aussie_10

We spent 4 weeks in France last year on a dream holiday. Spending a week in Paris, 2 weeks in Provence and 1 week in The Dordogne.

Next year we will be travelling to Italy - Cinque Terre, Florence and Tuscany.

BUT I loved France sooo much that I want to go back for a week either before or after Italy. We will be in Italy for 2 weeks in October.

Where should we go? Normandy, Burgundy, Alsace the Loire? Please help with suggestions. And should we do France first?

sheila

Go to the South West- Biarritz and the Basque country; or Toulouse and the Cathar country

aussie_10

Sheila - I had not even thought of the very south areas. What are the main things to see there?

Thanks for your input

Michael

Alsace and the Jura mountains would be quite different from the Dordogne and the Provence. If you started your trip in Strasbourg and ended it in Geneva, you would be that much closer to Italy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7624827267374/

Underhill

October is a beautiful month on the Côte d'Azur. If you haven't been to eastern Provence, I'd recommend that area for the great variety of places and things to see, the fine restaurants, and the lovely little hilltop villages.

aussie_10

Michael - Friends went to Alsace last year and loved it. That is a good suggestion about ending the stay in Switzerland. Is it an easy drive? We could then train it to Italy maybe? Are the Jura mountains hard to drive, we ARE driving on the other side of the road to us! Your photos are beautiful!

Underhill - we have been to Cote d'Azur for a brief time 25 years ago. It was very crowded and a little off putting. Must admit I hadn't really thought of hilltop towns there. It would be close to Cinque Terre for us. mmmm.......thinking

Michael

Just before Geneva, the road is in mountainous territory, with twisting roads. But by that time you should be used to driving on the right side of the road. Remember to drop off the car on the French side of the Geneva to avoid cross-border drop-off fees.

rex

Burgundy is a great complement to northern Italy - - and you could go by car, making the drive to Aosta/Torino from Lyon or any other part of the southern end of Bourgogne, if you should be so inclined. We did this in 2008, and our only mistake was trying to fit into 8 days what could have/should have been 15 days

...and yes, going at la vendange (havest of the grapes) will make it all the morespecial!

Best wishes,

Rex

aussie_10

Michael - thank you for the hint when dropping off the car "mountainous territory, with twisting roads" sounds scarey. That would be DH's turn to drive!

Rex - Yes Burgundy is tempting, we do like our food and wine and 'la vendage' sounds great! Where should we start a tour of Burgundy.

ira

Hi A,

>Where should we go?

Alsace

Enjoy your visit.

rex

<< Where should we start a tour of Burgundy. >>

So many variables that might enter into planning an itinerary, such as:

1. Are there factors that might influence your choice(s) of arrival and departure airport(s)?

2. Where in Italy do you MOST want to go? and as a corollary, what is your feeling about how to get from France to Italy (or other way around)? and do you want to have a car in Italy? (not a logical choice if you want to concentrate on the biggest, "most-famous" cities - - i.e., Rome, Florence, Venice)

Here was our MUCH too hurried itinerary (it was important to include Paris for us, as our BIL and his wife had never been to France at all).

1. Fly into Paris, stayed there for nights one and two, plus leisurely departure, morning of day three.

2. TGV to Lyon (2 hrs, half the time of driving); picked up rental car (do NOT try to leave Lyon at normal rush hour 4-6 pm by car; very clogged traffic), drove to Torino (Turin); stayed there nights four and five. If you followed our pattern at all, you would fit in your two weeks in Italy here.

3. Day 6: drive, by way of Aosta to a relatively middle-of-nowhere pseudo-fairy-tale castle in Savoie (near Chambery. www.chateaudelatourdupuits.com

4. Day 7: drove onward to Beaune; stayed a bit north of there.

5. Day 8: drove onward to Dijon; had plans to stay (near Chablis) at the Lucarne aux Chouettes of Leslie Caron ("Gigi") fame, but had to make a last minute change.

6. Day 9: Returned car to Paris where we swtayed nights 9 and 10.

7. Day 11: flew home.

So, it would take a lot of modification to make this fit your plans - - unless you flew into and out of Lyon (or Strasbourg?); you COULD start in Dijon, then tour by car to the south (even into Savoie), then train to Italy.

There would be dozens of ways to assemble an itinerary combining Burgundy (or Alsace) with two weeks in Italy.

For a much more out-of-the-box combination with Italy, you could consider Corsica, perhaps! (I have never been there).

aussie_10

Thanks Ira and Rex for your replies

Rex - We have not booked flights yet, so the make up of our itinery is flexible. Probably look at the France part first. Flying from Oz via London or Paris depending on best deal. Would then look at flying/train to major city (either Strasbourg or Dijon) and then renting a car from there to tour area.

Would not want to drive from France into Italy would probably look at going by train from major French city. We want to start out time in Italy at Cinque Terre (3 or 4 nights) and then train it to Florence (3 or 4 nights) and then Tuscany last (1 week). We would hire a car here. Could have option to add in Venice at beginning of Italy because we will have another week to pad out either in France or Italy.

Just trying to meld it all together.

sheila

Biarrtitz has amazing history and amazing beaches; the mountains of the Pyrenees loom just south of the town; Chocolate was introduce to France at Bayonne just a few miles away.

The whole of south west France is renowned for its cuisine. There are marvellous little jewels of mediaeval towns including many bastides; splendid mountain passes and peaks to climb (in a car if you don't like exercise). Fabulous views and great weather.

The wine is iffy, if you don't know what you're doing; but it's good too, if you do. And then there's Armagnac!

aussie_10

Thanks Sheila

I can see my decision is getting harder and harder