Where to go in France without too much driving

[user1471434863]

Planning on 2 weeks in France this summer. Will get ferry to Calais then drive to Paris for a few days. Not sure where to go after this without massive amount of driving ( will be with almost 3 year old and 6 year old). Was thinking Dordogne then maybe Loire region or possibly Normandy. Ferry back can be from anywhere, not necessary Calais if this reduced driving time.

IT might be better to head for Normandy after Paris as it's on the way back, IFYSWIM. (You could travel back from Caen , or Cherbourg or even St Malo which is actually just in Brittany. )
Loire valley is further and the Dordogne further still.
The Loire Chateaux are lovely but I'm not sure how much interest thry will hold for a 3-year old while there are lots of lovely beaches and coastline to explore if you head north.
If you go for the longer return crossing from one of the Normandy ports I'd advise booking a cabin even if it's a bit more expensive -- it's definitely worth it to have your own space. And if it's a day crossing then day cabins are cheaper and well worth it IMO.

Mont St Michel is pretty but a bit o f a tourist trap and will be hellish in August. I'd also recommend booking a gîte, they are usually not too expensive and will give you a base for days out etc. Sorry if you already know all this!

We had a really lovely stay here with young children. Just a few hours from Calais. www.le-domaine-du-val.com/en/

Baie de Somme - on way back to Calais from Paris. We loved St Valery - there's a steam train which runs along the coast which would be great fun for the kids, it is also home to France's largest colony of seals, big beaches lots of little places to visit in the car or rent bikes. Highly recommend this area.