Country Kids, France: What a luxury family week looks like
Thinking of booking into the gorgeous south of France hideaway that is Country Kids? Here is the lowdown on what a week at this beautiful resort holds...
Country Kids Resort is the sort of holiday hideaway you want to keep for yourselves. Whispered by stylish parents-in-the-know when friends ask for holiday recommendations, as once you've been to Country Kids the likelihood of a repeat visit is guaranteed - we ourselves visited at a time where many of the guests were repeat visitors and were booking into the next available week they could return, up to a year in advance.
This luxury resort located the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France offers families the most magical week of quality time together with all the holiday stress taken away. Run by husband and wife Sylvain and Laure (who live on site with their 2 young daughters Mila and Emy) - you can read our interview with them here - they market it with their unique three-pillar philosophy: Fun For Kids, Relaxation for Parents, Quality Family Time Together.
Your week of heaven includes a rare combination of stylish, luxurious self-catering accommodation (private land and surrounding area is home to The Old Dairy that houses four 3-bedroom apartments and one 2-bedroom apartment, The Farmhouse which is a large 5-bedroom house, and The Chestnut House, a quaint stand-alone 2-bedroom cottage) and award-winning childcare in a family-focused atmosphere, where there is an emphasis on community throughout your stay. With a kids clubs for children of all ages, themed evening dinners, babysitting nights, spa treatments and morning visits to feed the animals.
Here we share what a typical week at Country Kids Resort can look like... and if you've not booked up before you read the last sentence we'll eat our (straw sun) hat!
What a luxury family week looks like at Country Kids Resort, France
SATURDAY: Arrive in style
More like this
The classic family holiday handover day. Saturday's is when all families check-in and check-out. It's all very informal and relaxed. You are greeted by the owners and shown to your cottage or room and pretty much left to discover the resort and settle in. To take the stress out of 'what's for supper?' your pre-ordered (at booking) Country Kids homemade meal will be waiting for you in the fridge. Along with a welcome basket of essential items and some lovely French treats (you can also stock up in the little on-site honesty shop and bar too if you didn't hit the supermarket on your drive from the airport), you can for now at least unpack, take a bath (with the vast selection of mini L'Occitane products that awaits), get the kids to bed early, heat up your supper and ... BREATHE.
SUNDAY: A Country Kids Welcome..
Listen for the bell! At around a leisurely 9.30am the bell will ring and you know its time for a very relaxed welcome meeting... here you meet all the other guest and discover what your week has in store. Also, at some point during the day you will sit down and plan your stay - where you want to eat on the babysitting nights, what meals you may want to order, spa treatments and a whole host of other local excursions and activities that can be booked like fishing, bike riding and trips to the local markets.
Then its time to grab your buckets (placed in each room to collect food waste that can be feed tot the animals) and maybe some wellingtons and head off on the Country Kids tractor to feed the horses, chickens, pigs and goats on the farm. This is a daily activity for the parents and children and is optional. The daily Kids Club & Creche also opens today - so, is a great chance to have a look around and see what the children want to do - after all it's their holiday too!
Lunch is a parents only gathering with a very French spread of traditional cassoulet served on the farmhouse patio. This is a chance to connect with the other guest, chat to the owners and enjoy a grown-up lunch date while the kids eat together in the creche.
MONDAY: Blue (sky) Monday's around here only...
Monday is when you can really start to unwind, switch off from the outside world and live the Country Kids lifestyle. Children have kids club - and will hand-make/decortae some pizzas, which then become your 'Monday night is pizza night supper'. The pizzas are delivered to your room early afternoon for you to serve whenever you fancy. Maybe your Monday will include a beauty treatment or a massage. Or, maybe your Monday will include a swim or a dip in the adults only pool? Or maybe your Monday will include a sun lounger, a good book and a glass of something cold? Either way remember tea and cake is served daily at 4.30pm - and is not to be missed!
TUESDAY: Date Night
Tuesday starts pretty much as Monday does. Don't forget to pick up the daily freshly baked baguettes, croissants and pastries in the shop from 8am for a typical French start to your day - and maybe grab a milky coffee too or better yet send the kids up to collect for breakfast in bed. Throughout the week lunch orders can be delivered for you to dine in your room, garden or on the grounds. What makes Country Kids special is everyone is the family is included in this holiday, and everyone gets time together - and time apart.
The two babysitting evenings during the week (the other is Thursday) means you get a chance to get dressed-up and enjoy some one-to-one time with your partner. Enjoy a meal in one of the local suggested restaurants in the village - the favourite it the one at the end of the Country Kids road that you can be book into. Or, maybe you want to grab a bottle of wine from the fully stocked cellar and sit in the gardens and enjoy the peace and quiet? Country Kids use a team of local ladies—from personal recommendations— to babysit. They sit in each apartment, take good care of your little ones and check-in regularly with Laure via two-way radios. You can also request the same sitter for both evenings.
WEDNESDAY: Mid-Week Fun
Hopefully after a day at the farm, creche and pool the kids are ready for an early night. As Wednesday is 'Cocktail and Raclette Night'. Adults all gather in the reception bar area for a spread that really has to be seen to be believed. Here you can enjoy cocktails, fresh food and conversation with the other guests - all safe in the knowledge the kids are safe nearby. Also, Wednesday is a great day to visit the local markets if you feel like getting out and about.
THURSDAY: Where is the week going?
Thursday is pretty much up to you - don't forget its the second of your babysitting nights so enjoy it while you can because....
FRIDAY: Parents -Only
...Friday you get to have a special lie-in. The day most regular County Kids guests look forward too - is the Friday Kids PJ Party. Children are collected from your rooms in their, you guessed it, their pjs (so no need to get them dressed you just send them down with a change of clothes) by the creche staff for some early morning play - while you and your partner enjoy a lie-in or breakfast in bed. As Friday is the last full day at Country Kids it's a busy day of activities and good old fashioned family fun.
This starts with a barbecue for all. The kids enjoy theirs in the creche, while the adults one is near the golf area. The afternoon sees a special performance from the children - a show, song or dance that they have been learning in their week in kids club. And, the evening ends with a friendly Boules Competition near the bar. It is the perfect French-themed end to a luxury family week at Country Kids.
SATURDAY: Until next time...
Time to pack-up, check-out and settle your honesty tab!
Bon Voyage... and Au revoir.
