Bordeaux, Nantes, Marseille, Toulouse and Rennes: read on for our top tips for these 5 places where you can enjoy a breath of fresh air with your family!
Book a train ticket
Book a train ticket
For a simple, eco-friendly way to travel with your children, take the train! Even if you only have a weekend off, these 5 French cities are easy to reach from Paris with the TGV INOUI high speed train.
Once there, you can discover the city and the neighbouring area by renting bikes or climbing aboard the TER. In less than an hour on the TER, you’re out of the city and into the fresh air! Here are our suggestions for spring break with your family with TGV INOUI.
Plan a family getaway this spring with TGV INOUI:
Bordeaux, Arcachon Bay and Cap Ferret
What do do in spring as a family in Bordeaux
- Have fun playing in the water and mist of the legendary Miroir d’Eau, a huge granite esplanade in front of the Place de la Bourse
- Unwind in the Jardin Public, a magnificent park listed as a “Remarkable Garden” and the green lung of Bordeaux
- Savour a typical Bordelais snack: visit Chez Pascal for dunes blanches, the Toque Cuivrée at Place Gambetta for a canelé or the Maison du Glacier at Place Saint-Pierre for ice cream
- Visit the city by bike, cross the legendary Pont de Pierre and continue along the quays to Les Chartrons, with its skatepark and playgrounds for children
How to get to Bordeaux by train: take the TGV INOUI to the Bordeaux Saint-Jean station, in the city centre.
>> Book my train ticket to Bordeaux with TGV INOUI
Family outings in Arcachon Bay and Cap Ferret
- Climb the Dune du Pilat for an incredible view of Arcachon Bay
- Discover the landscapes of the bay by boat: L’Ile aux Oiseaux and its famous houses on stilts, small oyster-farming villages, the Banc D’Arguin National Park and the Plage Robinson.
- Ride your bicycle around the bay on the 220 kilometres of paths that wend their way between the pine forests and the sea
- Take a dip in the Lac de Cazaux, an excellent spot for paddleboarding or picnicking, and perfect for young children thanks to its shallow water
- Swing from the trees in the Leyre Regional Nature park, which offers ropes courses for ages 4 and up
- Take the Petit Train du Cap Ferret, a locomotive with green cars that takes you from Bélisaire Pier to the Plage de l’Horizon: your children will love the 12-minute trip!
How to get to Arcachon from Bordeaux: take the TER, travel time less than one hour (shortest duration 41 minutes)
How to get to Cap Ferret: take the boat shuttle from Arcachon Bay, open all year round. You can even take your bike aboard!
Nantes and Pornic
- Walk among the flowers and other plants in the Jardin des Plantes, one of the four largest botanical gardens in France
- Follow the green line of Le Voyage à Nantes, a must-see artistic itinerary that lets you discover the city through its numerous works of art
- Take the river shuttle to the colourful village of Trentemoult
How to get to Nantes: take the TGV INOUI to the Nantes station, in the city centre
>> Book my train ticket to Nantes with TGV INOUI
Family outings in Pornic
- Take a walk along the seaside trail known as Le Sentier des Douaniers, and discover the hidden coves on the coastline
- Go surf fishing for oysters and clams on the Grande Plage de la Bernerie
- Try a ropes course among the treetops at Pornic Aventure
- Take a walk in the Vieux Port and have ice cream at La Frasieraie, a local institution
- Visit the pretty, colourful fishing cabins on Tharon-Plage
How to get to Pornic from Nantes: take the TER, travel time approximately one hour.
Marseilles and the Côte Bleue
What do do in spring as a family in Marseilles
- Take a boat and spend the day on the Frioul Islands
- Take a walk through the neighbourhoods of Le Panier or Malmousque, which are pedestrian-only areas
- Ride an electric bike to Goudes, the last stop before the Calanques National Park
- Ride a scooter along the Plages du Prado and visit the playground with a view of the sea
How to get to Marseilles: take the TGV INOUI to the Saint-Charles station in the city centre.
