Places to go

Thank you to Caroline from Angloinfo for pointing out the website www.dehorslespetits.net.

Uzes, Pont du Gard and Haribo

Fancy a day out that's fun for adults and kids? Around 1 hour's drive from Montpellier...

Try going to Uzes for a walk around - great on a Saturday morning as it's the market - beware it can be very busy, especially in the Summer - window shopping is great there too. Buy yourself a picnic whilst you are there.

Then over to the Pont du Gard - only a few minutes in the car - great for a run around for the kids - find a patch of grass or a rock to sit down for your picnic - there is a film show (which is quite expensive) and a cafe (good choice and not expensive) there.

Finally, if you have energy - go over to Haribo the sweet museum / factory - freebies, a fabulous factory shop (the highlight of the trip actually) and lots of thing to sniff, poke and play with.

Directions:

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Sledging near to Montpellier (Cevennes)

Fancy a day out with fun in the snow for the kids?

Prat Peyrot and Esperou are the places to go and are the nearest to Montpellier - just 86kms and around 1 hour 40 mins drive.

Esperou is the lower of the two resorts with a very wide area for 'luge' - this is also the place to rent your sledge (smaller plastic ones can be bought for around Euro10 from the supermarket) - larger ones (well all sizes) can be rented in Esperou for a day or half day. There are a few restaurants in Esperou - Prat Peyrot is only the ski area another 4 kms up the mountain and just has a self service restaurant (no rental places or hotels or bars...so rent enroute up the mountain if you want to continue on to Prat Peyrot).

You can rent equipment (including sledges) from here for around Euro5 to Euro8.

Details on Aigoual incl prices of ski lift passes are here.

How much snow you can expect to find here is here.

And webcams showing the toboggan runs are here.

Directions:

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More direction information here too.

Museums go free for under 25s

NATIONAL museums and monuments are to be free to visit for the under 25s and teachers from April 4. President Sarkozy spoke of the plans for free entry to museums and national monuments as part of “grand plans” for culture improvements in 2009, which he announced in Nîmes yesterday. Rest the rest of the article here:

Amazonian Glass House, Montpellier

Take a look inside on their webcam.

Pony rides in Montpellier

A few days before Christmas we visited the Christmas market with Alicia's grandparents - and after an hour at the park on the Esplanade by the Corum we did a circular route to another few climbing frames I'd not been to before on the other side of the pond and then played on the stepping stones over the water - then Alicia spotted the poneys.

I'd always thought she'd be too scared - but she was an absolute natural and loved it. (Think this might turn into an expensive hobby...) The poneys are there all year around - Wednesdays and weekends I think. One ride is Euro5 - 5 rides Euro20 - the horses are typically temperamental in a gentle kind of way (oi, I want to walk behind my friend - and oi, I know the route and we stop here
matey! ....)

See the photo of Alicia and her friend Billy above.

Where to ride your new bike near Montpellier

Look what we got for Christmas....

Where to ride your new bike? This is the canal by Lunel. Try the promenades at La Grande Motte or Grau du Roi - or even the Voie Verte near Calvisson.

Incidentally we bought the bike from www.ebay.fr - from a nearby village, we drove to fetch it. We were the only bidders, presumably as the bidders were restricted to those living in the area. Worth a look for future purchases.

Hansel & Gretel - Christmas in Montpellier

Hansel & Gretel is on at the theatre in Montpellier - suitable for kids of 3 yrs and up.

Dates: 23/24/26/27 December at 3pm. Price Euro6 and Euro4

Full info here.

Acrochat

New to the Odysseum, Montpellier (near the tramway parking...) is http://www.acrochats.com/ .. it's a new indoor playpark for all ages (from 80cm tall) - you can even do parties there...

Petit Paradis

Want a half day trip somewhere with toddlers to say, 10 year olds? Try the Petit Paradis petting zoo near Vendargues, just 10 minutes north of Montpellier. Lots of little animals, bouncy castles and a picnic area and boating lake.

Jungle Jump Montpellier

A new place for kids 1 to 3 yrs old to play in Montpellier.

http://www.junglejump.fr/

Summer Stuff to do with the Kids

The top 20 most fun things to do for kids in Languedoc!

The Languedoc Roussillon has a terrific diversity of places to see, explore and experience for children en famille. From water parks to shady bamboo, from castles to vultures, from Art to tree climbing…whatever your budget and your children’s desires there should be something to suit you and your kids. Read more at www.cremedelanguedoc.com.

The Beaches

The sea beaches of Languedoc Roussillon, south France, tend to be larger and sandier than Provence's pebbly equivalents, and some stretch for miles along a coastline that is predominantly flat and straight. Read more here on www.cremedelanguedoc.com.

More Kid's Days Out

More days out in the Languedoc area with Angloinfo.

Amazonian Green House, Montpellier

Amazonian Green House, Montpellier - by the Zoo.