aussie_10

We are flying into Geneva 1 July 2017 and have 3 nights booked in Annecy.
We will then travel to Beaune staying from Tuesday 4 July and departing Sunday 9 July. Whilst in Beaune we are thinking of catching a train to visit Dijon 1 day and also trying to see the Tour de France on Friday 7 July ( will probably need a car for this excursion).

A couple of questions. When should we hire our car? From the airport in Geneva (I know this will have to be from the French side). But then do we need it in Annecy? We will have to pay 16e per day parking.
We may not need the car until a few days in to our Beaune stay. Utilising a train from Annecy to Beaune, maybe?

After Beaune we will drive south and will have 5 nights before we are staying with friends in Somieres for 2 nights 14/15 July. We will then have 5 nights before we catch a train from Avignon back to Paris. We plan to stay in Avignon 2 nights probably before our train back to Paris.

We spent 2 weeks, 5 years ago in Provence, staying in the Luberon, which we loved. But only travelled as far north as Apt.

Looking for suggestions to fill in the gaps. We love small villages, food and wine. Will the lavender still be in bloom?

rhon

You could consider travelling from Beaune to somewhere like Salers or St Flour in the Cantal for two nights. Salers itself is lovely and you could visit Puy Mary, Tournemire while there. We spent a week there in September. Then you could continue on to Albi for three nights. Albi is lovely and a full day and then there are a host of gorgeous villages such as Castelnau de Montmiral ( a lovely restaurant for lunch ), Najac, St Antonin Noble Val, Cordes sur Ciel, Penne. Then on to Sommieres.
Or alternatively you could go from the Cantal to Millau to see the viaduct , visit Roquefort,and visit the Gorges of the Tarn. The latter is still on our to do list.
Happy planning. We just returned to Australia last Monday from ten weeks travelling in France and had a lovely time. Hopefully I will get a trip report done.

aussie_10

Thanks rhon for your excellent suggestions.
The Millau viaduct has definitely been on my list and Gorges of the Tarn looks great. Just looking at maps and possible routes now. But the area could easily fit into our 5 nights before Sommieres.
Thank you for the suggestion.
10 weeks in France sounds wonderful! Our France travels are at the back end of a 7.5 week Europe trip.
I will look forward to your trip report.

aussie_10

Would you drive from Beaune to Millau in day or stop overnight along the way. Or would it be better to to Gorges du Tarn first.

Out other thoughts of after leaving Beaune would be to head south down through Valence, but where to from there?

StuDudley

We spent 2 weeks in Annecy a few years ago and took many day trip into the Alps. Mt Blanc/Chamonix is only 1 1/4 hrs away. We spent a week near Chamonix this year - taking many lifts/trains up to to mountain destinations. I would definitely pick up a car in Geneva. Easy drive to Annecy. BTW, without a car, you may get bored with Annecy after 2 hours - unless you take many boat trips into the lake. We were in Annecy to catch the train back to Paris after our week near Chamonix this year - and in 1 1/2 hrs we saw all we wanted to see. We did not poke our noses into any shops, however, & did not visit the castle (we have done these things before).

Kinda the same with Beaune. We've spent 2 weeks near Beaune in Burgundy plus 2 weeks in Beaujolais on a trip about 8 years ago. Beaune is one of my "top 5" small cities in France (along with Albi - mentioned above). But Beaune can be visited in 2 hrs without any time in wine places. You'll need a car there to visit the many villages & castles in the area. Get the “Route des Ducs de Bourgogne" guide to castles in Beaune - and visit Tanlay and others. Dijon and Toulouse are our two favorite cities in France - after Paris. It's easy to drive into Dijon & park near the train station.

Salers is a hiden gem - and so is the Cantal with all the valcano mountains. France Profonde. We spent a week there & really enjoyed this region.

Last year we spent 2 weeks in the Gorges du Tarn. Near Millau for one week and at the other end of the Gorge for another week. We were busy seeing things every single day. Lots of beautiful gorges, villages, and especially caves. We stayed in a gite with a "postcard" view of the Millau bridge.

And of course - Provence. We've spent 20 weeks there & are returning for 2 more next year.

I have 30+ page itineraries for:
Provence & Cote d'Azur
Languedoc (Gorges du Tarn, Albi, etc)

and shorter ones for:
Annecy & the Alps
Burgundy

If you would like any of these itineraries, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach them to the reply e-mail. Specify which ones you want - I have others too. I've sent my various itineraries to over 6,000 people on Fodors.

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

>>Out other thoughts of after leaving Beaune would be to head south down through Valence, but where to from there?<<

Either the Ardeche to the west or the Alps to the east.

Also this year, we spent 2 weeks in the Ardeche near Aubenas. There are many, many "cute little villages" in this region, plus the newly open Chauvert cave and museum, and the Aven d'Orgnac cave. Lots & lots of lavender fields in the Ardeche & adjacent Drome. Detailed info is in my Provence itinerary.

After our two weeks in the Ardeche this year, we spent a week in the Haute Alpes region east of Valence and a little northest of Gap. Beautiful area - but you'll get your Alps fix in Annecy.

