DAY TRIPS
What a luxury to have the day ahead of you. Why not take your time to explore on of the many beautiful spots that Aix-en-Provence and its surroundings offer? On this page I suggest some of the most fun and pretty day trips with kids around Aix-en-Provence. If you are willing to hop into your car, it will drive you to many breathtaking places. Although I live here for quite some time, I keep exploring new amazing sites. Well, okay, lockdowns prevented some sightseeing too, but that just makes me want to go out as much as I can. Helpful for my website, sometimes annoying for my kids. There are beautiful sites like lavender fields, former ocre mines or wine domaines to discover. And what about area's like the calanques or charming villages in the nearby Luberon? If you are up for day trips with kids around Aix-en-Provence, check some of the kid-friendly activities tested by my kids.
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Sentier des Ocres
Maybe you have already heard about Roussillon, one of the ‘Plus beaux villages de France’. Right next to the village is an impressive landscape named the ‘Massif des Ocres’. Here you can make a colorful kid-friendly hike on the Sentier des Ocres. Kids can enter this landscape for free, adults pay €3,-. After your entrance you can choose between two paths, supposedly to take 30 or 50 minutes. We did the long version with our kids of 5 and 7 years old and it was a piece of cake for them. They actually really, really liked it. The landscape is so special, the colors of the hill vary from yellow,…
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Grimmland
Only 25 minutes away from Aix-en-Provence, in La Roque d’Antheron, you can find Grimmland. This theme park is build around the fairytales of the Grimm brothers and just big enough for your kid. Well, the ones under I’d say 12 years old. The attractions are very beautiful and sweet, kids can sail in a tree trunk, you can step into a swimming swan or take a small caterpillar train. Also older kids have there way around here, with a sort of flying boat or inflatable objects. During Halloween Grimmland is decorated with full commitment in style and is named Hallogrimm for the occasion. I would call this a go-to for…
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Zoo La Barben
Zoo La Barben is a kid-friendly zoo near Aix-en-Provence, in a beautiful surrounding. If you like zoo’s, you will probably adore this petit but well maintained zoo. A big variety of animals live in Zoo La Barben, so your kid can learn about bears, monkeys, reptiles, tropical birds, you name it. There are more than 130 different species to admire and to find out how interesting they are. It gives you a good chance to teach your kid about the beautiful flora and fauna the world can offer. Although the animals are not in their natural habitat, the zoo has made a good effort in giving the animals a proper…
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Sanary sur Mer
This blog is actually not only an ode to Sanary sur Mer, but here I describe so much more to discover around this beautiful village. I am sure you will get enthusiastic about spending a day or more with kids around this provençal coast area. It is a wonderful coast to explore with kids thanks to its beautiful long beaches, famous market as well as islands and climbing park in the area. The most beautiful market When you live in, or visit the Provence, Sanary sur Mer is just so beautiful that it is really worth a visit. The little town is wonderful to stroll with your kids. Sanary sur…
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La Ciotat
La Grande Plage at La Ciotat could be a beach you would want to avoid during weekends and holidays. It can be very crowded over there. But when you have the luxury to visit La Ciotat on a quiet moment, it is a nice Mediterranean kid-friendly spot (especially because of other another factor, see below…). La Ciotat its beaches are a combination of rocks and sand and the beautiful seawater keeps being shallow for lots of meters. The beach itself is very narrow though, that’s why it can be packed with sun lovers. A factor that it is very comfortable is that the beach has several restaurants where you can…
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Plage de Sainte Croix
Visiting the Provence means you have to make a tour to one of the beautiful beaches along the Côte Bleue. A perfect and stunning beach for kids is Plage de Sainte Croix in Martigues. Sooo pretty! Just like the whole Côte Bleue, Plage de Sainte Croix is blessed with the breathtaking azure blue seawater. Oooh, every time I dip in I am so stunned by the colors and the fact that I can see the seabed beneath me. The thing that makes Plage de Sainte Croix so great for children, is the fact that it has white sand. A lot of beaches around have got a rocky structure. For kids…
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Le Village des Automates
Close to Aix-en-Provence, on a road with several ‘châteaux de vin’, you find this outdoor amusement park for kids with lots and lots of fun to play. While driving on the road that leads you to Le Village des Automates in Saint-Cannat, you just can’t miss the huge blue whale that almost screams: ‘come here’. Well, my kids got that message. Factor cute The park is located in a forest and is very good to manage with young kids. Although some of the theme attractions are kind of old-fashioned, the cuteness factor wins. Kids don’t even see that. They are far too happy with all the creative slides, a bicycle…
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Carrières de Lumières
In the middle of the magnificent Alpilles area, there is a small uphill town called Les Baux-de-Provence. It is famous for its two touristic highlights, the medieval Château and the Carrières de Lumières. You can spend a great family day in Les Baux-de-Provence when you combine both. The Carrières, which is French for mines, show an interesting history. Its chalkstone was used to build the Roman Glanum as well as the Château. In 1800 the site was opened as a mine, in 1935 it was closed for business. The site was an inspiration for artists and in 2012 it was acquired for its current artistic purpose. And wow, somebody had…
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Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
The Provence is so full of beautiful places, no way you will get bored around here. Take the gorgeous little town Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, situated about an hour drive of Aix-en-Provence. Right in the heart of the Alpilles mountains. Over here you experience the typical Provence feeling, though it is also very “mondaine” with its beauties of boutiques and art shops. Apparently Saint-Rémy is very popular among the famous French, a place to see and be seen. Well, as we are just a plain family, we didn’t have to worry about that haha! We did find that Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is also a great place for a kid friendly provençal day trip. Oh that…
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Musée du Calisson
If you feel like just a short escape from home, you could take your kid to a mini museum just outside of Aix. It is the Musée du Calisson, a museum about calissons from Aix-en-Provence. The museum is very very small, but also very cute. This kid-friendly place is situated in the factory of Le Roy René, the local producer of the delicious cookies. The cookies (I am not sure if I am allowed to name them cookies) are made of almonds, candied melon and icing. When you live in, or visit Aix, tasting a calisson is a must-do. How nice to taste it where it is made. As our…
