I've said it before - because this was our third time with Thomson Al Fresco I reckon it's one of the best family holidays you can have. They always pick the best spots in each country. Top camping sites with great facilities, slap bang in areas bursting with touring pleasures. This time was no exception. Prairies de la Mer sits on a ribbon of golden sands . . . an easy 40-minute drive from Nice Airport.

This is a true beach holiday- do as little or as much as you like. The site has everything you need - bars and restaurants, including a very popular palm frond roofed one down at the water. There are a couple of supermarkets and takeaways too if being in France still doesn't inspire the cordon bleu in vous. There are also sports galore - from tennis and basketball to waterskiing and parasailing. But it's also just a fat boy's stroll away from a surprising little treasure of a town. Architect-designed Port Grimaud, main picture, is younger than me and dubbed 'little Venice.' And no wonder. Its 42-year-old/olde worlde-style Mediterranean homes, shops and arcades straddle a bay which feeds a network of canals.

Yachts Little hump-backed bridges 'join up' the islands. It's an oasis of shops restaurants, bars and hotels. You can even hire little motor boats to explore its waterways - if you don't feel too embarrassed, what with all the million-quid yachts berthed nearby. And the Vivaldi mobile home is all you need - two twin rooms, a double, bathroom and shower room, big, fully kitted out living/dining/ kitchen areas. Oh, and a glorious air-conditioning system. Our fortnight in July was bathed in comfortably hot sunshine ' the only real sign we've had of the yellow ball this year. If, like me, you can't sit still for long there's a world of exploring to be done. We had an incredible time in our big black 4x4 hired through Thomson. Prairies de la Mer is a 10-minute drive from the bohemian wonders of St Tropez. No sign of Brigitte Bardot while we were there, but enough sex kittens wandering around to please the garcons, and enough designer shops and galleries to please the madame et mademoiselle in your life. Sipping a five-Euro latte down at the waterfront and watching the tycoons play on their juggernaut motor cruisers ain¿t a bad way to spend the day.

Around 80 miles up the coast - and not to be missed - is the principality of Monaco and the jewel in its crown, Monte Carlo. This place just drips dosh and the Pink Palace looks down on it all. It's a mustsee tourist attraction and the place where they still worship the long-dead Princess Grace. There are plenty of affordable cafes nestling in the old thoroughfares around the palace ¿ and you can weave through the ancient streets to the cathedral where the Hollywood dreamgirl is buried. My wife and daughter liked strolling the streets of MC having their pictures taken outside all the major designer shops . . . no class! But we loved going up in the hills near the campsite to visit the villages.

Panoramic Grimaud with its ancient ruined castle glowering across the hilltops to the sea; Ramatuelle with its breathtaking mountain top position, hidden streets and market; picturesque La Garde-Freinet stuck in a rural France time warp and Gassin perched high on a rock above St Tropez. Its winding streets, ancient buildings and panoramic views make it the best place to dine at sunset. Don't forget to pop into the Euro movie mecca of Cannes and live like a film star for the day. We ventured two hours further inland to witness the wonders of Les Gorges du Verdon. This is a massive canyon - unique in Europe and second in the world to the Gran Canyon. It's a mecca for walkers, climbers and white-water rafters. It is a stunning, twistytwiny drive round the area - stumbling occasionally on remote picture-postcard villages. And, if there¿s time, a dip in the glorious waters of the Lac de Sainte Croix. Just along the way from us was a big, traditional fair. All the golden oldies like the dodgems had the kids squealing with delight.

And, of course, if there is any help you need the Thomson Al Fresco team are always on hand to guide you - whether it's organising trips, local info or even just dishing out board games or sports equipment from their little HQ. One little word to the wise . . . this site doesn't have a pool but, believe me, when the sun rises and the Med begins to sparkle . . . you don't need it. Try this Côte on for size, you'll find it a perfect fit!

SCOTTISH Sun Travel went with Thomson Al Fresco. Seven nights at Yelloh! Village Les Mediterranees, Languedoc, Southern France arriving between May 2 and 15, 2009, costs just £204 based on two adults and up to three children sharing a Puccini luxury mobile home. Book by visit www. thomsonalfresco.co.uk or calling 0871 231 3292

Gone are the bad bits such as the communal shower blocks and those pesky creepy crawlies.

