Sardinia without playing sardines
I'm hoping to use next year's long school holiday to take my two sons (nine and 13) to the west coast of France and northern Spain. I want to combine low-cost accommodation with the occasional upmarket overnight stay and want the right balance between flexibility and knowing we'll always have somewhere to sleep.
Jane Steevens, Sheffield
You've picked a good destination - close to home, and great for surfing (French Atlantic coast), canoeing (Aveyron river gorges), caving (Dordogne), and walking (Pyrenees, Camino de Santiago).
Your boys will love camping - it's cheap, plentiful and facilities are almost always good. Family rooms in hostels can be excellent value. Booking is necessary, even if it's on the morning of the day you want to stay. Don't forget to join the Youth Hostel Association (0870 870 8808). Booking ahead for your occasional splurge will give you something to look forward to. Hotels that belong to Logis de France (00 33 1 45 84 70 00) meet strict standards of service and cleanliness. Another option is renting a gîte - there are 35,000 of these self-catering cottages throughout rural France. Contact the Fédération Nationale des Gîtes de France (00 33 1 49 70 75 75).
Driving will give you flexibility but roads will be busy. If you can travel light, a two-zone Inter-rail pass covering France and Spain costs £239 for adults over 26. Children's fares are 50 per cent of that but you'll have to get point-to-point tickets. Contact Rail Europe (08705 848 848; www.raileurope. co.uk).
School holiday places
We're taking our 18-month-old son to Tuscany and staying at a friend's who doesn't have a cot or highchair. We have a travel cot and a small booster seat but were wondering if we could hire them locally rather than taking everything on the plane.
Jane Edwards by email
It's funny how the tiniest member of your travelling party is often the one with the most baggage. Unlike the UK, where it's relatively easy to hire babycare equipment, Tuscany has yet to cater for this corner of the market. Many hotels are well equipped for young children so it might be worth contacting one near your friend's and inquiring about a loan or hire. Otherwise, your friend may know of someone you could borrow the equipment from.
Your best option, however, is probably to take your travel cot with you. It will be included in your baggage allowance for the flight so once you check in you'll not have to lug it around.
Luck of the draw
We're a family of four (two of us are teenagers) and have booked flights to Olbia in August, with return flights from Calgiari a fortnight later. I'm finding it hard to access information on self-catering apartments, in particular eco-friendly projects. Is it worth waiting till we get there and taking pot luck on availability, or should we book now?
Dave Harrop, by email
We can't emphasise strongly enough that you should sort out somewhere to stay before you go. Sardinia is one of Europe's favourite summer playgrounds, and in August what feels like the whole of Italy arrives there. Farm stays and villas are your best bets for self-catering. Voyages Ilena (020 7924 4440) have a good selection of villas. Most establishments are locally run, especially farm stays, so contact the tourist board in London (020 7408 1254) or the Sardinian Tourism Office in Cagliari (00 39 070 664 195) for listings.
Sardinia is an amazingly beautiful place, and driving across the island is a great way to see the gorges and highlands of the interior. Make sure you see some nuraghe, conical stone fortresses that are the only remnants of the island's original inhabitants.
