Gîte de la Borde: Families and Children
We have 4 and 6 year old boys, Ben and Luca. From our own experience as parents, we understand the difficulties of going on holiday with babies and children. We aim to make your stay as stress-free as possible.
To this end, the Gîte has all the nursery equipment, toys and safety features you would expect in your own home. We have enclosed front and rear gardens, and there are shady areas for the hot summer months.
Every window has window locks. Important doors have locks out of child reach
We can provide a pre-arrival shopping service with milk, nappies, wipes etc so that you do not have to worry about bringing these items.
We are happy to provide a baby-sitting service and a crèche/child-minding service during the day.(Prices on request)
We have:
- Travel cots
- Baby & toddler books
- High chairs
- DVD's and videos
- Booster seats
- Ride-on toys
- Sandpit
- Hand blender
- Swings, slide & climbing frame
- Trampoline with safety net
- Changing mat
- Playhouse
- Baby entertainer
- Arts & craft supplies
- Swinging baby chair
- Bed guards
- Cupboard locks
- Plug socket covers
- Sippy cups
- Heated hot tub
- Plastic crockery
- Single buggy
- Phil & Ted double buggy
- Paddling pool
- Baby back packs
- Baby front carrier
- Baby monitors
- Bicycles
We have well maintained adult and children's road and mountain bikes in a good range of sizes.
If we do not have exactly what you want we should be able to source it for you.
- 2-child bike trailer
- Tag along bike
- Helmets
- Locks
Some ideas for great days out.....
Rivière Souterraine de Labouiche
This is Europe 's longest publicly accessible navigable underground river. The boat trip 60m underground takes 45 minutes to 1hr 45. The caves are open April to October. Fine if it is raining, but you'll need waterproofs for the walk in and out. The entrance to the caves is 1hr walk, 30mins by bike (either off or on road) or 10 mins by car from the Gîte.
Other caves with world renowned cave paintings include the grottes at Niaux, Mas d'Azil, Ussat-les-Bains and Bédeilhac. These are more suited to older children and adults as involve guided tours on foot.
Parc de la Prehistoire, Tarascon
Set in fantastic grounds, with stunning views down to valley towards Tarascon, there are waterfalls, caves (man-made) to walk through and a great restaurant.
Children can do their own cave paintings, be taught how to throw spears, play in tepees and a maze, and make animal tracks from clay. There is a brilliant playground.
There is an indoor exhibition centre.
Open Easter to mid-October
20 minute drive from the Gîte.
Musee-Parc la forêt aux dinosaures
A lovely walk though woods to find dinosaur models and fossils. There is a covered sandpit area where children can do their own excavations
Open all year around. (Winter – only Sunday afternoons after 1400)
Cité de l'Espace Space Centre, Toulouse
This is fantastic for all ages. There is a playground with rockets and space stations and moon buggies. Outside there are real rockets, satellites and a Mir space Station. The indoor exhibition complex has areas suited to all ages and there is a separate “Base de petits astronautes” It is all highly interactive.
There is an Imax cinema with viewings included in the ticket price. Good restaurants and cafes.
Open all the year around. 50minute drive and easy to find, as just off the motorway from Toulouse to Foix.
Castles
Château de Foix.
This impressive 3 towered castle dominates the town of Foix . It is open all the year around. There are fine views over the mediaeval rooftops.
10 minutes drive away
Château de Montsegur
Perhaps the most famous of the Cathar fortresses, the castle perches on the top of a rocky pinnacle. It is a steady 30 minute walk on a good path, but it is uphill all the way! Some 3 year olds will manage it.
30 minutes drive away.
Swimming pools and lakes
Indoor pools can be found at Pamiers and Tarascon
There are several swimming lakes, such as the one at Puivert within 30 minutes drive where the water is tested as safe. They have sandy beaches and some have cafes.
High ropes courses
There are several high-ropes courses within 30 minutes drive. They have courses in the trees to suit different ages and abilities. They are extremely well designed, with excellent equipment and supervision. Children are secured in harnesses as they swing and balance between the trees.
Winter Activities
It is possible to take ski lessons from the age of 3 at any of the local ski resorts.
At the cross-country resort of Plateau de Beille there is also sledging (luge), dog sledging (chiens à traineau) and snowshoeing (raquettes)
At the downhill resort of Ax-les-Thermes children enjoy the cable-car ride, and at the ski-station they can play in the park and go sledging