http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13082 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13082 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13077
The medieval town is beautiful with an impressive castle overlooking the Brittany Canal. It's an easy drive from St Malo and set in wonderful rolling countryside. We made several trips to the south coast at Carnac via the scenic back roads.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13077 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13043
Hon Fleur is French enough to feel 'foreign', but close enough to the UK to feel 'safe' with a newborn in tow. We travelled from Dulwich to Hon Fleur within six hours, door to door, less than it often takes us to get up to Lancashire!

We rented a self-catering restored French gite on a sheep farm, about 4 miles outside of Hon Fleur. Rural, peaceful, surrounded by a big garden and fields, and with the loveliest owners imaginable, we felt like we had secured our little family haven.

Using Hon Fleur as our base, we explored local areas - with the amazing French roads, driving was an absolute pleasure. Evenings were spent either sipping good wine and dining in Hon Fleur (baby asleep in his pram beside us), watching the world go by - or sitting outside our gite listening to music, eating homemade food and, yes, you guessed it, sipping good wine!

One week later (but feeling like it was much longer) we returned to the UK relaxed, refreshed, and looking forward to many more enjoyable self-drive family holidays.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13043 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13026 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13026 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13001 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13001 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9891
There are shops and a little restaurant-bar nearby that is a throwback to the time when good country cooking at low prices was the norm in many parts France. Bikes, horseriding, walking paths and all that sort of stuff kept us amused, as well as sightseeing.

Alençon itself is a lovely town if you take the trouble to go into the centre instead of passing by on the route nationale.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9891 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7094 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7094