Family Tips

Activities

Playgrounds: are called aire de jeux. They are a great way for younger children to decompress after a long flight, in between activities or to burn off some energy. Many of the major attractions, ie: Eiffel Tower, Luxembourg Gardens, Louvre Museum, etc... have playgrounds within their "grounds".

Take a painting lesson: Consider adding an art lesson to your itinerary. Taking an art lesson with a local artist can help children better understand the people, places, and stories behind some of the country's most celebrated works of art.

Carrousels: Old-time carrousels can be found in most major towns and cities. For a few euro, your child/children can step into a world of timeless wonder.

Souvenir Coins: Many of France's most popular attractions have souvenir coin machines where you can collect a unique keepsake featuring the site you've visited. They're an inexpensive and fun way for children to remember each adventure and make a great travel collection.

Food & Beverages

Menus: Children's menu options are often extremely limited and can simply be steak or breaded chicken with fries. Although restaurants often not bothered if you bring your own healthier additions of fruit/vegetables. Sometimes a more child-friendly option is to have a picnic in a park or near a playground.

Water: At restaurants still water is always free. Order a pitcher of water  (une carafe d'eau) for your table.  In Paris, you can fill up water bottles at "les fontaines Wallace". There are nearly 160 water fountains providing fresh water around the city.

Messes: Bring wet wipes, even if your children have out grown their use. They are handy when navigating ice cream mishaps.

Coffee: To order a coffee that is larger than an espresso, as for a café allongé. It is still quite small compared to North American standards, but it is at least more than a sip.

Vehicles & Travel

Paris Metro: Metro Card Navigo pass-get a Retractable badge reel with a clip-don't lose that pass and kids can use their own. Children 4 and over need their own card.

Prebook parking if you rent a car in Paris. This will save you headaches if your accomodation does not provide parking. Paris: (Zenpark, Onepark). Paris is most easily accessible with the metro. However, if you desire the flexibility of little day trips or a place to park before you commence your roadtrip through France, this is a great thing to keep in mind.

Emergency stops: Along most major roadways there are orange SOS call posts where you can call for assistance if needed.

Rest Stops: are called aire______. They are very frequent and there will be many signs leading up to them to give you enough warning to turn off. It is recommended to bring your own toilet paper, just in case. Although, you won't always need it. Best to be prepared. Many have gas, food and washrooms, and even picnic spots!

Also, major view site, ie: Millau Viaduct & Garabit Viaduct, have their own turn offs! You can safely view these sites, while stretching your legs and giving children a break from the car.

Toll Roads: In France, high-speed limited-access motorways are called Autoroutes, and their road signs are always preceded by the letter A. Most 'A' roads are toll roads managed by private companies and marked with the word Péage, however there are some toll-fee Autoroutes

     Toll Free Alternatives: You can drive anywhere in France without paying tolls by taking N (Route Nationale) or D (Route Départementale) roads, though these alternative routes are typically much slower. 

Sight Seeing Signs:  Throughout France, brown road signs mark places of cultural, historical, and natural interest. Featuring white text and a simple illustration of a local landmark or attraction, they're a fun way to discover the unique treasures of each region.

Hire a photographer: Capture your precious memories with a professional photoshoot. Local photographers know the best locations to immortalize your family's adventure, creating beautiful images you'll treasure long after your journey has ended. 

*We used Manoé Photographie in Arles for our family photoshoot and couldn't have been happier with the experience. Jeanne was wonderful with our young children, keeping the session relaxed and going with the flow. The beautiful photographs have become some of our favourite travel keepsakes. Highly recommended!