Crammed France itinerary. What to cut? Thank you!
 

Hi there - I am visiting France with my 10 year old twins. I am worried that I am trying to do too much. What would you suggest deleting/adding to make it manageable?

Arrive from California (=jetlagged)
10 days Paris

4 days by rental car
Paris to Rouen - Honfleur - St Malo - Dinan

1 day long drive Dinan area to Bordeaux

3 days Dordogne

1 day drive Rocamadour to Montpellier

3 days Montpellier

Ditch rental car. Train Montpellier to Barcelona.

4 days Barcelona

Flight BCN-CDG for return flight to US

Hard to cut Montpellier much because I will be visiting friends there one day. Also cannot cut Paris time because that lodging is paid for. Should I cut Dordogne all together? Or Barcelona?

My reason for adding Barcelona is to show my kids how close together European countries are. This is unique coming from the US and after travelling in China regularly. I wanted them to at least get a feel for train travel, crossing the boarder, language change, etc. Also Barcelona is wonderful. My sons are very into architecture and I thought they'd love it.

Flights are so expensive from CA I want to make the most of the trip. But I don't want to make everyone miserable. I go back and forth between a full itinerary like this and a week here, a week there, beaches/cafes/wine/slow.

Thanks for any tips. Overwhelmed trying to make everyone happy.

How about cutting the Rouen-Honfleur-St. Malo- Dinan part unless you have a particular interest in that area?

I answered you on TA, but cut the Dordogne, which really needs a week minimum. Forget the drive from Dinan to Bordeaux (which isn't in the Dordogne - that's another 2-3 hours of driving) - the kids will be miserable. Find a train from Normandy to Montpellier (I think I once did that from Rennes). Stay in Montpellier; rent another car. Lots to see and do there. Forget Barcelona too.

If the boys like architecture they may enjoy Loire valley. Many of the chateau have large grounds for exploring. So maybe from Paris to Loire to Dordogne to Montpellier & maybe Barcelona.

Ugh. You are telling me what I need to hear and don't want to.

Tied to Montpellier because I used to live there and have to stop and see some friends for a day. I know Herault well but have never been to Dordogne, Bretagne, Normandy. I only make it to Europe every 10 years or so and I feel I absolutely have to stop in MPL. Hmm.

Maybe I should focus trip around Dordogne and visit MPL for a quick 2 days.

Don't drive all the way to Bordeaux. You could stop in the Loire valley (Angers, for example) or near Poitiers. The church inSt. Savin, about 30 km. east of Poitiers, has interesting ceiling frescoes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57623276890499

The Dordogne is filled with variety but doesn't necessarily require at least a week for an enjoyable visit. When we retire we plan to spend a month there and wont see everything. What month are you visiting? My boys enjoyed the Dordogne more in spring/summer.

Well actually your trip plans seem more logical and less rushed than many or most Americans. You can always keep revaluating your route based on weather, driving times on each preceding day and how the fatigue of driver and passenger morale is doing.
If you are going to Dinan which is a lovely town, consider a early or late visit to Mont St. Michael, meaning before or after the tour buses. The alleys of the Mont can seem like a body contact sport during tour bus hours. It is a fun walk around the outside of Mont St. Michael but watch the tide tables.
You might consider eliminating Bordeaux and focus more on the Dordogne and points east or SE. Your twins should love this area with lots of Brit kids about to visit with. Big city Bordeaux will impress them less than the castles and ruins of the Massif Central.
Also I would consider eliminating Barcelona. I hear what you say about the lesson of adjacent European countries for your kids but it is a big, often hot city which may involve delays etc.
If you are in Montpellier you can drive west to Aude, Ariege etc. There are many Roman ruins, Cathar castle ruins, quaint villages etc. When I took my ten year old there he thought he had died and gone to heaven, exploring and climbing among those sites. With a little driving close to the Spanish border you can point out the mountains of Spain and of course from Montpellier you have easy access to the many attractions of Provence.
If you wanted to "ditch the car" in southern France you can take the TGV from Avignon or other city to Paris or CDG. In many ways almost as fast as the airlines and more fun.
Bonne Vacannes

We will be there in mid June. Now thinking...

10 days Paris
1 day train Paris to Brive-la-Gaillarde
Pick up car
6 days skipping Sarlat-towards-Rocamadour
1 day drive to Montpellier
4 days Montpellier (visit friends, Camarague)
Drop car
Morning train to Barcelona
5 days Barcelona

Thank you all for your help.

