meg1meg

I am reposting this message as I may have placed the original in wrong forum. My apologies.


Our party of two couples will be visiting France in Sept, 2008. We have booked 4 nights in Paris and end the trip in Nice for three nights. We will trave to Avignon after Paris and rent a car for next 8 days. We will return the car in Nice and take train back to CDG for flight home. We know we could have flown from Nice but did want to experience the train travel. We will lodge at airport hotel for next am flight home.

Lodging - 3 nights at St Remy at Le Castelet Des Alpilles

Lodging - 2 nights at Saignon at Auberge Presbytere

While in these two locations we will visit nearby towns and villages. I have obtained Stu Dudley's report and will use it to route these visits.

I have two nights remaining after we leave Saignon before we check in Nice ( lodging at Villa Victoria). Really need help on these two nights. Where should we go? and where should we lodge?

While in Nice we want to visit Monaco (actually just to say we were there. Have no idea what to expect) We have purchased France Rail pass for three days of travel. One of these days will be available for use while in Nice. Any suggestions?

Any suggestions, criticisms etc of this rough plan are welcome and encouraged.

Thanks in advance for any help. Regardless this web site and forum has been wonderful.


Mike
I am reposting this post as I may have placed in wrong forum. My apologies.

TuckH

I suggest that you look into this possibility...

Head for Moustier-Ste-Marie, then the Canyon du Verdon, arriving in the area around Fayence (Var). Seillans and Mons are interesting villages.

Go by way of Tourrettes-sur-Loup and Vence to arrive at Nice.

kevin_widrow

Meg -

Sounds like a very good plan. Tuck's suggestion is a fine one. Another idea would be to spend a few days in Cassis. It's a beautiful little old fishing port and especially dlightful in September when the weather is generally perfect and the sea potentially still swimmable and the crowds vastly thinned out after the summer swarm.

Enjoy !

-Kevin

robertino

Hi Meg -

I like Tuck's idea. Last fall we drove the Gorge du Veron from Aiguines and spent the night at the Chateau de Trigance. Next day we drove to Nice and stopped at St. Paul de Vence on the way. This makes a very nice 2 days.

ExplorerB

meg,

While in Nice, try to make time for the Matisse and Chagall museums. I had the pleasure of visiting these two museums last summer and found them most enjoyable. Both are located an easy, short bus ride from Nice's Promenade des Anglais. Perhaps you could tour both museums one morning, and then have lunch in Old Nice. Speaking of which, what a nice place this is to wander following your post art museum-touring lunch.

If you'd care to see a slide show of last summer's trip to Provence and the French Riviera, simply go to:

www.explorerbear.blogspot.com

Best of luck.

Ninkette

I like Tuck's idea as well. We enjoyed on an overnight stay in Moustiers Ste Marie at La Bastide du Paradou on our way from Nice to St. Remy. We stayed in the "Venus" room with a lovely view of the valley. The breakfast was great. You are in a location where you can enjoy the Gorges du Verdon or the lake.

TDudette

Also, no problem taking train to Monaco from Nice. Everything well marked. If you have time, the changing of the guard is neat. Around noon? You might want a cab from station.

We had to show our passports to get into the casino btw. Enjoy!

Viajero2

ttt

cigalechanta

We love the Auberge Presbytere
If you go to Moustiers, lunch at Les Santons and in Nice be sure to try the Socca, a Nice specialty.

SemiMike

For your extra day in Nice, we very much enjoyed a train trip to Entrevaux, and the climb to the top - but I don't know if this is part of the France Rail system. For pictures, see: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...0&y=-run25

schrink

I, too, like Tuck's idea. You could stay in Moustiers at "La Bastide de Moustiers-" an absolutely wonderful little hotel owned by Alain Ducasse. Thumbs up on the cheese course!

Mimar

For the benefit of others who might duplicate this trip, I think the best way would be to take the TGV from Paris' Gare de Lyon to Avignon, then pick up a rental car. Drop the rental car in Nice, stay a few days, and fly home from there. That way you get your train experience on the way to Provence.

I'm not sure the French rail pass would be cheaper. Depending on where you want to visit, the bus might be better. And I don't know if the pass works for the Train des Pignes (recommended by SemiMike).