Family adventure getaways in France off the beaten path.
What are some less-touristed family adventure spots in France, for travelers seeking beautiful places with fewer crowds? Answer
Options include Abondance, a tiny Alpine village anchored by a 14th-century abbey; Cauterets, a spa town and ski resort in the Pyrenees; and Saint-Lary-Soulan, a dual-season mountain resort village in the Pyrénées National Park. This page includes more than 20 options. Click here to see which are close enough to be day trips from major cities like Lyon, Marseille or Bordeaux.
Abondance
Abondance, a tiny Alpine village in Haute-Savoie just south of Lake Geneva, lends its name to both a regional cheese and the breed of cattle whose milk produ…
Modane
Compact town in the Maurienne Valley of Savoie, Modane sits within the Vanoise National Park close to the Italian border, with mountain scenery on all sides…
Cauterets
This spa town and ski resort in the French Pyrenees, Cauterets sits along the Gave de Pau river within the Pyrénées National Park, surrounded by mountain sce…
Niort
Walkable town in western France's Deux-Sèvres department, Niort sits on the Sèvre Niortaise river and serves as the eastern gateway to the Marais Poitevin re…
Saint-Lary-Soulan
This dual-season mountain resort village in the Hautes-Pyrénées, Saint-Lary-Soulan draws skiers in winter to its slopes at Pla d'Adet and Espiaube, and hiker…
Aussois
A pocket-sized ski and mountain village on the edge of the Vanoise National Park — France's first — in the Savoie department of the Alps, Aussois draws winte…
Sète
This Mediterranean port town in southern France's Hérault department, Sète is built across canals between the sea and the Étang de Thau lagoon, climbing up t…
Ornans
Birthplace of the painter Gustave Courbet, this little town in the Doubs department sits along the Loue river in the Jura massif, its house facades rising di…
Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry
This little Basque village in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques sitting on the Nive des Aldudes river, Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry is the main gateway to the Aldudes va…
Gavarnie
This small Pyrenean hamlet in the Hautes-Pyrénées is the gateway to the Cirque de Gavarnie, a massive glacial cirque and UNESCO World Heritage Site that also…
Florac
This modest riverside village in the Lozère department of southern France, Florac sits at the heart of the Cévennes National Park — whose headquarters are ba…
Mazamet
Tiny town in southern France's Tarn department at the foot of the Montagne Noire massif, Mazamet sits within the Haut-Languedoc regional nature park, roughly…
Maîche
Compact Jura upland town of red-tile rooftops and a prominent church, Maîche sits within a regional nature park near the Swiss border, offering forested hill…
Morteau
Morteau, a small town in the Doubs department of eastern France's Jura massif, is known nationally for its smoked sausage, the saucisse de Morteau, and has a…
Gap
France's highest prefecture sits in a mountain valley in the southern Alps, with a walkable centre that supports a dense food-and-drink scene and access to s…
Bédarieux
This tiny town in southern France's Hérault department where the Orb river runs through the centre, Bédarieux sits within the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature…
Thiviers
A compact stone-built town in the Dordogne, with a tall church tower rising above terracotta rooftops, serving as a gateway to the Périgord-Limousin regional…
Saint-Girons
This compact town on the Salat river in southwestern France's Ariège department, Saint-Girons sits within the Pyrenées ariégeoises regional nature park and s…
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
This pocket-sized seaport and resort on the south bank of the Somme estuary, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme has medieval ramparts, a Gothic church, and a long waters…
Minerve
Minerve, a tiny hamlet in the Hérault that gives its name to the Minervois wine region, draws well over 300,000 visitors a year to its dramatic gorges, natur…
Bagnères-de-Luchon
This Pyrenean spa town in Haute-Garonne, Bagnères-de-Luchon — commonly called Luchon — combines thermal baths with a ski area at Luchon-Superbagnères, reacha…
Saint-Chamond
A former industrial town in the Loire department of central France, Saint-Chamond built its 19th-century prosperity on lace-making and steelworks, and is ass…
Family adventure spots in France: quick answers
Which family adventure spots in France can you visit on a day trip from Lyon, Marseille or Bordeaux?
Saint-Chamond, Morteau and Gap are among 3 family adventure spots on our day trips from Lyon. Sète is among 2 family adventure spots on our day trips from Marseille. And Niort is among 1 family adventure spots on our day trips from Bordeaux.
Where are France's less-touristed family adventure spots?
Wandering Well lists 22 family adventure spots across France. The most are in Hautes-Pyrénées (3), Hérault (3), Doubs (3) and Savoie (2).
Which can you reach by train?
8 of the 22 have a railway station within a 10-minute drive, including Morteau, Saint-Chamond, Mazamet and Bédarieux.