France in late December: Help me plan, please
 

First, thank you to the responders of my previous thread. You were helpful.

I'm traveling to France for the last two weeks of December. My plan was to spend 7-10 days there, but I've tentatively extended it to 12-14 days.

Here is my rough itinerary:

Nimes/Avignon/Arles/St. Remy: 3-4 days
Cannes/Antibes/Nice: 2-3 days
French Alps (Meribel, Chamonix or ?): 4 days
Paris: 3-4 days

Thank you for your future advice

What is your question?

Where will you be coming from at the beginning of your trip, and how?

It's hard to comment without knowing what your interests are.

Are you planning on skiing in the Alps?

How are you planning on traveling - train or car?

Are you going alone with others?

My question is whether my plan is doable or should I tweak it.

My origin is the US by way of airplane.

I do plan on skiing the Alps.

I'm not sure if I'll be traveling by train or car. At least part of the way, it'll be by train because we want that for our children.

What is the best way to get from the Alps to Paris?

I'm going with others, a combination of adults and children.

Plan to stay put over christmas and travel on the 23rd, 24th will be crowded. Have you booked where you will be on the 24th, 25th?

if you are planning to ski, so check that there's some snow - I heard on the radio this morning that there is no snow in the swiss alps to speak of, so Meribel and Chamonix may be equally cursed.

you might need to head for high level places like Avoriaz.

there are I believe fast trains to and from the alps from Paris to cater for Parisian skiers.

Hi bilboburgler. I haven't booked anything yet. Where would you say is the least Christmas displaying place within the towns/cities I put on my list?

Hi annhig. I have to book this week. Is Avoriaz a good place or are there other places I should check out?

Sorry RBF what do you mean "displaying place"

hi redblue,

Having forgotten the little i used to know about ski resorts, I had to resort to google, and found this website: http://about-france.com/tourism/skiing.htm

it reminded me that some of the highest skiing is to be found at Val d'Isere/Tignes but you might like to look at their TI website to see what the current situation is. I fear that wherever you pick, the skiing may be pretty sparse.

bilbo - i may be wrong, but I think the OP is after the least Christmassy place amongst those suggested.

annhig, I'm confused to me christmas is all about snow, trees, big roaring fires, chatter of children, gluhvine (no idea how to spell that). If so I would avoid

French Alps Meribel, Chamonix

If she means places with inflated santas and flashing reindeer noses then I would avoid

Avignon,Cannes,Antibes,Nice

I can hear the clanking chains...

Glühwein, i think, bilbo.

I don't think that Avoriaz is likely to be very Christmassy - it's a bit stark for that.

doubtless Paris will make up for it!

are those the clanking chains of Scrooge's friend, Mr. Marley?

I'm happy to clank the chains on Scrooge's behalf. A lot of the commercialized sentimentality about Christmas is really something a traveler might want to avoid if not a Christian or a believer, and it's not limited to flashing Rudolph noses. It can be about those cloying angels and traditional not-so-edible foods.

However, it is not clear to me of the OP wants to make sure they are in the most Christmas displaying place or the least Christmas displaying place. I would think the palm-tree Riviera in secular France has only minor use for Santa and snow-themes, but I can't say for sure because I've never been there at Christmas.

Hi annhig. Thank you for the website.

I didn't mean to cause confusion about my request for little or no Christmas displays. In all honesty, I want to spend time with my family and friends without Christmas blaring us in the face. I don't mean to offend but please this is what I want for my vacation. Thank you.

Of all of these do not go to Avignon, they light the main street all the way up to the pope's palace, put a christmas market outside and play jingle bells over the mayor's tannoy.

The riviera follows that to a lesser but still strong extent as, though they may be secular, the pressure of commerce flows from Coca Colas' Santa Claus to the christmas sales.

"Bless us all everyone" and thank you for getting the "clank" :-)

I havent been all around France at Christmas time, but I have spent NYE in Paris and I think the bigger cities will allow for more of what you want. I would expect in all places in France that the cafes and restaurants will have xmas decorations out and maybe festive music playing. You will also likely find xmas markets in squares throughout - although not all squares in bigger centres. Paris is definitely decorated for xmas, but there are regular food markets and museums etc that wont be focused on xmas.

redblueflag - I'm very happy for you to spend time with your family and friends sans noël - no offence taken. Actually I think that you have more chance of achieving this in France than you would have in the UK, which more or less grinds to a sentimental halt over Christmas and New Year.

they are now saying that there is snow in the Dolomites so you may yet hit it lucky in the French alps.