Help with Provence/Burgundy
#1
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Help with Provence/Burgundy
My husband and I would like to spend two weeks in France. We would like to go 3 days to Paris, a few days in Beaune and several in Provence.
If we spend 3 nights in Paris and then train to Beaune (closest train station is?)rent a car and tour the Burgundy area spending 3 nights in Beaune then train to Avignon for 7 nights and base ourselves in St. Remy for Provence and fly home from Nice via London does this make sense or would a different layout be better? Is this too much in two weeks?
You help is appreciated as always.
If we spend 3 nights in Paris and then train to Beaune (closest train station is?)rent a car and tour the Burgundy area spending 3 nights in Beaune then train to Avignon for 7 nights and base ourselves in St. Remy for Provence and fly home from Nice via London does this make sense or would a different layout be better? Is this too much in two weeks?
You help is appreciated as always.
#2
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you can train to Beaune on a very few direct trains from Paris, or more often through connection in Dijon. there is an Avis rental in Beaune that we used for our jaunts. (stayed at very nice Hotel de la Paix, just outside the old center but walkable)...
I guess you would drive on to Provence and Nice..?
I guess you would drive on to Provence and Nice..?
#3
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We did the exact same trip in 2006. We spent a couple nights in Paris, a few nights in Beaune and a week in Provence in St Remy. It was fantastic. We took the train to Dijon, then picked up our car and then after a few days drove to Provence. I think you would be best having a car in Burgundy to see everything around the area. It is a nice and easy drive via Lyon to St Remy.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
#4
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Hi Kp,
Good plan.
Once in Burgundy, I would pick up a car and keep it until I was ready to go on to London.
We enjoyed our stay at http://www.hotel-grillon.fr/anglais/home.html in Beaune.
Many posters have recommended Coco's (one of our number) apartment in Dijon - http://myhomeindijon.com/
In Provence, we were very pleased with our stay at Cadran Solaire.
http://www.hotel-en-provence.com/uk/index.php
It is near Avignon, Arles and St, Remy.
Details at my trip reports:
Ira Visits Europe – May, 2007 (Salzburg, Fuessen, Bodensee, Burgundy, Alsace)
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=35014078
Ira Returns From 22 Loverly Days in Europe - Sep, 2009
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-europe.cfm
Enjoy your visit.
Good plan.
Once in Burgundy, I would pick up a car and keep it until I was ready to go on to London.
We enjoyed our stay at http://www.hotel-grillon.fr/anglais/home.html in Beaune.
Many posters have recommended Coco's (one of our number) apartment in Dijon - http://myhomeindijon.com/
In Provence, we were very pleased with our stay at Cadran Solaire.
http://www.hotel-en-provence.com/uk/index.php
It is near Avignon, Arles and St, Remy.
Details at my trip reports:
Ira Visits Europe – May, 2007 (Salzburg, Fuessen, Bodensee, Burgundy, Alsace)
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=35014078
Ira Returns From 22 Loverly Days in Europe - Sep, 2009
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-europe.cfm
Enjoy your visit.
#5
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Would you all check out this plan and see what you think.
Arrive Paris for two nights
Arrive St. Remy for 5 nights
Would like to spend two nights in wine country of provence suggestions would be appreciated.
While in St. Remy we would like to see Arle, Le Baux, Aix en Provence.Luberon, Nimes,
Arrive Beaune for 4 nights
Back to Paris and on to London for final night
Arrive Paris for two nights
Arrive St. Remy for 5 nights
Would like to spend two nights in wine country of provence suggestions would be appreciated.
While in St. Remy we would like to see Arle, Le Baux, Aix en Provence.Luberon, Nimes,
Arrive Beaune for 4 nights
Back to Paris and on to London for final night
#6
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You can save considerable time by taking the TGV to Dijon, spending half a day or so exploring that city, then picking up a car to continue on to Beaune.
From St-Rémy you can easily visit Arles, Les Baux, Nîmes, and the Lubéron villages--allow at least 3 days for that itinerary.
For wine country in coastal Provence, head over to Cassis and visit the vineyards around Bandol. The wineries there produce wonderful dry rosés (the summer drink of Provence) and good reds. You could also do a northern circle covering some of the wineries above Carpentras: Beaumes de Venise (a lovely sweet wine often drunk as an apéritif), Séguret, Gigondas, Vacqueras, and more.
From St-Rémy you can easily visit Arles, Les Baux, Nîmes, and the Lubéron villages--allow at least 3 days for that itinerary.
For wine country in coastal Provence, head over to Cassis and visit the vineyards around Bandol. The wineries there produce wonderful dry rosés (the summer drink of Provence) and good reds. You could also do a northern circle covering some of the wineries above Carpentras: Beaumes de Venise (a lovely sweet wine often drunk as an apéritif), Séguret, Gigondas, Vacqueras, and more.
#7
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Underhill,
Thank you for the tips. Are the wineries in the north you mention within driving distance of St. Remy or where would you suggest we base for that area? Same question for Cassis, should we base somewhere other than St. Remy to see the Bandol area?
Thank you so much
Thank you for the tips. Are the wineries in the north you mention within driving distance of St. Remy or where would you suggest we base for that area? Same question for Cassis, should we base somewhere other than St. Remy to see the Bandol area?
Thank you so much
#9
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This is the new itinerary:
Eurostar from London to Lille and spend the night in Avignon (hotel suggestions would be appreciated). Rent car and drive to St. Remy - staying in a house for 6 nights. Drive to Beaune and stay for 4 nights (suggestions again for hotel). Drive to Dijon, drop car, train to Paris and back to London to go home following day. This will be in mid October this year.
Merci
What do you all think?
Eurostar from London to Lille and spend the night in Avignon (hotel suggestions would be appreciated). Rent car and drive to St. Remy - staying in a house for 6 nights. Drive to Beaune and stay for 4 nights (suggestions again for hotel). Drive to Dijon, drop car, train to Paris and back to London to go home following day. This will be in mid October this year.
Merci
What do you all think?
#13
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How long would you suggest spending in Beaune. We are just interested in pretty countryside, wines and being in a place. Would be be smarter to spend more time in Provence? Also, you mention taking the train from Avignon to Dijon instead of driving. Would we be missing out on interesting scenery. We of course would have to drop the car and rent again in Beaune. Any suggestions would be helpful.
#14
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If we take the train from Avignon to Dijon is it cheap or expensive to rent a car to drive to Beaune? Also, does anyone have current info on cell phone rentals? We have a cell phone we used in Scotland and then again last year in Ireland, would that phone work in France and how would I go about getting sim card and charger for France?
Should we buy phone cards to call the U.S. are calls in from the U.S. free?
Thank you
Should we buy phone cards to call the U.S. are calls in from the U.S. free?
Thank you
#15
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I would rent the car in Auxerre or Dijon simply because some of the most scenic parts of Burgundy are in the northern half.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622755059630/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622755059630/
#18
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St Remy to Beaune is not scenic - it is on the autoroute, unless you take the rural routes which will add a bunch of time to your schedule.
I dont think 4 nights in Beaune is too much. We spent a day in Dijon, a day in Beaune, a day driving through the vineyards and wine tasting. Heaven.
I dont think 4 nights in Beaune is too much. We spent a day in Dijon, a day in Beaune, a day driving through the vineyards and wine tasting. Heaven.