We spent a few weeks, driving the coast and weaving inland for vineyards and time in the cities. This post is an outline of my suggested two-week west coast France itinerary.
City and accommodation guides: Annecy travel guide Colmar and Eguisheim travel guide France family surf camp Chateau Les Carrasses review. Another option would be to extend your route further up the coast to Nantes and maybe even Brittany. Or head further south into Spain and the Basque coast.
We did the road trip as a family of four with two kids aged 4 and 6. Take it at your own pace, linger at your favourite spots, skip others and make spontaneous detours along the way. You could also combine it with this south of France road trip or another European country. See our full guide to how to plan a road trip in France , plus 10 France itineraries. July and August are peak season, so consider May, June, or September for fewer crowds but warm weather.
We had so much sand in our car by the end of the trip that we were worried we would lose our deposit, but the rental provider in Bordeaux barely blinked an eye. I imagine our situation is fairly common!
Also be aware of toll roads and factor them into your budget. You can use this toll calculator to know what to expect in advance. Or down the coast to Spain and Bilbao. You could break up the journey by spending a night in Nantes. Another good option is to get the train to your starting point and hire a car from there. We much prefer travelling by train than flying, finding it to be a far less stressful option, especially with kids.
