Beach Fun, French Riviera Style
August 31, 2010
Family travel in the south of France means not missing the fun of perfect beach days and the idyllic summer memories that they create. We're not into slathering with oil, just laying around and tanning, so prefer uncrowded beaches and our 9 year old Mozart had so much fun at this private beach that was part of our campsite near Colliore called Les Criques de Porteils.
There are plenty of sandy beaches in this area, but she liked this one because she could snorkel, had more privacy for that Swiss Family Robinson or Swallows and Amazons adventurous atmosphere and she adored catching little crabs in their shells. We'd go late in the day to avoid the sun and wait until most people left the beach.
She easily caught over one hundred crabs one day and glowed with excitement as she showed them to me in her bucket. She also collected rocks and shells and met a few friends there although none spoke the same language. Most were French here but she also met a little Dutch girl about her age. It seems this kind of exploring, rock jumping and collecting in tide pools is a universal joy for kids of a certain age. A good healthy learning time with that tween sense of endless summer adventure made famous like the books above or in series like The Box Car Children, and Tom Sawyer.
Sometimes we add time to our family travel just for these little moments. Days of important play. We shift our homeschooling to enhance the learning. Lets find out what kind of crabs, shells, rocks that they are.
She already had the blow up pink tube, googles and snorkel, but we succumbed to adding the pink water shoes which are de rigueur for this kind of beach terrain. Beach days are part of the joy of family travel and not to be missed on the French Riviera. What sublime simple pleasures are you enjoying this summer?
Family travel in the south of France means not missing the fun of perfect beach days and the idyllic summer memories that they create. We're not into slathering with oil, just laying around and tanning, so prefer uncrowded beaches and our 9 year old Mozart had so much fun at this private beach that was part of our campsite near Colliore called Les Criques de Porteils.
There are plenty of sandy beaches in this area, but she liked this one because she could snorkel, had more privacy for that Swiss Family Robinson or Swallows and Amazons adventurous atmosphere and she adored catching little crabs in their shells. We'd go late in the day to avoid the sun and wait until most people left the beach.
She easily caught over one hundred crabs one day and glowed with excitement as she showed them to me in her bucket. She also collected rocks and shells and met a few friends there although none spoke the same language. Most were French here but she also met a little Dutch girl about her age. It seems this kind of exploring, rock jumping and collecting in tide pools is a universal joy for kids of a certain age. A good healthy learning time with that tween sense of endless summer adventure made famous like the books above or in series like The Box Car Children, and Tom Sawyer.
Sometimes we add time to our family travel just for these little moments. Days of important play. We shift our homeschooling to enhance the learning. Lets find out what kind of crabs, shells, rocks that they are.
She already had the blow up pink tube, googles and snorkel, but we succumbed to adding the pink water shoes which are de rigueur for this kind of beach terrain. Beach days are part of the joy of family travel and not to be missed on the French Riviera. What sublime simple pleasures are you enjoying this summer?
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It's sublime indeed!
We enjoyed our visit to Thailand with family. It might not be simple for others but it's for us. Traveling with kids across the ocean to visit family is one of the best thing we have done for our kids.
They have been asking and begging to go back again soon.
So worth the 24 hours travel time! :)
Here is our picture during their sublime simple day in Thailand.
http://www.theqfamilyadventures.com/perfect-kid-vacation-in-saraburi-thailand/
Posted by: Amy @ The Q Family | August 31, 2010 at 08:39 AM
That looks like so much fun! We have great memories of exploring the tidal pools while visiting Grandma at Laguna Beach in California. We read Pagoo by Holling Clancy Holling to learn all about hermit crabs and life in the tide pool.
We're currently renting a house in the country with a large pond. The children have been fishing every day. They also climb trees and chase butterflies. Free fun!
Posted by: Jo | August 31, 2010 at 02:20 PM
love the pics thanks for posting for us
Posted by: linda smith | September 01, 2010 at 06:16 AM
Amy - Thanks a bunch! We are looking forward to our time in Asia too & will visit Thailand as it is very close to Penang where we will winter. Fun pic! Yikes, 24 hours flight? I'm really glad that we are breaking up that flight with stops in Tahiti, Auckland, Sydney and Singapore. I can barely take the London to SF flight. ;)
Posted by: soultravelers3 | September 01, 2010 at 09:55 AM
Jo - Thanks, she had a ball! Sounds like you did too...tide pool searching is great explorations!
Thanks so much for the book mention, I will have to check it out!
Posted by: soultravelers3 | September 01, 2010 at 09:59 AM
Linda - Thanks so much for letting me know. You never know what little things can make a traveling kid happy. ;)
Posted by: soultravelers3 | September 01, 2010 at 10:00 AM