mclv

My fiance are planning a 8-day France trip in September. We will be near Avignon Sunday-Wednesday, where we will be returning our car and dropping off friends at the airport there. Our flight back to the US leaves from Paris on Monday morning. So, we have Wednesday night-Monday morning to get back to Paris. We would ideally like to be in Paris by Saturday evening to have Saturday and Sunday to explore Paris.

We are thinking of spending Wednesday night in Marseilles, then taking the train to Beaune, Dijon or Lyon. We would spend Thursday and Friday in one of those towns and then take the train to Paris on Saturday afternoon.

Should we stay Wednesday night in Marseilles? We thought it would be nice to have one evening in Marseilles. Or would it be better to take the train immediately to one of the towns further north?

Without a car, is Beaune too hard to get to? We like the idea of staying in the smaller towns and we think that Lyon might be too big for just 2 days. We might prefer Beaune and biking around the vineyards nearby.

We are also open to hotel recommendations. Thank you!

StCirq

Either Dijon or Beaune will require a train change in Lyon.

PalenQ

Forget Marseilles for one day - nice city but your time may be better spent in Beaune - especially if you want to hit some Burgundy wine houses - some in town and others easily accessible by local train or bus. For lots on trains (booking tickets far in advance can save tons of euros) - www.voyages-sncf.com (French Railways site you can book your own ticket online)-www.seat61.com (great advice on booking discounted tickets); for general info -www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Why not keep the car and motor north via Lyon and Macon (famous wine center) then take the Burgundy Wine Road to Beaune and to Dijon - return car and take train to Paris.

Sounds nicer than backtracking to Marseilles then taking train to Beaune.

If taking TGV train Avignon TGV station to Marseilles or Lyon why not drop car at the TGV station just outside Avignon - easy to drive to?

fuzzbucket

Lyon would be my choice.
The food is excellent, so is the history about the Venetian silkworks...
You don't have to see all of Lyon, just the Old Town will keep you busy.

PalenQ

Lyon is nice - one of nicest large cities in France. But not for 5 days -stop there maybe en route to Beaune for a day or two.

Another option on way to Paris would be the Loire Valley - return car at St-Pierre-des-Corps train station and blast into Paris in an hour.

StCirq

The OP isn't looking to spend 5 days in Lyon, Beaune, or Dijon. If I read it right it's a stop for a Thursday and Friday night.

I would also opt for Lyon. It may be a big city, but if you limit yourself to the old town, it certainly doesn't seem like one.

PalenQ

Oops - yes Lyon could be nice But Beaune could be sweet to for more a smaller-city experience and especially if into Burgudny wine tours.

But Lyon would be a more convenient stop if going by rail.

kerouac

I would not miss Marseille. You can pack a lot into a day, and its transportation network is one of the most excellent in France.

PalenQ

Marseille and Lyon perhaps- or spend all the time in Marseille and blast back to Paris. Beaune and Dijon are much longer by train than those two cities.

Whathello

I dislike Marseille. I find it gritty and was appalled to see tags on everybody's door... but I'm to go with friends and may change my mind (hope to).

Close by are the Calanques that I find spectacular.
So, I'd recommend one night in Marseille, going to see the Calanques and en route to Lyon.

Lyon is easily reached.

Christina

I liked Marseille. I didn't really find it that much grittier than many other cities, including Paris. I don't know about tags on doors, though, I don't know what that means.

In any case, I'd stay in Marseille a couple days and then maybe Dijon or Beaune a couple days. Lyon would work, sure, but it's kind of a mess right now, I was just there. The main square in front of Hotel de Ville anyway is undergoing some construction, things are all covered up, scaffolding, you can't even see the Bartholdi fountain, etc. I was only there a day so rest of Lyon could be same as usual. I suppose things could be all fixed by September, I don't know.

In fact, there are some direct trains from Avignon to Dijon that don't require a transfer, just not that many. There is one in the afternoon, I know. And the trains that do have transfers when going to Dijon are not always a change in Lyon, either, but in Valence. Now to get to Beaune, you would need to transfer.

PalenQ

Marseille has from reports been gussied up a lot from some years ago- Tour de France scenes were of a nice large city.

One of few large French cities with character.

mjs

I assume you have been to Paris already?

StCirq

<<One of few large French cities with character.>>

Huh??? I've been to loads of French cities and thought they all had character. Different character, for sure, but that's why I visit them.

Sassafrass

There is so much to see in Provence, especially small villages and towns, and they ar so different from each other, I would just keep the car and explore more there, return it and catch the TGV directly to Paris. Without knowing what you have seen with your friends, I wouldn't know what else to recommend.

Have you been to Aix? If not, I would spend a day there just walking, relaxing and eating. However, I am a very lazy, slow traveler, and I think Aix is truly charming and very, very pretty. I have been three times and would return in a heartbeat.

Marseille is interesting and has some good museums, especially the Museum of Civilization. I have not stayed there, only visited during the day.

I also liked the Camarque, but that is a quiet place. Look and see if it might be something for you. If I did that, I would tour the area during the day, but stay the night inside the walls of Aigues Mortes. At night it is magical. Have dinner in St Louis Square. I desperately want to return, but only if I could stay at night within the walls. I think day visits would not be very rewarding.

Boat tour of the Calanques de Cassis, or hiking there? The landscape is stunning.

PalenQ

Huh??? I've been to loads of French cities and thought they all had character. Different character, for sure, but that's why I visit them.>

Should have phrased better - I've been to just about every larger French town and many to my subjective mind at least were rather similar - Orleans where I used to spend summers a prime example - most tourists would find little to linger there whereas Marseille satiated me for 3 days once - would have been bored to death that long in Orleans.

Better quit before I dig my hole a little deeper. You are right - all have unique character - some tourists will like better than others.

kerouac

I find more than 50% of French cities totally boring, but I know that it is entirely my fault since living in Paris makes me a bit chauvinistic for a start. Then I have my regional bias, being of northeastern origin, so I give extra points to all cities in the north and east of France and have less interest in other parts of France (and I have a severe aversion to Brittany, which I constantly try to overcome but have not succeeded yet). And of course I also have the sin of ignorance that all of us have -- never been to a few places because they don't seem worthy of my attention and have spent only one or two nights in others either at the wrong time (season, weather) or in the wrong mood (happens to the best of us) and didn't really give the place a chance.

However, since I am right here, I do try to work on my problems because I fully believe all of the stories that people tell about why they love certain places. For example, I am going to Nantes for 3 days later this month. The place itself does not attract me at all but its new summer artistic festival ("Le Voyage à Nantes") has attracted me, and I am determined to check it out.

I never give up on any city.

27again

I just spent several days in Marseille and did not enjoy it. My daughter, however, really liked it there. Just remember you can pick up and move at any time. You are not stuck if you don't like someplace!

Cannes, one of my favorite places, is quite close to Marseille by train. As is Arles (Which I enjoyed many years ago but no longer remember why) Lyon is a safe bet as you can spend all your time eating, lol, or even take a cooking class. But honestly, unless you have really "done" Paris already, you may want at least one extra day here/there.

Enjoy!

27

kerouac

Travel time to Cannes is more than 2 hours from Marseille, both by train or by car.