Mike Laycock and family drove 1,000 miles to a top-class campsite on the Mediterranean coast.

THE palm-fringed tropical pool offered more than a chance to cool off, swim and whiz down the waterslides. You could don a wetsuit and oxygen tank and take a scuba-diving lesson, an opportunity my son Matthew jumped at. After a lesson in the basics from a qualified instructor, he was soon having a whale of a time.

As I watched his black shape moving along the bottom of the pool, with the sun blazing down from a deep blue sky and the Pyrenees looming in the distance, I decided our tiring 1,000-mile trek had been well worthwhile.

We had driven over three days to La Sirene, a large family-run camping park at Argeles-sur-Mer in southern France, close to the Spanish border.

The journey had involved an overnight crossing from Portsmouth to Le Havre in a P&O ferry, sleeping in a comfortable four-berth cabin after exploring the shops and eating in the restaurant.

We arrived in France refreshed and ready for the second leg of our journey, which took us to an overnight stop at a campsite at Pierrefitte, south of Orleans. We arrived just in time for a splash in the outdoor pool complex, which featured a wave machine in addition to the ubiquitous slides. The final leg of the journey took us on a spectacular ride through picturesque mountains, with the motorway reaching 5,000 feet above sea level.

At La Sirene, the facilities included a good-sized supermarket, a takeaway, tennis and table tennis, crazy golf and play areas. There was also a children's club, which my daughter Gabrielle went to on one occasion, enjoying a range of games and activities.

We were staying with Eurocamp in a Verona mobile home, which was tidy, clean and comfortable, with a fully-equipped kitchen. Trees provided shade to protect the caravan from the sun, which was already strong even in early June.

The Roussillon area is relatively unknown to the British, compared to hotspots such as the Riviera or Britanny. The roads are fairly empty of French motorists as well, making it a delight for anyone used to Britain's congested highways.

There are some beautiful and unspoilt places to visit. Our favourite was Collioure, a picturesque old fishing port, with winding cobbled streets, a 17th century chateau, a pebble beach and lots of pavement cafes where you can sit and watch the world go by.

We also enjoyed driving up into the snow-capped and spectacular Pyrenees to walk through the narrow and steep streets of gorgeous mountain villages, full of medieval buildings but few tourists.

My wife wanted to visit Barcelona, and persuaded me to drive to the Catalonian capital for a day trip. The 80-mile motorway journey as far as the outskirts was fine, but it then turned into a nightmare as we struggled in vain to find our way to the city centre.

After an hour of frustration and bewilderment, we managed to park near the famous La Rambla boulevard, and then spent an exhausting but rewarding afternoon walking through this vibrant city and enjoying the architectural splendour of Antoni Gaudi's buildings.

We were impressed but once more became hopelessly lost as we attempted to leave the city. And we vowed that if we ever return to Barcelona, we will leave the car at home and let a plane take the strain.

Fact file

Eurocamp, Hartford Manor, Northwich, Cheshire. 0870 366 7552.

Fortnight in Verona mobile home at La Sirene, including Portsmouth-Le Havre crossing with P&O, costs between about £1,000 in June and £2,000 in early August.

Updated: 11:25 Saturday, January 03, 2004