We are traveling to France for a little over three weeks. We are a family of four, two adults and two kids ages 9 and 11. We are trying to decide what luggage will work for our trip. In the past we've used those large duffles that turn into backpacks and spinner bags. Ideally we'd be able to travel with four spinners (21" and 24/25") but we're wondering if they will fit into our rental car (Citroen C4 or similar). Would two spinners and two duffles be better (kids won't be able to manage that kind of duffle but can handle a spinner bag)? Should we seriously consider a larger car? Comfort isn't really an issue, if we have to put a bag in between the girls in the back or at my feet for the drive from Provence to Lyon we will live, as long as it is physically possible.

Thanks for your help.

Monica

How many bags of which size does the rental car agency's website indicate will fit?

They have a large suitcase icon and two smaller suitcase icons. Then we tried to find out the actual size of the trunk on other websites and they measure in liters. As my husband said "we're not going to drink it!".

I think this is a risk management issue. You can go several ways: a car with larger cargo space, carry less luggage, or do both.

Does anyone know what this car actually looks like? I'm thinking if two of the bags are squishable it might work? We do travel light, it's just that four people for three weeks does require a certain amount of stuff.

When our girls were that young, we packed their things into one large spinner between them. Kids don't need that much stuff, especially in summer, so it was quite easy. That size car will definitely not take four bags. Also, don't forget you'll need space for a couple of carry-on bags (which is where we normally carry toys, books, cameras etc)

Try this for a conversion. The Citroen has been out since 2004.

http://carspector.com/car/citroen/026891/

Looks like from 11 CuFt to 38 Cuft. My guess is the larger number comes from folding down the rear seat, which doesn't work for you.

This is one cramped car. Check out the gas mileage, power, etc....

Pictures? Try this. http://www.google.fr/search?q=citroe...w=1024&bih=678

I like the way the doors open.

If the link doesn't work, just google Citroen C4 pictures.

Our children were 9 and 12 when we first went to Europe as a family (2008) and they each carried a day pack with capacity of about 40 litres (luggage is easier measured in litres than car capacity!). Basically that's a large day pack. We went for 5 weeks and they had heaps of space in their bags for all their stuff. They weighed about 7kg each.

We travelled by public transport rather than car but having backpacks for the children was perfect as they could easily walk with them without injury or hassle.

When I went to Europe last year (again 5 weeks) I took a very small suitcase with wheels (and I mean really small) and a day pack. Having two small bags may be easier to store in the boot and certainly easier to lug around.

ps. What is a 'spinner'?

We did what dreamon did when our kids were young: each child had an appropriate sized daypack for clothing etc, and we had one set of dressy clothes for each in our bag for dinners at nice restaurants. We stopped for a morning at a laundromat every five days or so. In many ways the best trip ever. You can take a lot fewer clothes if you are changing locations often since no one twigs to the fact that you are wearing the same thing over and over again.

Those doors are crazy on the Citroen for sure! A spinner is a small roller bag with wheels that go every direction. They're great for kids because they can push them, pull them, use the handle or just push the bag itself.

We will be in apartments for two of the weeks and so can do laundry. The older at least doesn't totally trash an outfit every time she wears it anymore either. Their clothes are only a wee bit smaller than mine these days, though, so that doesn't buy us much.

You want a wagon for that luggage.

So it's really not a lot of luggage. I think we can get by with three bags. It would fit into something like a small Toyota hatchback. We managed in Ireland with a compact car and that was with a stroller and warmer clothes. It's just that the Citroen looks to be smaller than that. I think we will have to go up just one level. Don't want to get too big of a car because then we'll have trouble navigating/ parking.

Oh, and thanks everyone for your input. We were really deciding whether to get the duffles that turn into backpacks vs. spinner bags (we only have two very large spinners we used last year when we had to pay to check bags so we only had two for the family) so we're buying something, we just didn't know what. My husband is feeling like we're too old to be seen lugging backpack luggage now anyway.

Okay, I just measured the bags we took last year. I would have thought they were 28" but they were 25" but they seem to big to me to get into the Euro cars. Am I right? Better to have three 21" or two 25"? Now I'm confusing myself...

You have thought about a lot of things, Monica. I know it's hard making the perfect packing choices.

Two other considerations:
--It is possible you will not end up with the size of car (and expected trunk size) you ordered.

--Think about how you need to move from place to place, and what luggage arrangement will make it easy for you when you get to lodgings.

Those two factors, plus our wish to do carry-on whenever possible, drove our own family packing choices. Now that your kids are getting older, maybe the following will be helpful.

When my girls were as young as 7 and 11, our standard family Europe trip packing evolved into one carry-on roller plus one backpack per person. We parents used larger backpacks--the average type that college kids would use around campus, not the Rick Steves convertible size. The kids' packs were appropriate for their body size, and as they grew taller, so did their packs.

I also have these really nifty daypacks that fold up to the size of a paperback. We'd pack them in our luggage and unfold them once we moved into our hotel room.

When renting a European car, this luggage arrangement was perfect. No matter what the trunk size or shape, our four soft-sided rectangular carry-ons could be stacked two and two, or be distributed on the trunk floor, or be aligned side-by-side in many different configurations, and the four backpacks could be lodged in remaining curves or easily stored in the seating area of the car.

We also found this packing arrangement to work well in the the typically teeny tiny European hotel room--we could assign corners and nooks. And a no-elevator hotel was never a problem because there was not even one heavy suitcase to lug up the stairs.

With each person having his/her own luggage, we had total flexibility to stay in two rooms or a family room, and shifting room arrangements never become an obstacle.

For example, on one trip, we had counted on staying in a family room, and the room was just terrible. We were offered two rooms to make up for it; our luggage distribution made that new option easily and instantly viable.

We also like this luggage arrangement for mass transportation. When the kids were small, my husband and I would have the girls head up into the train ahead of us. We could easily lift two carry-ons apiece up to them while the girls took care of their stashing. It was not long before they were doing the hoisting themselves.

There was another eventual bonus to this arrangement: the kids became more and more responsible for their own belongings over time.

Best wishes fining your own zen packing style! Have fun on your trip.

AlessadraZoe, thanks for your insight. That does help. Of course it also means I'm buying more luggage! I have a 21" roller and then we could get the others, they're not expensive at least. We only had the big roller bags because of the checked bag fees on domestic flights, we hate having our luggage with us (carryon only) because of the hassle in the airport and the stress of wondering if you'll get a space for it, not mention not being able to pack everything (i.e. snowglobe souveniers, etc.). Our next trip will be back to Costa Rica where we take a small plane with a max weight of 25lbs per bag so we'll use the smaller bags again anyway.

We also tend to travel with a 21" roller + backpack per person (our kids are now 13 & 10). That works well if there is a lot of walking involved as each can tote their own. Sometimes we combine the kids stuff but most of the time everyone has their own.

If we check bags and we know there is a (smallish) rental car awaiting, we sometimes use soft duffles as they are squishable.

There's nothing to say you can't put a bag in the back seat if necessary.

The only issue with throwing the luggage in the back seat or at your feet is that you can't stop between locations because you won't want your luggage to be viewable by possible thieves.

You will get three small-medium sized spinners in the back of the Citroen, but it will be tight. There would certainly not be room to have one between your kids in the back seat (not to mention safety issues). But you could store small carry-on backpacks on the floor under their feet.