6 Family Activities To Make Travelling in France Fun

When you’re travelling with family, it's the shared laughter, spontaneous adventures and sense of togetherness that make the trip memorable. That’s why top family hotels are more than just places to sleep – they serve as the heart of your holiday. From kids’ clubs and interactive family workshops to wellness programmes and cooking classes, many hotels now provide unique, family-oriented events that turn downtime into unforgettable bonding moments. 

Whether it's multi-generational outings, parent-toddler activities or board game nights, you'll find experiences that engage all ages. These thoughtful additions help families relax, recharge and reconnect. Here are six ways your hotel stay can be a holiday packed with quality time and lasting memories for everyone.

Time in fresh air away from phones and computer screens is vital to healthy mental and physical growth and development. Many family-oriented hotels make it a pleasure to be outside, with themed outdoor trails and adventure playgrounds, where junior guests can run around, climb and generally expend energy. Why not join in with your family's activities and get some exercise yourself? At Novotel La Grande Motte Golf, family members can band together to play a round of golf, while at Novotel Domaine de Maffliers-Demeures de Campagne, you can all disconnect and get back to nature with walks and cycle rides around the leafy 35-hectare estate.

Meal times are important opportunities to reconnect with each other, helping family members bond after a day of exploring or relaxing. But kids can get fractious and grumpy in restaurants, so it's important to choose a hotel where everything is done to make the experience easy for all members of your clan. Family-friendly restaurants like those in Novotel hotels offer high chairs and booster seats, as well as colouring-in books or building bricks to ensure younger guests are entertained during meal times. Trying local dishes together can also be a fun experience, so look for menus that are health conscious and seasonal, while still incorporating family options like burgers and pizza. Whether it’s breakfast to plan the day or dinner to reflect on it, these shared moments around the table can become some of the trip’s best memories.

Family holidays are about taking time out and enjoying unforgettable moments with your kids – and there’s no better way to strengthen family connections than by booking massages and treatments in a soothing, tranquil hotel spa. Specially curated well-being experiences for all the family are offered in the privacy of a double cabin at certain resort spas. You'll find packages specifically designed for relaxation, allowing you to make the most of your downtime with the most important people in your life. Manicures, pedicures and mini facials for the kids are especially popular – and if your hotel doesn’t have a spa, there’s often a sauna that families can book to enjoy privately. 

The family that learns together is a happy one, so look for a hotel that offers parent-child workshops and classes that highlight local experiences. Whether you're making steak frites from scratch or learning to paint a Mediterranean sunset, you'll discover new skills side by side, along with building teamwork and sharing lots of laughter. Plus, everyone takes home a new story. For example, at Novotel Orléans Chemins Sologne-Demeures Campagne, you can help the kids cook a local dish, and elsewhere in France, you can learn how to arrange wild flowers or create a bespoke perfume.

Being on holiday together is all about new experiences, with sightseeing in your chosen region one of the most popular family activities. Make time to create those everlasting memories with the kids on fun family days out. Take cultural family tours of the Loire châteaux, spending time on the sandy beaches of Provence-Alps-Riviera and ticking off the manyfold landmarks of Paris. 

Bedtime in an unfamiliar hotel bedroom can be a flash point, with kids becoming unsettled as their night-time routine is disrupted. Family-oriented hotels like Novotel provide everything you need for an effortless transition from day to night, including cots, changing mats and night lights for infants as well as patterned sleeping bags for older kids. Family games are on hand in guest rooms for bedtime too, helping kids to wind down, and there’s always at least one kids’ channel on the in-room TV so you can snuggle down and spend quality time watching cartoons together before going to sleep.

Dedicated to making life easy for travelling families, all Novotel hotels provide budget-friendly accommodation to parents and their offspring as a matter of course. As well as receiving a personalised gift, every kid under the age of 16 stays and breakfasts for free when sharing with their parents – and if you need extra space, you’ll get half price on the second room. Welcoming family rooms are spacious and baby equipment like cots can be supplied on demand. In fact, everything flows smoothly for you from the moment you arrive – designated parking spots near the hotel entrance, kids’ zones to keep your precious ones entertained while you’re checking in and family favourites served in the restaurants.

According to actor Michael J. Fox, “Family is not an important thing, it’s everything.” This is a sentiment that Novotel wholeheartedly endorses, to the point that we even help you celebrate that most precious of family activities – your child’s birthday. Whenever kids spend their birthday in a Novotel hotel, they receive balloons, a mocktail voucher and a personalised gift in their room. 

Hopefully you’re now well on your way to booking unforgettable stays at Novotel with family activities across France – bon voyage!