Help! Need advice on August train holiday in Europe! Left it too late, panicking now.

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Basically, as my title! I started a new job and did not know if I will be able to take time off, so did not book anything. Now I was told I can take two weeks in August - but worry I left it too late! I wanted to book a train holiday going to Spain or France with my teen DC - but everything looks horrendously expensive or booked up. I was looking at somewhere like Cassis etc... smallish town on seaside. Not botgered if staying in a hotel or a flat... But wanted to avoid big resorts. Don't mind travelling between places. But can't afford to pay 2k per person for accommodation ((

Please help! Any advice would be welcome.

Cassis is lovely but it’s never been a cheap option. Would you consider inland? There are lots of lakes in southern France where you can swim. Pick one and see what’s available on air b&b or other websites.

There’s an Air bnb in Cassis that’s £1220 for a week in August. https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/43793137?adults=1&check_in=2026-08-10&check_out=2026-08-17&children=1&search_mode=regular_search&source_impression_id=p3_1776939146_P3y8tJJ1Fp-a9i5-&previous_page_section_name=1000&federated_search_id=c73442fe-3a4b-4c65-a731-948bcb6b418d
If miney is a problem, you might well find it’s cheaper to fly to Nice. We’re going to France at the end of May (different area) - we had thought to take the train, but flying is both cheaper and easier.

Thanks. I have been to Nice many times and tbh I don't really like it.

I can fly but travelling by train is something I really wanted to do. I don't mind paying a bit extra for the train - it's the cost of the accommodation that is a worry (but I know that August is going to be expensive, so obvs panicing)

What about youth hostels? You can get private ensuite rooms in mamy of these.

Thanks - my DC is 13 so probs a bit young for a hostel

Cassis is lovely - but it's very small and two weeks there will be a loooooong time, unless you're planning on hiring a car?

You can get the train to Briançon and there are lots of options around there that will be cheaper. It depends what sort of a holiday you want. Btw I agree with you about Nice. Not a fan of the Côte d’Azur.

Curve ball: how about interrail ticket & do northan Europe... France, Belgium & Holland (Lille, Paris Brussles & Amsterdam)?
You can absolutely stay in a hostsl with DC - just book a family room.

Thanks! I was thinking about interrail, but as it's going to be our only holiday this year I wanted to fit in a bit of beach time.... and not overdo travelling between places

I was wondering if I probably could stay somewhere like Cassis a week or so and then keep on travelling to stay elsewhere. Just need to work out the route/ destination...

Late August, particularly the last week, can be cheaper.
I agree about possibly looking a bit inland, where you can drive to the coast. Perhaps a caravan on a site with a pool?
I did a google maps search, this 4-star site has an air-conditioned caravan for about £2,260 for the last two weeks in August, or a safari tent (shared bathroom facilities) for under £2,000.
https://www.campingceyreste.com/

Yes, maybe you could do a week near the coast and a week further inland. There are various lovely rivers to swim in, like the Gardon and Ceze. You can swim under a Roman aqueduct at the Pont du Gard. Plus so many other attractions - canoeing, treetop adventure courses, Chauvet cave reconstruction, Grotte du Salamandre, Aven d'Orgnac, medieval towns, more Roman stuff in Arles and Nimes, immersive sound and art experience at Carrieres des Lumieres...

Thanks! I'd love to get a car but I can't drive atm because of a health issue (eyesight affected) so need to rely on train.

For France, look at Ouigo for cheaper train tickets. They're high speed trains, but stop at out of town stations and have no buffet car or leg room. They're the Ryanair of trains! You could get to Vannes, Montpellier, Marseille or La Rochelle, then get a bus or local train to somewhere small and cute.

Annecy may not be that cheap but the lake is good for swimming. Also the French coast of Lake Geneva/ Lac Leman - Evian. Chambéry/ Aix and Lac du Bourget
In southern Germany and Austria also some lake options - Chiemsee, Zell am See etc. Plenty of campsites with caravans/ fixed tents/ cabins.

Belgium and the Netherlands have a lot of really nice coastline, accessible easily by train. Have a look at campsites with chalets.

Ah, sorry - that makes it tougher, not being able to hire a car when you're there.
Ibis hotels can be good value - e.g. this ibis budget in Toulon is within walking distance to beaches and Toulon is a direct train from Paris.
If you wanted somewhere inland as a base for a few days Avignon would be quick to reach on the same train line, and although public transport to surrounding areas is lacking, taxis might be an option and could get you to some interesting places in about half an hour.
Thetrainline.com shows you all the available train types including the cheap ones - OuiGo and Frecciarossa.

You should look at this website. https://www.seat61.com/

I've planned a few long distance rail journeys using his advice and links.

If you’re not keen on the Côte d’Azur (I was going to suggest Villefranche or Menton), then I would consider somewhere like Sete or Agde (not far from places like Nîmes) or further round towards Spain (somewhere like Collioure maybe). Or potentially the Basque coast? Somewhere like Saint Jean de Luz might be nice. That’s if you want to stay in France - I’m less familiar with the small towns on the Spanish coasts.

I’d probably look at the Basque coast and heading round to San Sebastián or even Bilbao in Spain, or somewhere like Villefranche or Menton and onwards to Italy (although appreciate you weren’t a fan of the Côte d’Azur but Villefranche is a proper little town and not like some of the snobbier places west of Nice).

If you’re open to Eurocamp (mobile home with air con?), have a look at their car free sites where you can walk to a town.