3 Weeks in France

We find Brittany more culturally and culinarily interesting. Bordeaux is okay but tous, just a launching pad to the countryside around it.

One big hesitation for me would be the amount of heatwaves Bordeaux gets in the summertime.

Skip day trip to Loire. Waste too much time traveling.
Consider day trip to St Etienne from Lyon. 45 minutes by train.

Caleigh, Just a note. Getting lodging, etc. in Paris may be easier in August due to the fact that most of the French are on vacation for that whole month, and Parisians leave town that month (fewer crowds). It will be hot(!) there, so be sure to get lodging with A/C. Re Brittany , Provence and other locations, etc., these are where the French go on holiday, so secure lodging as soon as possible for those portions of your trip. Provence will be hot, as you mention, but I have been there in the summer and enjoyed my self in spite of the heat. Your are in France! Rejoice! The Riviera is coastal, so some relief from any hot weather comes from the sea breezes.

I really love Brittany. It is a bit of a foreign country within France. The language and Celtic influence and culture make it an exciting yet charming place to spend a week. Due to its geography it has a magnificent presence as it confronts the Atlantic Ocean. More than most places in France, it has a persona that speaks to one. (Hard to explain....it has a human quality.) There are also several music and cultural festivals in Brittany in August. And, of course, Carnac! (I do recommend a car for Brittany, but perhaps buses will work for you with some strategic planning.)

We also liked Bordeaux and could spend four full days there...two in the city and two on different day trips. It could be quite hot there as well. Paris/Bordeaux TGV trains take just over two hours each way. Actually, everywhere you are considering are great ideas. I am not enamored of Monaco, but it does tick a box for another country. In general, within your time frame I would go for your first suggestion, except a day trip from Paris to the Loire. IMO it is too far for one day. You would see such a small part of the valley, and without rushing you would probably see just one chateau. More than one seems too rushed for me.

Have a fun family trip, but get hopping on your lodgings reservations.

Although I enjoyed Bordeaux enough to move here, I can't criticize the OP's first plan. It looks to provide a relaxed itinerary that will give enjoyment and variety to the whole family.

FYI Lyon is especially hot in summer. It’s at the bottom of a bowl where two rivers meet.

While I am partial to Bordeaux (and could easily give anyone a week's worth itinerary), I do think your first plan sounds very good. Enough variety of locations at a leisurely pace. And there are so many things to do/see in each of these areas. As others have said, it will be hot in August no matter where you are. Enjoy your trip!

First plan is generally fine but if it were me I would rent a car at least for the Brittany piece. San Malo or Rennes will get old after 7 days without a car.

The day trip to the Loire could be skipped, in favor of an easy, leisurely day trip to Reims (46 min. TGV from Gare de L'Est) with its gorgeous cathedral and champagne cellars. Or Chartres (1 hr train from Montparnasse).
5 nights in Aix? The town itself is nice but not for more than 2-3 days imho. Perhaps you're thinking of exploring the smaller villages by car, around Aix?
Just my preference, but how about Normandy, with Rouen and the D-Day beaches near Caen? Full of history and great food.
Have fun!

whatever schedule you choose end in Paris -- go to your furthest destination on arrival and work back rather than splitting your time in Paris. The Loire is too far for a day trip from Paris especially since you plan to move all over France -- do it for a couple of nights on your way somewhere.

Speaking of heat, a friend recently posted a map of predicted high temperatures. There were two areas of the map that were colored green, suggesting they wouldn't be as hot. They were Herault (Montpellier, Beziers) and Lozere (mostly nature; probably requires a car). I have seen several posts re: Montpellier recently on the Forum. It's not covered in the RS guidebooks.

Hi Everyone!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments and suggestions! They have been incredibly helpful as we've continued planning our trip.

After reading everyone's advice, we've decided to skip the day trip to Loire. As many of you pointed out, there's so much to see and do in Paris or on closer day trips!

Since I originally posted, two more family members are joining us. Because of that, we've decided on a modified version of Option 1 and will be visiting Strasbourg for 4-5 days in place of Brittany, since it makes more geographical sense. We also realized that Aix-en-Provence and Antibes/Nice/Monaco don't match our family's travel style quite as well.

France has so many gorgeous regions we want to visit that narrowing it down has been the hardest part of planning, but we're incredibly grateful to be able to do this trip!

Thank you all again for taking the time to share your wonderful recommendations! If anyone has any tips or recommendations for Strasbourg, I'd love to hear them!

Caleigh

Maybe you don’t like moving around too much, but I would split the Strasbourg nights between Colmar and Strasbourg. Colmar is much nicer with an overnight stay so you can enjoy it without day trippers. It gets really packed.

From Lyon, I would skip the Beaune day trip unless you want to see the van der Weyden altarpiece, which is fantastic. Other than that, Beaune wasn’t that great in my opinion.

I can recommend the Batorama cruise in Strasbourg. It's fun to see the beautiful city from the river. I took the "red" route which takes you out past the Parliament building. You will also go through the locks, which is fun. This route takes 1:10 hrs, so doesn't take up too much of the day and is very relaxing. I loved Strasbourg!

I agree with Dawn, we really enjoyed the Batorama cruise, even though it was an awfully wet day.

It was so interesting to see the Parliament buildings as well as all the other sites.

Caleigh, Just fyi, Bayeux from Paris is 165 miles, at least 3 1/2 hours by car and over 2 hours by train. Do account for that in planning your day...almost 5 hours total on the train. And, as others have said, you can't see the sights usually preferred by Americans without a car. They are not clustered in one spot. There will be walking in sandy places (not just on the beach) and grassy places. Do try to arrange your tour to see the flag-lowering ceremony at the American cemetery, if you have time before catching your return train to Paris. (And don't forget to factor in some time for lunch, maybe picnic style, as the sites don't have cafes nearby. At least the ones I have visited.)

Caleigh, Sorry, I posted my comments in your post by mistake. Ignore me!