The children and sightseeing combo is a tricky one to get right. To enjoy a tourist attraction kids need to be impressed … and kids are hard to impress. What’s more, if they’re not enjoying the experience they will make sure that no one within ten feet is either.

As the children of a travel writer, my kids are experienced city breakers and by trial and error we’ve worked out a formula that keeps everyone happy ‘most’ of the time.

I don’t know if you can recall what a map of France looks like, but the country is shaped a bit like a drunk five-pointed star. Brittany is perched on the tip of its most western point waving at its friends across the English Channel.

The British have always had a soft spot for Brittany, or Bretagne, as it’s known in French.

Driving to Val Thorens in the French Alps is an adventure as it involves a non-stop steep climb up the side of a mountain for an hour. On arrival you feel like you’ve just reached the top of the world. True statement. Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe at 2,300 meters (7, 545 feet). It’s also part of Les 3 (Trois) Vallées, the largest ski area anywhere offering 600 kilometers of interconnected slopes. Like most of the big brand ski areas in Europe where navigating logistics is overwhelming, insider perspective is key.

There’s no shortage of fine hotels in Paris so the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group had to craft their own version of luxury in the City of Lights. Mission accomplished. When the Mandarin Oriental Paris opened its doors in June 2011 with 99 rooms and 39 suites, a splendid new luxury hotel icon was born.

The “wow” starts the minute you walk into the Mandarin Oriental Paris’ light and art-filled lobby. Visually stunning at every turn, no expense was spared …

One of the best parts about living in Switzerland was our easy access to the best skiing in Europe. And yes, I do think it’s worth the time and expense to travel across an ocean for a family ski holiday. Ski experiences vary greatly from country to country and just like any travel adventure, the fun is in understanding and appreciating a different approach to this beloved winter sport.

Dreaming about a ski trip to Europe this season? It’s not too late! Here’s what you need to know:

I’m an accommodations quality nut and choosing the “right” place to stay for family vacations and getaways is always a big job, even with a ready list of reliable recommendations. If you prefer rental homes with kids versus standard hotel rooms, this task is even more daunting.

Exclusive Resorts, the leading luxury brand in the vacation club category, is a compelling solution for über-discerning traveler given their network of incredible homes with extensive services around the world.

We’ve enjoyed our share of spectacular mountain scenery in Switzerland during visits to Mürren and Zermatt. These are not-to-be-missed attractions during any Alps tour. That said, our journey to the top of the Aiguille du Midi via cable car at 3,842 meters (12,604 ft) on the Mont Blanc massif left us breathless.

This vantage point allows visitors to see across the Alps in all directions. The scenery in the immediate vicinity is wild. Note, the little ants you see at the bottom of this photo? Those are brave people crossing the snow for various crazy adventures.

On my family’s recent trip to Paris, I sometimes felt overwhelmed with the staggering amount of amazing architecture and history at every turn. I never tired of looking at it but I did tire of not knowing the stories behind the buildings, statues and paintings. This is where a great tour makes all the difference.

Ciao Bambino has covered a variety of private family tours, including the Paris Muse Louvre tour which receives rave reviews from our readers. I have always wondered if the private guided tours are really worth it with kids.

If you’re dreaming of spending the summer in the South of France with kids there are two very important things to know before planning your trip:

Traffic on the main coastal highway that stretches from Monaco to St. Tropez can be an absolute and utter nightmare. I would avoid any plan that involves a daily coastal commute in and around the main tourist zones to get to the beach.

Aix-en-Provence, one of the main urban attractions in the Provence region, is 2 hours via car from Nice on a good day. This is too …

If you’re looking for a “new” region to explore in France this summer beyond the big name destinations like the Loire Valley, Provence, and the French Riviera, the Dordogne region is a blast to visit with kids of all ages.

One of the reasons I like it so much for families is that the list of things to do is so varied within a small geographic area. Cultural and historic touring can easily be combined with active days out biking, hiking, swimming, and canoeing.