Our Calm and Detailed Packing List for a Slow Summer in France

(With 2 Teens, a Dog, and a Love for Simplicity)

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Packing for a family trip can often feel overwhelming, especially when striving for simplicity and intentionality. Over the years, we’ve refined our approach to packing, focusing on what truly matters for our family of four, including our autistic teen and our beloved dog. This calm and detailed packing list for a slow summer in France reflects our commitment to intentional family travel, ensuring comfort, ease, and connection throughout our journey.

Our Travel Style: Embracing Intentional Family Travel

Our family travels by ferry from Ireland to France, bringing along our electric car and our dog. We prefer self-catering cottages or mobile homes nestled in peaceful countryside settings. Our holidays are unhurried, centered around morning walks, leisurely breakfasts, swims, games, light sightseeing, and evenings spent chatting on the deck. This intentional family travel approach allows us to connect deeply with each other and our surroundings.

How We Pack: Lessons Learned Over the Years

Through trial and error, we’ve discovered that less truly is more. Each family member has one backpack for the ferry, containing essentials for the journey. We pack clothing for 4–5 days, utilizing on-site laundry facilities. Our food supplies cover the first 24–48 hours, eliminating the need for immediate supermarket trips upon arrival. We focus on items that provide comfort and familiarity, avoiding unnecessary “just in case” additions.

1. Ferry Essentials: Preparing for a Comfortable Journey

Each family member carries a backpack containing:

Change of clothes
Pyjamas and toiletries
Chargers and devices
Books
Comfort items (e.g., soft toys)
Accessibility lanyards (sunflower lanyards)
Medications, including anti-seasick tablets

For our dog:

Food, water, bowl, toy, blanket, lead

Additional items:

A bottle of wine and a corkscrew
A cool bag with snacks
A light blanket for comfort

Tip: Top tip: Pack light! Some ferry routes mean carrying your bags up stairs, so I always bring a comfortable 10kg backpack that fits all my essentials. Here’s a similar one to mine—it’s been a game-changer for hand-luggage-only travel.

2. Food for the First 24–48 Hours: Ensuring a Smooth Start

To avoid the stress of immediate shopping upon arrival, we pack:

Barbecue night ingredients (frozen before departure): burgers, sausages, chicken skewers
Buns, sauces (ketchup, mustard, mayo), gherkins
Breakfast basics: cereal (Weetabix), milk, butter, jam, tea, filter coffee
Beverages: orange cordial, water, wine
Comfort items: honey, salt & pepper, cooking oil

On our first full day, we do a comprehensive shop for the week ahead.

3. Pool & Leisure Time: Embracing Relaxation

(A few of these contain affiliate links—just items we’ve used and loved on recent trips!)

Pool essentials:

Towels
Goggles
Pool toys (weighted dive toys)
Sun lounger clips
Flip-flops
Pool bags

Games and downtime:

Uno, poker cards
Table tennis paddles
Boules set
Kindle or books
Alexa speaker for Spotify – We always bring a little speaker so we can listen to Spotify while we’re away—it makes such a difference in the evenings or while we’re getting ready for the day. Something like this Echo Dot or Echo Pop is perfect for travel—compact, easy to set up, and great sound for its size.

4. Evening Comfort & Outdoor Living: Creating a Cozy Atmosphere

To enhance our evenings:

Fairy lights (USB)
Citronella oil and burner (plus tea lights)
Cozy pashminas or light blankets
Speaker for music
Mosquito spray

5. Toiletries & First Aid: Staying Prepared

We pack:

Shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes
Hand soap and hand sanitizer
After-sun, sunscreen, lip balm
Nail clippers
Plasters, antiseptic cream, painkillers, antihistamines
Sea-sickness tablets (taken 2 hours before boarding)

6. Clothes: Embracing a Capsule Wardrobe

Our clothing choices are simple, casual, and comfortable:

T-shirts, shorts, strappy tops
Hoodies and one warm layer (tracksuit bottoms or leggings)
Comfy pyjamas
Swimwear
Flip-flops and trainers
A lightweight jacket
One or two “just-in-case” pieces (like a skirt or shirt)

Each person brings enough for 4–5 days, with mid-week laundry using the on-site laundrette and a large laundry bag.

7. Practical Homemaking Bits: Making Self-Catering Life Easier

We include:

Clothes pegs
IKEA zip-lock bags (all sizes)
Tea towels and dishcloths
Dishwasher tabs
Washing-up liquid and spray cleaner
Kitchen roll and toilet paper
Tinfoil and clingfilm
Matches or lighter
Laundry detergent
Refuse sacks
A cool bag and reusable ice packs
Paper towels and sandwich bags

8. The Dog’s Essentials: Ensuring Our Pet’s Comfort

For our dog, we pack:

Bed and blanket
Bowls
Food and treats
Short and long leads
Favourite toy
Poo bags

9. Navigation Kit: Staying on Course

We bring:

Phone chargers and backup cables
Road atlas of France (a reliable backup)

10. Items We No Longer Pack: Embracing Simplicity

Through experience, we’ve learned to leave behind:

Fancy outfits
Excess books or games
Extra shoes
Kitchen gadgets
“Just-in-case” extras that rarely get used

11. Sensory Essentials: Supporting Our Neurodivergent Teen

Creating a safe and soothing environment is crucial. Our sensory bag includes:

Weighted blanket – We always bring our weighted blanket with us—it’s used every night at home and really helps with settling into sleep in a new place. This one has been brilliant—good quality, not too bulky, and great value, and we have been using it for 3 years.
USB colored lights for their bedroom
Portable Bluetooth speaker
Soft toy or comfort object
Preferred blanket or pillow
Over-ear noise-reducing headphones
Chosen digital devices (e.g., Switch, DS, or tablet)
Chargers, adapters, and storage pouches
Fidget toys (if needed)

We also ensure our teen knows what to expect in advance, building calm, predictable routines from the moment we board the ferry.

Conclusion: Packing with Purpose for Intentional Family Travel

Our calm and detailed packing list for a slow summer in France reflects our commitment to intentional family travel. By focusing on essentials and comfort, we’ve transformed our holidays into peaceful, connected experiences that honor each family member’s needs.