Month Itinerary England, France, Germany, Italy does this work?
Mar 7th, 2014, 12:11 AM
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Month Itinerary England, France, Germany, Italy does this work?
Thank goodness I had not booked my apartments as my trip with my 15 year old grand-daughter has changed. We were able to add another week stretching our vacation to a month. I would love to visit the Dordogne area of France as I have never been there and your comments makes it sound like a beautiful place to experience. She wants to visit Italy as she was only a year old on our last trip together with her parents.
These are my thoughts right now to hit areas before the heat arrives. We leave June 3 and I thought we would fly into Munich, rent car go to Rothenburg, Neuschwanstein castle, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Salzburg. Love the countryside of Germany and it's beautiful villages.
Take train to Venice from Munich (Been to Venice many times so just want short visit for her)including day trip to Verona. From Venice fly to Tours, France to rent car to tour the Dordogne area. Drive to Paris, visiting Claude Monet's garden at Giverny on the way. Drop car outer Paris (Orly or Port d'Orleans).
Eurostar to London after at least 5 days Paris possibly 7 if time allows. London for 7 days with 2 day trips while there. Fly back home
I had the trip reversed when we only had 3 weeks and didn't have the Dordogne or Venice included. Checking last June's weather, I am trying to rearrange schedule by temperature.
How does this sound? Wondering about reasonable time to allow for Germany and Venice. Reasonable time to tour Dordogne and drive to Paris. I do plan to come back to this area one day by myself but want my grand-daughter to see it. Also is there a central place to stay in the Dordogne or should I stay in different areas to make my way to Paris? Also want to see Mont Saint-Michel. I think I can add a few more days if needed to get everything on this trip. Just need to get her back in time for summer soccer and volleyball. Thanks for your input.
These are my thoughts right now to hit areas before the heat arrives. We leave June 3 and I thought we would fly into Munich, rent car go to Rothenburg, Neuschwanstein castle, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Salzburg. Love the countryside of Germany and it's beautiful villages.
Take train to Venice from Munich (Been to Venice many times so just want short visit for her)including day trip to Verona. From Venice fly to Tours, France to rent car to tour the Dordogne area. Drive to Paris, visiting Claude Monet's garden at Giverny on the way. Drop car outer Paris (Orly or Port d'Orleans).
Eurostar to London after at least 5 days Paris possibly 7 if time allows. London for 7 days with 2 day trips while there. Fly back home
I had the trip reversed when we only had 3 weeks and didn't have the Dordogne or Venice included. Checking last June's weather, I am trying to rearrange schedule by temperature.
How does this sound? Wondering about reasonable time to allow for Germany and Venice. Reasonable time to tour Dordogne and drive to Paris. I do plan to come back to this area one day by myself but want my grand-daughter to see it. Also is there a central place to stay in the Dordogne or should I stay in different areas to make my way to Paris? Also want to see Mont Saint-Michel. I think I can add a few more days if needed to get everything on this trip. Just need to get her back in time for summer soccer and volleyball. Thanks for your input.
Mar 7th, 2014, 01:36 AM
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Are you asking for advice about the content of the trip or just the logistics? I'm curious because you mentioned she wants to see Italy, but it appears you are planning almost no time there.
She also mentioned she plays sports and it sounds like she might be an active teen. Will she enjoy all this time sitting in cars and trains and being in quiet villages? Also, since you've not yet seen the Dordogne and already have plans to return, why do you feel your granddaughter should see it? (I am not saying she shouldn't, I'm just curious as to why you think it should be on her travel itinerary as opposed to more of Italy. It is not necessarily going to be cooler in a Dordogne village than an Italian village.)
She also mentioned she plays sports and it sounds like she might be an active teen. Will she enjoy all this time sitting in cars and trains and being in quiet villages? Also, since you've not yet seen the Dordogne and already have plans to return, why do you feel your granddaughter should see it? (I am not saying she shouldn't, I'm just curious as to why you think it should be on her travel itinerary as opposed to more of Italy. It is not necessarily going to be cooler in a Dordogne village than an Italian village.)
Mar 7th, 2014, 04:48 AM
#4
mmm - honestly?
far too much moving about and not enough activities for your 15 year old companion, who may also be craving the company of people of her own age by the end of the trip.
