Trampolining and lunch don’t leap to the mind as a natural partnership. Unless of course you are a holidaying parent of two small, hyper-active children who is longing to linger over a some decent seafood and a crisp white wine – just for once!

On the alfresco deck of As Dunal Restaurant, Jane & I kicked back over delicious calamari & salads as Scarlett, 8, and Fin, 5, bounced wildly to their hearts content on a trampoline just a few feet away. A cunningly-constructed kid compound, fenced and gated to stop escape bids, with a soft sand floor to avoid bouncy bumps proving too serious, was close enough to allow easy supervision (the inevitable cries of  ’Mum, Dad, look!’ can be fended off with a smile and a wave without leaving your seat) but not so close as to ruin your laidback lunchtime ambience.

It’s typical of the family-friendly thinking behind the rest of Martinhal, a fab new resort on the beautiful, less-developed west end of the Algarve. Effectively, a custom-built village sitting on a long white sand beach, Martinhal gazes toward the pretty fishing village of Sagres and then out across the startling blue of the Atlantic.

Smart, minimalist two-storey rooms, with self-catering kitchens, avoid the danger of being too grown-up with touches like scatterings of giant bean bags for the kids to flop. The Village Square (with a high-class deli for you) has a great helicopter themed playground and the Raposinhos (Fox) Club for 5-8 year olds is one of the best kids’ clubs we’ve come across anywhere. My usually-hesitant kids demanded daily sessions with strapping, smiling Hugo who was as willing to bake heart cookies with them as to play rough-and-tumble ball games. Even the elegant Finisterra Spa had a family friendly option – offering dad-and-son, or mum-and-daughter massage sessions which Scarlett and Jane loved.

A wonderful half-indoor, half-outdoor swimming pool was the scene of Fin’s triumphant entry into the world of the swimmer. He started the week still clinging to his armbands and ended it, Pro-style goggles firmly in place, confidently swimming entire widths underwater.

This was my first trip to Portugal. A week at Martinhal convinced me that it won’t be my last.

For more information or to book, take a look at: http://www.babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk/martinhal_resort_hotel__terrace_room-child-friendly-accommodation-31049.htm

Tots, holidays, and a strange new bed. All ingredients for increasing rather decreasing your travel stress levels. My partner Jane would be awake half a dozen times a night when our son Fin was a toddler, checking that he hadn’t flipped himself out of his unfamiliar hotel or resort sleeping place.

Dream Tubes could go some way to banishing fears about small people going bump in the night.

They are a set of inflatable tubes that blow up in seconds and then slot neatly into channels in a fitted sheet. The sheet itself then fits any standard single bed. Voila! Instant bumper guards to keep junior where he’s supposed to be all night.

The added attraction is that the whole thing is ultra-lightweight and folds up to a pack about the size of a beach towel. So, they’re not going to dominate our packing plans.

A camper van holiday has been high on the kids’ list of priorities for years, and this year we’ve finally caved in. So in August we’ll be off for a week to the Isle of Wight in VW Camper for a life on the open road, a world away from the comfort of en suite bathroom fluffy towels.

For that reason, I think a couple of Splasha beach robes will be the first things in our (very minimalist) luggage.

The scrummy-soft robes – which fit kids aged 1-7 – have sleeves and poppers to keep small people wrapped up and warm, and a big pocket on the front for keeping their shampoo and shower gel findable amid the holiday chaos. They double up as great towels when your brood emerge shivering from the sea or swimming pool.

They cost £19.95. For more info, take a look at from Morrck.co.uk

The imposing bulk of Mont Ventoux in Provence, 45 minutes drive from Avignon, is a regular stage on the Tour de France and, consequently, a magnet for unfeasibly fit, annoyingly slim cycling fanatics, all lycra and expensive carbon racing bikes.

La Platane, Isle sur la Sorgue, Avignon

http://www.babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk/le_platane-child-friendly-accommodation-18957.htm

Provence is not just about wine appreciation, beautiful architecture, and gourmet food (although of course it is about all of that too!). Oh no, it also offers the kid-pleasing possibilities of donkey walking.

Le Platane, Isle sur la Sorgue,Avignon

http://www.babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk/le_platane-child-friendly-accommodation-18957.htm

First-time Dad and former BBC Masterchef Professionals finalist, Ludo Dieumegard, tops off a trip back to his Brittany home-town with a relaxing break at Haute Manceliere…

Once a year, ‘family duty’ calls with a visit the French wing of the clan. It is always whistle-stop  tour, cramming in as much quality time as possible with a long list of relatives, but this year the schedule was more packed that ever with a stream of uncles, aunties and cousins anxious to meet our  ‘not so new’ baby, Ella who arrived shortly after our last visit.

After a fortnight of crashing with various relations, we decided to treat ourselves to our first ‘family holiday’ and booked in to Haute Manceliere for a few nights.

Our stay at this pretty cluster of gites loomed like an oasis in the desert over our time in France and when we finally arrived, took in the lovely setting and opened the door, we  felt instantly relaxed and at home.  The interiors were a welcoming and comfortable mix of original Breton longhouse features with practical family furnishings that meant we weren’t constantly anxious about  grubby little hands on the sofas!

On further inspection, we barely needed to unload anything for Ella from the car as there was a cot (including a sleeping bag), stairgate, high chair, toys etc. all supplied.  We discovered a ‘kick and play’ gym for Ella to use along with three friendly rubber ducks for bath time.

Once we’d settled, Susan the owner popped over to see us. She was warm, friendly and brimming with useful tips and information about where to go.  We’d more or less written off a day trip to Le Mont St Michel as highly unpractical with a buggy, but no sooner had we mentioned it than Susan rustled up a baby ‘ruck sack’ seat for Ella.  So, we were able to spend a lovely half day wondering around Mont St Michel, climbing all the steps, wondering the tiny little cobbled streets and taking in the scenery without having to worry about lugging a buggy up steps.

We had a lovely time and although our timing (January) meant we couldn’t take full advantage of the extensive grounds and lovely looking swimming pool ,  we are now planning a return visit in warmer temperatures…. we just have to work out a way to get some time off from running a gastropub!

Ludo Dieumegard

Dad of Ella (born 2010) and owner of Blaenwenllan Cottages & Ludo’s at the Cooper’s

Read more about Haute Manceliere on BFB