We started our road trip in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona is my favorite city in the world. I've visited it a few times before, and each visit makes me love it even more. This time we also had our kids with us and they liked it as well. If you ask me what exactly I love about Barcelona so much, I would probably have the whole list as an answer - architecture, food, diversity, museums, concerts, atmosphere... that city is just so welcoming, international, and interesting that you can never be bored here!
We stayed in The Royal Marina Gardens apartments located in Castelldefels. This is not the first time we have stayed in Castelldefels. It's a beach town so conveniently located about 25 minutes drive from the city center and 15 minutes drive from the airport. In addition to convenience, you'll have miles of sandy beach and a lively town with a lot of restaurants and entertainment.

From Barcelona, we drove to Andorra for a little less than 3 hours. Andorra is a tiny, independent country between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains. It's a beautiful place with dramatic mountain views everywhere, a cute old quarter, a million shops, and of course my long-time dream - mineral heaven Caldea! We stayed in Yomo Mola Park hotel. It's reasonably priced and located right across the street from Caldea. Caldea is a huge spa with mineral pools, saunas, massage showers, steam rooms, jacuzzis, and more. They sometimes have live music and fun shows right in the spa! It's a unique place and if you are as big of a mineral junkie as I am, you must go!

Food Recommendation:

KOKOSNOT

It's a very nice Michelin star restaurant. It's pricy, but we figured we'd start our journey in style. :) 

In the morning we got in our car and, in just about two hours, we were finally on the French land! We stopped at a historical site, Montségur on the way. Now a symbol of resistance against repression, it was the last refuge of the Cathars. It is a fortress at the top of the mountain with some very picturesque surroundings. You park at the foot of the mountain and climb up for about 25 minutes. We enjoyed that hike - the views were gorgeous, the kids were picking some wildflowers, and Peter was telling us the history of the Cathars. We explored the castle for a while, googled and read its history, and took some pictures. It was a great stop and we were looking forward to the next one!

Our next overnight stop was in a Medieval village called Mirepoix. We stayed for one night in Logis Hôtel les Minotiers. The hotel was just steps away from the main square with colorful medieval houses and the southern French Gothic-style Saint-Maurice cathedral. And, I think in Mirepoix was the beginning of our discovery of just how amazing the food in that region is! 

Food recommendation:

L'autre Jardin

The next day we headed to Moissac, about 2 hours drive. The town is situated at the confluence of the rivers Garonne and Tarn at the Canal de Garonne. It's really cute, the Moissac Abbey is a Unesco world heritage site and is definitely worth visiting.

Then we drove to Cahors. We visited Pech Merle Cave on the way where we saw authentic prehistoric paintings which are over 20,000 years old. It is not my must-see, but do stop by if you are nearby. We also stopped to walk on the unique Pont-Canal Du Cacor bridge. This bridge is not for people, not even for the cars. This bridge is for the boats! 

We finished that full of adventures day on the farm Le Malbouyssou where we stayed one night. Staying on farms is always popular with our kids because they appreciate the space and LOVE farm animals & pets.

Food recommendation:

L'Ô à la Bouche 

The next day our first stop was in La Roque Gageac, one of the most beautiful villages in France. Nestled against a huge limestone cliff on the edge of the Dordogne river it is one of the most photographed places in south-western France. We really enjoyed walking around the town, photographing the views, and relaxing while eating some heavenly gelato.

We then had a super fun stop in Château des Milandes! The Chateau itself is beautiful and there was so much to explore on the grounds! Kids really enjoyed the bird of prey show. After the show, they could go talk to the birdkeepers, see the birds up close, and even pet them. They were so excited about holding this huge gorgeous owl! There was another place where kids could feed the exotic birds, a space to go in and hang out with parrots, a medieval show, and more. Totally worth a two-hour stop! 

Next stop - Marqueyssac Gardens, very romantic and beautiful gardens. Situated on the top of a cliff, these gardens are approximately 1km long with manicured hedges, woodland, astounding views, wandering peacocks, a small castle, a maze always popular with the kids. If you do the gardens in an anticlockwise route, on the return you can stop for a delicious crepe or visit the cafe for food and ice cream.

Sarlat was the critical point on this trip when I realized I was falling in love with France! This city is so gorgeous, I can only compare it to Girona in Spain, another favorite of mine. You will enjoy walking around these picturesque streets, almost a thousand years of authentic architecture, and many historical monuments. Sarlat has the most amazing gastronomy - a paradise of truffles, mushrooms, foie gras, candies, pies, and fine delicatessens. We stayed in Hotel Le Renoir, cute and conveniently located. Amazing place and memories.

Food recommendations:

Le Grand Bleu

Sarlat Market

Memorable stop for a few hours in a cliff-hanging village, Rocamadour. Built on three levels, the village is entirely pedestrian.
There is a lot of history and amazing views everywhere! After a couple of hours of exploration up and down the stairs, you can find a place with the best views to sit down for some refreshments and lunch. 

