Hilmel

Hi,
We are planning our first trip to Europe, from Australia in Jul/Aug11. Flying to London, then train to Paris, Venice, Florence and Rome. PLan to pick up a car in Rome and drive thru Tusacny, use Cortona as a base then drive to Cinque Terre. We then want to stay one or two nights somewhere on the way to Aix. Problem is i hate heights and windy roads and for the sake of my poor husband would love any suggestions as to where we could stay in between. Obviously Nice or Cannes area, but not good if the roads are windy and high and i am a nervous wreck!!. Are we better to train to see these cities, or is that scary to a heights hater too? Or is there an alternative route that will still give us a wonderful taste of Europe? Really really would appreciate anyones advice to make this trip perfect for both of us!!

poppyinparis

I think you can be too organised when you are covering so many places over a 6-8 week period. Even though this is a very busy time in Europe, half the fun is 'things not going as planned'... You should just stop off when you feel like it rather than deciding 6 months in advance on hotels etc. Travelling by train in France is amazing, travelling by car is a serious threat to your well being, especially on the autoroutes & the tolls are very high. The countryside makes it worthwhile but if you are at all nervous, then have the car only half the time and take the buses & trains. Poppy

Hilmel

Thanks Poppyinparis!. I was worried that we may arrive in little villages and end up in some dodgy accomodation as it's high season. Appreciate your thoughts

jamikins

Are you picking up a car in Italy and dropping it in France? You may want to check on the price as its usually very expensive to pick up in one country and drop in another.

aussie_10

I agree with jamikins, drop off fees in another country can be very high. We drove for 3 weeks in France last year and on the whole found the driving good but it does take some getting used to on the narrow windy roads with big drop offs. I would suggest returning your car in somewhere like Pisa and catching the train to Cinque Terre (about 1h 15m). You will not need a car in Cinque Terre and will probably have to pay to park it somewhere.

Then you could go by train to Nice stay 1 or 2 nights in the area and then hire a car to drive to Aix. How long do you have in Aix>

Hilmel

Thanks so much for your replies.We were thinking initially of picking up a car in Italy and dropping off in France but we have been quoted 350euro as the drop off fee, plus the car hire! I think maybe a car pickup in Rome and drop around Cortona then train to Nice area then another hire for France is def the best idea. We have 2 nights i Aix. Is this enough. i can stretch it to maybe 4, or could leave out cinque Terre and Nice and do longer in Provence. any thoughts?

qwovadis

Have done this journey by rental car in the past

Astronomical drop off fees for car usually

and train last May

Train better cheaper easier safer for me and tonnes of fun.

www.seat61.com

San Remo and Nice/St Paul de Vence St Tropez

were nice places to stop for me along the way..

www.booking.com nice site for discounts on hotels

prefer to stay flexible book internally

for best experience and to save...

Happy Journey,

StuDudley

I would NEVER just show up on the Cote d'Azur or Provence in late July/August without hotel reservations - especially for a first timer without a car. St Tropez is normally booked up 6-9 months in advance. The better hotels in Nice will surely be "complet" by then also.

We've driven the route between the CT & Nice many times, and taken the train once (the last time we did it). I hate that drive - high/winding roads, hundreds of tunnels (or at least it seems like 100), and lots of opportunities to make a wrong turn & end up in Genoa. Take the train - you'll need to make at least 1 train change between the CT & Nice - but it is not difficult. The train ride was less scenic than I expected.

Not only is the drop off charge large for returting an Italian car in France, but the Italy daily rates are higher - plus it is manditory to purchase CDW in Italy (in France, if you have a Gold or higher Visa/MC/AE card from the US - CDW is provided by the card).

Stu Dudley

bobthenavigator

What Stu said !
I like Menton as a stop halfway between.

immimi

What Stu said X 2 - and he didn't even mention the truck
traffic!

We've done it many times and even so ended up taking the
wrong turn and having to crawl through downtown Genoa.

With your fear of heights/winding roads I'd drop the car
off in Genoa and train to Nice. Although it's a classic
route, you are up so high and driving so fast you really
don't get to see much of the coastline anyway.

charnees

We liked Aix a lot, and it's a good spot for doing some day trips around that part of Provence, so you might want to stay longer.

StCirq

I totally disagree with poppy regarding hotel reservations (though you definitely don't need to make them RIGHT NOW). It would be insane to arrive in the Côte d'Azure in late July or August without reservations - utter folly unless you want to end up sleeping on a bench.

And do not drive from CT to Nice. MY experience with that has been exactly the same as Stu's - worse even (honestly came within inches of being obliterated by a truck) - and anyway you need to leave the car in Italy and get another one in France.

Frankly, since you don't like heights or hiking, and since your vacation is late July/August, I'd steer clear of the CT - a madhouse at that time of year.

Take the train from Genoa to Nice. And don't plan to be driving much of anywhere in that territory on August 1 - the traffic jams are legendary (as in 500 kilometers long).

Hilmel

Thank you all for your advice, it is great and i really appreciate it.

We are coming from Cortona. Can you recommend where to drop the car and take the train to CT, bearing in mind i hate the high roads that wind! i will def now take the train Ct to Nice after all your good advice.

StuDudley

We did the same thing you are doing in '06, and we drove the car to La Spezia & dropped it there. No high/winding roads. The car rental office was a short taxi ride away from the train station.

Stu Dudley

Hilmel

Thanks again Stu, you have been so helpful. Merry Christmas from Australial