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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

What is a nice area of France to go to?

54 replies

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 18/04/2007 20:17

Looking at going camping in France for a week.

Somewhere with nice, easy walking in the area, good scenery. We have a 6yo dd so somewhere where there would be attractions/days out aimed at her age group.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
WendyWeber · 18/04/2007 21:58

Normandy is lovely and not too far - nice beaches, better weather than the S of England, beautiful countryside etc etc. And you can go to Bayeux and see the Tapestry. What more do you want?

WendyWeber · 18/04/2007 21:59

I went to Nice once - I think - maybe it was Cannes...30 years ago, it's prob completely different now anyway

WendyWeber · 18/04/2007 21:59

Palm trees and posh hotels IIRC

saggers · 18/04/2007 22:01

I went to Nice a few years ago, just for the day - we were staying an hour away. It was great for a 'day trip'. The flower market was beautiful. The street cafés are lovely. Everything was quite expensive though. I wouldn't stay longer in the Summer holidays -very busy and hot.

Hulababy · 18/04/2007 22:01

I flew in and out of Nice when we went to the South of France. We visited fr the day. We only went to the coastal part and the front, but have to say that we weren't keen. Infact we had lunch and left and headed back up to Cannes.

exbury · 18/04/2007 22:01

Nice is OK but depends on the time of year - when are we talking about?

The hills up behind the coast are gorgeous - but you need to know them well as there are microclimates...

Greensleeves · 18/04/2007 22:20

Hula, what didn't you like about it, if you don't mind me asking?

We're going in May, it's our first holiday in seven years. We're hoping for nice parks/walks/markets/cafes and a chance to relax and unwind.

Sorry, I've hijacked

exbury · 18/04/2007 22:22

Greeny are you staying in Nice? My old boss used to wax lyrical about the old town (he was French and grew up nearby) but the Promenade des Anglais is a bit of a let-down, IMHO.

Greensleeves · 18/04/2007 22:25

We are staying in Nice, on the outskirts of the old town, near the train station (the apartment looks quite nice, but I don't know much about Nice otherwise). The flight was cheap [skint emoticon]

WendyWeber · 18/04/2007 22:27

Oh, it was May when we went - we drove South to the Camargue, then East towards Italy, it was beautiful and not too hot either.

There is a road called the Corniche which is lovely - can't remember where it starts or finishes though

exbury · 18/04/2007 22:29

May is nice, actually - it is before the traffic jam starts and lasts until September...

You are definitely in the nice end of Nice there. Enjoy.

WendyWeber · 18/04/2007 22:31

nice end of Nice, snurk

Hulababy · 19/04/2007 09:17

Greensleeves - I just didn't think the part of the coast of Nice we went to was as nice as the other places we'd been to, that's all. Sounds like you are not staying right up the front though. The outskirts and drive to Nice was lovely, and there are loads of beach areas slightly further afield which are nicer IMo. Have you got car hire? There is a beautiful costal road from Nice to Fregus - takes ages but lots of lovely beachs and coastal spots on there. St Tropez was worth a visit, and we really liked wandering around Cannes. We liked Monaco as well. And Fregus is a pretty seaside town. There is a big water park around the area too.

bozza · 19/04/2007 09:27

We have been to Normandy and Brittany. We loved both. There are a lot of fantastic beaches in Normandy, hundreds of WW2 museums, Bayeaux tapestry etc. DS (5 last summer) enjoyed Mont St Michel, and we also went to the reptilarium near there. Also on a rainy day we went to the aquarium at St Malo. St Malo is a lovely town with lots of boating interest. Also on the coast around that area (just south of St Malo) there are lots of inlets etc with sheltered beaches and water which are good for young swimmers.

This year we are going to the Carmargue so will see what that is like.

I love France.

deepinlaundry · 19/04/2007 10:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Marina · 19/04/2007 10:07

I love Normandy too bozza (was lucky enough to live there for a year in my youth) but it seems to have really fallen from favour these days. People seem to prefer the Charente and the Dordogne, which are nice and sunny, true, but the beaches in Normandy are much emptier and inland far more interesting IMO. Bayeux and Caen together plus day trips to Mt St Michel and even Rouen/Giverny make for a smashing family holiday

Summerfruit · 19/04/2007 10:17

Message withdrawn

bozza · 19/04/2007 10:22

That's what we thought Marina. We had our holiday there in June 2005 (last out of school time!), then went back for a week in Normandy and a week in Brittany in August 2006. When we went back DS just wanted to go on the crazy golf at Arromanches.

I am looking forward to trying the south though. Just not so sure if it might be a bit hot.

LittleSarah · 19/04/2007 10:22

I loved the Dordogne... at least I think that is where we were, near Carcassone on one side and Toulouse on the other! We were outside this beautiful village, all hills and views and lakes. Just GORGEOUS.

aDad · 19/04/2007 10:26

Just to throw some more areas into the mix, my fave areas for camping/scenery/outdoorsy stuff in France: the Ardeche / Tarn / Cevennes.

Not so busy, lots of camping, rivers, great scenery.

LIZS · 19/04/2007 10:29

Lake Annecy is pretty, variety of things to do on and around the Lake, family orientated bathing beaches and the mountains (La Clusaz or even Chamonix for example) are easily accessible for days out, pricey area though we found.

Marina · 19/04/2007 10:30

The Cevennes is somewhere I'd love to go but I just know it will be too hot there in high summer for us.
Ditto most places south of the Loire tbh. We had a really frazzling holiday near Meschers sur Gironde a few years ago and I hated it.

Marina · 19/04/2007 10:31

Somewhere I'd love to go back to is the Vosges. We rather liked Gerardmer and then spent a wonderful week in Alsace near Mulhouse.

lapsedrunner · 19/04/2007 10:42

Can't fail with Normandy

aDad · 19/04/2007 10:44

marina - you're right, high summer can get v hot. Even Loire area is pretty baking for most of July and August.

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