Food recommendations:

Beau site Jehan de Valon

Gouffle de Padirac Cave was a place that really impressed all four of us! First, let me mention that it gets crazy-crowded, so make sure to buy tickets in advance and be there on time for your time slot. Once inside, you can descend by lift or the impressive metal staircase, the design of which was inspired by the Eiffel Tower of Paris. I definitely recommend choosing the stairs. Exploring through the cave, you then get in line for the boat (about 10 minutes). Once you board a small flat-bottomed boat, your tour guide punts along a subterranean river of pristine turquoise water, using a wooden pole to move you along. From here you discover the full grandeur of the cave system 103 meters under the surface. An absolute must visit with or without kids!

Another 40 minutes drive and we've arrived at our next overnight stop, Collonges-la-Rouge, the image of quintessential France! We stayed in a lovely Le Relais St-Jacques de Compostelle. From its berry red walls to its rich heritage, Collonges-la-Rouge is a must-see village in the heart of the Dordogne Valley. We arrived an hour before the sunset, checked in the hotel, and had a chance to go for a stroll enjoying impressive 15th and 16th-century red sandstone houses surrounded by chestnut and walnut orchards. We then had an amazing foie gras dinner in our hotel's restaurant. Kids went to the room for their iPod time before bed, and we went for a very romantic twilight walk. 

The next day after a nice breakfast in Collonges-la-Rouge, we were ready for some sightseeing. We headed to visit the Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe. Known as the 'Romanesque Sistine Chapel', the Abbey-Church of Saint-Savin famous for its murals, executed at the end of the 11th or early 12th century, are an exceptional ensemble of medieval imagery. According to UNESCO's criteria, it has been included on the list of World Heritage Sites because it is an example of human creative genius and of a cultural tradition that has now disappeared.

Food recommendation:

We stopped for a very nice lunch in Le Cérasus. 

Poitiers was one stop that I personally didn't care for, to be honest. I blame it on a non-stop pouring rain. Peter disagrees. He went to the Church of Notre Dame la Grande, Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers, and Palace Of The Aquitaine Dukes, and found them all very interesting. I took the kids to the trampoline park, which they absolutely enjoyed. :) 

Food recommendation:

One thing that I really enjoyed in Poitiers was an amazing dinner in Vingelique!

The National Estate of Chambord is a unique architectural and natural ensemble in France that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Plan to spend a few hours here. There is so much to do, so much to see. While Peter took a tour inside the castle, the kids and I went on our own adventure around the magnificent lands. We rented a golf cart and drove around the lake/pond enjoying the park, and the amazing views of the castle, making a lot of fun stops on the way. We stopped by the stables to meet the horses. Later, we attended a really fun medieval show with beautiful costumes, music, horses, knight duels, etc.

After a few fun hours in Chambond, we stopped for lunch in La Vieille Tour. Absolutely wonderful experience!

Our next destination with an overnight stay was the birthplace of Balzac, Tours. We stayed in the Hilton Garden Inn Tours Centre. We found Tours to be a charming city with half-timbered French houses, the monumental Saint-Gatien Cathedral, and a lively Tours beach across the street from our hotel. 

Food recommendation:

La Vieille Tour

L'Opidom

The next day, after only a 20-minute drive we arrived at Chateau de Villandry. I was wondering how another chateau could top Château des Milandes and Chambord, but here we found the most impressive formal gardens on a huge scale. We walked around the beautiful alleys admiring flowers, colors, shapes, and interesting designs. The kids enjoyed the lake with some friendly swans. Really fun stop for a couple of hours.

We headed to Saumur next. On the way we stopped in Chateau de Langeais, had a lunch in Au Coin Des Halles, visited Chapelle Sainte Radegonde, and stoped by for some pate and cheese plate at LA CAVE VOLTAIRE.

In Saumur we stayed in Hotel Anne d'Anjou. It's a super cute hotel right on the river with its own spa. The perfect view of a castle from the pool was unreal, the sauna and hot tub were extremely nice. The hotel had a cute restaurant where they served us a delicious breakfast.

Food recommendation:

We had an amazing dinner in LE POT DE LAPIN.

On our way to Angers, the kids were feeling a little restless and ready for some active entertainment, so we decided to stop by Terra Botanica, an amusement and botanical park. We were curious to see the "french version" of an amusement park, and it didn't disappoint. It's a beautiful park, I was especially impressed by the vegetable garden, and kids absolutely loved the 4D show and enjoyed the trampoline park. It was a stop that kids definitely appreciated. 

Angers was another one of my favorite places on this trip. This city is just absolutely charming with a very warm, welcoming atmosphere, great food, and impressive historical sights. First, the magnificent Chateau d'Angers which houses a major masterpiece of the medieval era, namely the Apocalypse Tapestry. It consists of six sections, each divided into seven tableaux. It just consumes you for an hour or so, even kids managed to stay interested and finish the audio guide. We stayed in a tiny hotel Logis Hôtel Marguerite d'Anjou, right across the street from the Chateau d'Angers. Really inexpensive, convenient, perfect place for a one night stay.

