Hello fellow travelers!
My wife and I have been to Europe several times, but for the first time we are bringing our kids (3 teens and a child) with us this summer. We are flying into Venice and out of Paris three weeks later. I have some tentative plans, but thought it would be a fun exercise to invite your thoughts on the route and stops in between. Where should we go and how should we get there?
This will be fun. We were just there (Italy and Switzerland):with adult kids and “tween” grandchildren, somInhave some thoughts on places that kids enjoy.
The most direct route would take you through northern Italy and Switzerland, and on to Paris from Basel or Lausanne/Geneva. An alternate route would be to the Dolomites and then through Austria and Germany. Both are good choices. Since our recent trip included both Switzerland (Berner Oberland and Luzern area, and the Dolomites, plus Lago di Garda, I will start by suggesting the route Venice to Dolomites to Lago di Garda, then through Switzerland to Basel for the fast train to Paris.
If you want stops in France I cannot help, other than Colmar.
I will note that family rooms for 6 are almost unknown in most hotels, so you may need to consider apartments.
We need more info- your travel style, budget, and interests, particularly your children's interests. What is the age of the youngest? Perhaps sharing your draft itinerary will be helpful.
Thanks Lola. You're right; we'll mostly be looking at Airbnbs to rent. I had the Dolomites penciled in but didn't know if that would duplicate too much of what we'd experience in Lauterbrunnen. What do you think?
Pat, our list of potential stops are: Venice, Verona, Lake Como region, Lauterbrunnen / Grindlewald, Annecy, Colmar, Paris. I tend to most to squeeze in more, my wife would prefer less. I'm not opposed to bouncing around either, if it means adding some really special sites.
The summer of ’24? I recommend sleeping in Venice, Nice (French Riviera), Avignon (Provence) and Paris. From Venice fly to Nice on Easyjet. Buy tickets when you buy your trans-Atlantic flights. Pack light so you don’t have to check bags. For the rest of the places take the train: https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/.
Venice – three nights
Nice – six nights and that includes day trips to:
Villefranche-sur-Mer (15m).
Monaco – (30m)
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat by taxi (20m).
Eze-le-Village by bus (30m).
Avignon – five nights. There’s a direct train from the Nice Ville station to Avignon Tgv (3h 30m). You’ll need to take a taxi to your hotel in the center.
Pont du Gard (from Avignon Centre) to Nimes Pont du Gard (30m).
Nimes Centre (45m)
Orange (15m)
Arles (1h 15m)
Paris – six nights. There is a direct train from Avignon Centre to Paris Gare De Lyon (3h 45m). There are more from Avignon Tgv (2h 45m).
A few random thoughts-
Next summer finds the Olympics in Paris, which will add another dimension of crowding and lodging inflation.
I love starting in Venice- what is not to love, especially for the kids?
For starters,
I'd suggest Row Venice, small group rowing lessons on the back canals, 90 minutes, about 100 euros total, for the group.
Venice to Lake Como works for us, we just did that trip this past May. We stayed in Varenna, and rode the ferries to Bellagio and Menaggio.
From Varenna I'd go to Tirano, Italy, and catch the remarkable Bernini Express train, using the regional trains,( not the panoramic cars), which gives you more schedule options and is less crowded, and runs on the same tracks.
Spend the night in Pontressina or Chur, then onto the Berner Oberland for as many days as possible. The kids will love riding the gondolas, cogwheel trains, lifts, to the most spectacular scenery in the world.
From the BO to Lucerne , one of the most charming cities in Switzerland.
Then onto Strasbourg/ Colmar.
I'm no help for the rest of France.
Have a wonderful family trip!
About the Olympics being in Paris. We were in London in 2012. We very carefully scheduled to avoid London during the Olympics, but since we went round trip via London rather than open-jaw we were in London during The Games for one night. What we learned from talking to people in London that one last day was that normally crowded London sights were dead during the Olympics and we would have done better to be in London while they were going on then in the month before them.
Your mileage may vary, and of course how close the events are to what you want to see in Paris may make a difference.
And how big your lodging budget is.
Also, while London hosted most of its Olympics in the far east of the city, Paris is hosting some events right in the heart of town,which presumably means that the city itself is going to be substantially congested.
For example with the Concorde hosting three different events all along the Games, I don't know if one would even be able to access the Orangerie or if they will have to close due to the security perimeter for the Concorde events.
