View from Cap Esterel Resort. Image courtesy of Lynsey Devon
During the May half term holiday I should have been in the South of France with my son on a group press trip to Pierre & Vacances Cap Esterel resort. Unfortunately we couldn’t go (if you’d like to know why then you can read about what happened here) and we had a quiet week at home instead.
Cap Esterel
Cap Esterel is on the French Riviera between Nice and Marseille and is close to the Italian border. It’s just a short walk to the beach from the resort and there are loads of different activities on offer for all ages. We’d been looking forward to the trip, especially as we were due to travel to the resort by train from London. Lynsey Devon is the Pierre & Vacances PR who invited us to go on the trip. Lynsey went on the trip herself with her 10 year-old son and after they came home I went to meet Lynsey to find out how it all went.
Lynsey told me all about the train journey, the resort, the accommodation, the kids clubs, the activities, the beach and the local area. By the time we’d finished talking I was even more disappointed that we’d missed the trip because it really sounds like a great place for a family holiday. This is what Lynsey said:
Maybe it’s because I spend a lot of time driving but I love the idea that you can travel nearly all the way to the resort by train from the UK and that you can get around quite easily without a car when you’re there.
Sorry about the abrupt ending of the video – I didn’t realise that my phone had stopped recording. Lynsey also told me (but that bit didn’t record) about the Water World activities on the lake at the resort. You have to wear a wetsuit and climb over obstacles and there’s a lot of teamwork and falling in water involved. It looks like lots of fun:
Water World at Cap Esterel. Image copyright Lynsey Devon
The lowdown
The cost of staying at Cap Esterel resort seems very reasonable. Below are some sample prices – for more information go to the Pierre & Vacances website.
- Seven nights in a one-bedroom apartment sleeping up to five in May (when the trip took place) cost from £458 on a self-catering basis.
- A Holiday Package including seven nights half-board accommodation, kids clubs and family activities costs from £392 per person.
- Prices for the kids club (ages 3-12) start from €99 (around £70) for 6 x 3.5 hour sessions and there’s a 20% saving if you book online in advance. Individual sessions cost €20 (around £14) per child.
- There’s an Illimifun pass which lasts six days and gives children access to all of the kids club sessions including Secret Agent, Barbie Style and Circus School. The pass costs £104.
- Access to Water World costs 10€ for for one hour and 18€ for two hours.
Getting there
Train travel from London St. Pancras International to Saint-Raphael Valescure (changing in Lille) starts from £117 standard class one-way for adults, and from £61 for children under the age of 11 with Voyages-SNCF.
Flights from London Gatwick to Nice start from £53 return with easyJet. Jet2 offer return flights from Manchester to Nice starting from £99 and from Leeds Bradford to Nice starting from £100.
Over to you
Have you ever been to Cap Esterel or to another Pierre & Vacances resort? Does it seem like the type of place that you’d like to go to on your family holiday?
It looks amazing! 🙂
It does – it’s a shame that we couldn’t go there!
I have never heard of this place but it looks stunning. The children would love the water world. Kaz x
Ickle Pickle recently posted…#MyFavouritePost
We went on a Pierre & Vacances holiday many years ago and loved it. Kept saying we would try another one and never did get round to it. I can’t even remember exactly where it was – Brittany I think – but I do remember the food was delicious in the restaurant with a very unusual, sophisticated children’s menu: such a treat.
What a pity you couldn’t go – but I can understand why you had to cancel: it must have been a worrying time.
Trish – Mum’s Gone to recently posted…A place to celebrate: review of Klaus K Hotel, Helsinki
Sounds amazing!! I never knew you could travel so far with such ease to be honest. How great is that?! Xx
Donna recently posted…Eat, Sleep, Play in Tuscany
oh ive not actually heard of this place but it looks and sounds fantastic look at that video though pool of heaven
The Water World facilities look amazing! We stayed with Pierre & Vacances when we went skiing and really loved the partment and facilities.
Globalmouse recently posted…We love to read…”The Little Rijksmuseum” – helping children learn about the art of Holland
Such a shame you missed the trip, but of course your child comes first! Looks like a fun place. I’ve never really thought about going to France (other than Paris!)
Michelle recently posted…The Procrastinating Blogger Tag
My boys would go loopy for the water park area. It looks like such a great place
Jen aka Muminthemadhouse recently posted…More great free colouring pages for adults
Hi Gretta, we stayed at two Pierre et Vacances resorts when our children were very young – Les Restanques in the south and Port Bourgenay on the west coast. They worked really well for us. We liked the freedom and independence of self catering with all the benefits of a resort. The children’s clubs worked well too. We also liked the fact we could get three bedroom accommodation (very nice villas) – very important when you are a family of five and surprisingly hard to find within a resort situation.
They sound like lovely places, thanks for commenting Ginny x
Oh wow this sounds like such a fun place to stay! x
Sarah Bailey recently posted…#MySundayPhoto
It sounds great for families definitely and not overly priced x
Rachel recently posted…June Birchbox
Sounds like a fab place to go – such a shame you missed it but you did absolutely the right thing by putting your son first x
Mary Louise recently posted…How To Keep Kids Entertained In The Garden This Summer
Great video, I’m with you and the idea of travelling by train to my holiday is really appealing. Thanks, mich x
Michelle Twin Mum recently posted…Review and Gveaway – Butterfly Twists – Wellies, Ballerinas and Sandals
Wow Water World looks fab! So much fun:-)
Helen X
Helen Gandy recently posted…Word of the Week – 05/06/15
Water World looks great – our family would love that too.
Erica Price recently posted…Father’s Day Gifts From Truprint #TruprintDads
That looks amazing – no wonder you were diappointed that you couldn’t go x x
Cass@frugalfamily recently posted…Five Frugal things I’ve done this week to save money {5th June 2015}….
I have never heard of this place before it look lovely, I think my eldest would love the water world.
Rachel recently posted…Treasure Trail in Preston