France itinerary help, please
Apr 30th, 2006, 10:37 AM
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France itinerary help, please
Hi there, my wife and I will be travelling in September or October this year. We're flying into Belgium for a few days, and flying home from Paris.
In between we have about 5 nights to spend in France outside of Paris and could really use some help planning the time. We had figured we'd take the train from Brugge into Paris, and then catch a train to somewhere we can rent a car and drive around.
The chateaus in Loire seemed interesting, but 5 days worth sounded like a lot. The cave art in Dordogne sounds fascinating, but the travel time seems like it'd eat up too much of our time. We like classic architecture. Beautiful natural surroundings. Historical locations. Anywhere with good food is always appealing. Not everything needs to be experienced this trip, but there's so much to do that we're having trouble coming up with itinerary ideas.
We'd really appreciate help and suggestions, thanks!
In between we have about 5 nights to spend in France outside of Paris and could really use some help planning the time. We had figured we'd take the train from Brugge into Paris, and then catch a train to somewhere we can rent a car and drive around.
The chateaus in Loire seemed interesting, but 5 days worth sounded like a lot. The cave art in Dordogne sounds fascinating, but the travel time seems like it'd eat up too much of our time. We like classic architecture. Beautiful natural surroundings. Historical locations. Anywhere with good food is always appealing. Not everything needs to be experienced this trip, but there's so much to do that we're having trouble coming up with itinerary ideas.
We'd really appreciate help and suggestions, thanks!
Apr 30th, 2006, 11:03 AM
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Burgundy would be just the ticket for you: Roman ruins in Autun, Gothic cathedrals, a lovely Renaissance château (Tanlay), the former ducal palace in Dijon (now a fine arts museum with excellent pieces) as well as churches, and any number of charming small towns. The area along the Bungundian canal makes for pleasant walks, and if you want wilder scenery there's the vast Morvan park.
Burgundian food is some of the best in France: escargots, boeuf Bourguignon, oeufs en meurette, excellent local cheeses. And then there are the wines...
Send me a message at
[email protected]
and I'll ship you the two articles on travel in Burgundy that I wrote for another web site. There are hotel and restaurants recommendations along with a sightseeing itinerary.
Burgundian food is some of the best in France: escargots, boeuf Bourguignon, oeufs en meurette, excellent local cheeses. And then there are the wines...
Send me a message at
[email protected]
and I'll ship you the two articles on travel in Burgundy that I wrote for another web site. There are hotel and restaurants recommendations along with a sightseeing itinerary.
Apr 30th, 2006, 11:09 AM
#4
Burgundy came to mind to me, too. The other possibility is Normandy and/or Brittany, depending upon your inclinations. I will be travelling this summer to Normandy and the edge of Brittany, so can report more fully after that. Either trip would be great, though.
Paule
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Apr 30th, 2006, 11:22 AM
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I highly recommend you visit, including overnight[s], Mont St. Michel, Brittany coast, west of the Normandy areas which could also be visited. I did this with my wife and teenage son in the summer of '04 and we plan to return to Mont St. Michel and stay a couple of nights to walk around and see the views at different times & tides and visit the wonderful old buildings, the 12 cent. abbey, some cidre, their restaurants, etc.
We also rented a car in Paris to get there spending 3 days in the Normandy areas to see the US D-Day cemetary, related museums, took a private tour from one of the museums and drove later to the beach sites and to see the Bayeux Tapestry! [1066AD Battle of Hastings] Get some good Michelin road maps, AND and a road atlas also, the distances/driving times are shorter than you'd imagine. The drive and country side is very pleasant and you can find little small town eating places that can be fun too for spur of the moment meals. The Michelin restaurant guide can be worth the money also. You could also take the train to Normandy but with the time and existing plan to rent a car, I'd say rent in Paris drive around the city sites and head West as Horace G. said. Good luck.
We also rented a car in Paris to get there spending 3 days in the Normandy areas to see the US D-Day cemetary, related museums, took a private tour from one of the museums and drove later to the beach sites and to see the Bayeux Tapestry! [1066AD Battle of Hastings] Get some good Michelin road maps, AND and a road atlas also, the distances/driving times are shorter than you'd imagine. The drive and country side is very pleasant and you can find little small town eating places that can be fun too for spur of the moment meals. The Michelin restaurant guide can be worth the money also. You could also take the train to Normandy but with the time and existing plan to rent a car, I'd say rent in Paris drive around the city sites and head West as Horace G. said. Good luck.
Apr 30th, 2006, 02:50 PM
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I'd say Normandy/Brittany, too. Tapestry's recommendations for the area are very good. My boss took her honeymoon in France, making a 1-week circle from Paris to Brittany, then down into the western end of the Loire and back up to Paris. That would be very do-able for you, too.
You could rent the car in Paris (preferably with a pickup at a train station or on the peripherique-Paris ring road, and a clear idea ahead of time of your driving directions). If you're not familiar with driving in a European city such as this, you may want to do your Paris sight-seeing via public transportation...