You say she wants to see italy but you've only got Venice in your itinerary. Also, I think you need to look at a map - Lyons is nowhere near the Dordogne, and your route from there into Paris via Giverney and possibly the Mont St. Michel involves a lot of driving.
I'm not sure how I'd approach this, but I think it needs a lot more Italy in it, and less driving about, plus some activities [physical and social] for your DGD.
far too much moving about and not enough activities for your 15 year old companion, who may also be craving the company of people of her own age by the end of the trip.
You say she wants to see italy but you've only got Venice in your itinerary. Also, I think you need to look at a map - Lyons is nowhere near the Dordogne, and your route from there into Paris via Giverney and possibly the Mont St. Michel involves a lot of driving.
I'm not sure how I'd approach this, but I think it needs a lot more Italy in it, and less driving about, plus some activities [physical and social] for your DGD.
Mar 7th, 2014, 05:11 AM
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This trip sounds a bit like a trip I would like but not a trip my grandchildren would especially like. Too much moving around over a large area, too many beautiful, sleepy villages, too little opportunity to see the sights of Europe that a 15-year old would find exciting and memorable.
Your GD is old enough to do some research and weigh in on what she would like to do. She's already expressed an interest in Italy but there is precious little of Italy included in your trip.
I would choose either the beautiful villages of Germany or the Dordogne and spend more time in Italy. If you choose the Dordogne, I would not spend time driving from there to MSM. And you can more easily visit Giverny from Paris than driving around Robin Hood's barn to get there.
Sounds like a great trip but I would modify a bit to include some of the things your GD would enjoy.
Your GD is old enough to do some research and weigh in on what she would like to do. She's already expressed an interest in Italy but there is precious little of Italy included in your trip.
I would choose either the beautiful villages of Germany or the Dordogne and spend more time in Italy. If you choose the Dordogne, I would not spend time driving from there to MSM. And you can more easily visit Giverny from Paris than driving around Robin Hood's barn to get there.
Sounds like a great trip but I would modify a bit to include some of the things your GD would enjoy.
Mar 7th, 2014, 08:48 AM
#6
>>Checking last June's weather, I am trying to rearrange schedule by temperature. <<
Last year's temps really have no bearing on anything. Arrange your trip as it makes sense to you - not for the weather. June could be nice anywhere - or not.
I agree, parts of this itinerary is too much moving around and maybe not totally GD friendly.
Last year's temps really have no bearing on anything. Arrange your trip as it makes sense to you - not for the weather. June could be nice anywhere - or not.
I agree, parts of this itinerary is too much moving around and maybe not totally GD friendly.
Mar 7th, 2014, 12:05 PM
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Thank you for your comments. This trip was going to be my first solo to Europe since my husband died. To have that special bonding time, I decided to see if my grand-daughter would be open to a long trip with me.
On my original entry, I was mainly asking if the order of the areas was OK and where to stay in the Dordogne area. The flight to Lyon from Venice is a cheap price (about $100). I will look again for closer areas but if I remember correctly they were over 600E each. Would rather spend that money on the ground traveling than air.
I thought that Venice, Munich, Salzburg, Paris and London would be exciting large cities with miles of walking. The drives and shorter walks through the smaller villages would give us a break. I asked her about this and she agreed. She has a hectic schedule everyday, not getting home until after 8:30 PM most nights with homework to do (still 4.0 student) and looks forward to the rare do nothing down time. She is excited about the train rides (2) as she has never ridden one.
As far as socializing and being around people her own age--what are your suggestions for this.
My husband and I traveled a lot in Italy and the new home he built for me before he died is in the style of a Tuscan farmhouse. I believe that is why my grand-daughter wants to visit Italy and because she knows that she spent 3 weeks there as a toddler.
I have been to all the places on this trip except London and Dordogne area of France. From reports I thought that Dordogne was a place that young people liked as well. I also wanted to see something new. While I hope to go back, it's been a tough year health wise with 3 surgeries and who knows. So being selfish the Dordogne visit was for me.
As some of you suggested in other topics, I have already told her that I wanted her to go online and look for places that she wants to see.
I am going to go over the schedule with her and her mom for their thoughts again.
