Summer 26 Provence trip with young kids.

[MrSpanky49]

Starting to plan a family holiday for next year. We have done the Loire valley as a family of 3 a couple of years ago and it was great, as well as the Bruges Christmas market last year.

This time, looking at a larger (2-week) trip. The kids at this point (next jun/jul) will be 4 yrs and 14 months.

Idea would be to head to Provence for a week in a villa, but take a few days either side for travel. Fully aware given the age of the kids age we will have to break the journey up.

I’ve a couple of ideas so far on the first bit of the holiday- thinking a ferry from Plymouth to Santander, a night or two in Pamplona then onto Pau (maybe via a route over the Pyrenees)

Other option would be through France from Calais or dieppe haven’t thought of where to stop en route for this yet.

Pau to wherever we choose in Provence I think I could do in a day.

Route home would be straight up towards probably Calais, although open to a route up the west side and a dieppe-newhaven crossing. Broken up as well.

Potentially time to head somewhere like Ile de Re for a couple of nights but it’s a long trip from Provence…

Anyone with similar age kids done anything similar? Am I in for a world of misery? My oldest is pretty good in the car. Done a few long trips/4+ hour flights and generally behaves well.

Thanks.

[johnpsanderson]

Look up the Bison Fute calendar for the dates to avoid travel-wise. When ours were that age we put them in the car, they fell asleep and then we (more accurately I ) drove through the night to get to wherever, although we have not been as far and Pau or Provence (furthest were to Le Buge in the Dordogne and Perros Guirec in Brittany; both driving from Eurotunnel). We ve also gone down to Dijon overnight, and from Dijon to Montelimar in the early hours.

My experience is the autoroutes are a dream at night, never had any real problems. Day time driving has generally been less pleasant, especially once off the peage, plus the kids soon get fed up being in the car…

[sherman]

I would consider driving yourself with all the luggage etc in the car for a 2/3 day drive to Provence.

Your wife and the kids fly out to Marseille or Bezier using budget airline with minimal hand luggage.
Pick them up from the airport
Enjoy your holiday and then drive back over a few days as a family and it will seem a big adventure to the kids.

[MrSpanky49]

johnpsanderson said:

Look up the Bison Fute calendar for the dates to avoid travel-wise. When ours were that age we put them in the car, they fell asleep and then we (more accurately I ) drove through the night to get to wherever, although we have not been as far and Pau or Provence (furthest were to Le Buge in the Dordogne and Perros Guirec in Brittany; both driving from Eurotunnel). We ve also gone down to Dijon overnight, and from Dijon to Montelimar in the early hours.

My experience is the autoroutes are a dream at night, never had any real problems. Day time driving has generally been less pleasant, especially once off the peage, plus the kids soon get fed up being in the car

Yeah, that’s how we did the return leg from Loire, I left at 4am for Dieppe and did it in one hit. Kid slept most of the way.

Also thinking may go via Germany/Black Forest instead of from northern Spain.

So many options it’s hard to decide what might be best!

[MrSpanky49]

sherman said:

I would consider driving yourself with all the luggage etc in the car for a 2/3 day drive to Provence.

Your wife and the kids fly out to Marseille or Bezier using budget airline with minimal hand luggage.
Pick them up from the airport
Enjoy your holiday and then drive back over a few days as a family and it will seem a big adventure to the kids.

Yeah it’s certainly an option but I wanted the kids to be involved in the journey/adventure, although may be best once they’re a bit older…