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On a cruise, on a Costa Fleet ship
Watching the azure horizon scroll from the balcony of your cabin, opening the curtains every morning to a new destination … This is the principle of Costa cruises. 15 ships make up the fleet and serve 261 destinations and 60 ports. On board, “cruise passengers” benefit from a maximum of services and activities: shows, swimming pools, sports halls and wellness areas, bars and restaurants, markets, etc. And kids are never bored. With their aquaparks, their fabulous pirate castles and their clubs for children, these immense cruise ships have assets to seduce them. And you too ! The Squok Club leaders welcome your little ones from 3 years old, from 9 am to midnight. A play area, open to all (under the supervision of parents) puts the spotlight on Peppa Pig, the children’s idol. Creative games, treasure hunts, drawings, paintings… punctuate the very lively days of your tribe.
During this time, adults can treat themselves to an excursion of a few hours to discover the home port of the boat, its city or (even) its region. A very practical logistics (and that we advise you) to leave in exploration in all peace.
On board, it’s up to you to invent your stay! Do you hate walkabouts? Shift your meal times and take them before the rush, or reserve a quiet table at the restaurant. If you are not tempted by an excursion, relax instead in the swimming pool or in one of the many Jacuzzis, deserted during the days at the dock.
Good to know: the cruise is free for 1 or 2 children (under 18) traveling in a cabin with 2 adults. Do you have 2 to 3 children under 18? Travel in 2 independent cabins (50% supplement for the second cabin on the basis of a Classic / Premium rate).
Examples of cruises: aboard the Costa Diadema (306 meters long), cruise the Mediterranean for an 8-day / 7-night cruise: Spain, Balearic Islands, Sardinia, Italy (from 839 euros). Or embark in Venice, aboard the Costa Luminosa to discover a trio of Greek islands (Kefalonia, Mykonos and Santorini): 8 days / 7 nights (from 799 euros). The Costa Mediterranea ship takes you to discover the cities of the Baltic, passing through Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia (8 days / 7 nights). From 1 euros (flights included from Paris).
In a cottage at Center Parcs
Notice to young parents looking for comfort and a change of scenery! The holiday villages have thought of you, with their fully equipped cottages built in the middle of nature. At the edge of a lake or in a pretty forest, the estates offer a multitude of activities : aqualudic area (Aqua Mundo), indoor playground (Baluba), mini-golf, 9-hole golf course, spa… And the cottages are particularly well equipped for families.
We find there : a baby chair, a baby bed and a private garden out of sight. There are also car-free areas, with specially designed paths for strollers. At Aqua Mundo, the water is heated and less chlorinated for little swimmers, and a “baby care” corner is available to prepare before taking a dip. As a bonus, baby swimming sessions are planned in the schedule. Inquire! You also have the possibility of Reserve in advance : changing mat, stroller, deckchair, baby bath and playpen. Davailable in the Domaine du Bois aux Daims-Vienne and Trois Forêts-Moselle Lorraine. The good plan: free baby food for babies, and a corner for preparing baby meals at the Dôme.
Where are we going this summer? At Center Parcs Les Bois-Francs, in Normandy, just 1 hour 30 minutes from Paris. The Pagode cottages, with wide openings to the outside, offer you the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the environment. A stone’s throw from the medieval city of Verneuil-sur-Avre, in Eure, the Center Parcs has a Deep Nature® Spa, in which the balneotherapy area was renovated last year. The wild river, the water tree (a huge bucket pours over you) and the paddling pool will delight families at Aqua Mundo. New this year, the “Holidays with My Pony” option. Children (from 5 years old) take care of their own pony throughout their stay! From € 959 per week in a Comfort cottage for 4 people in July.
Young parents privileges: 10% additional reduction – Offer valid for parents of a child under 6 years old.
Huttopia, the cool campsite
The happiness of camping is cultivated! Villages and campsites offer a new experience to nature loving. The facilities and accommodation they offer are all designed with respect for the environment. Some even have untreated swimming pools, and a selection of organic and local produce is sold in their grocery stores. Untreated wood, unspoiled natural spaces, limited car traffic… Nature is close at hand.
