Initially, I was planning on Greece, but since there was a more reasonable fare deal for France (430 including tax) for September 4th-14th, I decided to go for it.

Now, here's the problem. I've been scanning posts and trying to decide how to break up our time. We arrive on the 5th and would like to include the french country side. I'm open to drive and even to travel south to Barcelona or Northern Italy, but I wanted to get your trusted advice.

What would be your general itinerary plans?

Many thanks,
Rishi

Here are a few comments/ questions -

Have you booked your both flights? If so, do you have to return to the same airport? That will significantly impact your plans.

I had a great trip to France in May. Several days in Paris, took the TGV train to Avignon and picked up a rental car. Drove around Provence and the south of France to Cannes and flew out of Nice. Just right for 10 days for me.

You'll have a problem picking up a car and dropping it in Italy. You'll probably need to take a train from x in France to y in Italy.

Sometimes you can get cheaper flights to Greece from Italy. But, France, Italy AND Greece would be too much in 10 days.

And, last but not least, have you been before and what to you enjoy doing?

New low cost flight option(s) can be found for Paris-Barcelona on www.vueling.com

Personally, I would stay just in France. Ten days is about half enough for say... half the Rhone river and environs.

Best wishes,

Rex

I've booked direct flights from Boston to CGD.

Our interests include seeing the beaches, good restaurants, and seeing the cultural things France has to offer.

Hi rish,

I suggest you start your 10 days by staying in Paris.

You can choose to visit two of the following as daytrips:
Versailles, Chartres, Giverny, Fontainbleau, Chantilly, among other places.

You can then end your 10 days in Paris.

Enjoy your trip.

Have you been to Paris before? or do you foresee returning to Europe again (much?) over the next few years (which could allow you to save more extended time in Paris for a later trip)?

Hi,
I definitely would return to Europe and especially Paris later in my years. My wife and I are just turning 30 this year and we plan one trip abroad every year. Last two years that we've been together we've been to Spain and Italy.

I've looked at the previous posts and I agree that three days in Paris seems about adequate. Then with another 3 days I was hoping to drive some of the countryside and visit the daytrips that Ira provided. However, we love the beach and water and I found tickets on Easyjet to Nice (30 minute for 20 Euros). I was thinking about flying to the coast and driving around the area for another day or two.

Rex and everyone - do you think it is too much? I tend to pack my holidays alot and I really enjoyed them before. I'll give you an example. My last trip for Spain included Madrid, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Nerja, Rhonda, Gibraltar, and Jerez de la Fronterra in 10 days. I know that sounds like alot, but we really enjoyed ourselves.

If you enjoyed Spain like that - - &quot;sampling&quot;, we'll say - - then you can cover as much ground as you please. After Paris, you could fly to Nice, buzz Monaco and sleep in Antibes. Then head your rental car back along the Autoroute du Soleil (in the opposite direction of the &quot;Soleil&quot, and graze/gorge yourself as you see fit through the charm of thr Var, Provence, Cotes du Rhone, even up into Burgundy if you choose. You have a lot of possible endpoints without having to drive all the way back to Paris (though even that would not kill you) - - where you could turn in the car and take the TGV back to Paris (all the way <i>directly</i> to the airport, if your flight leaves late enough to try doing that).

It's a style of travel not considered &quot;en vogue&quot; here - - but you know best what you like.

You need the biggest, fattest tour book of France (Fodors, Frommers, others) you can find, and read it cover to cover, like a novel, to get an overview of what is most important to you.

Ummm, Rex, that big fat tour book was the folder of printouts from the forum for me! I read several guidebooks, took a couple, but USED this forum info!

It pretty much goes without saying tht I am a strong believer in the info you can get from this forum. But you do kinda have to know what info you are seeking to find it here, especially regarding places where you have never previously traveled.

That's why I recommend a comprehensive travel guide book, and read it in the order the chapters were written. It will expose you to areas of France you might not have realized that they even existed, or what destinations they offer.

For all its strengths, that is a downfall of a BB like this. YOU know you loved your trip to Spain with 8 cities in 10 days. If you'd posted that ahead, I would have argued it would be a nightmare of logistics and time &quot;wasted&quot; in transport. Yet you loved it! I guess my point is go ahead and say in your original post what your travel style is (so you don't have to listen to people like me going blah blah &quot;oh dear no, that's just too much&quot;. most kindly, s.

Thank you for all of your input into this trip. I've scaled the trip back considerably given the good input and the fact that my wife is expecting now.

Here's what I decided to do:

Sunday Sept 5th - Arrive CDG
Train to Avignon
Spend afternoon site seeing in Avignon and sleeping there

Monday Sept 6th
Pickup car and drive south. Stop in Cavillion or Nimes for market day. Eventually making it half way between
Avignon and Nice. I'm still hoping to arrrange a special night near a small town in a chateau.

Tuesday Sept 7th
Finish drive to Nice and use this as our base. This drive I wanted to include a drive through the gorges du verdon

Wednesday Sept 8th
Monte Carlo for the day

Thursday
Caanes and as far south as I feel like driving for the day.

Friday
Flight in the AM from Nice to CDG
Explore Paris for awhile in the afternoon.

Saturday
Paris or Versaille - I heard the fountains are also open on Saturday

Sunday
Paris

Monday
Paris

Tuesday
Fly back to US around noon.

Is this better? I know I'm buzzing again, but I really think that this is more doable. Are there towns or routes that someone can suggest I take on this trip?

Thanks

I like that--much better !

..looks much better!..I like the idea of getting on the train at Roissy and travelling to Avignon on you jet lag day..just a thought..have you considered spending the Monday through thurday driving down slowly to Nice with only 1 full day in Nice...I find that the cote d'azur has much less charm than Provence..get out a green guide or other travel guide and think about it.. i am totally prejudiced.

When you return, I'd love to hear your details on the Gorges de Verdun. It sounds like it's a necessary part of my trip if I spend a night at Moustiers Ste Marie. However, as a kid I can remember when the road along Hell's Canyon was gravel, so any fears will mainly concern what kind of car we're driving. One caveat on your plans is to remember your wife may be unaccountably drowsy sometimes. As far as having an overly ambitious itinerary, people have always told me that. Some of us actually do enjoy seeing something different every day. On our first 16 day trip stretching as disparately as from Cornwall to Inverness we stayed in 8 different places. Enjoy Provence!