Stu Dudley

aussie_10

Thanks Stu for your reply filled with lots of great suggestions. I will email for your itineraries.

Picking up a car at Geneva airport was our original option and when in Annecy we were hoping to visit Chamonix/Mt Blanc so a car would work better. And of course driving to Beuane we could stop along the way. We hope to visit some wineries around Beaune as well.
Thanks for the parking hint for Dijon.

Hmmm thinking if we go to Gorges du Tarn we would stop for one night in Salers and then on to Millau. I think that would fit.

I must admit to loving our stay in Provence and could easily spend more time there.
After our time in Sommieres we have 3 more nights before Avignon. (We have been to Arles and Pont du Gard previously), I was looking at maybe Uzes or Saint Remy. Or somewhere in that area?

PalenQ

You do not need a car but having one would make it so much nicer - the places you are going.

5 days in Beaune sans car? Yeh you can take local trains and buses anywhere but driving along the Route des vins Bourgogne wine road is neat -can drive to place like Vezelay - can continue south on the wine road from Beaune via Macon to Lyon and Avignon- return the car there and blast back to Paris.

For train info check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. If doing a lot of train rides look into the France Railpass- but I'd suggest a car for Annecy to wherever and train back to Paris.

aussie_10

Thanks PalenQ for your reply.
Someone had suggested picking up the car once we arrived in Beaune. But it certainly makes getting to Annecy a lot easier with a car. And I do like the flexibility of a car. If we pick up the car at Geneva airport it would mean having the car for about 3 weeks before dropping it off in Avignon.
We have taken the TGV from Paris to Avignon before and feel it is our best option for getting back to Paris this time.
Love those TGV trains.
Driving the Route des vins Bourgogne is on our list!

Philippe_Grataloup

Hello, I am close to the area you are targeting. You have already taken good options, but the facility could push you to Lyon, Perouges, Le Vercors and Ardeche. Do you also know the verdon?
I am at your disposal to study a more precise schedule.
Have a good day.
Philippe
You can contact me at: [email protected]

maitaitom

We really enjoyed Uzés. I wish I had scheduled at least one more day there. Lots of day-trip possibilities. Hopefully I will get there on my trip report before you leave next summer.

The place we stayed was marvelous! Great owner. Like sleeping in a castle. Wonderful breakfast in the courtyard. A winner!

<B>http://www.albiousse.com/copie-de-welcome-to-l-albiousse</B>

PalenQ

Love those TGV trains.>

as many if not all TGVs on that run are Duplex or double-decker trains be SURE to book a seat on the upper level in order to see anything at all - down below on first level you see retaining walls and windblocks.

aussie_10

Thank you Phillippe for your suggestions. I am looking up your suggested areas and some areas that I had not researched. I had looked at the Verdon Gorge. And thanks for your kind offer of additional help.

Yes Maitaitomi I am looking forward to the next instalment of your entertaining trip report. I have already taken some of your advice and am staying at the same B&B as you in Beaune. Uzes has come up on my radar a few times, so I am still very interested in the area. That B&B looks wonderful, thanks for the link.

PalenQ, I hope to get a seat on the upper level of the TGV. I was waiting for the 90 days out to book but received an email for early booking on the iDTGV.
Good deals, so unsure whether to take the offer up now. Is it the same carriages as the TGV? Although I understand that they are seperate carriages.

EYWandBTV

I second maitaitom's endorsement of Uzes and especially L'Albiousse as a place to stay. We stayed there two nights. You are very close to the huge Roman aqueduct, the Pont du Gard, well worth a visit.

PalenQ

Is it the same carriages as the TGV?>

Not necessarily the same type -I gather they are older TGVs but not sure -if they are only one level that is fine to see out. Just the sunken level of duplex TGVs that is the problem.

Uzes to me was a real gem- but a bit out of the epicenter of many sights as Avignon would be.

Many do not seem to care for Avignon but I've really enjoyed my several stays in that vibrant city.

Michael

I would want a car in Annecy to visit the surrounding area:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7624529919999/ and the next pictures.

Mimar

Just a wild suggestion: instead of Provence, from Beaune drive up to the Alsace Lorraine and spend some time in the many picturesque villages there. It's an easy train ride back to Paris.

Christina

They don't want to go to Alsace, and are staying with friends in SOmmieres, which is near Nimes. Provence and Alsace are aren't very similar.

aussie_10

Thank you all for your wonderful replies and ideas.
Michael thanks for your photos yes we have decided to have the car for the Annecy part of the trip, to make the most of the beautiful area.

Mimar we have been to Alsace twice before and love the area but as Christina mentioned we need to head south after Beaune.

PalenQ...I think I will just try for the Prems on the TGV - which I think can be purchased 90 days before the trip?

I am in two minds for the part after Beaune. There has been some excellent suggestions for a detour to Millau bridge and Gorges du Tarn. Which I have been investigating, or to drive straight south and into Provence and surrounds...maybe we could fit Uzes in there?

EYWandBTV

Uzes is not that far from Nimes.