thescrappyhomeschooler Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I studied in France as an undergraduate, and then again as a graduate student, so I've been to many parts of France. I will be taking the kids through France next summer. We will be taking the Chunnel train from London to Paris, and then I need to get to my friends' house in Germany, near the Swiss border (Zurich area). This will be the kids' first trip to France, so we will spend a few days in Paris, and then I'd like to spend a few days somewhere else in France that I've never seen before heading to Germany. So, here are the places I've visited: Paris- many times, seen a LOT Tours and the Loire River Valley, including Chambord, Chenonceau, Amboise, Chinon, Saumur, Villandry, among other places in the region Strasbourg and Colmar and other small towns in between Clermont Ferrand and the Puy de Dome Annecy and the surrounding area Bordeaux Nice, Marseille, and many, many locations along the Côte d'Azur, including Cannes and St. Tropez Many Places in Provence, including Avignon, Arles, Nimes, Èze, Grasse, St. Paul de Vence. I visited la Camargue and the Pont du Gard also. My aunt and I took a week long road trip around the coast of Brittany and Normandy, stopping in Brest, Bayeux, the beaches, Mont St. Michel, among other things. So, if you know France or have been somewhere in France I haven't mentioned, I'm hoping for suggestions of where to go and what to see. I'm thinking 2-3 days. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 :lurk5: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Jealous!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readwithem Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 The lavender in Provence is breathtaking, and there are several festivals and a lavender museum in the Luberon. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readwithem Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Just read your post in detail - you have been to a lot of places. :) Your children might like to see Rheims, where the French kings were crowned. You can tour the cathedral. Have you been to Chartres? There is a British guy there who "reads" the stained glass windows. He is really fascinating. Once we took his morning tour, went to get lunch, and came back for his (different) afternoon tour. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Just read your post in detail - you have been to a lot of places. :) Your children might like to see Rheims, where the French kings were crowned. You can tour the cathedral. I have always wanted to see that. Good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 I have not been to Chartres, either. Maybe we'll do a "cathedral tour". I like it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Dordogne / Perigord! Beautiful medieval towns like Sarlat, the incredible topiary gardens at Marqueyssac, caves at Lascaux and Cap Blanc, and of course fantastic food and wine. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaplank Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Wow, the things you learn on this forum!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 We just decided it this afternoon, aaplank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Any reason it must be in France? You could stop in Belgium on your way down from London. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Oh no! I never even thought about Belgium! I love Belgium! I've been to Bruges, Brussels, and Liège. I wonder what dh would think about the boys and me being gone even longer. 😠1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMWB Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I was going to suggest Luxembourg instead, but would second for a stop in Belgium if you don't want to go to any of the places you have already been but want to go somewhere cool with the kids. I think they would love the fortifications. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I used to live just north of Freiburg. Its such a beautiful area. Have you been to Nancy? I loved it there. It might be interesting to share some of your favorite places with your kids.... Its too far south i think, but i've always wanted to take a sail thru the Canal du Midi. On the German side, there is a lot, too. have fun! ann 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Wow, it seems like you have already seen so much in France! The only other place I can think of (I haven't traveled there nearly as extensively as you) that I know a little about is the Chartres Cathedral. I actually haven't been there myself, but my son and daughter were there and loved it. I think it's about an hour outside of Paris. Apparently when the sun shines through its stained glass windows, it's breath-taking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 How about the Jura mountain area? Saint-Claude? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I don't see Mont Blanc on anyone's list yet? We drove thru Provence, then ended up in the Alps. So much taller and larger than I ever could have imaagined. Crazy driving with hair-pin turns, etc. :) (We puddle-jumped from Paris to Marseilles, put our toes in the Med Sea, then drove thru Provence to the Alps then to Geneva.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSNative Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I know you have been there already but since your kids haven't, revisiting Normandy and the beaches would be great. I first saw them back when I was about their ages. New places to go- this slideshow had pics and better descriptions of a few places that I was going to suggest. http://www.thelocal.fr/galleries/travel/top-10-unknown-must-visit-places-in-france 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 I was going to suggest Luxembourg instead, but would second for a stop in Belgium if you don't want to go to any of the places you have already been but want to go somewhere cool with the kids. I think they would love the fortifications. I have been to Belgium a couple of times, but not Luxembourg. I actually have a friend who lives in Luxembourg, too. I could stop in a say hello. That is another excellent idea. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 I used to live just north of Freiburg. Its such a beautiful area. Have you been to Nancy? I loved it there. It might be interesting to share some of your favorite places with your kids.... Its too far south i think, but i've always wanted to take a sail thru the Canal du Midi. On the German side, there is a lot, too. have fun! ann I have a friend who suggests biking along the Canal du Midi every year, and one of these years, I will take him up on it. He doesn't have kids, so does not understand my life and why I cannot flit off to France when he gets a whim. Lol. I have a friend who lives in Freiburg. Her parents live in Horben up in the hills of the Black Forest. It's gorgeous. I had the privilege of staying with them a few times. I spent the New Year holiday in Frieburg one year and had a blast. My other German friends live in Eggingen, which is kind of in the middle of nowhere between Freiburg and Zurich. I'm not sure if I'll stop in Freiburg, or if my Freiburg friend will come down to Eggingen to hang out with all of us. I haven't been to Nancy. That is a possibility. I want to take another trip, just to France, in a few years, when my husband can go, too. I want to show them all the Loire Valley, and Normandy, among other things. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 I know you have been there already but since your kids haven't, revisiting Normandy and the beaches would be great. I first saw them back when I was about their ages. New places to go- this slideshow had pics and better descriptions of a few places that I was going to suggest. http://www.thelocal.fr/galleries/travel/top-10-unknown-must-visit-places-in-france Thanks for the link! I want to do a longer tour of France with the kids in a couple more years when my husband can join us, so we will definitely go back to Normandy. If not for the beaches, for the Bayeux tapestry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Okay, so now I'm really excited thinking about taking the Eurostar to Brussels instead. I can go to Mary Chocolatier, my favorite chocolates in the world, and take my kids to the Bande Dessinée museum. Then we can go to Luxembourg to see my other friend, and maybe a day in Nancy before heading down to Germany. That sounds completely fun and doable. Thanks for the suggestions! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMWB Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 If you want to go to a war museum - outside of Luxembourg City in Diekirch, is a military museum that is amazing. Totally worth the trip out there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.