As the name suggests Emerald Coast Gites are situated on Northern Brittany’s Cote d’Emeraude (Emerald Coast). The child-friendly complex has 7 lovely cottages, converted from 19th Century stone barns, and 3 luxury wooden glamping lodges. There is plenty to keep the family entertained, including two swimming pools but if you’re looking for some family fun in this area of Brittany here are some ideas:
The Emerald Coast is home to stunning scenery, amazing beaches, medieval castles, numerous interesting towns & villages, and many historic monuments & sites. The name Emerald Coast has been given to the coastline, due to the colour of the clear sea on a sunny day against the white sand – simply stunning! The Emerald coast stretches from Cap Frehel in the West (almost) to Mont-Saint-Michel in the East and covers two departments in Northern Brittany, Ille-et-Villaine and Cotes d’Armor.
Beaches
There are loads of wonderful toddler-friendly sandy beaches in Cote d’Armor and there is a beach for every mood or activity – some beaches have fabulous areas for rock pooling, some are deserted with miles of sand just for your family, while others have lots of facilities and activities on offer.
Two local beaches, Cap d’Erquy and Cap Frehel, have just been classified as a ‘Grande Site de France’ which is really the highest honour they can receive!
Cap Frehel – has a large quiet sandy beach. Overlooking the beach, up on the cliffs, is a large lighthouse. You can climb the 150 steps to the top and on a clear day you can see the Channel Islands! The cliffs are also home to lots of nesting birds and the area is a designated bird reserve.
Close by is Fort La Latte, which is a medieval picture-perfect castle, families will have great fun exploring.
Cap d’Erquy – is home to wild unspoilt beaches with stunning scenery, the reason why many families visit Brittany. The sand dunes meet the emerald sea and the beaches are backed by purple stone cliffs. The walks along the beaches are wonderful and the panoramic scenery from the cliff top walk is amazing, although you will need to hang on to toddlers on the top of the cliffs!
Saint-Cast-Le-Guido – has a 2km beach of fine white sand. There are lots of activities on the beach to keep little ones entertained including trampolines & pedaloes and in the summer months there are supervised children’s clubs. It’s easy to spend the whole day here as there are showers to wash away the sand and lots of restaurants and cafes to choose from. The promenade connects the beautiful beach to the lovely port.
Two towns that shouldn’t be missed:
Saint Malo – is a beautiful coastal city, with a lovely port and an old town set within stone walls. There are cobbled streets to explore, with lots of shops, stalls, markets, street music and cafes – the atmosphere is wonderful. A good way to explore with toddlers in tow is to jump on the city train ‘Le Petit Train’, which will take you on a great tour of the town and give little legs a rest!
At the port there are pirate ships that you can climb aboard and explore – Aye Aye Captain!
Dinan – is set on a hillside overlooking the river Rance and surrounded by impressive walls (you can explore a small section of the ramparts). The historic centre is wonderful with many medieval buildings: Dinan Chateau being one of the most imposing as well as the 15th Century clock tower. From the old town you can stroll down to the Port which is a great spot for lunch (or ice cream!) and you can also catch a boat for a trip along the river Rance.
And finally, a little bit of information about the child-friendly holiday cottages here:
At Emerald Coast Gites there is lots to keep little ones busy. There are two swimming pools, both are heated and under cover. The paddling pool is closed during the winter months; however, the large pool is open & heated all year. There is also an undercover soft play area (for under 10’s) with climbing frame, slide & balls and outside in the gardens there are play areas with slides and swings, a huge trampoline and large garden games.
Owners, Lesley & Simon, live on site with their two children, so are always nearby if you need any assistance. All the usual baby equipment is provided in the holiday cottages (cots, sterilisers, play mats etc) plus some extra lovely touches including a little surprise for each child and a welcome basket filled with local produce.
To help make your holiday in Brittany a little extra special, Lesley offers a concierge service and is happy to help book restaurants, pony riding lessons & babysitters, in fact you name it and Lesley will do her best to organise it for you!
Henensal, the local village, is just a 10-minute walk away if you fancy a stroll.
The gites range from a one bed (perfect for a couple & baby or toddler) up to a four-bed sleeping 8. The wooden lodges have two bedrooms sleeping up to 6. The gites have also recently had a makeover – Lesley has been busy redecorating & updating the interiors and they look fab!
Food & Drink
Bread, croissants, pain au chocolat plus lots of other yummy delights can be ordered in the evening and will be delivered warm & fresh the following morning from the local Boulangerie – warm baguette & coffee for breakfast, delicious!
There is an onsite bar with wine, beer, cocktails and spirits all available and the best bit: there is a Happy Hour every evening from 6-7pm, so parents can enjoy a drink while the children are happily playing in the gardens or soft play, cheers!
Freshly cooked meals can be delivered to your cottage 3 times per week (outside high season).
Although the freshly cooked meal service isn’t available during June, July & August their local chef prepares & cooks meals once a week which are refrigerated for guests to order.
Also, in high season there are various evening foodie events from Pizza night to wine & cheese tasting. There are also many restaurants a short drive away, giving you a fantastic choice of eating in or out.
So, if you are looking for a super stylish, family friendly holiday on Brittany’s beautiful Emerald coast, Emerald Coast Gites could be a perfect find for your next trip over the Channel – we almost forgot to mention that St Malo port is under an hour away, brilliant!