Instead you can relax in luxury accommodation, designed by TV celeb Linda Barker, and enjoy all your home comforts. You can lap up the fresh air and stay in touch with nature in your own villa style holiday home.

Coming in four types - the Puccini, Rossini, Bellini and Vivaldi - the holiday homes are as posh as their names suggest, each catering for parties of differing sizes but all providing spacious, comfortable, well-equipped living accommodation and being immaculately maintained.

At the same time you're only a stone's throw from beaches, pools, bars, restaurants and various other activities. If, however, you find it impossible to drag yourself away from your holiday home don't worry.

You can soak up the sun's rays from your own personal veranda and watch the world go by. You can throw a barbecue for your new friends - because you'll definitely make some. You can¿t escape from your neighbours here.

That's the beauty of holidaying al fresco - there really is something for everyone. Thomson Al Fresco offers parcs in Croatia, France, Holland, Italy, Portugal and Spain and no matter where you choose it'll not be far from breathtaking countryside and towns and villages where you can sample local life.

Couples and families are equally well catered for with a number of parcs offering exclusive Al Fresco Kidz clubs and great facilities for children and toddlers a given no matter where you go.

Whatever your needs you'll find a parc that caters for them, whether you are seeking a quiet rural retreat or a busy complex with loads going on and plenty of nearby nightlife. Parc sizes vary hugely, but there will always be a small shop, bar, takeaway and laundry facilities.

Evening entertainment also comes under the 'varies hugely' banner while you will have every opportunity to get your feet wet, whether the splash factor is provided by a swimming pool or the beach.

Thomson offers numerous special itineraries and holiday combinations and you can travel any day of the week and stay as many nights as you please. Short breaks are available on some parcs as well.

How do you get there? It's your choice - take your pick from car, ferry, air or motorail. All options are covered in the Thomson Al Fresco brochure which can be picked up at all good travel agents. All the details you need to book your holiday can also be found at www.thomsonalfresco.co.uk - so what are you waiting for?

With daytime activities and evening entertainment, in the height of summer the parc ups the tempo with live bands and competitions on the agenda and discos in the main bar area.

Facilities on parc include a children's club for ages six to 12, a play area for under fives and a small fun fair.

An excellent sports area boasts an artificial grass football pitch, a sandy area for beach football or volleyball, tennis courts, table tennis, archery and a basketball court. Watersports are also available, including windsurfing, kayaking, waterskiing and jet skis, or if exploring the countryside is more your kind of thing why not hire a bicycle for the day.

If you're the sort of person who prefers the easy life you can relax by one of the two beach bars and then treat yourself to a meal in the on-site Italian restaurant. Or help yourself to a good old fashioned takeaway and put your feet up at your luxurious holiday home.

If you want to give your tastebuds a real treat take the five-minute walk to Port Grimaud and take your pick from an array of welcoming restaurants, offering everything from pasta to pizza.

And who knows who you might bump into with Joan Collins among the local property owners.

It's worth noting that Port Grimaud was created in the 1960s as a private lagoon pleasure city, with waterways for roads and yachts parked at the bottom of every garden. All houses are in exquisitely tasteful old Provencal style.

On site at Les Prairies de la Mer you will also find all the usual essentials to make your holiday run smoothly, including a mini-market and bakery, souvenir shop, washing machines and dryers, currency exchange and safety deposit facilities, internet access and even a hairdressers.

If you're the get up and go type, go-karting, horse riding and pony trekking, golf, crazy golf and the Aqualand water park are also within a short drive of the parc.

And no visit to the area would be complete without a trip to St Tropez with boats making the 20-minute journey from Port Grimaud at regular intervals throughout the day.

Another way to enjoy St Tropez and the stunning Millionaires Bay is to take the Sunset Cruise operated by Paradise Cruises, based at Les Prairies de la Mer.

It is only one of a number of great value for money cruises and excursions run by Paradise Cruises whose owner Eamon hails from the Coleraine area. Airport transfers are also offered and more details can be found at www.paradisecruises.fr

While in this area of southern France why not take the opportunity to visit elegant Cannes, stylish Nice and princely Monaco, with its famous Grand Prix circuit and casinos.

Sand, sea, stars and shopping. Lots of shopping. That's what you will enjoy if you travel to the French Riviera.

But there's far more to the region than glamour with the irresistible Provencal culture, cuisine and wine among France's finest.

