As before, we stayed at the Castels site, this time Le Château de Lez-Eaux, not far from the historic town of Granville.
The location is located in Normandy in Saint Pair Sur Mer, a beautiful seaside village and very convenient to Saint Malo and Le Mont Saint Michel. There is so much to see and do in and around this beautiful location, but first we have to sum up our trip there.
We traveled with DFDS Ferry Company for the first time and were very impressed with the value and service. It’s cheaper than other ferry companies, which is especially important in today’s financial climate, and we had no problem finding a comfortable place to relax during the four-hour trip.
To my husband’s convenience, the cars are well spaced out and you no longer have to lock your car doors for fear of slamming into the door of the car in front.
We chose to cross Newhaven and Dieppe, it was a great ride to our site. We avoided the toll roads and instead wandered through pretty villages along the way, perfect for a picnic stop.
Upon our arrival at Chateau de Lez-Eaux, we were greeted by a leafy entrance, beautiful grounds, and a chateau. He made us feel very welcome and escorted us to our chalet – you won’t get lost trying to find your spot.
Called a cottage, but not how you would think of a country house, it was a large log lodge with full cooking facilities, outdoor porch with sunny and shady spot, gas grill, and lounge chairs. There is a wide range of accommodations, including tree houses and lodges with their own hot tubs.
The site is well equipped with many families, an indoor pool with ducts and an outdoor pool, bouncy castles, play parks, large game room, mini zoo and various play areas, volleyball, table tennis, bowling, fishing, rafting – the list is endless .
The outside bar is well situated in front of the palace near the restaurant with table service. We spent a few nights in the bar listening to the bands play while the kids played nearby, always in sight for their parents to relax with a drink. There is also a grocery store on site for any items you might need and some excellent supermarkets along the way, some with very familiar names!
If you want to get off the site, there are bikes to rent – and plenty of bike paths nearby – but we chose to drive further afield.
Just a few kilometers from the center of Saint Pair Sur Mer with a beautiful beach and promenade. Further afield is Granville which has a busy downtown filled with shops and restaurants. I love French markets and we were spoiled almost every day – even in small villages.
But we left the best to continue with what is said to be the second most popular tourist attraction in France after the Eiffel Tower – Le Mont-Saint-Michel.
You can get to the car park by car for €15, but the receptionist on site advised you to park in the free Beauvoir car park and take a short walk along the river (about 20 minutes) to get to the free shuttle that takes you across a bridge to the tidal island. They run every 10 minutes and for a quick diversion – and to save you three awkward spots – there are driver’s seats at each end of the bus. good idea. Or if you prefer, you can opt for a horse-drawn carriage but it takes longer.
Once there, we wandered the narrow streets lined with shops and restaurants and climbed the endless stone steps – great for keeping fit – on the way to the monastery. The view, even from the lower ramparts, is great whether you look up or down. What an amazing experience.
Then return to the site for a barbecue and a tall glass of red wine to cool off. Who could ask for more than that? Alas, the next day it’s time to pack up and go home. Just an idea for our return – we hope to be back soon.