I would suggest taking the train to Rennes in Brittany, or similar city in Normandy, and picking up your car there. (Don't make the mistake my mother and I did: make sure your car will be at the train station, not the airport!) I have also rented a car in Chartres (not advised) and returned it in Tours in the Loire, then taken the TGV back to Paris. So you could pick up in Rennes (etc.) and return in Tours, see both areas, and not have to deal with driving in Paris.
You could rent the car in Paris (preferably with a pickup at a train station or on the peripherique-Paris ring road, and a clear idea ahead of time of your driving directions). If you're not familiar with driving in a European city such as this, you may want to do your Paris sight-seeing via public transportation...
I would suggest taking the train to Rennes in Brittany, or similar city in Normandy, and picking up your car there. (Don't make the mistake my mother and I did: make sure your car will be at the train station, not the airport!) I have also rented a car in Chartres (not advised) and returned it in Tours in the Loire, then taken the TGV back to Paris. So you could pick up in Rennes (etc.) and return in Tours, see both areas, and not have to deal with driving in Paris.
Apr 30th, 2006, 03:58 PM
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ggreen, why do you say picking up a car in Chartres is "not advised"? I have considered doing just that on a couple of other trips, but didn't. Just curious.
adamc, like Underhill, I think the Burgundy option would be great for you.I took the train from Paris to Dijon, rented car, and had the most wonderful time driving around Burgundy. I think the food in Burgundy was my favorite - or maybe I just made good choices, but I loved it - and the wine!
adamc, like Underhill, I think the Burgundy option would be great for you.I took the train from Paris to Dijon, rented car, and had the most wonderful time driving around Burgundy. I think the food in Burgundy was my favorite - or maybe I just made good choices, but I loved it - and the wine!
May 1st, 2006, 10:11 AM
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"We like classic architecture. Beautiful natural surroundings. Historical locations. Anywhere with good food is always appealing."
My vote's still for Normandy/Brittany and a little of the Loire... Re: Normandy/Brittany - Classic architecture: Cathedral des Hommes in Bayeux, Mont St. Michel, plus the traditional stone houses of the area... Beautiful natural surroundings: the rugged coastline, the sweeps of beaches. Historical locations: Normandy beaches and WWII museum, Bayeux Tapestry of Wm. the Conqueror. Good food: warm Breton and Normand cuisine, the homeland of crepes, and bubbly hard cider!
My vote's still for Normandy/Brittany and a little of the Loire... Re: Normandy/Brittany - Classic architecture: Cathedral des Hommes in Bayeux, Mont St. Michel, plus the traditional stone houses of the area... Beautiful natural surroundings: the rugged coastline, the sweeps of beaches. Historical locations: Normandy beaches and WWII museum, Bayeux Tapestry of Wm. the Conqueror. Good food: warm Breton and Normand cuisine, the homeland of crepes, and bubbly hard cider!
May 1st, 2006, 10:27 AM
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hi Sue4 - I'll try to explain my "not advised" post...
I have always booked cars in France through AutoEurope; this was one of two times that their website didn't adequately explain the location/pickup situation. (The other being the aforementioned pickup in Rennes - I have of course taken my mistakes to heart and now call to confirm where my car will be!) For Chartres, the rental agency was actually in an adjacent town about 20 min drive away. As there was no one at the train station from the agency, we took a taxi to their location.
(It was a few years ago and I don't remember which rental company it was, maybe Avis?)
The other problem is that, typical American that I am, I only drive automatic. Although I had reserved as such, when the actual day arrived, there was no automatic available. Since it's such a small agency, they only had a single automatic and it was in the shop for repairs.
Lastly, though it wasn't a problem for me, at such a small agency, no one spoke English.
So I guess to sum it all up, I wouldn't advise getting a rental car from a smaller town such as Chartres, at least for those people who want an automatic and who don't have a good grasp of the language; I just think it's more of a sure bet dealing with your rental from a larger location with more resources - and a courtesy desk at the station/airport!
I have always booked cars in France through AutoEurope; this was one of two times that their website didn't adequately explain the location/pickup situation. (The other being the aforementioned pickup in Rennes - I have of course taken my mistakes to heart and now call to confirm where my car will be!) For Chartres, the rental agency was actually in an adjacent town about 20 min drive away. As there was no one at the train station from the agency, we took a taxi to their location.
(It was a few years ago and I don't remember which rental company it was, maybe Avis?)
The other problem is that, typical American that I am, I only drive automatic. Although I had reserved as such, when the actual day arrived, there was no automatic available. Since it's such a small agency, they only had a single automatic and it was in the shop for repairs.
Lastly, though it wasn't a problem for me, at such a small agency, no one spoke English.
So I guess to sum it all up, I wouldn't advise getting a rental car from a smaller town such as Chartres, at least for those people who want an automatic and who don't have a good grasp of the language; I just think it's more of a sure bet dealing with your rental from a larger location with more resources - and a courtesy desk at the station/airport!
May 2nd, 2006, 12:38 AM
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We drove from Calias to Normandy and Brittany after our stay in Ghent. If you like gardens, you might be interested in what we visited. Here's the trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34444403
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34444403
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