Travelling alone with energetic toddler to France

[missussmith55]

Hi, im planning on travelling to France with my almost 3 year old to see family in France. Im not confident driving abroad so hoping to use public transport. Flying there to Charles de Gaulle and then either train or bus then train. How on earth do I cart luggage, pushchair and possibly a car seat by public transport? Is it best to buy a car seat there and leave it? Even without the car seat how do I grapple with grumpy toddler and bags? Advice please!

Where in France do they live? Could they pick you up from airport, could they borrow a car seat?
Buggy, luggage and car seat b yourself I can't see being managble

Where in France are they? Would Eurostar be an option, depending on where you are going Lille is easy-ish for changing trains and the walk from Gare du Nord to Gare de l'est is okay. There are direct also trains further south - Lyon, Avignon, Marseille.

You can't take the car seat - I think that would be a nightmare. Wheelie bag or suitcase, small rucksack and buggy with nothing stored in it (easy and quick to put down/put up) would be your limit. And buggy light enough to push one hand.

Are you planning on hiring a car? You could hire a car seat too.

Sorry - you say public transport. Could family borrow car seat?

Or with an almost three year old do you really need a buggy?

I've done rucksack + buggy on a train which is doable. A pull along suitcase is useless if you're trying to push a buggy at the same time. I'm sure your relatives can borrow a car seat if you're planning on travelling by car at all.

You either need a pushchair and a large rucksack, or a baby carrier (we had an ergo) and a wheelie suitcase. If you are visiting family, i would presume you will visit them again, so it could well be worth getting them to buy you a carseat.

We have always travelled to europe by train, and whilst there were two of us, we still had a rucksack each, so one of us had a rucksack and a pushchair, iyswim.

I did realise when dd1 went on her first holiday (at 8 weeks) that it made more sense for her to be in the carrier and the rucksack to be in the puschair, as she was so much lighter, but this situation soon changed!!!

Oh yeah, or family could possibly borrow you a carseat.

Or your almost three year old could be bought something like a britax evolva 123 which converts to high back booster, so will last until they no longer need a carseat, which could be left there.