I am probably the most hopeless birder but I have to say we as a family were very adventerous this year and went to France on a camping holiday, we travelled from Brittany down to the Pyrenees and across to the Med and back up. Unfortunately I am hopeless at the first names of birds but we saw Vultures in the Pyrenees, Eagles, Kites by the dozen, Falcons, Buzzards, Flamingoes, Beeeaters, Rollers. It was amazing, just driving along any stretch of motorway was brilliant, saw some sort of Harrier? White ringtail with wingtags, pink and yellow in a field of harrishes along with facons and buzzards. Just wish I had a better knowledge to identify but that certainly did not take away from the enjoyment of the non birding family trip.
Glad you enjoyed it - sounds as if you travelled a long way. Plenty to see in northern France, but once you're south of the Loire things really hot up (in more senses than one).
David