Three weeks in Provence with kids...
 

I will be staying in a house 6km outside Avignon this June/July. I've read quite a few posts and guide books already. However I'd love any suggestions of kid (6&9) friendly activities that are a 30-45 min drive from Avignon. A few summers ago we were in Tuscany and the kids became car sick with the hilly windy roads. We decided short trips with them were best. They enjoy climbing around ruins, playgrounds, markets. They didn't like being left at home (w/nanny) due to car sickness. Are the roads in Provence similar to southern Tuscany?
Thanks!

Yes,many of the roads here are windy, twisting and climb. One I would advise avoiding would be the road from St Remy to Les Baux... but you can take a roundabout way (St Remy towards Tarascon...toward Maussane and then into Les Baux)

Here are a few things the kids might enjoy:

Take them to visit the ruins of Glanum outside of St Remy (ruins of a Roman village, built over much older ruins)

There is a bird show - free flying eagles, hawks, even vultures, at the ruins of the chateau in Beaucaire. It takes place every afternoon - several shows.

Take them to Aigues Mortes in the Camargue - the walled city which was the departure point for the Crusades.
(the drive is NOT twisty or climbing)

There is a zoo and chateau in Barben, outside of Salon de Provence (about a 40 minute drive from St Remy)that is worth a visit.

Here's a website for the markets around here, so you can have your pick.
www.marches-en-provence.com

Definitely take then to see the Pont du Gard. They can take their bathing suits and swim in the river... or rent canoes or kayaks.

Patricia

Thank you for the wonderful suggestions!
And good to know about the roads. We may try a bit of medicine or wrist bands this time round too.

I had another idea... check out the tourist office in St Remy or even Avignon. There are sometimes rock climbing classes given to kids here in the Alpilles (near Les Baux and Maussane)during the summer months. They might enjoy that.

If I can help with other questions, feel free to email me [email protected]

Patricia

Other kid winners:

1) the Grottes de Thouzon north of Isle-sur-la Sorgue; also not bad for big people and don't miss the walk above the caves to the castle ruins.

2) canoeing on the sorgue river below the fountaine de vaulcuse.

3) across the river from Beaucaire is the castle in Tarascon.

4) the Borie Village in Gordes - a bit touristy, but never saw an eight year who didn't enjoy it.

5) the fort and chartreuse in villeneuve.

6) street performers during the festival in Avignon.

-Kevin

Now I'm wondering if we'd be able to rent bikes for our 3 week stay. The house is on a working farm so I'm hoping there'd be nice trafficless roads to ride on. Would it be expensive to rent two kid and one or two adult bikes for such a long time? And would they provide helmets?

Thanks Particia and Kevin for the ideas. They look great!

Since I don't know where exactly you're staying, I don't know if there is a rental place. But there usually are bike rentals available just about anywhere. They usually have a very small charge for the helmets - and they do provide them.

If you send me an email with the village you're staying in I could check on places for you pretty quickly in the phone book.

Kevin had some good ideas... but gotta tell you that the Sorgue river is really cold ! so don't fall out of the canoe.

Patricia

Thanks Patricia! We are staying 6km from Avignon and 5 from Villeneuve-les-Avignon. The house is on a farm so I'm guessing it's best to look in Avignon for a bike rental place. I'll check their tourist office website.
Also I somewhere (here?) heard of Wooloomooloo. I checked out their website and am wondering is this a place kids would also enjoy or is it more adult? It's nice to have a balance of adult activities, kid activities and ones we can all enjoy.

..the kids will enjoy Les Baux..as will you though it is swarming with tourists...There is a little park above the Palais de Papes with has a lovely view, a pretty fountain, a bit of running space which would be nice for a picnic....Rousillon would be another place with a lot of interest for both you and the kids.

Isn't Woomooloomoo some kind of trendy bar/restau on the rue des Teinturiers in Avignon ? Or am I thinking of something else entirely ?

And to Patricia: wasn't it Frederic Mistral who said "the coldest winter I ever spent was the summer I fell into the Sorgue." ?

-Kevin

p.s.: even better than the cliffs in Roussillon for the kids would be the Colorado near Rustrel. Much larger, more impressive and less crowded.