Hey gang...I am in the early stages of planning a european trip for next year. Dates will be May 18 to 29 flexible ...yet approximately around that time..the key being planned around the scheduled french open tennis tourney(Roland Garros) May 25 to June 7.
I have two scenarios I would like my fellow fodorites sage wisely advice for those who have been in the following places....
Scenario 1..all flights originating from RDU ..first fly into AMS spend a few days touring...train to BRU..few days touring...wind up in Paris tour and take in a few tennis matches.
Scenario 2...fly into NCE spend a few days touring ..train to a midway point to paris perhaps Lyon?...etc ..tour...then end in Paris.
So ok the pressing questions are...how many days would you devote to each stop...knowing full well that some deserve more attention than others...?
Amsterdam Brussels and Paris set up very well for train travel between and ease of flow from one to the other ...but there is the appeal to relax at the MED in Nice et.al...so what would be your preference of the two scenarios? I know that is broad and according to each owns taste but any feedback would be helpful in helping us decide. Would you recommend another place besides Lyon on the way to Paris or just split tween the coast and Paris?
All told, the length of the trip should be 10 to 14 days on the ground in europe not counting the two travel days....thanx ...

Well I like scenario two better but that's because I'm not particularly a big fan of Amsterdam.

I'm a huge fan of architecturally beautiful and museum-rich Amsterdam, and glorious Antwerpen (not Brussels). But if I wanted to relax and have a vacation, I'd go to Nice, which is a great place to goof off. I've never been to Lyon, so I don't know if another mid-destination would be better. I could spend all my time in Nice.

ps: I should add that I'm always plotting a return visit to Amsterdam and Antwerpen, and I don't think I really care if I ever see Nice again -- which is only two hours from where I live on the Med.

However, if you need a vacation and some sun, the Netherlands is not that, and Nice before the tourists arrive in hordes is an appealing time to be there. Be aware that this year in Nice (and all along the Med) it rained buckets in May, but we all hope that won't be true this coming spring.

Thanks suze and zeppole for your input! All advice on the issues at hand is greatly appreciated.