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Archive for the ‘France holidays’ Category
Best ski resorts in France: Family, Ski in Ski out, Groups, Local Charm and on a Budget – Our Tips
Still unsure where you want to go for your ski holiday? Read on for recommendations on the best resorts for Family ski holidays, local charm, ski in ski out apartments, cheap ski holidays and ski resorts suitable for large groups.
Best ski accommodation for families
We would recommend L’Amara in Avoriaz – which itself recently won best Family ski resort in the World Snow awards.
L’Amara: new family friendly apartments in Avoriaz
The residence has lots of 2 bedroom apartments, many with 2 bathrooms and spacious and comfortable living areas. BBC TV is available (including CBeebies). In Avoriaz there is a great children’s club and baby sitting can be arranged.
If you need to rest after a long day on the piste, have a break in the spa area complete with treatment rooms, swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and relaxation room.
Relax in the swimming pool area at L’Amara
Best for ski-in ski-out
Avoriaz ticks this box as well, but we would recommend Arc 1950 le Village at the top of the vast Paradiski area.
You can usually manage to ski right back to the actual door of your ski locker as well as access all Arc 1950 bars, restaurants and shops by skiing through the village itself.
Arc 1950 is composed of 8 buildings, each having their own reception and access to the indoor car park. The large self-catering apartments are stylishly decorated in modern Alpine style. There are a wide range of facilities available in the village including supermarket, a pharmacy, cash point and plenty of restaurants to suit all tastes. There is also the possibility to relax in style in the brand new luxury spa.
Views of Le Village, Arc 1950
Best ski accommodation for large groups
Les Ecrin des Neiges Tignes
The definition of large could be interpreted as large apartments or good places to go with a group, so we have gone for a mix! Les Ecrins de Neiges in Tignes has a lot of apartments which sleep 8 or more. Plus the geographical/high altitude nature of the resorts suits groups. Also the ski area works for groups of mixed abilities and the après ski is varied enough to suit most people.
However a good runner up in this category, which also has a plethora of larger apartment sizes is Les Menuires Alpages de Reberty.
Poolside views at Alpages de Reberty
The residence sits in the area above Les Menuires and benefits from doorstep skiing. There is also a large selection of mountain sports and activities available: Quad biking, sledging, ice skating, snowscooters, snowshoes and more…
Best for traditional charm
Les Carroz d’Arraches is located in the heart of the Grand massif ski area. Our rustic Fermes de Soleil residence is built around the ice rink which gives you a very ‘ski resorty’ feeling and the village itself is charming and has the added bonus of being one of the closest ski resorts to Geneva with a transfer of only 45 minutes.
Best ski resort for people on a budget
At Le Hameau de Sauget in Les Coches prices now start from only €359 for a studio cabine for 4 (week commencing April 13) – only around £80 per person if you fill it with 4 people. Add to that, resort prices down in Les Coches are markedly less than in its higher neighbours and there are some great happy hour offers. If you do decide to splash out on a Paradiski pass you actually have a chance to use it effectively as the Vanoise Express is only 1 lift and a short ski away.
We hope that’s given you some options to suit the type of ski holiday you want. Feel free to browse more ski apartments on the Pierre & Vacances site. We’re in pretty much every France ski resort. Whatever you choose – have a great time!
Child Friendly Holidays In Europe
Looking to get your family holiday booked in early this year? You’re not on your own, more and more of us will be heading online this year to snap up the early rooms for this summer’s great big getaway. Finding the right holiday for you and your family can be tough; it’s hard to keep everyone happy. Your other half might prefer the poolside whilst the kids are crazy about the beach, you want to be somewhere rural, with a bit of a history but also close to town, the beach and it all needs to be within walking distance.
Luckily for you, Pierre & Vacances have family focused Holiday Villages that make great child friendly holiday destinations in Europe for your annual summer break in 2013. With a range of holiday destinations in Spain and France you’ll have plenty to choose from. Getting your booking in early will save you hassle and money, yes there are great deals to be had when booking late but why not book early this year and get what you really want out of your summer break.
First things first, where do you want to go? Location is everything when choosing your summer holiday. Both Spain and France offer fantastic resorts on and off the beach and each one with respectable average temperatures from the mid to high twenties. Finding the sun won’t be hard this summer but where to enjoy might be a bit of a head scratcher.
If you’re looking for the perfect holiday village for your family in France then the Port du Crouesty Holiday Village in Southern Brittany might be the place for you. Located on the coast where the Gulf of Morbihan meets the Bay of Quiberon, Port du Crouesty this resort offers everything a family could need for a week or two lounging around the beach.
The Resort sits on the cusp of the beach with the majority of the apartments providing luxurious views out towards the sea. Each apartment is well within walking distance to both the pool and the beach and with plenty of activities on site there’ll be plenty to keep the kids occupied; beach volleyball, tennis, mini golf and archery are all on offer on site as well as a kids club for younger children and the Le SpOt for teenagers. For the adults there is the rural boutique village of Bretagne square with shops and cafes, or you can relax in the onsite spa.
For more on child friendly holidays in Europe take a look at our guide about what’s hot in summer 2013.
