Day trips

You could get to Monaco and back from St-Rémy in a day, but it would be a huge waste of time,IMO. It's just a glitzy, overpriced port with a casino where you might get a glimpse of a celebrity or two. Big waste of time IMO when you're going to be in the heart of the Bouches-du-Rhône with a million interesting historical and cultural things surrounding you.

The Loire Valley as a day trip from Paris is possible if 1) you have a car or 2) you take the train to Tours and jump on an organized tour or 3) you take a ParisVision or CityRama or other tour directly from Paris. But it will be a really long day and you won't see much. Given that there are plenty of castles (if that's your objective) IN and much nearer to Paris, it wouldn't be my choice. Plus, there are a bazillion other day trips from Paris to choose from.

It is about 3hr drive one way to Monaco. Ambitious? It's your call.
Paris to, say Amboise, is about 2hr by train. Reasonable? again your call. Both are possible.

StCirq is right. What you can physically do and what is a wise use of valuable vacation time are two different things. It´s a long drive to Monaco and there is not really that much for most people to see.

Before I spent hours in transportation time trying to explore the Loire Valley in a day, I should recommend these châteaux, much closer to Paris, which are just as interesting, maybe more so, than those in the Loire Valley: Versailles, Chantilly, Fontainebleau, or Vaux le Vicomte.

Thanks so much for your replies. I've been to France many times, but this time I will be traveling with three friends who are depending on my "travel experience" to show them around, besides choosing and renting the places we will be staying at, both in Provence and Paris, what do do, where to eat, which car to rent....and everything else.

St Cirq, you are right about Monaco. I had the flu, the one and only time I've been to Monaco and my memory is blurred and can't remember much.

Visiting castles closer to Paris, might be a good idea. Kerouac and Mystique have posted nice trip reports on villages closer to Paris, which sound like a better choice.

What St Cirq said. If in the area we go to Monaco to visit the casino for a hoot, to see the James Bond wannabees and have dinner - but do realize it is designed for the uber wealthy and things are priced accordingly. Not sure where else you will be visiting but I think there are at least a dozen places that are closer and more intersting.

And agree about the Loire - in one very long day yuo can see a couple of places. We spent 6 days in a private chateau near Chinon and saw perhaps half of the places we wanted to. If you really want to see a specific chateau I would do so (ofr instance Villandry for the gardens) - but if it's just to see a large house - there are other much closer - including Versailles.

bea_001 - Have a look at this thread about other possible day trips from Paris that are much closer to Paris than the Loire and make for a less exhausting day:

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/paris-day-trips-431343-2.cfm

And to back up to what Sarastro said about châteaux, I think Vaux-le-Vicomte is one of the most magnificent châteaux in France. And another magnificent château not on his list is Pierrefonds, which although reconstructed in the 19th century is fantastic nonetheless.

http://www.pierrefonds.monuments-nationaux.fr/

http://pierrefonds-tourisme.net/ot/Bienvenue.html

http://www.vaux-le-vicomte.com/

Just noticed you'll be here next year and possibly in Paris in March and if so I think Vaux and Pierrefonds are closed in March.

Thanks, French Mystique, I had already bookmarked your page. We will be in Paris in early April(3-11). Do you think the castles will be open?