scattered throughout the gardens. There are areas to picnic and also a great café for lunch or ice cream. A wonderful day out for the whole family.
- Pole-nature de Vitrezay – is a 21-hectare nature reserve on the largest wild estuary in Europe. Here you can walk, cycle or take a ride on a boat while simply enjoying the natural habitat of this area. There are lots of spots for a family friendly picnic and there is also a restaurant.
If you’re looking for a relaxing family friendly holiday in the French countryside with beautiful French towns to explore but still close to the coast with its lovely sandy beaches, Bel Air Gites could be the perfect choice.
Anniversary offer! – It’s Patricia & Paul’s 10th Anniversary at Bel Air & they would like to offer a complimentary bottle of Champagne for any bookings confirmed in the next 2 weeks – please mention Holiday Tots when booking.
Have a look at Bel Air Gites listings on Holiday Tots for some other special offers: