gulfgreeniz

Hello Everyone!
I've traveled US extensively, through my ex's company travel agent. This is a real handicap now as I've invited my DD (works, married w/2 kids) to a much deserved trip to visit her brother in Pau, FR (haven't seen him in 10+ yrs since relocated, teaching in Pau). My problems are:
>>DD's vacation time is limited to spring or fall /have to give notice asap!
>>DD live in Boise, ID / I live in St. Petersburg, FL (Tampa Bay Area)
>>We need to meet in Tampa? so we can travel together to France.
>>Son's vacation time is July-August somewhat into September
>>Son would like to go to Rome and we'd all like to be in France at some time.
My dilemma is trying to find the 'cheapest' rate for DD in Boise, ID and me in St. Pete, FL together to travel to Europe to meet w/son in Pau/also to visit in Paris and all 3 to go to Rome. DD needs to advise employer of dates asap during spring/fall for 'vacation lottery' (!)
My trouble is simplest way to 'do' Boise to Tampa to France to Italy? Or just 'chuck' Rome, hitting an area in Spain? Or would it be cheaper to land in another Country and have son take train to meet us? Then we all take train back to Pau to Paris? Oh my goodness!?!
If anyone has any good suggestions, I'm currently between a rock and two hard places, currently hanging by a limb just waiting for a hand...miracle...to be handed a miracle? Yep, that's my choice!
Thanks to all in advance for any bits of wisdom offered.

thibaut

No idea where the locatoins of yours are in the US but don't see the interest of flying together - you'll spend x hours on a flight separated by some rows of seats anyway - about the same exp as going all togehter to a movie.
Maybe it would solve part of your problem to give a rendez-vous in say - Paris ?

Moderator3

Moved to Europe and tagged for France and italy

bilboburgler

So July/August/Sept Pau and Rome

So fly into southern France or Northern Spain. Go to Pau (use the train, read seat61.com and bahn.de to understand trains and get a rough idea of train times or, use rome2rio which may be more help, fly internally to Europe (which gives you far more opportunities) to fly onto Rome

I'd start with scottish website skyscanner.net for your internal flights.
Paris is a long way from Pau so not really relevant.
I'd do it all in Sept as that includes all the European school holidays so normally good weather and fewer crowds.

Sassafrass

Keep it simple! Don't try to fly together - wastes time, which is also money, and energy. All of you, including your son, meet in Rome at whatever hotel you choose. DD will have enough stress just getting ready, leaving family, etc. Get the shortest, most straightforward flight you can get for her. It will likely have at least one stopover anyway. You don't want her to have multiple trips coming back either.

For Rome, go in Spring before Summer heat sets in. How much time will DD have? Is Rome of great interest to her? Plan for her. Don't wait until July or August for Rome. If Rome is not her great interest, go someplace else. Son is already there, in Europe. He can go to Rome another time. It is easier to plan for two people than for three anyway. If you do go to Rome and can be there over a weekend, perhaps he could just fly there for a couple of days, and not use his vacation time for it.

Fly from Rome to airport nearest Son in Pau. Use trains in France. Fly home from Paris, so put Paris at the end of the trip.

This can all be pretty easy if you keep it simple, and remember the priority is a trip for your DD. Everything else is secondary, and things will fall into place. Try to book multi-city tickets (not two one-way), into Rome (if that is your choice) and out of Paris.

Other possibilities, but only if they are really easy to make work. You meet DD in NYC and get non-stop to Rome. You meet her in Miami or another airport where there are non-stops to Rome. In other words, you meet up with her rather than her coming to Florida. She has less time and is less traveled.

If DD has only two weeks, spend it all in France: Provence, Pau area and Paris. Fly into Marseilles and home from Paris.
Another option would be The Netherlands and France. Depends on DD's interests and available flights. Trip is for her!

greg

I think what you are trying to do is hard way. I think you are thinking of linearly following some advice to come up with an itinerary. For a complex itinerary like this, it never works. You have to plug in many many what-ifs to see trade-offs.You need to look at flights, driving, and trains.
For trains, www.bahn.com is easiest to use, but does not give prices in France. For that use www.oui.sncf.
I think trying to meet your DD in Tampa is adding complexity and cost. I also travel with someone else who lives on the other coast of the U.S. We always meet at the first destination in Europe. It never made sense to meet in the U.S. Adds time, cost, and risks by having more flight segments.
Routing requires a lot of what-ifs. There are many many ways to look at this. Presuming your son and DD are capable of doing international travel on their own, one of the many ways to do all three location is:
- Meet in Rome
- Fly together to Bordeaux, Toulouse, etc from Rome.
- Drive or train to Pau.
- Drive or train to Paris.
- Say bye to your son in Paris.
- You and DD fly home separately from Paris.
Of course, trying to visit 3 not-so-well connected locations in just two weeks adds to the complexity. Unless you have extensively visited France before, there are many many places between Pau and Paris worth visiting, but do I presume your son is not so in favor of just visiting his "neighborhoods" during his vacation?

thursdaysd

I agree that I don't see the point of having everyone fly to Europe together. I also agree that if only your son is interested in Rome you should drop it from this trip.

I use skyscanner.com to look for cheap flights. Also check seat61.com for a lot of info on train travel in Europe. Rome2Rio is a good place to start looking at transport options, but you need to check the suggestions as they may not operate every day.

I was in Pau a few years back and flew direct from Lyon. There are also direct flights from Paris.,

PalenQ

Book train to Paris fromPau and other long-distance trains well in advance for discounted tickets - France at www.oui.sncf or www,trainline.eu - same fares but latter is said to be easier to use for foreigners. For lots on trains check www.seat61.coml BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Paris-Rome is too long for train but there is a night train Paris to Venice - and you could change in Milan for Rome -overnight trains can be loads of fun if you get a private compartment and bring any food or drink you want aboard. www.thello.com for that night train info.

KayF

I agree that travelling separately to Europe and meeting up at the hotel makes more sense. Cheaper too. If your son already lives in France, he can easily visit anywhere in Europe any time, so concentrate on where your daughter wants to go. Trains in France run frequently and are not expensive if you can book ahead (TGV prices start low and go up and up, book early. We just had four weeks by train in France so sing out if I can help.) You don't have that long if you include travel time and jetlag so keep the number of cities you visit to a minimum. Just my opinion, it's your trip!

Kay

suze

I agree with everyone above.

Pick a place in Rome (or France or Spain, that part you guys need to decide) and everyone flies over and meets there. There is zero reason to be flying around US airports trying to meet up before the trip. With that one simple change it takes about 1/2 the worries off your original way of thinking.

StCirq

There is absolutely no benefit whatsoever to traveling to Europe together. So you are all on a metal tube in the sky at the same time? What could that possibly have to do with having a good vacation together on another continent? That is, as a friend of mine would say, stinkin' thinkin' - meaning it makes no sense and will drive you crazy.

Make it easier on yourselves, and probably cheaper, and get yourself to Europe as it works out best for each of you, then start off from Place A and plan a nice trip together.

Sassafrass

"metal tube in the sky" StCirq, that is funny, but also sounds frightening.

suze

>>DD's vacation time is limited to spring or fall /have to give notice asap!
>>Son's vacation time is July-August somewhat into September
>>Son would like to go to Rome and we'd all like to be in France at some time.

Sounds like the trip needs to be in September so both your son and daughter can get the time off?

So set the dates for then & you and your daughter *separately* get yourself to Paris or Rome.

You don't need a "miracle" you just need to streamline how everyone gets to one point in Europe to meet up and begin the trip.

If you want to go to Spain instead of Rome... then do that.

Southam

Back to school in France ("rentrer", as they so deliciously say) is early September. Daughter can only travel spring/fall. So it is unlikely you can find a time when the two of them can travel to a third country. More practical, if not wish-fulfilling, is to visit him in his home city for a weekend., You and she can then use the remaining time to see France. Or you could head south into nearby northern Spain. Not as easy as it sounds since public transport across the Pyrenees is somewhat constricted. End in a city with an international airport so you can buy a multi-destination ticket trans-Atlantic using a multi-city search function.

thursdaysd

I traveled from Pau to San Sebastian in 2015, with a pause in Bayonne. Start with the train to Bayonne, which is an excellent base for visits to St Jean Pied de Port, St Jean de Luz and Biarritz. Then take the train on to Hendaye and switch to the Euskotren commuter rail line to San Sebastian (trains every 30 minutes). I didn't enjoy San Sebastian as much as I expected and went on to Pamplona which was a pleasant surprise. For my write up on the trip start here (links at the top of the page):

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...-the-pyrenees/

gulfgreeniz

I've come to that conclusion also. Thank you.