Two week europe itinerary feedback

A 14 day trip usually means 13 nights away, with one of those nights spent on a plane.
So, with 12 nights in Europe I would consider...
Paris (5nts) >> Venice (3nts) >> Rome (4nts)
Or...
Paris (5nts) >> Provence (3nts) >> Barcelona (4nts)

Fly Paris to Venice, the rest by train.

Marseilles is a bit of an unusual choice in a 3-city itinerary like yours. Is there a reason for including it?

Do your 14 days include the arrival and departure days? Days assigned to cities total 12.

without sounding disrespectful, given that you are only going for 2 weeks, can you take the children out of school at a different time of year? just a thought.
we have found that May is a nice time to travel, not as many people and in spring the scenery is great.

For this length of trip and with children, have a maximum of 3 bases, otherwise you will spend too much time in transit. Some countries will be school holiday time, so places will be busy, but not quite as bad as late July and August.

As has previously been suggested, I wouldn't go to Venice, as that will be hideously busy and very expensive. If you choose Provence, book accommodation 9 months ahead.

Personally, if you haven't been to Paris before, I would have a week there then go to Rome. The first day may be lost due to jetlag.

Flights are available for months in advance, so buy these as soon as they become available, as prices only head in one direction. As you need accommodation for five, this will also be more limiting, so book that ahead too.

Thanks for the feedback. To clarify, Paris and Rome are our 'must see' spots. Marseille was an idea to see the French Riviera. We are fond of the beach, so fitting in time to see the sea would be nice.

I would stay in Nice over Marseille. Or if you want to spend some time in Provence, consider Avignon (though not on the coast).

I agree - if you want the beach then :

Paris 4 nights
train to Nice 3 nights - day trip to Antibe, Monaco, St-Paul-de-Vence or markets in nearby Italy
fly to Rome 5 nights

Not being a beach person myself, I can't provide a specific recommendation, but if your primary goal in southern France would be "beach", I'd consider looking for a more geographically convenient option--somewhere not too far from Rome. That way you'd only have to deal with one major transportation leg within Europe (Paris to Rome or vice versa). At that time of year I think you'll find that beaches are crowded by US standards everywhere in southern Europe.

I would go with the Paris/Rome
Itinerary. Add a beach day in Rome.

http://readysettrek.com/best-beaches-rome/

Fly budget carrier between Paris and Rome.