By DAVID BOGLE Sub-editor IT MAY be our big next door neighbour but, like many others, the only time I had spent in France was the odd day passing through en route to somewhere else.

That changed when we decided to take our three-year-old son Robert on his first trip abroad -- a Eurosites break in Britanny.

The tiring 16-hour trip was punctuated by a superb crossing from Portsmouth to Cherbourg aboard P and O's Fastcraft catamaran car ferry, which slashes the long sailing to just three hours.

Then there was the worry of driving on the "wrong" side of the road -- something I hadn't done for a long time. But, apart from the odd near-death experience, I coped surprisingly well.

The attractive resort of St Cast was more like St Overcast when we rolled in -- tired, uncomfortable and grumpy. The changeable weather was to last for most of our stay.

Home was one of Eurosites' Monet seven berth mobile homes, complete with proper plumbing and electricity. Camping isn't normally my idea of a holiday but with this kind of accommodation the discomfort is removed.

The walls are inevitably thin. Was that the ferry pulling out of Cherbourg? No, it was the Dutchman next door blowing his nose. But luckily we were blessed with considerate neighbours.

After a night's sleep, it was time to explore. The rainy weather forced us to rethink our plans for a beach holiday but that proved a blessing in disguise.

We had picked St Cast le Guildo -- to give it its full name --more or less at random from the Eurosites brochure but what a great choice it turned out to be.

Although it isn't deepest Britanny and the Celtic influence isn't strong, the place is bursting with gems for the tourist within easy reach. Nearby is the swanky gambling resort of Dinard, where we browsed in some very classy shops and mingled with the high-rollers strutting their stuff in their designer outfits.

Not exactly the perfect entertainment for a three-year-old but we made up for it with a trip to St Malo. The giant aquarium there -- Mysteres de la Mer -- puts our shabby homegrown efforts to shame.

The marine life -- from sea slugs to sharks and giant groupers -- is imaginatively displayed and the overall effect is awesome. The highlight of the tour is a trip on an individual submarine, the Nautibus, which transports you and your loved ones down into the deep. The porthole cover opens to reveal a mysterious undersea world of shipwrecks and sunken monuments, populated by colourful marine creatures. Absolutely stunning.

The town of St Malo isn't bad either. The old walled city is magnificently picturesque, packed with shopping opportunities and -- it has to be said -- jammed with tourists.

Another gem is Dinan, an old fortress town with medieval battlements, steep cobbled streets and leaning half-timbered houses. Again, a tourist magnet and they do tend to get in the way when you're trying to take a good picture.

Just over the Normandy border but well within striking distance is Mont St Michel, the second most popular tourist attraction in France after the Eiffel Tower.

The weather had improved dramatically by the time we visited . . . which didn't really help matters. Climbing a mountain in baking heat in the midst of a heaving mass of sweaty humanity is a bit of an ordeal. Essentially, Mont St Michel is a small town perched on a rock platform, topped by a huge Romanesque and gothic abbey. The view from the top is impressive but the most thrilling aspect of a visit is the view of the mount on the approach.

Ours could easily have been a self-catering holiday. The mobile home had all the facilities. But the best part of a holiday for my wife, not unreasonably, is getting away from the kitchen. So we ate out In France, that can present problems for someone like myself who spent his French lessons at school furtively reading the Beano instead of paying attention. This was payback time, with items ordered from the menu often turning out to be different than anticipated.

But who cares if you order a beer and end up with a lobster? That's all part of the fun, isn't it?

Not part of the fun is a restless child demanding chips in a swish restaurant as his French counterparts display impeccable table manners. We need to eat out more.

Any trip to France is not complete without a trip to the supermarket to stock up with bargain-priced booze. We rattled back with a treasure trove of Bordeaux wines, half-priced Belgian beers . . . and Calvados, the apple-based spirit which occupies that no man's land between cider and lavatory cleaner. Or perhaps I picked up a bad bottle.

Much is made of the supposedly superior and bolshy attitude of the French people but we found them friendly and helpful. They have every right to feel superior, however, because from what I could see, their standard of living and way of life is superior.

As the weather improved, we managed to spend some time on the attractive beach near our campsite at Le Chatelet -- well worth the trek down a steep cliff path and a paradise for children.

The site also has a smart pool area, bar and play facilities.

Home time and France had one further surprise up its sleeve -- the incredible Pont de Normandie on the approach to Le Havre, the port from which we were to return.

This colossal bridge has to be seen to be believed. I'd give you a few technical details but the leaflet I picked up was in French.

I wish I'd ignored that Beano! David Bogle and family travelled to Britanny with Eurosites (0870 751 0000), who offer holidays throughout Europe. Seven nights in a Monet mobile home at the four-star Le Chatelet site in St Cast at this year's brochure prices range from £329 low season to £889 high season.