Judy

Help! I am trying to plan my trip to France. We can fly into Marseilles and rent a car for our week in Provence. Then take a train to Paris for three days. Then fly out of Paris. Or Fly into Paris and rent a car to go to Provence for our first week.Then drive back to Paris and fly out of there. Difference in cost- $200 per person. How far from Paris to Provence? Internet site with a map that tells miles between and routes? Suggestions, please! Thanks in advance!!

Paulo

For driving distances and times you may use <BR> <BR>http://www.michelin-travel.com/eng/s....cgi?Flash=Oui <BR> <BR>or <BR> <BR>http://www.mappy.com/direct/mappy/ac...BR&language=en <BR> <BR>The driving time from Paris to Provence may read anywhere from 7 to 9 hours, depending on where you're heading. This would almost certainly call for an overnight stop enroute. In your shoes I would probably go for Plan B, renting a car in Marseille and dumping it in Lyon. <BR> <BR>Paulo

jo ann

Judy: Summer of 1999, we flew into Paris, spent 5 nights, then broke the drive to Provence up (2 nights Chinon, 1 night Dordogne area, 1 night Carcassonne). After I think 4 nights in Provence, we took the high-speed train (TGV) from Avignon back to Paris, flew home the next day. <BR>The train was great, and if I were doing it over we would have used the train both ways, or used 2 different airports as you have suggested. We ended up with so little time in each spot (especially Chinon and Dordogne) that we were left wanting more -- probably we will get back to each spot, but we would have been really happy just with Provence and Paris. <BR>My been-there advice would be: use the 2 airports, don't bother with the drive on the autoroute (not much to see along it) *or*, if it saves money or is more convenient, fly in/out of Paris and then use the TGV both ways to Provence (saves money on rental car, fuel, and energy.) <BR>hope this helps. Jo Ann

Jim

I agree with Paulo. I drove from Paris to Provence this past summer. Took about 8hrs. By all means rent car in Marseilles and do your driving in Provence and then train into Paris from Avignon or Lyon. Considering the dollars in gas savings not driving from Paris, costs almost become a wash.

Miane

Paris to Provence is a day's driving on the freeway, which you have to pay for. You're much better off taking one of the TGV (high speeed trains) which will tke you about 4 comfortable hours. There are several trains a day. For schedules, check the French railway website www.sncf.fr.

Miane

You don't want to have acar in Paris anyway, it's more trouble than it's worth. The city is sufficiently compact and is so magnificent that you'll want to walk, and the public transport (metro/buses) is excellent/safe.

sandy

My travel agent recommended taking the TGV train from Charles De Gaulle to Avignon immediately upon our arrival. She said our hotel room in Paris wouldn't be ready anyway, so might as well go directly to Provence. Which we did. It took about 4 hours. The train was great, and we were both able to catch a much-needed nap on the way down. We rented a car in Avignon, then after a week in Provence, we drove back to Paris, with stops in Burgundy and the Loire Valley, dropping the car off at Orly and taking a cab into Paris.

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Anthony

Judy, <BR> <BR>I have flown and driven from Paris to Provence. <BR> <BR>The drive is tedious, some small two-lane roads. I would not recommend it unless you were planning to stop in the Loire or Burgundy. <BR> <BR>It is a one hour flight to Nice. You can get a car there and be in the heart of Provence in 2 hours, all driving on autoroutes. We go to St. Remy de Provence each year and fly from JFK direct to Nice, or if first in Paris, fly Paris to Nice. <BR> <BR>TGV hads a fine reputation as noted by other correspondents. I will consider using it in the future. <BR> <BR>Bonne Route! <BR> <BR>Anthony

Spanky

In March/April of this year we flew into Paris and spent 3 days there before taking the TVG train to Avignon. Reserved the train in US and paid approximately $78 pp for second class seats--trip took 4 hours. It was a delightful route and easy to do. We rented a car in Avignon and drove the Provence area for a week seeing Avignon, Nimes, Carcassone. You can see train schedules at http://www.raileurope.com/us/ <BR> <BR>Have a wonderful trip!

