beachgirl04

We are going to be in France for the first 2 weeks with our 9 year old twins. I have been to France 3 times. Once as at backpacker at 18 years old, then with my friends at 25, and the last trip was with my husband while pregnant (we fly into nice and then travelled to Paris). My kids love history, museums (within reason), and are pretty easy going. I would like to spend close to 6 nights ( day trip to versailles, maybe Chartes or Disnet) in Paris and then go somewhere else...just not sure where to.. I am considering a beach town where we can get great food and just take in France. Please pass along suggestions. Otherwise, the other idea is Amsterdan for a couple of nights.

bilboburgler

Beautiful beaches on the Atlantic coast, the des-res of Parisians in August is the Ile de Re, but going south of here is nothing but empty golden beaches with small towns in between.

If you are coming in August the coast will be busier but June or July it is fine.

Alternatively you could do a more rock pool based holiday in the Granite coast of Brittany (I learnt to sail in Paimpol for example when I was a kid) but loads of lovely little fishing ports, or you might like say Barfleur (best mussels on the Normandy coast) or Coutance.

There are so many places. So do you want golden sand, little ports or rock pools, do you need easy train access or will you drive? Come back and I can make other suggestions.

beachgirl04

Thank you. The rock pools sound very interesting and I'll be sure to read up on them. We are open to either the rock pools or beach. I would like to be driving distance to tour the beaches of Normandy but we can drive to it as a day since since we plan on renting a car.

KodakMoment

The Atlantic coast is scenic but too cold for a swim, even at the height of summer.

Why not the French Riviera? You could base yourself in Nice and visit Cannes, Antibes, and Villefrance-sur-mer

beachgirl04

We have been there and I wanted to explore something new.

bilboburgler

"but too cold for a swim, even at the height of summer. "

I hope no one tells all those people who flock to these beaches and the sea all summer long.

So to give you a rough idea of google times to certain places (prob add 30% for real life time)

Paris to Ile de Re 4.5 hrs
Paris to Barfleur (on the bit that sticks up towards UK half was down the channel) 4 hrs
Paris to Coutance half way own the same spit on the west coast 3.5 hrs

Basically there are rocky pools all the way along the coast from Barfleur to just above Ile de Re with small course beaches all the way long (some obviously dangerous, some not) so for example Dinard (near St Malo and Mont Saint Michel has a great big beach with candy floss stalls etc.

The big bay of Le Havre (the great big scollop) is nearly all sand, great big beach across the river from Ouistreham which is close to Caen and the landing beaches.

Then if you keep going north and east you'll find little bays like Etretat with cliffs behind the beach.


It sounds a bit as if normandy is for you

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...mandy-beaches/

http://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/fami...dly-144-2.html

Mrs Bilbo thinks Brittany offers the best beaches (that is where she holidayed as a kid )
http://www.franceforfamilies.com/fra...ittany/beaches

Edward2005

Amsterdam would be an excellent choice for your after-Paris aperitif. Vondel park is great for kids. The family can rent bikes and tool around in flatland where bicycles rule cars with an iron fist. Everyone speaks English. The NEMO science museum is a hit with kids and van Gogh's best stuff has its own building. There are opportunities for more somber educational experiences such as the Ann Frank Huis, the Dutch Resistance museum, and a really good walking tour focused on the German occupation.