Insight on first family vacation to France
Feb 23rd, 2012, 06:22 AM
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Insight on first family vacation to France
My family (2 adults, one 11-year old boy) would like to travel to France this Summer (June or August) or in Autumn (September, October, November). This will be our first trip to France and we'd really love to spend some time in Paris and also get the feel of the rest of the country. I'm looking for suggestions and tips on what to see/do with a single pre-teen that will give us the biggest bang for our buck in the time that we can spend there (7-12 days). Should we look for a tour with a guide to help with the language barrier? Any must-sees? Suggestions for planning and where to start are most welcome. Thank you!!
Feb 23rd, 2012, 07:21 AM
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7-12 days is not much time at all.
Go in June or Sept - not August.
If you have 7 days I would spend 4 nights in Paris & 3 in the Loire if the 11 YO likes castles.
If you have 12 days, I would spend 6 days in Paris and visit Versailles on of those days.
Then spend 6 days in the Dordogne (get there by TGV train & rent a car). The Dordogne has a huge number of things that I think you and your kid would love - medieval castles, caves with pre-historic cave drawings, caves with stalactites & mites, cute villages, canoe trips, beautiful countryside, fantastic views (from Castelnau & Domme), birds of prey show.
Don't worry about the language - the Dordogne is infested with Brits.
Don't try to visit more than 2 areas - Paris & the Dordogne.
I have a 20 page itinerary for the Dordogne. I've sent it to over 1,000 people on Fodors. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach a copy to the reply e-mail.
Stu Dudley
Go in June or Sept - not August.
If you have 7 days I would spend 4 nights in Paris & 3 in the Loire if the 11 YO likes castles.
If you have 12 days, I would spend 6 days in Paris and visit Versailles on of those days.
Then spend 6 days in the Dordogne (get there by TGV train & rent a car). The Dordogne has a huge number of things that I think you and your kid would love - medieval castles, caves with pre-historic cave drawings, caves with stalactites & mites, cute villages, canoe trips, beautiful countryside, fantastic views (from Castelnau & Domme), birds of prey show.
Don't worry about the language - the Dordogne is infested with Brits.
Don't try to visit more than 2 areas - Paris & the Dordogne.
I have a 20 page itinerary for the Dordogne. I've sent it to over 1,000 people on Fodors. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach a copy to the reply e-mail.
Stu Dudley
Feb 23rd, 2012, 08:10 AM
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Get the Michelin Green Guide for France. Its introductory chapters include quite a bit of history and cultural explanations. Have your son look at it, so that he can have some input. The Dordogne would be a good choice for its variety, but you'll need a car to see the region.
Feb 23rd, 2012, 08:18 AM
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You are going to save a lot of time if you listen to Stu Dudley. The Dordogne has everything for kids: castles, the finest cave drawings in the world, canoe trips, (oh, he said all that!) and it is great in September. At least start there.
When he is older, go to Provence unless you live in California and can go to Santa Barbara
When he is older, go to Provence unless you live in California and can go to Santa Barbara
Feb 23rd, 2012, 08:20 AM
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<< Should we look for a tour with a guide to help with the language barrier >>
You'll only find a language barrier if you go to a small village where no tourists go. Any place you find tourists you will find people who speak English.
You can do some walking tours in Paris or book a day tour outside of the city by bus. Versailles is easily done by public transportation (RER) from Paris.
<< Suggestions for planning and where to start are most welcome. >>
Where to start is with some guide books. Think about the types of things you enjoy doing and choose locations from that list.
Click on the word Destinations at the top of this screen for suggestions.
With only 7 to 12 days you won't be able to go too far from Paris. I suggest a week in Paris with one or two day trips if you have 7 days. If you have 12 days then a week in Paris and 5 days in one other easily accessible location (Nice, Avignon, Strasbourg).
With an 11 year old I would avoid small towns that may not have much diversion.
Do a search on Paris day trips on this board. You'll come up with tons of things to do.
You'll only find a language barrier if you go to a small village where no tourists go. Any place you find tourists you will find people who speak English.
You can do some walking tours in Paris or book a day tour outside of the city by bus. Versailles is easily done by public transportation (RER) from Paris.
<< Suggestions for planning and where to start are most welcome. >>
Where to start is with some guide books. Think about the types of things you enjoy doing and choose locations from that list.
Click on the word Destinations at the top of this screen for suggestions.
With only 7 to 12 days you won't be able to go too far from Paris. I suggest a week in Paris with one or two day trips if you have 7 days. If you have 12 days then a week in Paris and 5 days in one other easily accessible location (Nice, Avignon, Strasbourg).
With an 11 year old I would avoid small towns that may not have much diversion.
Do a search on Paris day trips on this board. You'll come up with tons of things to do.
Feb 23rd, 2012, 08:21 AM
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Agree - 5-6 days in Paris, then take the train to the Dordogne and rent a car. There are endless things to do there that an 11-year-old would love and remember for the rest of his life. You WILL need a car. Get the Michelin Green Guide to the area and start reading.
Feb 23rd, 2012, 10:16 AM
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Our DS's first trip to Europe was about 12 nights, and we visited London, the Loire Valley (castles) and Paris. Delightful trip, and he loved everything and realized that he liked castles, the older the better.
So a subsequent trip included the Dordogne, which he loved (as do we). Lots of castles there, dating from the time period of the Hundred Years' War, plus prehistoric caves and loves of great food.
Definitely Sept/Oct would be better than August.
So a subsequent trip included the Dordogne, which he loved (as do we). Lots of castles there, dating from the time period of the Hundred Years' War, plus prehistoric caves and loves of great food.
Definitely Sept/Oct would be better than August.
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