Randall Smith

Bonjour, <BR> <BR>We go to France at least once a year since 1987 and usually spend time both in Paris and in the south. We've done all the above options. In my opinion driving is the most difficult unless you really plan the return leg as part of your trip. Driving back to Paris just to get the car back and catch a flight home is awful. Taking the train TGV back is OK but again, just to get back to Paris and catch a flight is in my opinion a waste. We've done the drive back several times and done it in one day at least twice (takes about 7 1/2 hours at 160 km/hr). One time we actually arrived in Paris before our friends who took the TGV at about the same time. I guess they had some problems with the train. My favorite itinery is to fly into Paris or vica versa and return home from Provence or visa versa. The airports at Marseille and Nice are easy to negotiate. It is much less hassle and I believe very much worth the extra $200 or so. <BR> <BR>Good luck with your trip. <BR> <BR>Sincerely, <BR> <BR>Randall Smith

Marta

HI: <BR>We just came from France, and we fly <BR>to Paris and took the train from the <BR>Charles De Gaulle Airport to Avignon, <BR>and it took only 3 1/2 hours, we rented <BR>a car on Avignon train station and <BR>tour the Provence for Two weeks, we <BR>station in Villeneuve-Avignon, for 5 <BR>days and in Aix en Provence for 4 days <BR>and in the French Riviera, Theole sur mer for 3 days, and then we took the train from Cannes to Paris , 6 1/2 Hours very nice ride, comfortable, and <BR>beautiful views... We will do it again!!! and finally we stayed 8 days <BR>in Paris in Hotel Vignon, very nice <BR>and comfortable but the STAFF... WAS <BR>AWFULLY RUDE and we will not go stay there again. <BR> <BR>Bye, hope it will help you.

Joe

Drive down, train back.It's easier to drive out of Paris than into it.Those little two lane roads mentioned above were some of the best parts of the trip, and they were always in very good condition. If you want to really be in France and not surrounded by Americans, take the little back roads through Burgandy.Spend a couple of days working your way to Provence, you'll pass through some of the most beautiful countryside in the world.

carol

We'd like to drive to Provence from Paris, via Loire Valley... spending <BR>several days (3 or 4) enroute. <BR> Suggested stopovers? <BR> How far to go in a day? <BR> Pick up a car in Chartres, or <BR>just get a car in Paris and head out <BR>from there??? <BR> Many thanks, Carol

adrienne

Hi Judy, <BR> <BR>I've driven from Paris to Provence and would not do it again. First, if you arrive at CDG airport in the morning during the work week you'll be stuck in a lot of traffic. It took us more than an hour to get to the south side of Paris in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I had the smell of diesel fuel in my nose for two days afterwards. I'm not sure how long it took us exactly since we spent 2 days getting to Aix. Stopped in Beaune the first night (recommend it as a half way point) and also saw Cluny cathedral (not in Beaune). The next night we stopped in Valence (not recommended since it doesn't support tourism and we had trouble finding a hotel without a map or guidebook info) but had a wonderful dinner there. From Valence we got off the autoroute and took the N7 into Provence which is much nicer than the autoroute but takes a lot longer since it's a 2 lane road and goes through towns. <BR> <BR>Since your time in France is short I recommend taking the train to Avignon, staying there at least 1 night since you'll be jet lagged and picking up a rental car from there. <BR> <BR>I'd also do the Provence part of the trip first since you'll be flying home from Paris (unless you can get a non-stop from Marseilles) and you won't have to get up very early to catch a plane to Paris before your final flight home. <BR> <BR>You'll love Provence...have a great trip. <BR> <BR>Adrienne <BR> <BR> <BR>

Loren

Not really an answer, but a question. <BR>I am planning to take a train from paris <BR>to Loire Valley, prob. Tours... and spend a few nights there. Then on to <BR>southern France, provence whatever. <BR> Which castles are really, really <BR>worth taking time to go in and see? Rick Steves says "do 2 a day".... I say <BR>Do TWO, period. <BR> Is it really flat enough in Loire <BR>Valley to ride bikes, for a couple of <BR>old(er) "fogies" who occasionally ride <BR>12-15 miles? <BR> Any great places to stay? <BR> Previous experience driving says, <BR>do NOT drive all the way from P. to P... i.e., Paris-provence. But, there are a lot of things in between. take care, <BR>Loren