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Font with an under 2 year old

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 Blue Roses 30 May 2012
Hi,

Any tips for going to Font with a toddler from those who have been there (to Font... with a toddler)?

Good kiddie circuits for the recently mobile little climber?
Places to stop on the drive to Font?
(food, places to run about not too close to the motorway)
Child friendly eateries in MillyFont etc? (yes, I know Font is in France)

Thank you


 Tall Clare 30 May 2012
In reply to Blue Roses:

BobKateBob is, I think, a hive of information on this topic so if she doesn't reply it might be worth mailing her - I think she has a little one and actually lives in Font now.
OP Blue Roses 30 May 2012
In reply to Tall Clare: Thank you, did not realise she was a she
 Nik Jennings 31 May 2012
In reply to Blue Roses:
Don't bother with circuits, just any small boulders for general clambering on and sand for playing in. There's millions of them. Avoid places which lack some nice open flat areas for setting up camp.
Places I've been with toddlers successfully:
Canche aux Merciers
Roche aux Sabots (often busy though)
Isatis (likewise)
95.2 (bit of a trek, don't try it with a pram use a carrier)
Cul de Chien (likewise)
Buthiers
Apremont

Places I'd Avoid:
Drei Zinen
Cuvier (due to the sex trade litter, although the recent clear up might have made it better...)

Beauvais always has this reputation for being a truly splendid place to go with kids, I've always found it a bit rubbish though.

There are regular services (Aires) on the way down to Font. Or do you mean somewhere to stop for a day? In which case no idea, but I wouldn't bother.

Eat anywhere as far as I'm aware, never had any issue with eating with kids. Never had an issue in the UK either (beyond the very rare table of grumps who would probably have found something else to look miserable about if there weren't children to focus on...), I'm not sure where this child-not-welcome thing comes from, but that's a seperate debate.
 Carolyn 31 May 2012
In reply to Blue Roses:

Yes, it's a bit early for circuits (my big one only really started trying them at 4, and did lots at 5) - so main requirement is a nice sandy area to dig in with lots of small or sloping boulders to play on.

Diplodocus is good (but busy at weekends, partic Sunday)
Richer des Potets also a favourite with us

Stopping on the journey down - we never really have. We've driven down to near Dover late a night and stayed there, got an early ferry, and managed to do the 4-5 hours to Font with only short stops at services. And DVD players. Assuming little one still naps, you can get a good chunk in then...
Bob kate bob 31 May 2012
In reply to Tall Clare: BKB Jr isn't so little anymore (yep time does go quickly)but we are used to little visitors.

TO the OP:
THe 2 places for climbing that I would really recomend (though there are others) would be

Roche Sabots: very short easy walk in, kiddy circuit and general small boulders to climb on, large enough areas of sand to play in and there is shade if it's hot.
Canche aux Merciers: very short easy walk in, kiddy circuit and general small boulders to climb on, very large area of sand to play in and there is some shade if it's hot.

I would not recomend Cul de Chein because there is almost total lack of shade but if it is overcast then littleone might like it, walk in is longer but doable for a 2 year old.

What I would be thinking is how are you going to take all the stuff a 2 year old needs to the rocks. We used 3 wheeler as added benefit was it gave somewhere for littleone to have afternoon sleep and bouldering pad can be slung over the handles.

When littleone could walk in we still carried in a very light weight maclaren buggy so there was somewhere comfy for the afternoon nap. For littleone doing a long (for them) walk in I would recomend having a ball for them to chase and kick up the path, they have fun playing with the ball and don't realise how far they have actually walked.

For the drive down, I like to stop at the service station on the A1 just to the north of the St Quentin turn off, I find the food is better than average (there is a Paul bakery for instance).

For eateries, I think that most are child friendly but it is weather the menu caters for what your littleone is used to eating, we find that La Taverne http://www.latavernefontainebleau.com/ has a good menu. I don't know how adventureous your little one is but if they are more adventureous than the usual french childrens menu then we find shareing a main with an adult is a good idea. Just beware if you get a salad not as part of the set menus, they are massive.

None climbing things to do for littleones, There are good playgrounds in Boulancourt (near Buthier climbing area) and Nemour in the grounds of the Marie just opposite the Rocher Greau climbing area. There is also the Base de Loisir in Buthiers http://www.base-de-buthiers.com/ which amongst other things has an open air swimming pool.

There aren't loads of things to do with littleones when it's raining though http://www.tacot-des-lacs.com/ might be an option.

That was just off the top of my head, I might think of some things later...

Hope that helps.




 ChrisJD 31 May 2012
In reply to Blue Roses:

Font is kid paradise.

Good advice from posters.

Canche aux Merciers probably top of list for kids.

I'd also recommend Rocher Canon - go to area on right hand side (from car park).

If your off-road pram skills are good and you don't mind man/woman handling, we managed to take a three wheeler pram everywhere, including 95.2 and Gorge du Chats (the latter is not the best venue for small kids...). Thankfully, they are now 3 & 5 and walk/ride-bikes everywhere.

 tom_greenwich 31 May 2012
In reply to ChrisJD:

Take a bucket and spade and go to elephant and cul de chien.

The centre at buthiers has a great kids pool.
OP Blue Roses 01 Jun 2012
In reply to Bob kate bob: Hi, just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone, really helpful advice. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
OP Blue Roses 01 Jun 2012
Do gite kitchens usually have lots of kitchen stuff, well equipped like an English self-catering? Thanks
Bob kate bob 01 Jun 2012
In reply to Blue Roses: They do at Maisonbleau, there is also full size oven, at least 4 rings on the hobs and a microwave in each of the big gites.
If kitchen facilities are high on your list then do enquire before you book a gite as we have stayed in places with ovens no bigger than a microwave and other places with no oven or microwave and only 2 ring hob which is ok if you want to mostly eat out but not so good if you want to eat in.
loopyone 01 Jun 2012
In reply to Bob kate bob: We stayed there a few years ago (Maisonbleu) with our one of our kids (2 at the time)and it was a very good place to stay with children.

The guys who run it even sorted us out with some toys and trikes and stuff like that. I would recommend it to anyone as a great place to stay.
 ChrisJD 01 Jun 2012
In reply to Blue Roses:

Kitchen knives in Gites are usually rubbish - take your favourite.
OP Blue Roses 01 Jun 2012
In reply to ChrisJD: Thanks!
OP Blue Roses 01 Jun 2012
In reply to tatty112: sounds good, thanks
OP Blue Roses 01 Jun 2012
In reply to Bob kate bob: ok, cool, thanks

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