Provence

[Sibble]

We are planning a family trip from NZ in July. Thinking about Provence. 2 adults, 15 and 10 year old but we will be joined by my parents and aunt (70s), sisters family (2 adults + 3 and 2 year olds) and various friends from UK for some of the time. Likely to be 3 weeks.

We will fly into Paris and travel by train.

Looking for location somewhere coastal that caters for all. Beaches, plenty to see and do, day trips (e.g. Aix). Thought about Marseille but don't know whether too 'city' and industrial????

Any suggestions. We will all be staying separately (for my sanity ) so not really looking for names of apartments, villas etc... just location suggestions. Know don't want villa away from beach live rural NZ so want be within walking distance of nice beaches.

TIA

I'd say base yourselves in/near Cannes. That way you are on the coast in a nice town with a bit of everything that should suit everyone and good transport links. You can get the train from Paris to Cannes.

From there you can spend the day in:
Aix (1h15 away and inland)
Les Arcs sur Argens (40mins - loads of vineyards)
St. Paul de Vence (40 mins - small hill top village)
Nice (30/40 mins)
Monaco (1h)
Les iles des lerins (10 minute boat trip from Cannes)

There are plenty of little coastal towns to visit such as Eze, cap d'ail, theole sur mer in this area and lots of typically Provençal villages further inland too.

Hope that helps

You should visit Cassis. You can take a boat trip around the beautiful coastal cliffs there. We tend to pick costal towns along from Nice and travel further east spending a couple of days in each place.

Thanks, both suggestions great. Hard trying to book from here as travel agents pretty useless for suggesting French locations and family waiting for me to pluck suggestions and book (so they can all moan !)