As an environmentally-conscious family, we have avoided flying for our holidays for many years.
On previous occasions we have travelled to Europe via ferry, but this year we decided to try a new adventure and go by train.
With our eldest (12) studying French, and my love of hot weather, we decided to go to south west France, so we booked to stay at Camping La Rive on the shores of Lake Biscarrosse, 70km from Bordeaux. We had stayed on French campsites before and love what they provide: the children are free to explore fantastic facilities like splash parks and play areas, and of course the weather is usually better than in the UK. Waiting until the very end of the summer holidays meant we got a really good price.
The first leg of the journey was easy and smooth – an underground train from our home on the outskirts of London straight to Kings Cross to catch the Eurostar to Lille. Lille is a lovely city and would be a great destination for a city break, being compact enough to see it easily in a day or two. We spent two days and two nights there, visiting the Palais des Beaux arts, an art gallery which holds some famous paintings by the likes of Monet and Picasso, and the Cita-Parc, a theme park that our younger children (7 and 9) loved.
Even though it was just a few hours from home it was great to be somewhere new and different. With three children we usually avoid cities, but having a hotel right in the centre meant we could easily pop back when our legs were tired.
Day three saw us taking an early train from Lille to Bordeaux. We arrived at the station and waited patiently on the platform in the designated spot so we could board at the correct carriage. It was all very organised and impressive. This quickly descended into chaos when the train came into the station backwards! Luckily there was 20 minutes before departure so we could find our seats and settle down for the 4.5 hour journey ahead.
The train was comfortable and spacious, and sped through the French countryside. We passed the time with reading while the children watched movies on their tablets. We also had a competition to spot the first sunflower field, which I’m pleased to say I won. The cafe options were a bit disappointing so I would recommend packing snacks. Luckily, the day before, the children had had lots of fun choosing some crisps with flavours we don’t get at home and lots of sweets to keep them happy!
Bordeaux was very hot when we arrived and looked very different from the city we had left behind. There were plenty of restaurants around the station so we had a lovely lunch of pizza and salad before taking a walk down to the riverside. However, it was far too hot and the children were a bit grumpy by this point so we jumped on a tram back to the station to pick up our hire car.
Even though it would have been nice to use trains for the entire holiday, we had decided to hire a car in Bordeaux to give us a bit of extra freedom and capacity for going to supermarkets etc. So we piled into the car for the 1.5 hour drive to the campsite. Travelling by train meant we couldn’t bring our own tent, so hiring a caravan/chalet was the next best thing.
The week at Camping La Rive was fabulous. The campsite is on an inland lake, just 20 minutes from the sea, so we had the best of both worlds. For the children, the best facilities were the pools and splash park – they loved the lazy river, the wave pool and the water slides. For us, it was great to have a bar and a well-stocked supermarket.
Through the week, we played in the pool and at the lake, we kayaked along l’Eyre river and we hired bikes to ride through the beautiful pine forests that surrounded the site. We visited Biscarrosse Plage which reminded us of a Cornish surf town. There were lots of cafes, amazing ice cream and miles and miles of beautiful sand.
Our visit to Dune du Pilat was the highlight of the week. It is the tallest sand dune in Europe and I have never seen anything like it. It looked like something out of Star Wars! A unique landscape and a must-visit.
We chose Brussels as our stop-over on the way back, staying for just one night. It was great to see the sights (the children loved the weeing little boy – Maneken Pis) and to try out some beer, chips and waffles. However, there were lots of drunk stag parties, and we were staying near the station in an insalubrious part of town. We much preferred Lille and were happy to get back on the Eurostar for our quick journey home.
Overall, we had a fabulous flight free holiday. We saw more of the country than we would have if we had just flown in and out again, but we didn’t have to miss out on the hot weather and great experiences. The children love travelling by train and are proud that our holidays don’t have to cost the earth. We are excited to see where the train takes us for our next holiday!
Journey details:
London Underground to St Pancras
St Pancras to Lille (Eurostar)
Lille to Bordeaux (TGV)
Bordeaux to Lake Biscarrosse (car)
Lake Biscarrosse to Bordeaux (car)
Bordeaux to Brussels (TGV)
Brussels to St Pancras (Eurostar)
London Underground home
