Thursday, February 26, 2015
HURTLING towards the tiny gap between the trees, I drew in my legs and offered up a silent prayer.
I whizzed through, just missing the branches, before grabbing the wire with a gloved hand to avoid slamming into the landing stage 30ft off the ground.
The kids stood openmouthed on the platform at the end of the zip line, amazed by dad's ungainly antics.
"You told us you used to be in the SAS," they giggled. "Why are you so rubbish?" "We didn't do zip wires, it was all parachuting in my day," I fibbed.
They were having a whale of a time in beautiful southern Brittany even if I was still finding my feet. We were enjoying ten amazing days in Carnac, at Eurocamp's La Grande Métairie parc.
It's a lively, family-friendly venue but the woodland setting means it retains the feel of a small site.
All the things Brits love about French campsites are there - a shop selling freshly-baked croissants every morning, a pizzeria, big adventure playgrounds and outdoor ping pong - plus plenty more.
We had weekly visits from a big top circus and the ropes and zip wire course we tried out took us between the trees and over the heads of visitors to the parc's mini zoo.
The kids loved zooming around at rooftop height. It's daunting at first but you soon get the hang of it. But if that's not enough excitement, La Grande Métairie also has a skate park and four pools including a huge lagoon with a lazy river and waterslides.
“If you're looking for a holiday location that really rocks, Carnac can't be beaten”
The lagoon is the beating heart of the parc, overlooked by sun decks and a family-friendly restaurant where you can grab a bite to eat and drink after a few hours splashing in the sun.
If you're looking for a holiday location that really rocks, Carnac can't be beaten. It's home to France's answer to Stonehenge, with more than 3,000 standing stones in all shapes and sizes.
Big rocks, bigger rocks, tall rocks and towering rocks, they're all in neat rows across the local landscape.
The stones, known as menhirs, draw millions of visitors every year but no one really knows why they're here. They could be part of an ancient calendar built by our ancestors just after the last ice age but I like the local legend that they are a Roman legion turned to stone by the wizard Merlin.
The stones are laid out in three main groups - the alignments - and the entrance to the parc is right next to the middle set. It's known as the Kermario or Place of the Dead, not a name you'd associate with a lively holiday haunt!
The alignments were fenced off a few years ago to protect them but you can still wander among them on an organised tour or find out more at the site's visitor centre.
Pretty Carnac village is just a short bike ride or drive away. It's got plenty of great places to eat and on Sundays and Wednesdays there's a bustling market selling everything from local cheeses to shoes and sunglasses.
Make sure you try the paella and the rotisserie-cooked chicken with potatoes roasted in herbs. Both are divine. The nearest beach resort, Carnac Plage, is down the road. It's hugely popular in the holiday season so hire a bike and cycle in if you don't want to waste time trying to park.
The town is a fab mix of traditional seaside fun and French chic. It has amusement arcades and churro sellers alongside smart restaurants.
There's a huge and popular beach too and in high season there are open-air evening concerts to keep the tourists entertained.
There are also other beaches around the Gulf of Morbihan that are often deserted.
You're spoiled for choice for places to see and things to do in this part of Brittany.
At La Trinité-sur-Mer you can wander on the quayside and dream of taking to the high seas in a racing yacht.
In Auray you can wander among the beautiful old timbered houses and across its ancient bridge.
And cycling fans should make a beeline for the walled town of Vannes, just 30 minutes away by car, to see the start of a Tour de France stage on July 12.
Whatever you're looking for, this corner of France has something for everyone.
We'll be back - and that's a promise set in stone.
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SEVEN nights in a three-bedroom Espirit mobile home with decking at La Grande Métairie, Carnac, costs from just £411 per party, accommodation only, arriving on May 17.
Fly-drive and ferry packages can be arranged through Eurocamp. Call 0844 406 0552 or log on to eurocamp.co.uk.
Brittany Ferries operates routes from Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth to western France saving miles of driving.
Go overnight by cruise-ferry in an en-suite cabin or travel across the Channel in as little as three hours.
Travel from Portsmouth to Caen and return from Cherbourg to Poole from £238 in peak season for a car plus two passengers. Book at brittanyferries.com or call 0871 244 1400.
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Kara Scott
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