All you need now is to decide where to base yourself to explore this stunning part of the world.

Actually, there's no real decision to make because you won¿t go far wrong if you book with Thomson Al Fresco at Les Prairies de la Mer.

The site is a little bit daunting at first - there are 1,400 pitches here, which adds up to about 6,000 holidaymakers of all ages - but when you get your bearings after a day or two, you realise everyone has a smile on their face. With Thomson Al Fresco you get to stay in the best part of this huge complex that boasts every facility any family could need.

The Thomson team warned us the main beach could get a bit hectic - it's great if you like to get up close and personal with your fellow sun worshippers and be deafened by music from nearby bars - but they also told us there was another beach a five-minute walk in the other direction that was far better. They were right. Beside the £1million homes of the rich and famous in the Port Grimaud marina is a beach with far more space. There are also a couple of great restaurants here, serving - by Cote D'Azur standards - reasonably priced meals and drinks. Kids will love the ice-creams, while dads will enjoy the suntanned beauty who spends every lunchtime weaving between the tables in a range of tiny bikinis she's trying to sell.

There are other fine sights to be had, however. Port Grimaud is home to countless yachts, and every few seconds another stunning vessel quietly emerges from the network of canals into the turquoise blue waters of the bay of St Tropez. The sand isn't the softest, and it does shelve quite steeply in parts, making it a bit of a challenge for younger children. But our bunch soon fell in love with the beach, relishing every day we spend here. And when everyone decides they've had enough of the sand, it's only a leisurely 10-minute stroll through the campsite back to our mobile home. We've opted for a Vivaldi home, the largest Thomson Al Fresco offers, which gives us three bedrooms, a kitchen area, a living/dining room, a shower with hot water, a toilet and an outside decking area with a gate to ensure the youngsters don't wander off. You also get a proper gas cooker, a microwave and a fridge freezer. And here's the really wonderful thing - your mobile home has air conditioning. With the sizzling temperatures in southern France, that's vital.

Les Prairies de la Mer has a string of restaurants to cater for all tastes and budgets, and there's a supermarket on site selling everything you might need. The bread and croissants in the campsite bakery are marvellous. And there are dozens more restaurants five minutes' walk away in Port Grimaud. Those wanting a more upmarket shopping experience can hop on one of the regular ferries to St Tropez. The 20-minute ride is a joy as you weave between the superyachts of the mega-rich moored in the bay. We later learn Pamela Anderson got married on one of these as we sped past. And thanks to the likes of Ms Anderson, the bars at the harbour in St Tropez can get away with charging £10 for a beer. It's just about worth it for the chance to sit and watch the world go by. Everyone is here, from the rich and glamorous sipping cocktails, to the street hawkers selling fake designer sunglasses.

St Tropez's heyday may have been the swinging Sixties, but it's still a magical place, and once you move away from the harbour, there are plenty of spots where you can get a really good meal at a decent price. Our three-course lunch for two adults and three children, including a bottle of wine, comes in just under £45. Back at the campsite, there's no shortage of things to do in the evening. There are regular stage shows, performed by a willing if not over-talented gang of French campsite staff, and well away from the Thomson area of the site is a spot where rock bands perform.

And to cap it all, the circus turns up several nights a month, complete with its star attraction - that 14ft boa constrictor. Driving around the Cote D'Azur can be something of an ordeal. In high summer, the entire road system is gridlocked, but it is still worth the effort to have the occasional trip away. We drive a couple of hours inland to the splendid town of Aixen-Provence, a wonderful, elegant place where wandering through the tree-lined avenues is a delight. Art lovers will know Aix as the birthplace of Paul Cezanne, and his studio here is open to the public. Younger members of the family will remember Aix for the fabulous ice-creams at the splendid cafe Les Deux Garcons. Kids tell it as it is, so at the end of our holiday we ask our three what they enjoyed most. "All of it, " was the unanimous reply.

GETTING THERE:

Thomson Al Fresco offers luxury mobile home holidays to France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Portugal and Croatia. Seven nights at Les Prairies de la Mer start from £326 for two adults and up to four children. Price is based on self-catering accommodation in a Vivaldi mobile home, travelling May 11-24, 2007, and inclusive of a midweek channel crossing with P&O ferries for one standard vehicle. EasyJet flies to Nice from Newcastle with prices from £29.99 one-way and return from £55.38. To book visit easyJet.com.