Ljs: Readers' tips: family attractions in France

There is life beyond Disneyland Paris ? Been there readers advise on where to go for the best family day out in France, from the fairytale cave of Aven Armand to a colourful Paris garden

WINNING TIP: Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris

This is a truly beautiful park. Pick up its own little train from the M�tro station Porte Maillot. There are a huge range of attractions, but these were our favourites: the aviary ? the mynah bird repeated our Brummie "hello!", the huge flower showers in the water park and the carousel horses that move along a track ? just like in Mary Poppins! Take your own picnic though, as the cafe is busy and overpriced. Entry ?2.90, rides ?2.70; +33 1 4067 9082, jardindacclimatation.fr
Becky1501

Paris

La Mer de Sable
Just a 45-minute drive from the centre of the city, La Mer de Sable is a great escape. Built on an incredible geological site ? a perfectly natural expanse of sand ? it was France's first themepark when it opened in 1954 but has truly survived the test of time. The best bit? No queues, cheap prices and free parking.
From ?14.50 adult/child; Ermenonville, Exit 7 on the A1, +33 3 4462 3131, merdesable.fr
lamiloo

Parc Floral
Last summer in early July my 11-year-old son and I spent a week in Paris. An unexpected highlight was the Parc Floral on a hot sunny day with water lillies to astound and impress even a pre-teen ? with not another tourist in sight.
Entry free; M�tro Ch�teau de Vincennes, +33 1 4957 2484, parcfloraldeparis.com
Cypress52

Meyrueis, Languedoc-Roussillon

Caves of Aven Armand
Three years on, our granddaughter (now 11) has not forgotten her visit to this spectacular cave, home to the world's largest known stalagmite which, throughout its 30 metres, sparkles like a diamond. You descend into the cave, more than 100m underground, by a funicular railway. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides take you through a forest of more than 400 stalagmites. It is a vast fairytale cave capable of containing the entire cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
?9.10 adult, ?6.20 child; +33 4 6645 6131, aven-armand.com
Lilyanna

Beauvais, Picardy

Parc St Paul
Between Dieppe and Paris, this lovely family themepark is a welcome stopover if you want to break a long journey. It provides entertainment for the whole family (lots of different rides) and unlike its bigger rivals, there are no queues and you can have a barbecue on one of the park's 40 grills. The prices are reasonable and the food is excellent. A grand day out.
Open from 9 April, ?16 adult, ?14 child; +33 3 4482 2016; parcsaintpaul.fr
Otherp

Plailly, Picardy

Parc Ast�rix
I recommend Parc Ast�rix on the outskirts of Paris. It was the best park we visited in France. My family (two adults, three teenagers) thought it was brilliant ? a great selection of rides that covered four different time zones in Ast�rix's adventures. The rides vary from gentle to the terrifying (with lots of choice in between) and there lots of shows and animations too. The cafes are good, and there are shady places for picnics as well. It was quite easy to walk around ? not too huge. We used Tesco vouchers for advance entry, which helped our holiday budget, and have been twice now (2007 and 2009). For us it was a good couple of days on the end of our holiday, but it could make a good mini-break if you live in the south of England.
Open from 9 April, ?39 adult, ?29 child (3-11 years); +33 826 301040, parcasterix.fr
Onliner

Les Epesses, Loire

Puy du Fou
For a really different day, this historical themepark is in the Vend�e and easy to get to from the coast or from Paris. There is just so much to see and do, including a Viking long boat, a huge gladiator battle, dancing falcons and a battle of the keep re-enactment. The highlight is the Cin�sc�nie show each evening, which features more than 1,000 actors and hundreds of fireworks. We loved it, even though everything was in French and it rained from the moment we got there until the moment we left.
?44 adult, ?26 child, including Cin�sc�nie; +33 2 5164 2594, puydufou.com
Elberry

Lacapelle, Midi-Pyr�n�es

Parc-en-Ciel
In this large wooded park in Lot-et-Garonne, the main attraction is the treetop adventure ? it's similar to the UK's Go Ape. There are different grades for the trails, so everyone in the family can take part. One of the highlights is the superb and very long zipwire finish, which takes you from the treetops right down over the park. Good clear instructions are given (in English) and there are guides positioned around the course to help out. Highly recommended for an active and fun day out in beautiful surroundings.
?20 adult, from ?12.50 child; +33 5 5371 8458, parc-en-ciel.com
Vdunne

St Cyr-sur-Mer, Provence-Alpes-C�te d'Azur

Aqualand
As far as I know, British weather doesn't really allow us to have outdoor waterparks like Aqualand but it's worth heading to the continent just for them. In particular, Aqualand St Cyr-sur-Mer is a great way to spend a hot summer's day if you want to be away from the chaos of Med beaches. There are rapids, pools of all sorts for over excited kids but also a great cr�perie and espace d�tente where parents can rest.
?25 adult, ?18.50 child (3-12 years); +33 4 6821 4949, aqualand.fr
Otherp

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