Le Verger is a large and spacious child-friendly holiday home perfect for a multigenerational family holiday. It’s surrounded by Bordeaux vineyards, just 0.5km from the wonderful Dordogne River and is traditionally French in style. The seven bedrooms & six bathrooms can comfortably sleep fourteen guests, including babies. Among the highlights are a private spa and a fenced & heated swimming pool.
Le Verger is perfect for all ages and we’re not quite sure who will have the most fun, adults or children! There are so many activities for both young & old. The owners, Deborah & Richard, live close by & know the area well. Deborah has put together a ‘how to keep your little ones busy’ guide.
Deborah says “South West France has lots of activities to keep children of all ages occupied. We know, as living here we have become true experts at finding all the best places to go to with our little angels! Here are some of our favourites in The Dordogne and Bordeaux area of France. Many of the activities are grown-up friendly, too!”
How to keep your little ones busy:
Picnic at a fairy-tale Chateau – Chateau Monbazillac is a picture-perfect fairy tale Chateau. Families can wander around the grounds and also have a tour of the inside of the Chateau and the vineyards.
Aqua park & ice skating in Bordeaux – Bordeaux is home to an indoor swimming pool and a great outdoor pool (open in the summer months only) complete with deckchairs and a picnic area. The ice-skating rink (Meriadeck) is huge! You can book family friendly ice-skating sessions and there are also concerts & shows held here.
Soft Play – this lovely soft play has all the usual activities including ball pits, slides and lots of climbing. Parents aren’t forgotten as there is a café & Wi-Fi.
Food – Eat a traditional eight course French meal in a child-friendly restaurant. Deborah’s favourite local restaurant is Famille Moutier at Thenac where you can enjoy a (mainly duck based) traditional French family meal. Will your little ones be brave enough to try the smelly cheese?!
Aquarium – there is a wonderful aquarium at Perigord Noir (the largest private freshwater aquarium in Europe!) There are lots of fish and reptiles (including an Alligator park) on display.
Pony ride (from 3 years old) – a session in the Pony Garden can be booked at this lovely pony club which runs from 2-4pm. Private lessons and walks & rides are also available dependent on experience.
Le Verger – simply enjoying the grounds with play equipment & heated pool (with lots of inflatables!). The pool is fenced, which gives peace of mind when your little ones are exploring the garden. Dressing up from the selection of outfits in the dressing up box, playing with the toys, watching English TV or playing on the Wii. Have a stroll through the vineyards & visit the friendly Donkeys – a well behaved, children loving, golden retriever is also available as a free guide!
There are plenty of activities for children of all ages and older ones can enjoy the below close by:
Join in beach side games & activities on The Dordogne or Climb Europe’s largest sand dune .Go-karting, Fishing on the Dordogne, hiring mountain bikes, 10 pin bowling
Not forgetting the Grown-ups:
Private Spa – Adultsare not forgotten at Le Verger as the house has its own private indoor spa, complete with a jacuzzi hot tub and swim spa – a small pool where you can swim against the current.
The spa area is adults only and Reflexology and massage therapists can be arranged – perfect for a pamper evening. Large fluffy towels are also provided giving another touch of luxury.Pool – private heated pool – children are welcome but there’s nothing like a peaceful late-night swim when they are tucked up in bed.
Wine tasting – Wine tasting at a local Bordeaux Chateau (Chateau Carbonneau is the owner’s favourite) – the chateau is child-friendly however babysitting can be arranged if you fancy some child free time.
There are many other wonderful activities including; Wine-food pairing with a Michelin stared chef, horse riding through the vineyards, Kayak / Canoe in The Dordogne river, Foodie night market, watch the sunrise or set over the vineyards from the tranquillity of a hot air balloon and golf lesson.
Family friendly trips out & about:
Bergerac – with its wonderful old town is just 30 mins from the villa. Bergerac is situated on the north bank of the Dordogne river. The old town is full of lovely streets & market squares with lots of cafes to sit and watch the world go by and the medieval houses are half timbered.
The new town has a larger range of shops and is also home to Bergerac’s Saturday market.
Bergerac is also a great place for a boat trip up the Dordogne river.
Lakeside Beach – Lac du Gurson
Just 12 miles away is a lovely lakeside beach surrounded by beautiful woodland. There is a café, children’s playground and picnic areas. In the summer months there are lifeguards on duty and other activities including pony rides and mini water skiing.
Markets – there are markets for every day of the week however Deborah’s favourite is the award-winning Saint Foy Le Grande. This lovely market sells everything from food (fruit, vegetables, cheese, bread, jam & wine) to arts and crafts. Families can wander safely around the market stalls as the surrounding streets are closed to cars.
Le Verger is the perfect place for a family holiday or celebration with the added luxury of your own private spa. So, if you have a special family occasion coming up or simply fancy a family holiday with a touch of luxury, have a check of the availability at Le Verger.
After finishing school that week, the family were looking for a chilled holiday somewhere we could let the kids run free and enjoy themselves, come and go as we please and just enjoy some peace and quiet ourselves too!
It is so safe and quiet, we could let the kids roam and know that they were fine. There are toys and games dotted around the cottage, the grounds are full of things to do, there is no chance of boredom here. The week we stayed, two out of the four cottages were occupied so we had pretty much everything to ourselves. I think the kids would have preferred some others to play with, however the following week 13 kids were booked in – so it was an unusually quiet week for the owners.
We will definitely return and come back with friends and family, they will love the place. The kids miss the hot tub and the lovely cats, my husband misses his early morning coffee on the bench overlooking the whole grounds and I really miss that hammock (when I could get a look in! – can’t quite beat it!