It is all too easy when you have young children to be fazed by the prospect of taking them on holiday abroad but with a little planning there is no reason why a holiday in France should not be as successful as one in this country.

Why France and why self-catering?

With most families opting to take their own car to France, it has to be the ideal destination when travelling with all the paraphernalia required for young children. Push-chairs, travel-cots, little bikes and suitcases full of clothes and packs of nappies can all be accommodated (provided your car is big enough!) and if these are the things that will make life easy on holiday, why leave them at home? There is something for everyone in France: lakes, mountains, tranquil beaches, chic seaside resorts and interesting cities (although they have limited appeal for most families with young children) and best of all the French love children. Renting a holiday home will give you far more freedom than a hotel and of course is also better value.

Where to go?

First consider your destination carefully. You really do not need to drive hundreds of miles to have a good holiday in France. One of our most enjoyable holidays when our children were young was in Normandy. It was an easy drive from the port and we had perfect weather, much better than our friends who had a longer drive to a rain-soaked Brittany and far more comfortable than other friends who baked on the Mediterranean. If you are determined to head further afield, then an overnight stop or two in a hotel can prevent the trip turning into a feat of endurance for parents and children alike. It need not cost an arm and a leg and if all you need is somewhere to sleep, there will not be a problem with the whole family sharing a room in one of the budget motels. Many provide extra beds for children or you may wish to take your own travel-cot.

How to get there?

Having chosen your destination, you should give careful thought to the various ways of getting there. Most visitors use the cross-Channel ferries and take their own cars. There is a huge variation in length of crossing and departure times as well. If you opt for the quick crossing to Calais, this may mean a longer drive which is all very well if your children can be relied upon to sleep or behave beautifully. If they can't (and few can) you may be better off spending longer on the ferry and having a shorter drive. Most ferries have play areas for children and some even have a swimming pool. It is worth paying for a cabin, even the most basic type, to use as a base and to let the children have a nap if they are tired. If your children are good sleepers you might want to take an overnight ferry crossing. Some of the cabins, however, can be noisy, either from engine noise or from fellow passengers getting the holiday off to a good start with a few drinks and even drinking games, so a good night's sleep cannot be guaranteed. Bear in mind too that some of the ferries dock very early in the morning are excellent for getting an early start to the drive but bad news if your children are fractious for the rest of the day because they have had their sleep disturbed.

The Shuttle is quick and easy in theory but the drawback with young children is that it is not practical for them to wander around so give some thought to entertaining them.

If you are travelling to the south of France you may think it worth flying and hiring a car at the other end. Although this limits what you can take, you may well feel it is a price worth paying. Most airlines will let you take your pushchair right up to the door of the plane and will allow families with young children to board first.

Choosing the right house

By using our rental property search, you should be able to see quickly and easily whether or not a property is suitable for children and you can check direct with the owner if you have any doubts. Not many of us are used to doing the washing by hand at home and there is no reason to do so whilst on holiday. Make sure if you envisage having to wash clothes, that the house has a washing machine as launderettes are few and far between in much of France. The same applies to dishwashers if you hate washing up by hand. Even if you no longer use a stair gate at home you might want to pack one if space allows. Many French properties are full of character and have steep winding staircases which can be a hazard for a young child. Thick walls can also mean that you may not hear your child crying in bed whilst you are sitting in a different part of the house so a baby monitor can be useful. Consider packing a plug-in night-light too, as shutters can make bedrooms darker than at home. If your house has a pool it must by law be fenced off but extreme caution still needs to be exercised and some families decide that it is not worth the worry.

Surviving a long car journey

It can be hard keeping your child entertained on a long journey and perhaps the best tip is to make use of the lovely rest areas on French motorways. Keep a ball or frisbee handy and let the children have a good run around. With luck they might sleep afterwards. Have a good supply of drinks and little snacks like raisins, bread sticks and dried fruit so that you don't have to keep stopping every time they are hungry or thirsty. Before going on holiday wrap up a few little parcels and hand them out at regular intervals or as a reward for good behaviour. Things like a colouring book and crayons, stickers, a puzzle, or a puppet always go down well. For the sake of your sanity, avoid things with little pieces that will inevitably be dropped in the most inaccessible part of the car. There are lots of ideas on the Internet for games to play on the journey if three hours of I-Spy is not your idea of fun! Story or nursery-rhyme tapes are preferable to books if your child is travel-sick. If this is a problem make sure you have a plentiful supply of wipes, old towels and spare clothes and get the child to focus on a long-distance object. Don't give them a full meal before travelling and try ginger biscuits if they are too young for over-the-counter travel sickness pills. A few drops of peppermint oil on a hankie can also help.

Eating

One of the joys of a holiday in France is of course the food. Most restaurants welcome children and will produce something to suit even if a children's menu is not offered. If you would like the occasional dinner "a deux" it might be worth asking the owner if they know of an English-speaking babysitter or alternatively consider holidaying with grandparents or friends. Even if you do not eat out much, cooking in France is very enjoyable with so much delicious fresh produce available. If you have fussy eaters, French supermarkets stock most things and although it is great to expose children to different food, it is not worth turning holiday mealtimes into a battle ground. If your toddler just has to have a particular brand of baked beans then make room in the car for a supply. One final tip, if you have just started weaning your baby, respect his sensitive stomach and don't introduce too many new foods on holiday. I still remember the unpleasant consequences of a jar of "jambon et carrottes" on my son!

If your child is ill

As well as packing a first-aid kit make sure you take a good supply of liquid paracetamol or other junior painkiller. If you have a child who is prone to things like ear infections it may be worth asking your GP for a powdered antibiotic which you can mix with water yourself if it is required on holiday. On the subject of ears, make sure you dry your child's ears properly if they are spending a lot of time in the pool to avoid earaches or infections. High factor sunscreen is a must and remember that even sitting under a parasol on the beach, a young child can still burn from the rays bouncing off the sand. There are of course excellent doctors in France should you need to consult them in an emergency but beware - the preferred method in France for administering drugs is by suppositories which may come as a shock for both you and your child!