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Suggestions for 1 week in the countryside with little children (August)

We are trying to put together a last minute plan for about 1 week in the South of France (we've only been to Paris before) in mid August.

  • 2 little children with us. We don't have to do any kid-centric activities, but of course it impacts what we can do a little (museums can be boring!)

  • We will have had enough beach time in Portugal before heading over to France, so not much interest in the coast

  • Can to fly into Toulouse/Bordeaux/Lyon/Marseille and can fly out of Bordeaux/Toulouse/Paris/Geneva elsewhere but don't have much of an idea beyond that

  • Taking the TGV would be fun, but willing to rent a car as well

  • Interested in countryside, relaxation and outdoor activities, local food (casual not fancy), food markets, wine, some culture/history (maybe 1 museum at most), but no interest in beaches and crowded cities

  • We've stayed on farms/wineries in other countries and have loved it, but would like to have food and restaurants within walking or reasonable driving distance

  • We don't have any boxes we need to check and would like to keep it low key and relaxed

I'd appreciate some pointing in the right direction. Places to visit and where to base ourselves.

Posted by
10625 posts

We had a wonderful stay at a farm/inn in the Perigord, with breakfast and dinner included. They have a pool and their grandchildren are there in the summer: La Grange du Mas en Perigord. You have tons of interesting outdoor sites (chateaux, ruins, troglodytes), as well as the prehistoric caves to visit.

We were going to stay five nights but expanded it to seven. We could have stayed another week.

It's about two hours from either Bordeaux or Toulouse.

Posted by
3696 posts

Favorite town in Provence... St. Remy... beautiful town with great market, restaurants, shopping and all very walkable. Centrally located to lots of other villages. Any town within a 20 mile radius has it's own ambiance and market. Picnics in the countryside are always fun for kids. The hospital where VanGogh was is within walking distance and makes for a wonderful early morning walk.