August 2021 will not be an ordinary August. For once, this year, the health crisis is coming into our lives and disrupting our vacation plans in a very special way! In addition to your desires for getaways and fresh air, respect for barrier gestures and the obligation to present a health pass. How, despite everything, can you recharge your batteries with your family during this month of August, in order to make this precious family meeting an unforgettable moment of reunion? Here are some ideas for destinations or original activities to get away with the family during the month of August…
Tales and legends are an integral part of the cultural heritage of our regions. Wonderful or frightening, these stories always arouse conflicting feelings of fear and fascination. If you have young children, exploring these places rich in history is often an opportunity to combine culture and entertainment in the footsteps of these myths that have passed down through the generations.
Pretexts for beautiful moments of exchange, these fables will be an opportunity for you to perfect your culture, in order to explain to your children the origin of these fantastic stories.
You will be spoiled for choice as France is full of these magical places. These include:
– Gévaudan (Lozère), and its beast that continues to thrill young and old alike:in Saugues, the Fantastic Museum of the Beast of Gévaudan is waiting for you to reveal this mysterious legend;
– The forest of Brocéliande (Ille-et-Vilaine) and its legendary characters, including King Arthur and Merlin the enchanter. Don't miss the Arthurian Imagination Center at Comper Castle, which opens its doors in August;
– The Monts d’Arrée (Finistère), high place of Breton folklore, bearer of tales of all kinds.
Good advice from the tourist office
Rather than jumping in blindly and risk wasting precious time, stop by the local tourist office. As good connoisseurs of the region, its agents will inform you about the must-see places, guided tours or storytelling walks, as well as good addresses in the area. Downloading the application from the relevant tourist office will facilitate your access to information.
As part of a stay, why not treat yourself to an original parenthesis that will allow the whole family to discover their vacation spot from another angle? Sailing rivers and canals aboard a boat rented for a few hours or a few days will remain a fabulous experience. Enjoying the silence, discovering the fauna of the rivers, living in slow motion, taking a deep breath of fresh air... there's nothing like recharging your batteries, while certainly respecting social distancing!
Several key destinations await you:
– Going up the Seine on a sailboat;
– River cruise on the Canal du Midi or in the Camargue;
– The Nantes to Brest canal, to discover Brittany… without the sea;
– the Burgundy canal to criss-cross the vineyards and grape varieties;
– the Nivernais canal.
An ad hoc mobile application
The app “ River trips ” lists 200 stages on the 35 routes that cover the 7 main river basins of France. A real tourist guide focused on walks along the water's edge, it is full of cultural and historical information and reveals many useful addresses.
Whether defensive or fitted out as a stately residence, castles have inspired a whole generation of schoolchildren. While the fortified castles evoke the tumultuous conflicts that marked the Middle Ages, the majestic Renaissance castles bring everyone back to the fairy tales of their childhood. A family stay punctuated by a few visits to castles can only seduce your children, by mobilizing their imagination while allowing them playful access to culture and history.
Let yourself be seduced by the jewels of our heritage, the famous Palace of Versailles and the prestigious castles of the Loire, but also the Cathar castles near Carcassonne or the medieval castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg (Bas-Rhin) to name a few. 'them. Did you know that France has more than 45,000 fortified buildings dotting the territory? A good opportunity to make the family experience epic emotions!
Sanitary pass and barrier gestures:castles too...
The health pass , implemented on June 9, 2021, affects the entire sphere of tourism. Access to places of leisure and culture welcoming more than 50 people is covered by these directives and castles are no exception to this rule. You will therefore have to prove your immunity against Covid, either by a complete vaccination schedule, or by a negative RT-PCR or antigen test. Along with this obligation, it is imperative, during any visit, to continue to scrupulously respect the barrier gestures .
Want to spend your holidays on the farm?
Immersion stays on farms are on the rise. Rural tourism, or agritourism, offers diverse and varied experiences, suitable for the whole family. A discovery stay on a farm will allow city dwellers to discover a fascinating world:that of working the land and manufacturing the products that feed us. Agricultural professionals share with holidaymakers their know-how, their passion for nature and for their profession, as well as its evolution.
Contact with farm animals will also appeal to children who will leave delighted with the adventure. A good opportunity to leave the screens behind! A stay on the farm, in a simple and authentic setting, allows you to immerse yourself in fundamental values and discover another facet of the terroir. Three regions are particularly involved in this innovative approach:Occitanie, Auvergne and Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
An ethical charter:“Welcome to the farm”
In order to guarantee the quality of your experience, demand the label “Welcome to the Farm” . Farmers who join the network are committed to an ethical approach by offering a personalized and warm welcome, a process of exchange and sharing, a preserved environment and quality farm products. The agriculture they represent is sustainable, responsible and rooted in the rural traditions of the land.
During the holidays, here are some health tips to enjoy with peace of mind:
2021 will not be the year of a trip to the other side of the world. So why not simply rediscover the best France has to offer? The regions of France proudly display their architectural treasures, their magical and enchanting places, their rural areas that deserve to be discovered, or the banks of their waterways, attractive and full of charm. Only one problem arises:the choice! To start dreaming about your next destination, flip through the pages of our vacation destination catalog .
