Hi !
It’s official we will be in France for 35 days this summer with our kids (10 and 14 years old). We will have 7 nights in Paris. We will have a car (after Paris!)
We will go to Normandy and the Alps for sure. For the remaing time (13-16 days) what would be your choice ?
Britanny ? Alsace ? Provence ( it will be hot) ? Dordogne ? Calais ? Anything else ?
We are french speaking so no language problem !
Thanks a lot !
Since you’re going to Normandy, Brittany is nearby and won’t be as hot as the Dordogne. You can also swim in St-Malo which will keep the kids happy.
Here you go, right in Nantes, which used to be part of Brittany: Les Machines de l'Ile.
I'm pretty sure it's something none of you will forget.
Check out the France podcast; Join Us In France. Great ideas!
Hi,
I've never been to Calais, should have though, neither Brittany nor Dorgogne.
Both Alsace and Provence I visited also , like you , in the summer. Given your list , all good and difficult choices here.
I would pick Alsace or Brittany. It is such an asset to enjoy linguistic comfort, especially in France.
Depends on your interests. If you like wine, I recommend the Burgundy (Bourgogne) region. We spent five days in Beaune this past fall and loved it. Beaune itself is very cute and easy to navigate, you can walk or bike through vineyards to nearby villages, and if you have a rental car you can visit several other small towns and wineries in the area. We thoroughly enjoyed eating and drinking our way through the region. We also spent time in Alsace (based in Colmar) and thought it was cute, but we preferred the Burgundy wine and food to the more Germanic Alsatian cuisine. We've not been to any of the other regions you mention (other than Normandy, but we were there pre-kids), so I can't offer advice on how Burgundy or Alsace compare to those. I'm sure no matter where you go, you will have a great trip!
If you go south, there are a number of attractions that might be especially appealing to your kids, like canoeing on the Dordogne and visiting caves with and without pre-historic art. If you do opt to include the southwest, you should start lining up your accommodations asap. Places get filled up very quickly.
we are taking a day trip to Nantes because our 12 year old grandchild want to ride the elephant and see the machines
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2019/09/13/les-machines-de-lile-nantes/
Definitely work that in with kids the age of yours.
and St. Malo is amazing -- they will love the pool on the beach.
My family and I have been fortunate to have done 2 such trips and have 3rd planned for June.
In trip 1 we did 2 days in the Loire, 1 week Dordogne, 1 week of provence, 1 week alps
Trip 2 was 2 days Loire, 1 week Brittany, 1 week Dordogne/Foix, 1 week Catalonia
Trip 3 is planned to be 1 week Brittany/Normandy, 1 week Burgundy, 1 week Alsace.
I love all the regions. The Dordogne and the Alps have the most engaging sites in my opinion. I found Provence to be the least engaging of the bunch so far. I love the vibe in Brittany very much. Looking forward to exploring it some more.
I've been to all the French regions, so far, except for Alsace-Lorraine and Burgundy. My favourite has been Dordogne / Gascony. It has so much variety: prehistoric caves, natural beauty (rivers, gorges, forests), castles / chateaux, outdoor experiences (canoing, hiking), beautiful villages, gastronomy (not just goose liver), wine (Bordeaux, Bergerac) ...
With two weeks, you could add a second region. I loved Provence, but then it was not so much about sightseeing as just relaxing and becoming a temporary local in our chosen town (L'Isle sur le Sorgue). Rent a villa with a pool, day trip to Nimes / Pont du Gard, Avignon, St-Remy, the Luberon, Cotes du Rhone wineries ...
Also enjoyed Normandy (military history, seafood), Savoie (mountains, cable cars, hiking, fondue), Loire (cycling, chateaux), and Languedoc (Carcassone, cassoulet, beaches) ...
