Had another fantastic trip to France with the family (me, wife, 11 and 7 year old daughters). Planned a diverse mix of sites, locations, and activities. Here's the day by day. Please reach out if you have questions on any of these:
Day 1 – Arrive at CDG, Train to Tours, Drive to B&B, go on Cher River walk {Food of the day: local cow cheese, didn’t recognize the name, ended up being best cheese of the trip}
Day 2 - Chambord, mushroom cave tour (Cave des Roches), Amboise evening walk and dinner {Food of the day: fresh mushrooms from the cave}
Day 3 – Drive to Brittany, Breton festival in Monterfil, arrive in rental house in Dinan, Rance River walk {Food of the day: sausage galette fresh off the grill at the festival, Breton Cola!}
Day 4 – Explore Dinan, drive to Mont Saint Michel after lunch, Evening in Cancale with Oysters {Food of the day: Oysters – best I’ve ever had!}
Day 5 – Rain all day! – Planned to visit the Rose Granite Coast, changed en-route to Forte La Latte, relaxing evening in the rental {Food of the day: Breton Kir (crème de cassis and cidre)}
Day 6 – Explore Saint Malo, Emerald Coast drive, Sculptured Rocks, Lehon public swimming pool in the early evening (note that I got kicked out for not having appropriate swimwear!) {Food of the day: amazing cow cheese (again, not a name that I recognized) from Brittany (2nd best cheese of the trip)}
Day 7 – Dinan Market, picnic on the Rance River, drive to Carnac, Carnac stones (more rain), drive to B&B in Baden, dinner at a creperie {Food of the day: crepe Normandy (actually, it was gross but because it was lit on fire, it was a worthwhile experience)}
Day 8 – Rain in the AM, Locmariaquer and Gavrinis in the afternoon, dinner at a creperie, cheered on an extreme road race in the evening (apparently, this was an annual race around the entire Gulf of Morbihan!) {Food of the day: Seafood galette}
Day 9 – Biggest driving day of the trip, drove from Baden to Beynac with stop at a rest stop, settled into rental house in Beynac, got food from the butcher {Food of the day: rest stop ham, best ham I’ve ever had in my life!}
Day 10 – Saint Cyprien market, swimming at beach in Vitrac, Dordogne river walk in the evening {Food of the day: Bergerac white wine}
Day 11 – Grotte du Rouffignic, Grotte Font de Gaume {Food of the day: pan aux raisins}
Day 12 – Canoeing between Vitrac and Beynac, swimming at beach in Vitrac {Food of the day: ribs from the butcher on bbq – best food of the trip}
Day 13 – Sarlat market, swimming at beach in Vitrac {Food of the day: duck confit legs with farm fresh egg}
Day 14 – Gouffre de Padirac, Foret des Singes {Food of the day: Bergerac Rose – best wine of the trip}
Day 15 – Drive to Grotte de Niaux, cave tour, stay at B&B in Foix, swim in the pool {Food of the day: Gazpacho}
Day 16 – Swim in the pool, drive to Collioure {Food of the day: rest stop meal, Provencal pork}
Day 17 – Collioure market in AM, beach after lunch, evening stroll {Food of the day: anchovy mousse}
Day 18 – Ceret, Museum of Modern Art in Ceret, Collioure hike, evening stroll {Food of the day: Tapenade Catalan}
Day 19 – Dali Musuem in Figueres Spain, beach in early evening, evening stroll {Food of the day: sausages from the butcher}
Day 20 - Collioure market in AM, beach after lunch, evening stroll {Food of the day: anchovies Catalan}
Day 21 – Aqualand water slide park!, evening stroll {Food of the day: hazelnut gelato}
Day 22 – Collioure sites, Collioure hike, beach after lunch, evening stroll and Bastille Day activities {Food of the day: merguez sausages from the butcher}
Day 23 – Drop car off in Perpignan, TGV to Paris, dinner in a brassiere (staying in Montparnasse), Eifel Tower in PM, stroll along the Seine {Food of the day: Duck Breast with Sarlat Potatoes}
Day 24 – Fly home {Food of the day: Icelandic hot dog}