The Family Travel Association (FTA) finds 81% of parents are likely to take at least one vacation per year with their children. But this French family of four takes that concept to the extreme as they opt to live out of backpacks and motorhomes for months to years at a time.
If you ever thought having a young family would prevent you from long-term travel, the Ginoux family challenges that conventional myth. Led by parents Bruno and Alexandra, along with their children, now 14-year-old Nina and 11-year-old Romeo, they journeyed to more than 30 countries over the past five years. Their longest expedition lasted an impressive 1.5 years.
One Family’s Journey Into Nomad Travel
Prior to 2019, travel for Bruno and Alexandra meant a vacation in Mexico for 12 days or hiking for a week in their native Corsica, France. Like most parents with young children, they believed long-term excursions were out of the question.
One day, a conversation with an old friend ignited their daring leap into full-time travel. “With our kids now, it’s difficult to travel on a world trip,” Bruno said, to which his friend replied, “You know there are kids everywhere in the world.”
That one remark inspired Bruno and Alexandra to reconsider their choices and challenge the excuses that made a nomadic lifestyle seem impossible.
After six months of meticulous planning, the couple and their two children downsized, trading their permanent home for a life on wheels in an RV.
Their adventures began in July 2019 from southern France. They drove through Europe, across Russia, Mongolia, and China before storing their beloved motorhome in Malaysia. Transitioning to rental vans, the family continued through New Zealand’s landscapes and the scenic roads of the United States. They planned a one-year trip, but it unexpectedly lasted six extra months.
While they’ve settled in recent years, travel remains an annual fixture in their lives. They make the most of their summers and Christmas breaks; they dedicate five to eight weeks to backpacking across India, island-hopping in Indonesia, and journeying through the Middle East.
A Different Approach To Learning on the Road
One might think safety concerns might complicate traveling with children, but Bruno candidly admits education was the real nightmare. “That was the worst part of the travels because the kids didn’t want to go to school or do their homework at all. It was really difficult, but it was the only difficult part of our trip.”
Equipped with the official homeschooling curriculum, Alexandra took on the responsibility of educating her children on the road. The focus was on studying two primary subjects — mathematics and French — for at least two hours daily. However, the nature of their trip often disrupted this routine.
“When we had some beautiful place to go, we used the whole day to go there or hike somewhere. For example, when we went to China for 30 days, from the north to the south, it was 7000 kilometers, so we didn’t have time for homeschooling.”
The Untold Educational Benefits of a World Classroom
While this might deviate from mainstream schooling, the Ginoux family demonstrates this unorthodox approach to education may, in fact, be remarkably effective.
Despite inconsistent homeschooling, Nina and Romeo excel at a traditional school. Since returning to France, the children, “are easy, they can make friends easily. They are good with languages. And I hope they are kind to others. I think traveling helps a lot with not being racist.”
Bruno disputes the notion that this lifestyle may not provide the stability growing children need. “No, they didn’t have regular friends during the trip, but I think everything worked. We know some families on the road for five years, and okay, they don’t have regular friends, but they have friends everywhere, and they have their families.”
Nina and Romeo’s nomadic lifestyle connects them with different cultures and languages, providing a unique education not taught in a traditional classroom. As a result, the two have become adaptable and open-minded young individuals.
Their family’s adventurous spirit inspires the kids’ dreams of accomplishing their own future bucket list ideas, like buying a van and taking trips with friends. Yet, they remain humble about past excursions around their peers.
How Was It Possible To Travel So Long?
Financing the Ginouxs’ world tour required saving and selling their house to trade for an RV. After an appraisal, they received a pleasant surprise about their home’s valuation. With the house sold, there was no going back on their decision.
While on their longest trip, Bruno hosted a weekend radio show and did freelance writing gigs to mitigate some expenses.
Their best tip is not to have a plan; just buy a ticket for wherever is the cheapest and pick affordable countries. Bruno’s knack for finding deals paid off when he secured four tickets to Amman, Jordan, for just $130. This bargain prompted their eight-week trip across the Middle East.
They have luckily avoided any major healthcare issues or emergencies while abroad. With so many chances for things to go wrong, their only setbacks were a missed flight and an infection at the end of their Indonesian trip, which they treated upon returning home.
Misconceptions and Realities About Long-Term Family Travel
Some families venturing out and seeking experiences beyond their hometowns face questions from those who find their lifestyle unusual.
“When you start, there is a feeling that we are exceptional, but we are not,” explains Bruno. He insists, “there are lots of families like this, and more and more. We met other families traveling with small kids, from babies to teenagers.”
The Ginouxs’ long-term travel lifestyle choice often evokes surprise and skepticism. Before leaving, onlookers ask, “You’re going to go with your kids?” He jokes, “Yes, we actually like our children.” Other questions about logistics and financial sustainability are also common.
Bruno notes many say, “’I couldn’t do the same.’ That’s a weird remark because if someone is saying, I’m going to open a bakery, I wouldn’t say, ‘I couldn’t do this.'”
Another prevailing misconception is that nomadic life equates to an extended holiday. People frequently asked about their return to “normal life,” expressing disbelief at the feasibility of perpetual travel. Bruno feels it’s a matter of perspective. “It’s not vacation, it’s traveling. It’s not the same. We don’t feel like tourists, we think of ourselves as travelers.”
A Bittersweet Return To Normal Life
The Ginoux family’s transition back to a more settled lifestyle conjured mixed emotions. Surprisingly, the children adapted to the change with remarkable ease. “At the end, our daughter, who is now 14, wanted to make friends and go to college. I think it was good for her to settle.”
While the kids integrated seamlessly into their new surroundings, Bruno grappled with their journey’s impending end. Reflecting on their final days in Spain, he expressed, “I was really depressed at that time. One thing with this kind of family trip is that you spend a lot of time with your kids. A lot. You spend in one year the time you could spend with your kids for 10 years of vacations. It’s really you are with your kids all the time. So when you know it’s going to stop, it’s hard.”
Reflections From Their Best Life
Through their trips, the Ginouxs learned invaluable lessons about cultural appreciation and the importance of family time. They have few regrets; Bruno humorously noted the only change would’ve been to “get a smaller RV.”
Their resounding piece of advice to aspiring nomadic families? “Just do it, leave,” encouraging others to overcome barriers keeping dreams at bay.
“Because you can find lots of excuses not to go. It’s not the right time; you don’t have enough money, it’s going to be difficult with the kids, with the school, with my work, with your work. You can find all the excuses. There is no perfect time to go.”
With heartening certainty and clarity, Bruno assures that “the moment you’re leaving, everything is easy. Everything, and you’re going to live your best life.”
Listen to their full interview on YouTube and keep up with the Ginoux family’s adventures on their Instagram.