Thank you
On my original entry, I was mainly asking if the order of the areas was OK and where to stay in the Dordogne area. The flight to Lyon from Venice is a cheap price (about $100). I will look again for closer areas but if I remember correctly they were over 600E each. Would rather spend that money on the ground traveling than air.
I thought that Venice, Munich, Salzburg, Paris and London would be exciting large cities with miles of walking. The drives and shorter walks through the smaller villages would give us a break. I asked her about this and she agreed. She has a hectic schedule everyday, not getting home until after 8:30 PM most nights with homework to do (still 4.0 student) and looks forward to the rare do nothing down time. She is excited about the train rides (2) as she has never ridden one.
As far as socializing and being around people her own age--what are your suggestions for this.
My husband and I traveled a lot in Italy and the new home he built for me before he died is in the style of a Tuscan farmhouse. I believe that is why my grand-daughter wants to visit Italy and because she knows that she spent 3 weeks there as a toddler.
I have been to all the places on this trip except London and Dordogne area of France. From reports I thought that Dordogne was a place that young people liked as well. I also wanted to see something new. While I hope to go back, it's been a tough year health wise with 3 surgeries and who knows. So being selfish the Dordogne visit was for me.
As some of you suggested in other topics, I have already told her that I wanted her to go online and look for places that she wants to see.
I am going to go over the schedule with her and her mom for their thoughts again.
Thank you
Mar 7th, 2014, 01:01 PM
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As others have mentioned, there's too much going on here, and some of the logistics are kooky. There is no way you will want to drive from Lyon to the Dordogne; nor do you want to drive from the Dordogne to le MSM.
There are a thousand and one things for a 15-year-old to do in the Dordogne (likely a LOT more than in German villages), so I wouldn't scrap that part of the trip. But I would balance the Italy and France parts better, and look for flights from Venice to, say, Toulouse, or Bergerac, or Périgueux, or even Bordeaux. You obviously will need a car in the Dordogne, but get it once you get there (or close) and ditch it when you leave.
There are a thousand and one things for a 15-year-old to do in the Dordogne (likely a LOT more than in German villages), so I wouldn't scrap that part of the trip. But I would balance the Italy and France parts better, and look for flights from Venice to, say, Toulouse, or Bergerac, or Périgueux, or even Bordeaux. You obviously will need a car in the Dordogne, but get it once you get there (or close) and ditch it when you leave.
Mar 7th, 2014, 05:07 PM
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Pat - Once you work out the Italy portion of your trip (maybe add Rome?), I do hope you continue on to the Dordogne. I think RyanAir may have flights from Bologna to Bordeaux or Carcassonne - both a good starting point to drive within the Dordogne. I traveled there a few years ago, and loved it. I stayed in Sarlat, a charming town, and central for day trips around the area, including pre-historic caves, river activities, and many small villages with market days. Afterwards, with the help of a GPS, I made it to Mont St Michel, so it's 'doable!'. I'm sure both you and your grand daughter will enjoy your time in the Dordogne, and to prep for the trip, the two of you should rent the movie 'Ever After,' a Cinderella story filmed in the Sarlat area!
Mar 11th, 2014, 08:36 AM
#10
you can fly easyjet from Milan to Bordeaux and from Rome to Toulouse - both good destinations for the Dordogne.
Were i planning this trip, I would do something like London, Paris, train to Venice [through the alps] Florence, your place in Tuscany, Rome, Toulouse, the Dordogne, Futuroscope near Poitiers, the Puy de fou near Cholet [western Loire] the Loire, back to Paris via MSM if you've got time.
Futuroscope and the Puy de fou are a lot of fun and very french - I think that a 15 year old would love them. [my kids did at that age and older]. Ditto Parc Asterix north of Paris - a real french theme park.
Were i planning this trip, I would do something like London, Paris, train to Venice [through the alps] Florence, your place in Tuscany, Rome, Toulouse, the Dordogne, Futuroscope near Poitiers, the Puy de fou near Cholet [western Loire] the Loire, back to Paris via MSM if you've got time.
Futuroscope and the Puy de fou are a lot of fun and very french - I think that a 15 year old would love them. [my kids did at that age and older]. Ditto Parc Asterix north of Paris - a real french theme park.
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