Just booked baby's first family holiday!

[DW1978]

I've just booked our first family holiday with baby (and our first proper family holiday since 2009!!) for June next year. We're going to the West Coast of France in the car and staying in a static mobile home (we did the same thing in 2009 and had an absolutely amazing holiday). It was perfect for Lennon as the site is completely secure and had childrens play areas, it's own beach (not that we used it as we are spoilt for choice in Guernsey), pools and water slides, tennis courts, bikes to hire etc. We could give him so much freedom, within reason, staying outside our mobile home and there were loads of other children to play with too.

I'm going to use about half the money that my dad gave me from my nan to pay the majority of it so we'll only have about £100 to pay off the holiday and the boat to pay for when the dates become available

It's hard to imagine we'll have a 7 month old (ish) baby by then

Yay!! I can't wait!

 

[Princess81]

How exciting!!! I already know that my baby's first plane journey to england will be when he or she is about 8 weeks old. Hard to imagine though isn't it?
I take it you didn't have to provide a name when booking it? Also, i guess you'll need to get a passport for the baby pretty much as soon as it's born?

 

[EmmBee123]

Oh so exciting. We're looking to book something soon for next year.

OH wants to go long haul, the thought of that with a still relatively tiny baby scares me senseless, so am suggesting similar to yours DW, where abouts are you going? Is it a particularly baby friendly place? It sounds great for Lennon!

Just got to convince OH that somewhere nearby would be an awful lot better than our first holiday with LO being a trek and a half across the world.

 

[DW1978]

I did need to put a name in when I booked it so just put it as Mr ANON Williams and put in the comments that I was still pregnant with passenger no 4 so would have to confirm details at a later date!! LOL.

Yes, will probably have to get a passport pretty much straight away anyway as we're hoping to go to France for New Year with some family members to stay in a rented house for a few days together. I'm not classing this as a proper 'family holiday' though as two of DH's brothers are coming (one of which has just returned to live after spending 6 years in NZ) and one of his nephews so I'm thinking lots of 'catching up' (aka drinking) is going to be happening in the evenings!! LOL.

 

[Princess81]

sounds about right. I think I'll have to get on the ball regarding getting baby a passport when he or she is born then, because of the photographic ID thing when you fly - hardly going to be able to get a driving license for him/her

 

[DW1978]

Oh so exciting. We're looking to book something soon for next year.

OH wants to go long haul, the thought of that with a still relatively tiny baby scares me senseless, so am suggesting similar to yours DW, where abouts are you going? Is it a particularly baby friendly place? It sounds great for Lennon!

Just got to convince OH that somewhere nearby would be an awful lot better than our first holiday with LO being a trek and a half across the world.

Thats why I love going on the boat with our car as we can pack it chock a block with whatever we need - travel cot (although I think they actually have them there), pram, high chair, toys, books, games, scooter for Lennon etc which is fab, especially with a small baby and a little boy.

We are going to a place called Les Sables in Sable D'Olonne in the Vendee region and booked it through Carisma (www.carisma.co.uk). It's really expensive in the high summer (about £1800 for two weeks) but if you can go either May or Early June or the first two weeks of September it is really quite cheap (we are paying about £650 for two weeks going from the 3rd-17th June). It's about a 4/5 hour drive from St Malo. If you are travelling from the UK, they also include your boat fare with whatever ferry company you want to use for about £60 (we can't do it from Guernsey so we pay around £280!!!). In 2009 we went for the first two weeks of September and the weather there was stunning, around 35°C during the afternoons. The pool was lovely and there is a shop, bar and restaurant onsite. I would say it is very very child friendly and pretty baby friendly (think they can provide cots etc and a baby pack if required). We are getting a 2 bedroom mobile so that Lennon will have a room and we're not sure if we will have the baby in with him or with us (I guess it depends how well he/she sleeps by then!!). It has a kitchen to cook in (although we literally had pate, cheese, garlic sausage and french bread picnic style everyday as it was so hot), gas fire if needed, lounge, proper bedrooms with beds and wardrobes and a nice lounge area with a dining table. And you can also hire BBQs cheap and the the bikes you can hire with a wide range of either childrens tandems, babyseat or those trailer things (handy for a picnic and toddler!!).

Personally, I had an amazing time last time and I would highly recommend it to anyone with children.

 

[DW1978]

Just found this about the baby packs:

Carisma Baby Packs

Do you have an infant and wonder if you have enough space in the car for all the bulky things that baby needs? You shouldn't worry. We can provide a Baby Pack (suitable for the under 2's) for just £20 per week which includes a camping cot and high chair.

 

[EmmBee123]

Will take a look, thanks.

I'd much prefer to be nearby, OH wants to go to mexico, i think it'd be a nightmare with a baby.