France with 3 kids (family of 5)

[lafranceestbelle]

Hello,

I've been to a few French cities as a solo traveller. I now have 3 kids with the eldest being 7.

We've previously done package holidays in Spain (pool,sea, evening entertainment) for the convenience of not having to food shop but I'd like to try something new.

I'm open to eurocamp style/renting a house.

What's been your favourite holidays to France with 3 young children? Any tips/things to avoid, all welcome.

Merci.

Check Bison futé before you book. https://www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Calendrier_2024_Bison_Fute_.pdf

I usually take some pastries or something for a breakfast snack as you might not want to get up early and head to the restaurant if arriving at 6am.

I have a fussy DC so usually take some squash for her to drink as she doesn't like French sirop and peanut butter as she doesn't like many sandwich fillings and it's expensive in France. We also usually take dishwasher tablets to save buying a big box. You can get soap etc when you're there but sometimes better to have some if you can't get to a shop straight away. I always carry hand sanitiser for the Aires de service as well - they often don't seem to have soap.

Also if DC are young and you have a long drive take snacks and drinks for the car.

@countrygirl99 love that idea. Will be doing this!

I see you've already booked, but for anyone else reading, we've been (me and 2 DC, starting when youngest was a baby. Oldest is now 14) to:

Brittany (lots of times!!) Weather in the North can be a bit English for comfort, weather in the South's quite a bit warmer. It's nice- you stand a good chance of stumbling over a Fest Noz (traditional music and dancing) in the summer- they have them everywhere. The Cote du Granit Rose is lovely, and I really like Vannes. For me it's a bit too much like home in Cornwall though, I prefer somewhere a bit more traditionally French.

Nantes: really interesting, vibrant city. Reminded me a lot of Bristol. Check out Les Machines de l'ile!

Normandy: sorry Normans, I'm not really a fan (that'll serve you right for conquering us 😆) Find it a bit meh.

Loire Valley: excellent. Not just chateaux (although they are very beautiful). Seems to have the ideal summer climate, lots of stunning historic towns to visit, it's flat and there are loads of cycling routes, boat trips, loads to do with the kids. We paddled our inflatable boat under the arches of the Chateau de Chenonceau!

The Auvergne: definitely off the beaten track as far as British holidaymakers are concerned! Which does mean a language barrier when playing with the other kids from the campsite. Lots of French walkers climbing/ taking cablecars in the beautiful mountains though. Lakes for beaches.

The Dordogne: some of it is a bit too bloody much on the beaten track re British tourists! Sarlat was wayyy too touristy. Loads of cool paleolithic sites and stunning caverns to visit though, including Lascaux.

Cote d'Azur: very beautiful, but very crowded. I think a holiday there in August would be too stressful.

We're on a very, very tight budget, so tend to stay at very simple campsites- no water parks for us. Our absolute favourite is Le Milin Kerhe in Brittany- you can borrow their kayaks and have a paddle on their (very safe) river. I also recommend the municipal (actually intercommunal but same same) campsite in Chinon, right across the river from the castle.

French chain hotels are a godsend for when you're en route. They have well priced, decent family rooms.

I just asked my 8 year old what his absolute favourite place in France was, and he said La Vie Perchee, which is a Go Ape style place in Brittany 😆 (they have loads of that kind of thing in France, and much cheaper than Go Ape too).

I just asked my 14 year old and he said "Driving through the mountains in the Auvergne", which I didn't expect!

@crackofdoom

I was very tempted by Loire valley but wanted a shorter trip this time as a bit of a trial run!

Thanks for all the info, really helpful for future.

Re: food....well, as a vegetarian, as many frozen Quorn sausages as possible, packet veggie burger mix, halloumi and feta (both v. expensive in France), and peanut butter (also unfeasibly expensive).

Also, check that you don't have at least one DC who turns their nose up at EVERY ONE OF THE 500 KINDS OF FRENCH CHEESE and demands Cheddar, which is expensive over there (mentioning no names DS1 🙄). In which case, smuggle a block of Cathedral City over. YY, technically illegal, but Border Force aren't in the habit of stripping your vehicle down to the chassis in search of cheese.

