NPR

First holiday abroad in 3 years. Have a 7 year old in tow.
Plan is to arrive in Toulouse and spend some time with friends there and then go somewhere not too far away for the remainder of the week. Will have car to looking for a decent base that we can travel to interesting stuff.
Suggestions?

Was going to post something for our Auld Alliance bro’s in the travelling thread, but since you have done this….

May I also ask a question.

We have an extended family holiday in Normandy in July then me and my crew are going to head to Paris for 3/4 nights. I don’t really fancy driving into Paris so was thinking of driving somewhere, dumping the car and getting the train in. We have to get the Eurostar back- any suggestions of where we might drive from Normandy and dump the car?

Also, fuck Paris is expensive suddenly! Any recommendations for accommodation appreciated. Central, family room..

Slick wrote: Sat May 14, 2022 7:30 pm Was going to post something for our Auld Alliance bro’s in the travelling thread, but since you have done this….

May I also ask a question.

We have an extended family holiday in Normandy in July then me and my crew are going to head to Paris for 3/4 nights. I don’t really fancy driving into Paris so was thinking of driving somewhere, dumping the car and getting the train in. We have to get the Eurostar back- any suggestions of where we might drive from Normandy and dump the car?

French rail network is obscenely good. Just take your pick and you'll get to Paris no bother.
https://www.sncf-reseau.com/sites/defau ... LE_WEB.PDF

I'll come back to you tomorrow guys.

What type of activities are you interested in?

Toulouse is hot and sticky in summer.

Slick wrote: Sat May 14, 2022 7:30 pm Was going to post something for our Auld Alliance bro’s in the travelling thread, but since you have done this….

May I also ask a question.

We have an extended family holiday in Normandy in July then me and my crew are going to head to Paris for 3/4 nights. I don’t really fancy driving into Paris so was thinking of driving somewhere, dumping the car and getting the train in. We have to get the Eurostar back- any suggestions of where we might drive from Normandy and dump the car?

Plenty of stops into Paris out there but the simplest would be to off the car at Lille. If you wanted to go further, you could choose Amiens or Lens.

Carcassonne is about an hour by motorway from Toulouse.
The castle there is a popular visit, though might still be very busy in late Aug.

Its roughly another hour from Carcassonne to the coast.

I have zero idea what a family with a 7 year old would want to do.

There is a lot of history stuff relating to the Cathars and the Albigensian Crusade

Glaston wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 7:23 am Carcassonne is about an hour by motorway from Toulouse.
The castle there is a popular visit, though might still be very busy in late Aug.

Its roughly another hour from Carcassonne to the coast.

I have zero idea what a family with a 7 year old would want to do.

There is a lot of history stuff relating to the Cathars and the Albigensian Crusade

Carcassonne is one of the prettiest towns in France. Only downside is they are treizistes.

TheFrog wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 2:57 am I'll come back to you tomorrow guys.

What type of activities are you interested in?

Toulouse is hot and sticky in summer.

Carcassonne looks great but crowds and heat probably won't work great for us.
We'll visit again some autumn or spring.

He likes:
Outdoors
Amusement/adventure parks
Beaches
Playgrounds

We like:
A glass of wine in the evening after he finally goes to bed

Thinking to head towards the mountains. Foix/Tarascon-Sur-Ariege looks pretty nice while still having access to shops, etc. No beaches but should be plenty of other stuff.

North of Toulouse:

Tarn: Albi, Montmirail, Lautret, Ambialet, Gaillac

East:

Carcassone is a must.

West

You'll hit the Gers. Great for food - Condom to see, nice countryside

South West above Saint Gaudens, towards the mountains. Best to go above Lannemezan which is a bit further and hit vallée d'aure

Going through that you'll taste Gaillac, fronton, Buzet & armagnac amongst others. Lots of Duck based food in the Gers, black pig in the bigorre region.

We are bit big on amusement parks in the region.

You have this park near Agen (sorry, couldn't find an English version of the website)

https://www.walygatorparc.com/sudouest/

And you have this place: https://www.village-gaulois.org/en/ in the South of Toulouse.

In truth, I am struggling to find exciting events for your kids. (I am in the US right now, doesn't help). I am sure there are a few festivals in the medieval cities or castles in the region.

La Soule provided you some good tips.

I would also look North of Toulouse.

Cahors, Rocamadour, Pech Merle cave, Padirac cave, Saint Cirq Lapopie, Saint Antonin Noble Val, Bruniquel...

Cheers lads. Great ideas in there. Been to Roca and the Padirac. What amazing places they are.

Black pig.

Excellent suggestions. Did a 30km canoe down the Dordogne on our honeymoon. Great way to see the river and scenery.

There's always the canal du midi if the other two aren't feeling so brave.

Uncle fester wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 10:25 am

TheFrog wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 2:57 am I'll come back to you tomorrow guys.

What type of activities are you interested in?

Toulouse is hot and sticky in summer.

Carcassonne looks great but crowds and heat probably won't work great for us.
We'll visit again some autumn or spring.

He likes:
Outdoors
Amusement/adventure parks
Beaches
Playgrounds

We like:
A glass of wine in the evening after he finally goes to bed

Thinking to head towards the mountains. Foix/Tarascon-Sur-Ariege looks pretty nice while still having access to shops, etc. No beaches but should be plenty of other stuff.

Mirepoix is a pretty little town. That area has a lot of lakes that locals use for swimming as the beach is a bit of a trek.

I lived not far from Foix for four years, up into the mountains, over the departmental border into Aude.

Château de Montségur is great, a Cathar castle with a gruesome history built on top of a hill. It might be a bit of a steep climb for a seven year old though.