On the Road with the Kids: A Family Driving Holiday in Spain and France
The journey began with a cloud-like mist drenching our faces, hair, and clothes, despite the thick canopy of trees overhead. My six-year-old daughter, trudging uphill with her bike, set her mouth in a grim line. I glanced at the blue blob on Google Maps, confirming we were on the right path. I thought of the dwindling chocolate supply in my backpack. Adventure, I thought, is an intoxicating word, especially when you're young. But with two kids, it's a challenge. We found ourselves lost in the lush, densely wooded mountains of the Spanish Basque Country, on a track unsuitable for bikes, during the first stage of a three-week road trip from Bilbao to Saint-Malo in Brittany. I've always loved road trips, and I wanted to recreate a classic journey from my 20s. After living in Paris, my partner and I meandered across France in my nan's old Peugeot, camping in different places almost every night. This trip would be different, and I had to navigate the challenge of a somewhat unstructured, spontaneous road trip with kids.
We decided on a mix of home swaps and posh camping. Our journey began on a two-night ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao, where we watched pods of dolphins, read our books, and napped in our cabin. The first-class Commodore lounge, though expensive, offered an excellent buffet, unlimited drinks, and a peaceful haven. We kicked off our escapade in Bilbao during Aste Nagusia, the city's annual nine-day party. After a stroll around the Guggenheim, we indulged in pintxos in the Casco Viejo, where locals in blue and white checked scarves cheered for more cider. The Basques know how to party.
Our first stop was an apartment in Berastegi, a small hamlet near San Sebastián, arranged through the home-swapping website Home Exchange. We're advocates of home swapping, having saved thousands with brilliant holidays in Spain, France, Denmark, and the UK. Berastegi allowed us to visit Pamplona, where we drank hot chocolate in Hemingway's old haunt and learned about the running of the bulls. The money saved on accommodation meant we could afford a night in a hotel in San Sebastián, where we indulged in txakoli and txangurro. Kid-friendly trips to the aquarium and Monte Igueldo amusement park were interspersed with a €20 menú del día at Aldaba.
As we drove away from the mountains, we headed to the French Basque coastal village of Bidart, then to Arcachon, a seaside resort with 19th-century villas. Our luxury chalet, nestled among pines, offered comfort and benefits without the discomfort of camping. We climbed the Dune du Pilat, feeling like we were landing on the moon. Three days later, we transformed our landscape, driving to the flat salt plains of Île de Noirmoutier, where we set up a well-stocked Huttopia wood and canvas tent next to the water's edge. That night, under the stars, I remembered the eagles of my childhood.
Our final stop was a home exchange in Saint-Malo, a charming Breton port with great food and cider. On our last day, we visited Cancale, where my daughter tried her first mussels. As she enjoyed her discovery, I realized that I get as much pleasure from their adventures as from my own. Perhaps the adventure never truly ends.
(Huttopia provided accommodation in Arcachon and Noirmoutier, and Brittany Ferries handled transport. Home Exchange membership is an annual investment.)
