Hi, my wife and 3 year old daughter are planning a 2 week trip to France. We would like a little of everything - but we have spent a week of an earlier holiday in Paris.

As such, we are looking to spend 2-3 days in Paris and then have a mix of French countryside, mountains and the beach. Is it too aggressive? Any suggestions in building an itinerary would be highly appreciated.

We will probably hire a car and drive around (we love that).

This will be in the last week of August and first week of September....

Whether its too aggressive depends on where and how many locations you plan to visit. I would get a good guidebook on France and see what areas interest you. Its a big country with lots of variety. With 2 weeks and a small child I would pick 3-4 locations in 2 weeks.

Happy Planning!

You'll want to head toward the Menton area. There you'll have mountains, the Mediterranean and be close to the rest of the Provence. Get an open jaw ticket with a return from Nice.

Hi K,

How about

Paris --> Lillibourn by train. Get Car.

4 days in the Bordeaux area. We liked http://chateau-de-roques.com/en/index.html, or you could stay on the beach in Arcachon.

More details in my trip report
Ira Does France (Bordeaux, Dordogne, Paris)
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34676645

Enjoy your visit.


We particularly liked being on the gray, blustery, rainy, chilly Atlantic beach at Arcachon one morning, and the hot, bright blue, quiet Mediterranean that afternoon.

It's about 4:30 hr to Narbonne Plage, on the Mediterranean. This would be nice for another 3 days. Carcassone, about 1 hr, would make a nice daytrip.

From NP, take the back roads to the right of Millau, through the Gorges du Tarn to St Chely du Tarn - 3 hr for 1 - 2 nights.

Off to Sarlat la Caneda via Conques - 5.5 hr

3 -4 days in the Dordogne, before dropping the car in Lilibourne and returning to Paris.

Hey ira,

Do you mean Libourne, or have you made up a new country?

When are you planning to go? Be warned that the end of August/early September will see LOTS of traffic, as it's the end of the French vacation period and people will be heading north for home. Probably avoiding the south would be a good idea--Normandy and Brittany would be excellent choices.

Hi St C,

>Do you mean Libourne,

Of course.

Sorry, was out of town with no access to the Internet (yeah, its still possible)....

Just beginning to go through the suggestions - thanks to everyone who responded, will probably have more qtns in a day or two....