3 nights before Gordes rental
 

We've just booked tickets for a trip next May to Provence. We arrive at CDG at 8:30 a.m. on a Wednesday and our rental starts on Saturday in Gordes, so we have three days to either drive there or take a train directly from CDG. We have done Paris before, so we would like to get out of the city and to a smaller place the first night, whether it's by car or train. If you were on your way to Provence from CDG with 3 nights, where would you stop and how would you get there? Thanks!

It kind of depends on what interests you and where you have been before. If it were me, it might be Lyon or Nice, as I wouldn't want to be visiting either during a stay in Provence, but they could be on the way. Nice probably wouldn't make sense unless you were transferring on your flight to land in Nice. I'd take the train to Lyon.

Both are big cities, though, but given Provence is not urban to begin with, it would be a mix of city and rural. I like cities, though, I get bored just being in rural areas and small towns.

Auxerre or Dijon via TGV. Then, either rent a car and drive down to Provence or take the TGV from Dijon down to Auvignon. I'm no expert and haven't done it; but have plans to do something similar at some point. Stu and others have the actual experience and will have all the details. You can start by searching the forums for Stu Dudley.

Sap has it though I might add Beaunne to the list

We had been considering Dijon, and it looks like we could be there in two hours from CDG. I like the brevity of the trip! I have heard that Beaune is very nice, but it looks like a longer trip with a connection, and I am not sure we would be up for that after the flight, etc. Other recommendations for stops on the way from Dijon to Provence are welcome. Thanks for the help so far.

You won't have time for all these places I list below by any means, but you might want to check them out as options to choose from for your three days of sightseeing between Dijon and Provence if you have a car (2 days if you spend one day in Dijon itself):

Beaune and surrounding wineries
Chateau la Rochepot
Chateau de Sully
Chateau Cormatin
Autun
Cluny
Perouges
Cremieu
Mirmande
Le Poët-Laval
Vaison-la-Romaine
Seguret
Chateauneuf-du-Pape

All of these places have been talked about in various Fodor's posts, so you can find them with the search function; decide what appeals to you most; and plan how you might fit them together.

There are also some very appealing options north of Dijon, including Auxerre, Vezelay, Tanlay, Ancy-le-France, Noyers, Fonenay Abbey (Montbard) and Semur-en-Auxois. It really depends on what interests you.

With only three extra days to play around with, you might also consider just taking the TGV straight from CDG to Auvignon and spending that time at a B&B or hotel somewhere else in the area around Provence, such as Uzes, St-Remy or Arles; or in the Vaucluse using somewhere like Vaison-la-Romaine as a base.

Oops: I keep misspelling it - should be "Avignon."

Regarding sap's suggestions:

1. Dijon is my second favorite city in France - ahead of Avignon or Aix - so I would spend some time there.

2. Beaune is in my "Top 3" small cities (larger than villages) in France - nothing in Provence is in my top 5 - Uzes is probably closest - so I would spend some time in Beaune.

3. You won't find many villages in Burgundy or Beaujolais that are a "cute" as the ones in Provence - so I would not visit many villages in Burgundy - except perhaps Vezelay (Perouges is nice too - but pretty small & a bit out-of-the-way)

4. There are not nearly as many castles in Provence as there are in Burgundy & Beaujolais - so visit castles while up "north".

5. I would take the TGV from CDG to Dijon & stay in Burgundy the entire 3 nights - either Dijon, Beaune, or Vezelay.

6. On Saturday, visit Chateau Cormatin & it's lovely gardens on the way to Gordes.

Stu Dudley

Thank you, Stu, that is exactly what I needed to know. We will stay in Dijon the 3 nights, and then stop at Chateau Cormatin on the way down.

I'd go directly from CDG to Lyon and the spend the time there. I love that city.

Hotel recommendations for Dijon, or Lyon just in case, would be much appreciated. We are two couples traveling together.
Thanks again for all the help.

We stayed at the Jura - mainly because it is a very short walk from the train station & car rental offices.

Stu Dudley

In Lyon, I recommend La Résidence.

My wife and I spent a week in Burgundy last year. If you do rent a car I can recommend some places to visit. Some are on Stu's list. Look under Beaux Villages of France, it will give you some good ideas for picturesque vilages.

Have a look at two of our very favorite places in Provence. We also stayed in Gordes at Mas de la Beaume. We flew from Paris to Marseille and then drove to the other destinations.

Hotel E'veche in Vaison la Romaine and Villa Agape in Avignon.

http://eveche.free.fr/uk_chamb-hotel-rooms.htm

http://www.villa-agape.com/avignon-b...-breakfast.htm

http://www.labeaume.com/page1anglais.html