If you are looking for an easy-going family holiday, Vende on the French Atlantic coast is just the ticket. But those without young children who are looking for more bright lights might find the pace a bit too laid-back. Martin Heminway reports.

It would be easy to miss the holiday site of Le Bois Dormant save for colourful large signposts at the two nearest roundabouts.

Nestling in a pine forest about two kilometres from the increasingly-popular resort of St Jean De Monts on the Vende coast, the site keeps its attractions well screened from the road.

But Vende - for years one of the best-kept secrets of the French Atlantic coast - is opening up as it becomes increasingly popular for holidaymakers.

And after a week there, it is easy to see why.

Gorgeous beaches and a sunshine record to match the ritzy resorts of the Mediterranean are just two of the attractions.

Another is the diversity of the coastal towns from the traditional charm of the fishing port of St Gilles-Croix-de-Vie to the graceful elegance of the biggest resort Les Sables d'Olonne.

And there is always the added bonus that you can escape from the madding crowds to seek out unspoiled towns and villages by venturing a few miles inland.

But, despite all this, a good many people will also be content to stay within a stone's throw of their holiday home for the well-equipped Le Bois Dormant is also perfect for just unwinding in tranquil surroundings.

Arriving at the site we were quickly booked in and shown how to use the code-operated security barrier that guard the entrance and exits from unauthorised vehicles.

Next we were introduced to one of our EuroSites' representatives who cycled ahead of our car to guide us along a twisting road through the pine trees to our two-bedroom mobile home.

Quickly, the three boys in our party, Chris, aged 12, Jake, eight, and Sam, six, bagged their bedroom with Sam delighted to have cornered a bunk which straddled the width of the room above two beds which ran its length.

The mobile home was clean and, even in standard format, well-appointed with a full-range of utensils and cooking equipment, a gas oven and a fridge-freezer.

Outside, in the hedged-off garden/car parking area, there was a patio-style table and chairs with parasol and two sun loungers which proved ideal to enjoy meals in the evening sunshine.

The decision to create the site among the trees has paid off to great effect as the site feels much smaller and intimate than it actually is.

The centrepiece of Le Bois Dormant is the complex of three outdoor swimming pools set against a backdrop of forest with a poolside bar/restaurant.

It looks good in the brochure photograph but even better when you see it for real and provides a great base for whiling away poolside hours with the kids served by a slide and even outdoor jacuzzi.

While those who like a more challenging water ride can wander to the sister site of Le Bois Masson about 400 metres down the road to use a four-lane helter-skelter slide which found fans among adults as well as children.

Other sports on site include a heavily-used tennis court, a number of table tennis tables and a crazy golf course.

But entertainment is never a problem on the site as a lively children's club operates - led by enthusiastic Eurosites' reps who seemed to derive as much enjoyment out of the games as the youngsters. When we were there the week's activities ended with a lively evening "ghost " hunt through the site which produced whoops of delight.

As the sun disappears behind the trees in the evening, most families either make their way to the livelier bars of Le Bois Masson which have children's talent contests and karaoke competitions or they opt for the more peaceful surroundings of the poolside bar at Le Bois Dormant.

For the more adventurous, nearby St Jean de Monts also has a plethora of seafront bars, restaurants, and in high season a nightclub, to provide for those who want their night to last until dawn.

But make no mistake, Ibiza it is not.

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