Advice for destinations in southern France

[PiratePenguin]

We had been due to travel to Athens in October half term but easy jet have just changed the times of both flights and they are at really awful times (both inward and outward flights land around 10pm).
We are now thinking about going to France but I have no idea where would be best. We would go for 4/5 nights. Has anyone got any opinions / suggestions? Bordeaux / Nice / any others in the south?
Our children are 11 and 13 and we are fairly adventurous (as in not up for a 'beach' style trip).
Any help would be gratefully received!

Carcassone

Try the Vendee there is lots to see and do- the Atlantic coast has some lovely beaches, there are lots of castles, and some zoos. Also Puy du Fou is a great couple of days out.

Carcassone would be fab (we love the game). Is it easy to get to using public transport?

The Ardeche, you can Kayak the river, can do overnight stop or 2 different days and go canyoning, we did both, it was fab.

EasyJet and or Ryanair fly to Carcassone I thought

We'd fly in to one of the airports - I was curious about trains! We know nothing about France! Off to do some research .....

Nimes, Arles, Aix en Provence...

You can hire cars at Carcassone airport

Nîmes / Montpellier 100%

Ceret

I second the Vendee. Puy du Fou is amazing and Le Grand Defi is like Go Ape on steroids! I believe there is a cycle trail along an old railway track somewhere too. If you are happy to travel a bit Nantes has these incredible mechanical animals that you can ride.

Frejus is great for kids.

Are you still thinking of October half term?

I went to Frejus, St Maxime, St Raphael as a teenager, usually on a camp site. Also Carcassonne. Then later Antibes and I think Juan Les Pins in an appartment. At Nice airport you can get a train easily across the south coast, stopping at various places.

Another vote for Carcassone. The coast in that area is gorgeous and much less crowded than the Nice region. Great water sports on offer, not hugely expensive.

Loads to do for kids in Nice, Bordeaux and Toulouse. The space museum in Toulouse is amazing!

My kids did not really enjoy carcassonne- once we'd walked round for a bit they were bored. I thought it was quite touristy too - crap/ overpriced restaurants and souvenir shops.

I much prefer Toulouse, Nice or Bordeaux.

Are you going to hire a car?

My parents have a house between Toulouse & Carcassonne & there's loads to do but with kids I would recommend a car.

And for 4/5 days you don't want to spend much time travelling to places

Completely off brief but what about Ile de rè? horse riding, cycling & loads of water sports.

Yes - October half term. Just want to get away for a few days and explore somewhere new.

Sorry I missed it was October, maybe a city break then. Toulouse is good with the space thing, airspace & la halle de la machine.

Road trip!! We spent a couple of weeks driving through France to spend time in the South. We stayed in Avignon, but visited Orange, Carcasssone Arles, isle sur le sorgue to name but a few. They're all gorgeous. But I say this as a couple not family.
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E stayed in a lively village called St Jean de Fos, great lake nearby for swimming - well, actually a section of the Herault river, near Unesco World Heritage town called St Guilhem le Desert, caves to visit, Saturday market in Gignac, 2hr drive to Spain, half hour drive to the sea at Meze. We loved it. Fly to Montpellier and hire a car.

The Gorges du Verdon is really pretty - swimming, canoe hire, amazingly blue water.

I'd agree with the Ardeche, it's stunning. Fly to Lyon, which is worth spending some time in, and drive down. But, it is very popular with camper banners, those vast, fat-arsed vans,, and if you get stuck behind them, you're doomed.