>> Book my train ticket to Marseilles with TGV INOUI
The Côte Bleue by TER
- Take the TER de la Côte Bleue tourist train from Marseille to Miramas (1 hour): an experience like no other, with a panoramic view of the sea!
- Thanks to the train, you can stop wherever you want to go for a hike or take a dip in an inlet
- Take a break for a picnic or swim on one of the beaches that can be reached by foot from the Couronne train station
- Enjoy a relaxing walk along the Sentier des Douaniers starting from Carry-le-Rouet
- Our favourite is the Calanque de Niolon and its port opposite Marseille, just a 10-minute walk from the train station. This magnificent, well preserved site is home to a special UCPA dive club.
How to get to the Côte Bleue by train: take the TER from Marseilles to Miramas, 26 trains per day, travel time approximately 1 hour.
Toulouse and the Canal du Midi
What do do in spring as a family in Toulouse
- Take a stroll in the Jardin des Plantes with its stream filled with ducks, swans and geese, its playgrounds and its pony rides
- Take the reins of a giant buffalo on the can’t-miss Carré Sénart ride created by artist François Delarozière
- Visit Toulouse by water by taking a boat up the Garonne
- Take a “Secret Toulouse” guided tour to discover hidden details, interesting anecdotes and unique places in the city.
How to get to Toulouse by train: take the TVG INOUI to Toulouse Matabiau station, in the city centre.
>> Book my train ticket to Toulouse with TGV INOUI
The Canal du Midi by bicycle
The Canal du Midi, built in the 17th century and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, extends over 240 km from Toulouse to Sète. The banks, lined with sycamore trees, are a perfect place for a relaxing stroll. With their barges, locks and charming villages, there’s so much to discover by bike!
Our suggestion for a day long bicycle trip (38 km): start at the Port de l’Embouchure, the beginning of the Canal du Midi. Take a break at the Grand Rond garden, then head to Ramonville and the Ferme de Cinquante, an ideal place to relax and eat a picnic lunch. If you want to go farther, continue your ride to Deyme, where an abandoned pirate ship hides among the trees.
By bicycle and TER: a Canal du Midi classic! Ride your bicycle one way, then take the TER back with your bike onboard. This option is available from June to October on the TER Languedoc Roussillon line. You can even get a reduction on your bicycle rental. We suggest a multi-day bicycle ride between Toulouse and Narbonne, with a return journey by TER (travel time 1 1/2 hours).
Rennes and Saint-Malo
What do do in spring as a family in Rennes
- Savour the city’s ultimate speciality, a galette-saucisse, at the Lices Market
- Have fun at the majestic Parc du Thabor, one of France’s most beautiful parks, an officially listed “Prestigious Garden” with large landscaped areas, statues and rose gardens, as well as numerous activities for children
- Wander the streets in search of the many photo and street art installations scattered about the city
- Take a bike ride or go horseback riding on the towpaths on the outskirts of Rennes
How to get to Rennes: take the TGV INOUI to the Rennes station, in the city centre.
>> Book my train ticket to Rennes with TGV INOUI
Saint-Malo with your family
- Take a walk along the ramparts of this old pirate’s lair, among the towers, bastions and watchtowers, to admire the magnificent views of the sea (count one hour for the whole circuit)
- Treat your little ones to a ride on the Carrousel Malouin at the Porte Saint Vincent entrance
- Frolic on the Plage de Bon Secours at the foot of the ramparts, with a view of Dinard and Cap Fréhel
- Take a pony ride at the Pony Club St. Malo
- Find crabs and shellfish among the rocks at low tide with a bucket and net
- Walk out to the Ile du Grand Bé at low tide to see Chateaubriand’s burial site (keep an eye on the tide to make sure you make it back in time)
- Paddle along the ramparts in a kayak (from age 9 and up)
How to get to Saint-Malo: take the TER from Rennes, travel time 1 hour.