The Holiday Preparation Secrets Every Parent Needs To Know

You've spent weeks planning the perfect family holiday to France and announce the news with a flourish. The response from the kids? "Will there be Wi-Fi?"

So, how do you get your kids excited about travel? By transforming the trip from something abstract into something they’re actively part of, through books, films and podcasts. Here's how.

Books (and audiobooks) are a great way to make a destination feel real to children. France, particularly Paris, is a beautifully evocative backdrop for both classic and modern books. Here are our top picks for children by age:
 

• Younger readers: Madeline (Ludwig Bemelmans) is a classic story of a little girl living in a Paris boarding house, with iconic illustrations of Parisian streets and landmarks. Equally engaging is Rooftoppers by celebrated author Katherine Rundell, a warm-hearted novel about a community of children who live across the rooftops of Paris.
  
  
• Tweens and young teens: This group of readers will enjoy A Whale in Paris (Daniel Presley and Claire Polders), a charming, wise tale set in Nazi-occupied Paris which balances sometimes-tricky themes with lots of light touches. Prefer non-fiction? The Mona Lisa Vanishes (Nicholas Day) is a gripping book about the true story of the most famous art theft in history – and perfect if you’re planning a visit to the Louvre with your kids.
  
  
• Young adults: Amid the wide range of YA fiction set in France, Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know (Samira Ahmed) stands out for its take on the themes of destiny and women reclaiming their voices. Older teens will also love the Pulitzer Prize-winning All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr), exploring morality and the goodness of people against all odds in occupied France.

Buvez beaucoup d’eau durant le vol pour ne pas vous déshydrater et adoptez les horaires de repas et de repos du lieu où vous allez. Essayez de ne pas faire de siestes, évitez l’alcool et la caféine trop près de votre heure de coucher et exposez-vous à la lumière du jour afin de réaligner votre horloge biologique.

Films set in France and documentaries are great for holiday preparation as they help your child visualise where you’re going. Make the watching interactive: point things out on a map, ask them which places they most want to visit and encourage them to do their own further research.
 

• Younger viewers: A classic family favourite, Pixar’s Ratatouille (2007) is a joyful introduction to Paris and French food culture. For something more directly educational, Twinkl Educational Publishing's Tour of Paris for Kids is a short, engaging video that walks children through the city's most famous landmarks.
  
• Tweens and young teens: Watch A Monster in Paris (2011), a funny, fast-paced animated French film set in 1910 Paris and bursting with period detail, from the Great Flood to the rooftops of Montmartre and the buzzing streets of the Belle Époque. Pair it with Rick Steves' Europe, whose extensive France coverage includes dedicated episodes on Paris, Provence, the Loire Valley, Normandy, the Dordogne and the French Riviera.
  
  
• Young adults: French cinema offers two good starting points. First, Amélie (2001), Jean-Pierre Jeunet's quirky love letter to Montmartre. Together with Paris, Je T'aime (2006), comprising 18 short films by different directors, each set in a different arrondissement, your kids will get a rich and varied picture of the French capital. For non-fiction, Chef's Table: France (2016) offers a deep dive into French culinary culture through four featured chefs.

Podcasts are particularly great for holiday preparation in the weeks before a trip because they fit naturally into daily routines, such as on car journeys or before bedtime. A useful place to start is the long-running Join Us in France hosted by Annie Sargent. It’s warm and practical, and suitable for both adults and kids. For the kids' holiday preparation specifically:
 

• Younger listeners: Archie and Beans World Adventures is an accessible, character-led geography podcast that explores different countries, including France.
  
  
• Tweens and young teens: The Earful Tower, hosted by Australian journalist Oliver Gee, offers a personal and entertaining take on Paris life that makes you feel you’re strolling through the city with him. Boffins may also enjoy science podcast Wow in the World's episode titled Happy 150th Birthday - The Story of the Metric System (aired 19 May 2025), when the hosts travel back to 18th-century France to investigate the origins of the metric system.
  
  
• Young adults: The Rest is History, hosted by historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, covers French history with both wit and depth. The multi-part French Revolution series traces events from the storming of the Bastille through the execution of Louis XVI to the chaos that followed, while their extensive WWII coverage includes a dedicated multi-part series on the Fall of France..

The benefits of learning about French history, culture and cuisine before visiting are numerous. This holiday preparation means that by the time your family gets in the car, or on the train or plane, your children won’t be arriving somewhere entirely new. Instead, it’ll be somewhere they already know a little, and are eager and ready to know a lot more about!
 

Holiday preparation for your family trip to France

Effective holiday preparation for a family trip to France involves immersing children in books, films and podcasts before you go. This approach transforms an abstract destination into somewhere they already feel connected to, and helps them arrive curious and ready to explore. Holiday preparation ideas range from books for younger children like Madeline, to films like A Monster in Paris for tweens and The Rest is History podcast for young adults.