Accommodation side, you have the choice between: a cozy wooden cabin with its wood stove, fully equipped kitchen and large terrace. La Cahute, a cabin built on stilts, which has its kitchenette and bathroom. Topped with a tent, it allows you to sleep in the trees. Another option: the Trapper, a large tent set up on a wooden platform, with its kitchen area and bathroom. For camping purists, the Canadienne and the Bonaventure have real beds.
Where are we going? In the village of Huttopia Sud-Ardèche, a trapper-style forest village, built on a site with natural terraces. Around, 14 hectares of clearings, a forest of maple and juniper, birdsong… Southern Ardèche in all its splendor! Most ? The proximity to the gorges of the Ardèche located just 4 km from the village to undertake a descent by canoe. On vacation with a little one? Choose a comfortable cabin or hut. Practical: bed linen and towels are provided and the baby cot and high chair are available. For children under 2 years old, the stay is free! For older children: a program of activities Huttokids is organized throughout the day: archery, cooking workshop, Land Art, circus. In short, advice to those who love camping without its inconveniences, Huttopia offers a truly rejuvenating alternative that is accessible to the whole family. Hut from € 120 per night (based on 4 people) / Cabin from € 132 per night (based on 4 people) – Minimum stay of 2 nights depending on the period. Village Huttopia Sud Ardèche *** – 04 75 38 77 27. sud6ardeche@huttopia.com
All Inclusive stay at Club Marmara Ariadne – Crete
This summer, see you in Crete for a relaxing stay with the family. The situation is ideal for taking a week or fifteen days off, cut off from the world, with the children. We appreciate the calm and the beauty of the place, between sea and mountains, with a club located fifteen minutes walk from the nearest coastal town, Agios Nikolaos.
Within the club, you can spend a rather calm or more animated stay thanks to its two large swimming pools which allow holidaymakers, for one, to laze on a deckchair all day long and for the other to benefit from the various activities: 11 a.m. and 15 p.m. meeting point for an Aquagym session, at 30 p.m. for the Midi game, etc. . The team of entertainers is overflowing with energy but also humor, thus promising evenings under the sign of good humor at the beach cafe or at the amphitheater for shows.
On the side of children and, two swimming pool areas are adapted to their small size to be able to splash around in peace. There is also an outdoor play area with swings and slide. During the day or half-day, the clubs will welcome your children: the friends club from 3 to 13 years old and the teen club from 14 to 17 years old. On the program: manual activities, sports and of course the preparation of a show that will be played in front of the parents.
It is also possible to book a baby kit (up to 2 years) upon arrival for 30 euros. It includes a Sofalange changing mat, the inclined mattress from the Lilikim brand, accompanied by its bamboo viscose cover, a baby deckchair, a Babymoov bottle warmer, a bathtub, a bath thermometer and a travel cot.
On a daily basis, you will stay in bungalows of one or two floors, in most of the rooms renovated with a clean design and equipped with mini-fridge and air conditioning. The Marmara Ariadne club is a human-sized establishment (148 accommodations) which is appreciable but you will still have to climb many stairs since the club is located on the hillside.
As for food, the all-inclusive formula allows you to enjoy all day and at will buffets and a wide choice of drinks, with or without alcohol, until 23 p.m. We find the traditional combo tomato -cucumber- feta and tapenades at all meals but also crepes in the morning and to taste it. Then, many choices of starters, main courses and desserts are offered at each meal.
Finally, several excursions are organized so that you can discover Crete and its surroundings. Allow around € 250 per day of visit, for two adults and two children. It is recommended to book as soon as possible as places sell out quickly. The most suitable with children are the exit in 4 × 4 to climb to the heights of Crete and enjoy a traditional meal in a tavern or even the visit of the island of Spinalonga followed by a stop at an olive oil factory.