©Pique-Nique à l'Ile Milliau|Yann JOSSELIN

Vacations with grandchildrenour

Great vacations with grandma and grandpa

Every school vacation, it’s the same thing: “Allo, maman, vous pourriez prendre les filles pour les vacances? They love going to your place so much, and it’s good for them to breathe the fresh air of Brittany…”. We know we’re going to be on pins and needles by the end of the week, but deep down, we’re so happy to enjoy the little ones that we never hesitate for long!
The first few times, we struggled a bit. It’s not so easy to figure out how to keep the grandchildren occupied for a whole week… So now that we’re seasoned grandparents, we’re sharing our tips for making the most of it!

©En famille

#1 Spot the entertainment

The Place aux mômes shows are always a hit. The same goes for the Môm’Art festival at All Saints’ Day: the program is fun, the price is low and the little ones always come out delighted.
FromApril to October, there are also plenty of nature outings with professional organizers, some of which are reserved for children.

Our essentials: the tourist office’s calendar of events, the brochure “Les espaces naturels s’animent” (“Natural spaces come alive“).

©Ecole de voile Trégastel|Philippe Meunier

#2 Choose a supervised outdoor activity for older children

Next summer, seven-year-old Julie wants to go sailing, just like her cousin, who can’t stop talking about his optimist sessions. “You’ll see, it’s too much fun! We’ll sign him up with peace of mind. On the Côte de Granit Rose, we’re lucky enough to have great protected waters, with no big waves… Ideal for kids! And what’s more, in the meantime, you can enjoy a quiet activity with your little sister.

Facilities offering outdoor activities: water sports centres, equestrian centers, etc.

#3 Draw 1 family outing of the week

In a box, we shuffle papers with the names of activities or parks we’d each like to do, and leave it to chance!
A day at Parc du Radôme, tree-climbing at Vivons Perchés (there’s a mini-forest for 2 year-olds!), walking at the Centre de découverte du Son in Cavan… You’ve got to admit we’re spoilt for choice here! For the next vacations, I’ve spotted some donkey rides in Lanvellec that you should try out.

©Parc aventure Vivons perchés|Laurence Guennec

©Balade randonnée en famille|Alexandre Lamoureux

©Festival d'art de l'Estran|Yoan Brière - La Lanterne

©Centre d'Activité Plongée de Trébeurden|Centre d'Activité Plongée Trébeurden

#4 The rest of the time, pro-fi-ter!

Our must-dos with the girls :

snacks at the Moulin du Duc in Lannion, to enjoy the giant slide and the free tree climbing, but be careful, you’ll have to be clever to dislodge them from the zip line!
go to the tide and share our secrets of fishing on foot
take a walk on the beach or in the forest, make giant mandalas with nature’s treasures, teach them to recognize flowers

#5 And when it rains?

Don’t be afraid! Put on boots and oilskins, jump in puddles, race snails, admire the waves at the end of Ile Grande… If it’s raining really hard, take shelter at the Île Grande LPO station and watch the Northern Gannets on webcam. We can also wade at the Forum de Trégastel (in the mornings, it’s less crowded!)… Or we can just sit at home, making crêpes or playing board games borrowed from the toy library.
That’s what vacations are like at Grandma and Grandpa’s!