France in March Suggestions?
 

Thinking about a visit to the southern part of France during our Spring break March 6 16. Any suggestions. We have two kids (teenagers) who want to experience the French countryside not touristy venues the whole trip. Thanks

ttt

The South of France is a HUGE area - have you even begun to pinpoint what part of it you're interested in? I think you'll get some help here if you have done some minimal research and can say, for example, that you want to focus on the Pyrénees and Atlantic coast, or the Bouches-du-Rhône area, or the Languedoc-Rousillon. France is big and varied - "southern part of France" doesn't really resonate enough to draw good answers.

Hi<BR><BR>you can read about Languedoc here :<BR><BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com/<BR><BR>Peter<BR>

March is still skiing season and the Alps and Pyreness are in the "Southern part" of France.

As you've already been told, "the south of France" is a big area, and you could plan many different and equally wonderful trips in this area. Knowing your family's interests, the ages of the teens, etc. would help those who might have suggestions. <BR><BR>Having said that, I'll give you a couple of suggestions based on a trip with my then-20-yr-old son in late March a few years ago. We also preferred to stay away from crowds and to see the countryside. We both enjoyed a boat tour of the calanques near Cassis (touristy during the summer, I'm sure, but not very crowded in March), though it was chilly and windy out on the water. We spent a night in Castellane (There's also a castle in nearby Trigance, a tiny village, where it's possible to stay, but I don't know if it's open year-round.) and drove the Canyon du Verdon east to west. It's an exciting drive, and the water of the Verdon River is the most beautiful color. We found that the canyon road wasn't crowded at all this time of year. During our trip, the weather was nice with only a light jacket being required. <BR><BR>Wherever you go, I recommend renting a car and driving the tiny roads you'll find using a Michelin regional map such as #245 - Provence and Cote d'Azur.