cmm

Hi,

So sorry I just posted this note but failed to properly tag it, so I am re-doing it here to get the most help. Please excuse the double-post.

We will be bringing our four children [ages 8-14] for their first trip to Europe this fall. The best non-stop flights I could find out of Washington DC would put us in Paris on 9/17 and flying home from Rome on 10/28. I'm thinking something like the first 6 days in Paris, then travel to Madrid on days 7-10, stay in Madrid [plus daytrips out] days 10-16. Barcelona for days 17-23, travel French Riviera for days 24 to 28, then on to Italy. We would have days 29 through 42 to visit Rome, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and so on.

What do you think? Is this too ambitious? Any recommendations for mode of travel Paris to Madrid? Barcelona to Italy, is a rental car feasible for this route? Any not-to-be-missed towns or sights along the way?

Also, we have a special interest in youth circus. Do you know of any youth circus schools somewhere on, or not too far off of, our route?

We would love some help with accommodations and sight seeing recommendations in any/all of these cities. With 6 people [and a few food issues] we prefer an apartment for anyplace that we will stay awhile. We also need to plan an itinerary for our time in Italy, arriving approx. 10/15 and ending in Rome on 10/28

Thanks for any help you can give us.

Best, CMM

StCirq

I'll just address the issue of the rental car. If you pick one up in country A and drop it in country B, you'll be looking at a whopping extra fee (just read about someone who was quoted an extra 1,000E). Someone has to drive that car back home.

cmm

Thanks. That is important to know.

So should we train to Perpignan then drive to Marseille.... and then train into Italy? Is that a better plan?

Best, CMM

Robert2533

Ambitious? Probably, especially for the children who will be missing out on school, unless they are home schooled, that is. Then it could be an adventure.

I take it you haven't done much in the way of homework for this trip and September isn't that far away. Something like this takes a lot of planning. Mid to late September is still high season so don't expect to find any real bargains in Paris. And note that some apartment rentals are from Saturday to Saturday only, but you can always find some that require fewer days.

If you rent a car in Spain or Italy you'll need to have an IDP, International Driving Permit, which you'll have to get from your local AAA office.

You should also plan on buying good medical insurance to cover you and the children while you're on this adventure. If you have medical cover at home it more than likely will not cover you while you're in the EU.

cmm

Thanks. I appreciate all of your guidance and will get right on it.

You're right, I am just now turning my attention to this trip so I am hugely grateful for your help. Thankfully, we have always been lucky and are generally even tempered so can usually roll with some unexpected changes..... not including the 8 year old who does like to whine......

I'm hopeful that with some concentrated effort in the next few weeks the details will come together.

Wish us luck!

Robert2533

As far as your time in Spain, you can take a look at Maribel's Guides (Barcelona, Madrid, País Vasco, Rioja) for information on lodging, restaurants, etc.

Christina

Your general timeframe seems reasonable. I would generally advise flying between Paris and Madrid given all your other traveling, but that will be expensive with 4 kids. Of course, driving won't be free, either, especially if you pay for a hotel room that night. I doubt if you want to take the train down through Marseille over to Madrid.

I actually went from Paris to Madrid last fall, and what I did was take the TGV to Bordeaux and spent a couple days there, then Easyjet from Bordeaux to Madrid. That's a budget airline if you don't know, they are very good. So that would be one option. I don't know that Bordeaux is that exciting for kids, but it's a nice enough city for a few days, at least you'd see something other than Paris in France. But Easyjet does fly between Paris and Madrid, that would save money as it's probably not that much, if any, more expensive than from Bordeaux. Fare is around 42 euro one-way, adults and kids, each. But 250 euro probably isn't more than renting a car, plus gas, plus hotel room for that trip, could well be less.

bobthenavigator

See my comments on your other post.

cmm

Thanks, Christina. That sound great, Ill look at the flights Paris-Madrid now. If you think the driving would work well; we'll have several days driving and exploring from Perpigan to Nice. Then flights from Nice-Naples [easyjet at only $48/per!].

Flying to Madrid actually makes that first part of the trip much less intense. A week in Paris, a week in Madrid, a week in Barcelona, 4.5 days in the Riveira and then 2 weeks in Italy.

cmm

Thanks, Bob, that is a good tip. I'll check out the Peugot deal. You're right, four kids always breaks the bank. Two hotel rooms much of the time, two taxis, and so on. It's a good thing that they are extra cute!

-CMM

Robert2533

Discount airlines restrict the amount of luggage you can take, so the deal with the Peugeot is much better. You can also do the program through Auto Europe (www.autoeurope.com/buyback_home.cfm).

Christina

I don't really agree that the deal with the Peugeot is better due to luggage. All "discount airlines" are not alike, I think Ryanair is the bad one in terms of fees and luggage. Easyjet doesn't have any more restrictive luggage than many airlines I've flown. Plus, on an airline, the allowance is per person. You do have to pay to check one bag rather than it being in the base fare, but it still is a reasonable fare when you do that (I think around 17 euro to check one bag of luggage), and the size of that bag is normal (20 km). Then you are also allowed one carryon which can be up to 50cmx40cmx20cm which is a regular size small suitcase for some people, not just a small carryon bag (that is 20"x16"x8"). It's possible that could be the entire baggage for a child. YOu save if you buy the luggage check when you book online rather than on-site.

Gas is expensive in France, and of course, you would add on hotel costs, etc.

cmm

Thanks again, Christina. I will look at the Peugeot and Auto Europe deals but I suspect that you may be right. Also, flights might be better not just in terms of the cost but also for convenience in some of these transits.

We have always managed to pack light & given that we are 6 we should be able to handle our combo of checked & carry on without add'l fees.

Robert2533

Don't forget to add in the cost of taxis (you'll need two to transport the group) to and from the airport and the time lost clearing security every time you want to fly.

Based on the lowest fares in mid to late September (Air France or EasyJet, if seats are available), the cost of 6 people flying from Paris to Madrid would be about $460 one-way.

Yes, fuel is expensive in France, Spain and Italy, but the convenience of having your own transportation is priceless. The problem I see with the Peugeot buy-back program is that the only vehicle that may accommodate your family of 6, and associated luggage, would be the Peugeot 807, but even it can only handle so much luggage. It could only work if you pack light and do a lot of laundry.

As I mentioned before, this is an ambitious plan, of which the logistics can be daunting. If it was only one destination or possibly two it wouldn’t be that difficult to arrange, but what you’re trying to do is plan a small group tour of three countries over several weeks.

cmm

Thanks, Robert2533, I will certainly weigh this information. You are right, moving our family around is a small group tour. More so in Europe where four children is a bit uncommon. Thankfully, we have gotten pretty good at keeping our team happy. It is a lot to balance and some of our itinerary is to insure that it covers different interests and doesn't cater to only a few of the children with others not getting anything that hits his/her interests.

The basic plan now is to fly into Paris and spend a week, fly to Madrid with about thirteen days divided between there and Barcelona, train just into France, hire car for 5 days throughout Riviera, fly from Nice to Naples, five days in Amalfi, sixth day train to Rome and then last week in Rome.

So pretty stable, a week each in four great cities and around 5 days each in two great scenic areas, Riviera and Amalfi.

And, at least we're not "crazyfamilyof4"!!

Thank you for your advice, I truly appreciate your help and that of all the generous travelers here who share their experience. I traveled extensively for both work and pleasure but that was many, many moons ago so I am most grateful to learn from you now.