A little while ago, I introduced Caroline and her pretty website about the family trip Voyage. It now lends itself to the game of Tipiyou's travel interview.
Was there a trip that left its mark on you when you were a little girl?
As a child, I already needed to discover the world, to go further than the horizon line. I particularly remember a trip to northern India. My mother and sister didn't feel comfortable in this hostile environment, it's true, and I, on the contrary, really felt that I was alive, that I was where things were happening. On my way home, at the age of 12, I felt very fortunate to have been born where I was born.
What is the most distant destination you have attempted with your offspring? What memories do you keep of it?
Last summer, we went to Sri Lanka with my 3-year-old son and my 5-year-old daughter. The first two days we were a little stressed out with my husband... And then we soon realized that our children were like fish in the water! I liked the feeling of being at the same level as them: there, we were raving about the same things.
Traveling with the little ones is a bit like going back to being small with them! I also remember that it is we parents who put limits on what we think children can "bear" or not. The reality is that they adapt to transport, disappointing accommodations and not always clean much better than we do;)
Before I leave, I download stories about my Itunes. I have 2 helmets with an adapter to put them both on my Iphone, and here are my 2 children absorbed at the same time for a good time! This solution has the advantage: 1/ to let them look at the landscape 2/ to warn the "I have a sore heart" who arrive every time they read in the car!
The essential item in your children's suitcase?
This summer, they had nice brand new felt pens, drawing books, and easy to carry little games that we would take with us to the diner in the evening to play while waiting to be served... I gave them the whole thing in a small pocket on the plane. They liked it!! (well I realized that this is more than just an object, but these 3 objects are both the minimum and the maximum that I advise to put in the suitcase of the little ones;)).
Do you have a good address, found on holiday, or near you, to recommend to traveling families?
I'm discovering the Jura (because we've just moved) and frankly, it's an incredible place, like at the end of the world.
Last week, we went to Chapelle-des-bois, 30 minutes from Les Rousses, and we have in 2 days: visited the Polar Park and gave food to reindeer, dogs from Greenland, seen bison, yaks, eaten from the organic county sold directly by the producer and visited the manufacturing workshop, did some downhill skiing, did cross-country skiing... and of course sledding!
A great weekend to do at 3 hours from Paris!