A set of grandparents has moved to Avignon France so the pressure is on to visit them. But with what will be a 4.5 yo and 1.5 yo with us our trip will be a little different to any other trips we've done to France. I'm looking for ideas and info from those who know the area....thx
A set of grandparents has moved to Avignon France so the pressure is on to visit them. But with what will be a 4.5 yo and 1.5 yo with us our trip will be a little different to any other trips we've done to France. We live in Perth Australia so it will be around a 24 hour trip to we'll probably stop in Paris for a few days before heading down and i think either april or sept next year would be better weather. I'm thinking we'll go in total for about 3 weeks so a side trip somewhere would be good...although any travel really needs to be less than 3 or 4 hours or plane will be the preferred option. We've been to Barcelona, Nice and Monaco before but all without kids so visited galleries etc where that wouldnt be an option this time.
What we would be after is toddler friendly activities....anything that is noisey and loud is good for kids or of course if there are other kids there 😊 Art galleries and historical museums will be out... parklands, play areas and young kids theme parks are in. Muesums that cater for kids are good. Sporting activities are good or maybe even dance or plays??? As long as i dont attempt to make my little energetic boy stay still or quiet for too long things are in.
Does anyone have any ideas or must do's? I found some stuff for paris including great parks and playgrounds and museums that are toddler friendly but didnt find too much for Avignon or immediate surrounds. And also any ideas on a quick holiday while we're there that would be toddler friendly? Barcelona would have heaps of stuff but maybe Cannes or Nice....any ideas? Also what about a cruise down the rhone to get there or are these generally for older people?
look forward to any info you have
Thanks
tam
Reply to this Hello Tam 😊
What about theme parks. There are the well known ones like legoland and Eurodisney and the less well known ones such as Lollyhop(in Munich, Germany) where I am taking my daughter for her next birthday. While ones like legoland are pricey, others are not and you can often spend all day in them if you want. Also, they tend to have cafes for parents to sit in.
Shopping centers everywhere also often have an area with restaruants beside it.
If you happen to travel by train in Germany, be sure to ask if the family compartments are available. Maybe they are also on the trains in other countries by now. They are a compartment for parents with little kids, where you can go in with other parents and kids and let your kids play on the floor, rather than having the discomfort of having to hold them for the entire journety. These train compartments in Germany also have large toilet cubicles beside them, for the times you have to change the kids or even use the bathroom yourself while the kids are with you.
Also, there is a place in the center of Munich, Germany where you can leave you kids with child care specialists in a play area. You pay per hour and it is quite expensive, but it is nice to be able to have a child free lunch, when you have someplace the kids can be left. Maybe places like this are also in other places in Europe too.
Mel
Reply to this Thanks Mel....that is a great idea and i'll look into theme parks. And good info abotu the trains...might be a good trip for my boy as he loves those sorts of things 😊
We've just been to thailand for the week which was 6 hrs trying to keep the little ones still so not looking forward to 24 hours to get to europe 😞( Not sure if it would be better to break it up and stop in singapore then italy or dubai or somewhere or just to get the pain over with lol!
Reply to this Hi Tam!
I hope you are well. I will warn you: when I was in France I was living there by myself, I have no children so everything I am advising you is according to what I saw, however here's some knowledge i can pass down to you.
1) Most French cities have a carosel; I remember seeing one in Avingon's centre ville, and I remember seeing on in Paris (in addition to a ferris wheel) near Musee d'Orsey ( I don't remember the exact location unfortunately-this was four years ago and I saw this via taxi). Also while in Paris you can go to Disneyland Paris, which I highly recommend. They offer great family packages, which can sometimes include your airfare, hotel and tickets for both parks. I spent three days there when I went and I had a lot of fun and all I saw was Downtown Disney and Disneyland; I didn't get to see the MGM Studios, but it looked like fun! What could also help you plan your trip is if you go on lonelyplanet.com or purchase a guidebook for France because normally they have a section on traveling with children. I would also suggest that you talk with your family and get their insight on what to do. I hope this helps!
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