Have you ever been surprised by anyone with a birthday escape? So everything is organized and a night before you are being taken somewhere you find out, that the tickets and accommodation, the car is booked and all you need to do is just pack your bag. And only ONE backpack, because that’s all you can bring.
Well… While trying to get my breathing back to normal and not showing the confusion I was experiencing, because as a bit of a control freak, it was always me who did the planning and searching and booking. But as my sweet 41st birthday was approaching, dear hubby just decided to take over and bring me somewhere I’ve never been before.
“Just pack your basics and we’re leaving tomorrow morning”. But what to pack? Will I take a raincoat or a bikini? A cocktail dress or hiking boots? Those wouldn’t even fit in a backpack. At the end I just take a pair of shorts, few simple summer dresses, sandals, and a swimming suit, secretly hoping that he wouldn’t be so cruel and bring me somewhere worse than we have in Ireland at the moment, that is plus seventeen at the peak of the day and the rain that just never stops. Pack kids bags as well, because apparently in a “surprise package”, this service was not included 😉
Trying to fall asleep that night just wasn’t possible, but when I finally closed my eyes, it was time to leave to the airport. Of course, I was nagging on him to find out, where or where is he taking us? And finally I had it. France. We are going to France. Bonjour, bonjour, is it Paris? or Nice? How will I look with those shorts and beach dresses? 🫣 Skiing season is over, so not to the mountains… Where or where are we going? 😭
Morning rush in the airport is so intense, I only manage to grab my favourite “Food and Travel” magazine, and we ran to the gates with a name on them, and it says, “Welcome, your travel destination today is Bordeaux”.
What do I know about Bordeaux? Not much, our friends were telling about the unforgettable vine tours somewhere around this area, oh well, vine tour with two kids? Thoughts were racing, but we took off and finally, watching my little girl falling asleep, I started to feel the relaxation, it was taking all over me, from the top of the head, to little toes… The inner sad control freak was fading away… If your destination is one of the most beautiful countries in the world,it’s going to be just perfect.
And believe me, it was.
So half nine in the morning, we collected a small, but comfortable Audi 2 and left the Mérignac airport. The car trip wasn’t long at all, but gazing through the window, I felt hypnotized.
It was France I’ve never seen before. So flat and so green, so simple and so, so familiar. And so still... At first, I was even scared to breathe not to destroy that stillness. But with every breath I also knew, that it can never be destroyed. We passed through tiny villages that looked almost empty, seeing seniors on their bikes with morning baguettes, waving hello to each other, stopping to chat. I could look forever. But at eleven we already reached our destination- camp site in the middle of the forest and were accompanied to one of many mobile homes in the area. Never before we stayed in a mobile house but have always dreamed about it and there you go, dreams do come true. The kids were over the moon, and I was still stunned.
If you consider going to a similar camp site, but are just not that sure, I can advise, go for it. It’s so many of them in France, Italy, and now I understand why they are so popular. Mobile houses are so well-equipped, they are quite tiny but have all the amenities and a big terrace really makes up for the lack of space. Who wants to stay inside when you’re in a Forest with thousands of Pine trees beside the ocean? I felt it was the freshest air that can ever be.
I could probably be talking forever about those four long days, but think, it would be better to summarize our experience.
So in the campsite, there’s a water park with slides, not too many, but kids were never bored.
Two swimming pools, one indoor and heated and one outdoor, but also never felt too cold.
Also, two pools for smaller babies. Our son was playing football, volleyball, and water sports with an animation team that was just brilliant, he found new friends and wanted to stay outdoors all the time. Kids didn’t show interest in their Tablets, as we were just so busy doing fun stuff.
We rented bikes and all three morning were cycling through the forest till the Vendays - Montalivet village. There was this lovely market where we ate oysters and drank local white vine (only a glass each of course) and kids were loving crêpes in a nearby café and shopping in small cosy shops for souvenirs.
Then we’d go back to the campsite and enjoy the pool and sing karaoke in the evening at the local bar.
So all this and the people… Local people, as sometimes you might hear French, are a bit arrogant with tourists, but we never felt it, everyone was so friendly and nice. And everyone was trying their best to speak English.
Also in that karaoke bar I mentioned before, there were people so confident in themselves, singing and not tuning in at all, but so happy with themselves it was a bit of a cultural shock to my Eastern European inner critic. But at the end I felt so relaxed that I started singing myself. 😅
You know, life’s for living as one of our dear customers used to say, and it really is.
As the end of this sweet escape was approaching, I knew I was in a big, big trouble. As when you fall in love with someone you know you can never be together with…
All this simplicity and quality of life planted a seed in me. A feeling that time can stand still or even melt like in Dali watches and the days can be so long and fulfilling…
And there are places in the world when you can find yourself “À la recherché du temps per du”… And you might even regain traces of it…
At the end, just some facts about the area. Real facts, so you know it wasn’t just my dream with all the “oohs” and “aahs” that I could go on with forever. 😉
# Full name of the town is Vendays - Montalivet, and it’s located on the Atlantic coast of south-west France.
#The beach stretches for 12 kilometres in total and is very popular with surfers, benefiting from the Atlantic waves.
#This area of France is relatively less visited because of its relative isolation and limited facilities, and very quiet in winter season.
#It’s the area of forests (6000 hectares), beaches, marches, and ocean.
#You can’t find any picturesque hills or swim in the ocean, but its unique national environment makes up for it. There’s around 40 kilometres of hiking trails and 30 kilometres of cycle paths.
# Some of the best beaches are Plage Soulac, Plage d'Euronat and Plage Vensac.
#The coastal towns that may demand a visit would be Hourtin, Talmont, Le Verdon-sur- Mer, Vertheuil and Meschers-sur-Gironde.
#holidaymakers with a car can enjoy a day trip to Bordeaux.