Country Kids - Apartment 2

BFB's Overview

A holiday here should come with the warning: “You May Find It Difficult to Return to Your Former Life!” After a week of luxury, waking up in the beautiful French countryside, bonding with your babies in the petting farm, pool or play area, and, thanks to the unlimited drop-in creche included in the price, enjoying some child-free time for lounging, swimming, playing tennis, zip-lining, sailing, touring vineyards (there are 2x free activities per guest included in the summer packages) or discovering bustling bistros, its easy to understand why guests flock back year after year!


New owners, Laure and Sylvain Neveu took the reins from the Scher family in 2015 and have since poured their hearts into continuing their dream of making this gorgeous country estate, set amongst vineyards about 20miles from Montpellier, into most parents’, idea of the perfect family holiday retreat. Their experiences with their children show in the range of activities and services on offer, as well as the balance between facilities and independence, and sociability and privacy. There are great spaces, facilities and activities for bonding with the kids, but also an unlimited drop-in - drop out, creche, two complimentary evenings of babysitting, daily housekeeping, meal service, onsite spa and bar, which aims to allow parents the chance to truly relax and reconnect with each other and other adults too.


The exceptionally well thought out package (varies seasonally as below) includes daily buffet breakfasts of delicious, fresh-baked pastries, conserves, local butter and honey; two evening meal deliveries, two sociable communal meals), unlimited complementary creche/kids club, a weekly 'lie-in' creche collection service, two evenings of babysitting, complimentary Wi-Fi and a huge welcome pack with fresh fruit and vegetables, which, when added to the complimentary meals and breakfasts makes for almost a full-board deal. Plus there are also two activities per guest from horse rides and wine-tasting, to canoeing and mountain climbing making the price excellent value for money, especially for larger families.


The luxurious and stylish guest accommodation has been carved out of what was once the old dairy and the former chestnut store and comprises five apartments and a stand-alone two storey house, each with their own private entrance and terrace.

Old Dairy - Apartment Two is ground floor and benefits from three of the estate's most spacious bedrooms (a king-sized double and two twins) and a large, private terrace with plenty of room for dining and relaxing al fresco. There are two bathrooms, an ensuite with bath in the double and a shared shower room (baby bath provided). There's also a third separate toilet. The lounge/dining area is ideal for four but snug for six, however it hardly matters with the spacious outdoor dining terrace. There are all mod cons from dishwashers, microwaves and washing machines, to flatscreen TVs (SKY), DVD players, Nespresso machine and IPod docks. Like all at Country Kids, so early booking is essential.

Along with the aforementioned creche, meals, off-site activities and luxury accommodation, Country Kids provide a huge list of other family friendly extras including a very comprehensive collection of baby and toddler gear (see - grey 'Fast Facts' box for full breakdown), tennis, cycling and daily animal feeding/petting rounds. There's also a comfortable cafe bar with outdoor terrace seating, a large heated swimming pool with luxurious double beds, an onsite deli with home made fresh and frozen meals, toys, books and DVDs and Tractor rides. Plus, Egyptian cotton robes, sheets, towels, L'Occitane toiletries and Nespresso machines in the apartments. Is it any wonder that its often not just the kids who are in tears when home time comes around.

Location Information

Three local activities from a long list ranging from windsurfing, zip lining and canoeing to golf rounds and local vineyard tours are included in the price of a week-long stay and additional sessions are easily arranged. There's a great deal of sightseeing locally from day trips to the bistros, boutiques and cultural attractions of Montpellier to the Mediterranean beaches, Lac de Salagou and pretty local towns, many of which have excellent markets and are great for antiquing. However, most guests find it a struggle to tear themselves away from the beautiful grounds of the estate with its streams, natural and manmade swimming pools and plenty of shady spots for quiet reading or contemplation of the lovely scenery.

Tracey and Stuart are a mine of local information and have plenty of recommendations for dining out.