Another two-hour drive and we were in Brittany, the most un-French region of France. Aside from incredibly cute villages, medieval castles and fortresses, we felt right at home. It is so similar to our favorite places in CA, like Point Reyes or Mendocino, including amazing seafood and a crazy wet wind.

Out first stop was Rochefort-en-Terre. It's another village from a fairy tale, absolutely beautiful! It was so much fun to walk around the village, stopping in different cute shops with chocolates, souvenirs, toffees, etc.

Our kids always get excited about being on the boat and Cairn de Gavrinis ferry was not an exception. It's a very interesting, about half-an-hour experience watching the cars, pets, and people loading onto the boat, bright yellow water contrasting with the blue sky all around... short ride and a nice diversion from driving.

We stayed in ESCALE OCEANIA VANNES, which was an OK hotel.

Next day we visited Carnac, 5000-year-old megalithic complex famous as the site of more than 10,000 Neolithic standing stones, also known as menhirs. It is one of the most extraordinary concentrations of standing stones in the world. The standing stones were erected between 5,000 and 3,000 years B.C.! Many theories, including some really crazy ones, attempt to explain these monuments. Their astronomical purpose is often mentioned.

Food recommendation:

LE HOMARD FRITES VANNES

LA TETE EN L'AIR, Vannes

On our way to La Rochelle, we decided to take a little detour to visit Ars-en-Ré. 

It's a really cute village with magnificent black and white bell tower, reaching a height of 40 metres, all-white streets, and a really pretty marina where you can watch boats entering and leaving. The weather was beautiful and we really enjoyed walking around, eating gelato, stopping by the shops while kids were playing soccer near the tower.

Food Recommendation:

HUITRIÈRE DE RÉ

We have an old friend from La Rochelle who is a successful chef in San Francisco. One time when we asked him where is his dream place for retirement, he said in La Rochelle. Now I know why! This is one of the most gorgeous cities I've been to. It has an aura of rich, solid, vibrant, beautiful costal town.

We stayed in Maisons du Monde Hotel & Suites. We loved that place - huge comfortable room, really nice breakfast, cozy spots with board games, and absolutely perfect waterfront location.

Food Recommendation:

LES 4 SERGENTS LA ROCHELLE

Next destination was traditionally my favorite part of our travels, the wine country.:) Pauillac is a well-regarded commune and appellation on Bordeaux's Médoc peninsula. It is home to some of the world's most famous and expensive red wines.

It was also our first-ever experience staying right on the vineyard. We stayed in CHATEAU TOUR SAINT-FORT CHAMBRE D'HOTES, which was definitely a five-star stay. We had two huge suites, and pretty much the whole second floor of the mansion, including the roof lounge area with some unreal views.

Food Recommendation:

Lunch in Café Lavinal 

Dinner at La Maison d'Estournel

We have finally got to the last part of our road trip, Basque Country. 

We stayed in a slick modern HOTEL VILLA KOEGUI in Bayonne, located in La Petit Bayonne, a very colorful central neighborhood where Nive and Adour Rivers meet.

We also drove to Espelette, a small village nearby. If the name Espelette rings a bell it’s because of the Espelette red peppers (piments d’Espelette) that are cultivated here. We were lucky to stumble upon one of the local festivals with live music, games, crafts, and delicatessen displays. 

The next day we headed to Biarritz. It's definitely a very popular seaside destination, beautiful beaches, views. It was a little too crowded for our taste, but kids really enjoyed 

The Aquarium.

Food Recommendation:

LA TABLE DE SÉBASTIEN GRAVÉ

RESTAURANT GOXOKI

Le Chat Perché Saint Jean Pied de Port

Our final stop before heading back to Spain was Pau.

We stayed in Mercure Pau Palais des Sports Hotel, located a bit away from the town center. We were getting a little tired and wanted to relax by the pool. The hotel also has a gym (our kids love gyms) and a good restaurant.

In the evening we explored the city and had a nice dinner at Restaurant Henri IV Pau.

The time has come to head home! Driving back to Spain through the Pyrenees Mountains was a lot of fun. We drove through Vallée d’Aspe, stop at Cirque de Lescun to enjoy the spectacular views, and after driving for a couple of hours, we stopped for an unexpectedly nice hike. We hiked about half an hour when we reached a river with a lot of horses all around. It was a really nice stop! After the hike, we stopped by for lunch in LE RANDONNEUR. In the end of our trip, we visited MONASTERY OF SAN JUAN DE LA PEÑA.

Stayed in Hotel Real Jaca & Spa for one night. The next day we've arrived to Barcelona and flew back home.

Food Recommendation:

LE RANDONNEUR

RESTAURANTE COBARCHO, Jaca