Spring Break With Your Family: Paris and the Loire Valley

Though November has most of us thinking about the fast approaching fall and winter holidays, it’s also the perfect time to start planning a family spring break in Europe and the Mediterranean. Many families with children will want to take advantage of the early spring as the ideal time for your dream vacation, and not just because of the long school holiday. It’s a great period to come for several reasons. The temperatures are still much, much cooler than the sweltering summer, crowds are still minimal, and also incredible deals can be found in the shoulder season.

It might seem a little overwhelming to start planning a spring break trip now, with all that is going on between school, sports and the holidays- we understand, and that is exactly what we are here for.

We’ve done it ourselves with our own children (countless times) and with some of Bella Vita’s expert advice (who else can tell you the location of every merry-go-round in the French Riviera, or the best chocolate making class for kids in Sicily?), your upcoming spring break can be spent making your travel dreams come true for your whole family.

This month, our weekly blog will focus on some great destinations for families looking for a getaway over spring break- starting with one of our all time favorites for people of all ages, Paris.

For those families looking to make their French vacation dreams come true in the early spring, we couldn’t recommend Paris any more highly as a stop. As the city thaws out from the winter but the summer crowds haven’t started yet, you’ll find that Paris has a unique and wonderful atmosphere that even the hardest to please children can’t help but fall in love with. We can also help by adding some wonderful activities geared towards your little ones (and even your not-so-little ones). The Louvre Museum is a must see, but can be overwhelming (and let’s face it, kind of boring) for kids. One of our absolute favorite tours is our “louvre scavenger hunt”- our expert guide will use this interactive and fun scavenger hunt as a way for your kids (and you adults as well) to see, explore and learn about the museum while avoiding long lectures standing in front of paintings. This creative tour is a wonderful way to see one of the worlds most famous museums.

Are your kids budding master chefs? There is no better place than Paris for them to get a chance and try their hand at creating French cuisine. Our French cooking class for families is a great way for everybody to get “hands on”, and learn to create some classic and simple (ie easy to recreate when you get home) recipes that your kids will love. If you are more into eating than actually cooking, we also provide some very fun family food tours of Paris. Exploring some less touristy areas of the city in search of the best baguette or macaron will be one of the most treasured memories your family will have as you return home.

With a 7-10 spring break holiday, we also recommend a trip to the Loire valley. Even the most jaded teenager can’t help but be awestruck by the beauty and magic of its castles, and younger ones will be lost in imagination with fanciful stories from France’s “valley of the kings”. For more active families, the Loire valley is also home to some of the country’s most beautiful bike paths. From more challenging rides to a simple, gentle roll through this idyllic countryside, this is another tour that our clients with children fall in love with.

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These are just a few suggestions of the many activities we can offer for a family in France. Your daydreaming about how to spend your spring break can become a reality- contact us to hear more about how we can help organize your tailor made family vacation!