Will consider ditching Barcelona. That way I might be able to afford a quick trip to Dinan or Rouen as I had hoped.

Damn Europe. Too much good stuff to see. Makes me greedy. I need to remember the kids have more patience than I do and would be thrilled with a week to faire du camping at Aigues-Mortes and ride horses.

Sounds much more enjoyable

I would cut Barcelona. You will already have spent 10 days in Paris - perhaps that's enough "big city".

Are your Barcelona tickets already purchased? If you live in the San Francisco area - I know that there are no direct flights from BCN).

Here is what I would do:

- Paris 10 nights
- Normandy/Brittany 4 nights - last night in Rennes
- take the 9:07 TGV from Rennes to Montpellier that arrives at 3:30 (no train changes)
- Montpellier 2-3 nights. Rent a car if you want to visit the area
- Drive to the Dordogne - visiting Carcassonne along the way
- remaining nights (except last night) in the Dordogne.
- Drive to Toulouse, spend the night, and fly home from Toulouse

You will be visiting 3 of my "top 5" cities in France - Paris, Toulouse, and Rennes.

Stu Dudley

+1 for Stu's recommendation. Two years ago I took my grandchildren, ages 7 and 11,and their parents, to France including Paris, Dordogne, and Provence.We are from SoCal and we loved it.The Dordogne will be the highlight among highlights of your twin's trip.We also used Paris and Toulouse for airports. It worked out great.Next year I am planning to take them to France including Normandy/Brittany. Have a wonderful trip.

Thanks for new ideas... grrr... more choices!

We live in SF. We are used to cities and that's why I keep wanting to add them.

We are flying SF-CDG and CDG-JFK to stay in NY for a while on the way home. The CDG-JFK flight is already paid. The BCN flight isn't booked. I am trying to find train ways rather than flights. Airports are a hassle.

I love Toulouse also. I have never been to Rennes. I have always wanted to visit Brittany. Would love to find a crepe class for the kids. I love cider. It's all good. Have friends in Quimper. See how easily I switch gears here? I think I need another 4 weeks and much more money.

<i>We live in SF. We are used to cities and that's why I keep wanting to add them. </i>

You need to get a guide like the Michelin Guide for France, look at what cities and towns it highlights on its map at the beginning of the guide, check the description of those that are roughly on your itinerary, and then make a choice that is not dependent on a recognizable city name.

If following Stu's itinerary You could take the TVG from Bordeaux to CDG if you prefer, over Paris, for your return to SF. You could spend the night near CDG.

What do you mean by "skipping Sarlat?"

Airports may be a hassle, but a 1 hour flight vs. many hours on a train? The most valuable asset you have is your time!

I'd cut out Barcelona - it just creates a logistical hassle.

>>Airports may be a hassle, but a 1 hour flight vs. many hours on a train?<<

Unless you are flying on a "connection" (TLS to CDG to JFK on the same day for a trip "home", for example), a 1 hr flight from Paris to Bordeaux really consumes about 4-5 hrs if you consider a 45 min taxi to CDG, getting there 2 hrs ahead of departure, flight, waiting for bags, 30 min taxi to Bordeaux or securing a rental car - VS a 15 min taxi to the Gare, getting there 30 mins before departure, train trip, no wait for bags, minimal time for getting to hotel or rental office. I usually figure that a 1-1 1/2 hr flight consumes about the same amount of time as a 4-5 hr train trip from city to city within Europe. I also enjoy a train trip more than a flight.

Stu Dudley

We live less than 10 mins from SFO. We vacation in France about twice a year. Last year we returned to SFO via TLS/CDG. This July & July '11, we will take/took the TGV to Paris the day before our departure, stayed 1 night in Paris, dined at the Train Bleu at the Gare de Lyon (which I consider to be a "must see"), and took the 10:30 AF flight home. Next year we are doing this same schedule to get home from Provence in July and the same again to get home from the Loire in Sept. A "one nighter" in Paris is a real thrill. In '10 we stayed the last night in Chantilly before our flight home.

Stu Dudley

Another +1 for stu's itinerary!

We've taken our kids several times to Europe and less is more, truly. You (and they) will be so much happier with less stops. (Although I completely understand and agree that Europe has so much that it is hard to cut down!)

Re: only making it to Europe every ten years or so...it took my DH and I 21 years to make it back after our initial trip, but then only 6 to return for a second trip with the kids, and hoping to make it only 3 for the next one. Once you take the kids, you may find that you return more often so that you can show them all Europe's wonders.