Guide to Child Friendly Holidays
Family summer holidays are an important part of family life but with budgets getting smaller and prices getting higher it is a big investment for a family to make. That is why we have created a Child Friendly Holiday Guide with some great tips on what to look for when booking your next family holiday. We have covered a lot of different family holidays in France as it is a great holiday destination for us Brits, whatever the age groups or interests of your family. We have also included some tips if you would like to venture a little further, to Spain or just want to see the differences in temperature and activities available to you. From an overview of the attractions in the different areas of France, to the average maximum temperature we think we have pulled together all the factors you will need to consider in order to find the perfect child friendly holiday destination for your family. What do you think? Is there anything else you think should be in the guide? Do you have any great family holiday planning tips that could help others? Comment below and we will update the guide with your insights.
Time to book your 2013 summer holiday in France & Spain
It’s time to book your 2013 summer holiday in France & Spain
We can officially announce that bookings are now open for 2013 summer holidays in our holiday villages and apartments all over France & Spain.
Better still we have some very simple and inclusive early booking offers which include some school holiday dates.
Save 15% on 1 week bookings and 30% on 2 week bookings (see end of this email for full terms).
So where do you want to go?
Family Holiday Villages
We recommend Families have a look at our Pierre & Vacances Holiday Villages. These car free holiday parks have everything the family needs for a fun filled break. A choice of indoor and outdoor swimming pools, many with slides and wave machines. You can also expect to find facilities like tennis courts, children’s playgrounds, spa facilities, and some of France’s best golf courses! On site you can also expect shops, bars and restaurants with takeaway options. Our most popular holiday villages in France are Belle Dune and Cap Esterel.
Family strolls in Belle Dune
Belle Dune is an eco holiday village in Picardy, only one hour from Calais. It has its own water fun park and is built around one of France’s top golf courses. Book a Select 2 bedroom house for 2 weeks in August (17-31.8.13) and you can save 30%, only 2021 Euros (was 2886 Euros).
Cap Esterel
Cap Esterel is Pierre & Vacances’s flagship holiday village on the Cote D’Azur in the L’Esterel National Park. A choice of outdoor swimming pools with slides and waves, a 9 hole golf course, a choice of children’s playgrounds and a free fun train to the beach and Agay, the nearest resort. There is also large good value supermarket on site and over 10 different restaurants and snack bars. Best of all are the fantastic panoramic sea views of the mediterrannean. Book a Select sea view 1 bedroom apartment with an additional bunk room for the kids for May half-term (25.5-1.6.13) for only 1046 Euros (was 1230 Euros – a discount of 15%).
Premium self-catering apartments
Looking for a little luxury with your holiday apartment in France or Spain? Then you might want to consider one of our Premium residences. Spacious and stylish self-catering apartments with luxurious swimming pools and spa treatments. Wifi is free and there are a range of VIP services and facilities so you can really pamper yourself and relax! We have a number of Premium holiday apartments in France and one in Altea Hills, Spain.
We recommend:
The Premium Port Prestige residence in Antibes has a great central location with views of the marina and Fort Carre. The apartments have been recently renovated and some of the larger apartments have their own rooftop jacuzzi! Apartments start from 680 Euros per week (price quoted is for week commencing 21st September).
Views of Antibes from Port Prestige
The Premium residence and spa in Houlgate, Normandy is our newest premium residence. Set in tranquil countryside the apartments also have lovely sea views. Choose from indoor and outdoor swimming pools and pamper yourself in the luxury spa. Apartments start from 366 Euros per week (price quoted is for week commencing 21st September).
Breakfast with a view in Houlgate
Sizzle in Spain
Pierre & Vacances now has more apartments in Spain than ever before, from the Costa Brava and Blanca to the Costa del Sol.
Terrazas Costa del Sol Holiday Village
We recommend the Terrazas Costa del Sol holiday village near Manilva and Estepona. Newly built there is a wide choice of spacious air-conditioned apartments and a lovely swimming pool and paddling pool with gorgeous views of the Rock of Gibraltar. Prices start from 417 Euros per apartment per week (15% discount from 490 Euros).
Terms and major changes for 2013
The early booking offer is valid for bookings made before 31/03/13 for 7 night stays between 23/03/13 and 17/11/13 (except for stays between 03/08 and 16/08/13). If your booking is for 14 nights or more you can benefit from an additional 15% discount, a total saving of 30%. Please note a reduced selection of residences is available for stays between 13/07/13 and 27/07/13.
Please also note that to keep our prices competitive for Pierre & Vacances residences, towels and bed making are no longer included in the accommodation price. Please add those to your booking when you book (10 Euros per person). For Maeva residences you will also need to make an additional payment for bed linen.
The snow is here! Are you ready for Winter 12/13?
There’s nothing like that moment when the first snowy pictures from the French Alps start appearing every year. Seeing the beautiful French mountains covered in fresh snow only builds the excitement for our ski holidays to France!
And this year we’ve been treated to some really fantastique pictures from some of the top ski resorts and areas, including Les 3 Vallees, Avoriaz, Espace Killy…
Here are some of our favourites to whet your appetite for the upcoming winter season:
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- Snow covered Tignes
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- Lots of snow in Avoriaz
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- Bright morning in Tignes
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- A bright morning at Les Three Vallees
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- Sunshine over Meribel
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- Avoriaz mountains
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- Val Thorens snowball fight!
And if this has got you suitably excited to hit the pistes this season, check out our Early Bird booking offers: up to 20 per cent off accommodation [including the school holidays!] if you book before November 5!
And if you also book your equipment hire, passes and lessons through us you could save up to 45 per cent!