We have booked euro camp in Berny Riviere for next month. It's about 3 hours from calais. We are getting the ferry from Dover. My children will be 3 and 1 so hoping all will be well. They do fine when we travel from Bristol to East London to visit grandparents so figured 3 hours in France should be fine 🤔.
Prior to children we've done euro camp a few times as I've always like self catering and they've got practical things on site like swimming pools, bike hire and go kart hire etc. I think any age is suitable for eurocamp as they'll be something for everyone. Just look at which area you're happy to go to and look at what things specific sites have that would interest you like fishing lakes or slides for the pool etc.
We have also once done Berny Riviere for 5 days then drove down to Lake Annecy for another 5 days. Both eurocamp sites we stayed at so that could also be an option.

We've stayed at a Yelloh village near Roscoff called Les Mouettes. Great pool complex, activities for all ages, good entertainment in the evenings yet lots of lovely towns and beaches nearby. Very family friendly, clean and well laid out. Best bit - half an hour from the ferry!

If you are driving, take what you need for 24 hours (you could go 'out' for dinner e.g. on site, McDo, nearby restaurant). The site shop is likely to be expensive and not have a wide selection, it's really just for if you're caught short and want ketchup for 6€. However it should have fresh bread and croissants in the morning (at reasonable prices).

Or try to stop at a supermarket en route before midday...bearing in mind that it's quite unusual for supermarkets to open on Sundays.

We did the Eurocamp holidays all the time when my son was young, brilliant places with lots for everyone to do (unless they’ve changed).

Load up the dog? Does he have a passport explain the process of just being able to take your dogs overseas

We took the 3DC to Paris (stayed in self catering accommodation) when they were 6, 9 and 10 and had a fab holiday. Went to places I'd never have gone to without DC, e.g. we spent a day at the Luxembourg Gardens and looked at the statues, sailed boats on the pond, took the kids for a pony ride and they went on the ancient carousel as well. It was brilliant. We also did the obvious touristy stuff like Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower.

We road trip through various countries in Europe every summer for a few weeks the kids love it. We have a small camper. Last year we circled around the alps and down to Croatia was amazing.

Mine would say that. Best holiday ever

I’ve never been on an all inclusive type of holiday - we only ever rent a villa and either fly + hire car if it’s Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal etc, or ferry + drive our own car if it’s France. Personally I would always go for a villa with a private pool and a decent garden / out in the countryside or on the edge of a village as it’s so much nicer with children to be able to watch them easily in a pool rather than trying to keep an eye on them in a crowded shared pool. Nice places we have been to in France are Ile de Noirmoutier, the Vendee coast, and western Brittany.

I've read your posts but not the whole thread, apologies.
DH and I used to go to France often pre kids. I've just booked eurocamp in the Loire for the summer, kids age 2 and 4 so hopefully it all goes well. Dover/Calais is cheaper for crossing so we go that way, getting up super early for the ferry. Then will overnight in a hotel with pool and playground halfway just outside Rouen. Then down to the Loire so hoping kids are well entertained but can also see more of the area (wine and chateaux) then reverse it on the way back.

We went a couple years ago and booked our usual chambre d'hote (booking.com) but too stressful when so young so its hotels and eurocamps until they're old enough not to break anything!

We love rural France but as pp have said expect shops to be shut and make sure you get to restaurants at lunchtime! Supermarkets there are great, will buy their items and just bring them back e.g. olive oil. Enjoy!

Years ago we went to Eurocamp in the Vendée. Got the overnight Portsmouth to St Malo ferry then drove from there (roads were very quiet). My siblings were much younger than me and they loved it as kids.

@Hmm1234 yes he had a passport. This was pre-brexit, i think the process is more difficult different now. He had to have a rabies vaccination, then a blood test a few month later to test for antibodies and off he went. The tunnel has a dog exercise park both sides, you get a hangar for the mirror with a paw on it. Chipped scanned, passport checked before we check in.

24-38 hours before departing France he had to go the vet for a worm treatment.

A beautiful gite in Lot et Tarn with swimming pool, very quiet so do need a car. We drove and incorporated Ypres, Andorra and Paris plus other places to turn a week into 2 weeks, still so much cheaper than a package deal! Well it was a few years ago. Xx

my practical tips to take are :
sharp knife to cut veg (ones in the lodges often blunt)
Chopping board (ones in the lodges are often glass)
a 4 way extender plug thing to plug Uk plugs in and a French/ English adaptor to plug the adaptor into the wall.
games for the kids and colouring books etc
enjoy!