June 13-26- like I said in previous posts, this trip is to sample these regions (Loire, Burgundy, and Provence.) However, we don't want to feel like we're on "The Amazing Race" either... We've all been to Paris, so that's why we're saving only one full day at the end.
6/13- Early arrive at CDG, take train to Amboise and p/u car. Overnight Amboise.
6/14- Visit chatteax, overnight Amboise
6/15- Drive to Bourges to see windows, then on to Vezelay- overnight Vezelay
6/16- explore Vezelay and area around Vezelay, overnight Vezelay
6/17- more Burgundy exploration, overnight Beaune
6/18- driving day to Provence. Possibly make it to St. Remy
6/19-6/21- St. Remy and surrounding areas
6/22-6/23- Aix
6/24- d/o car, take train from Aix to Paris
6/25 Paris
6/26- home
Thoughts????
6/13- Early arrive at CDG, take train to Amboise and p/u car. Overnight Amboise.
6/14- Visit chatteax, overnight Amboise
6/15- Drive to Bourges to see windows, then on to Vezelay- overnight Vezelay
6/16- explore Vezelay and area around Vezelay, overnight Vezelay
6/17- more Burgundy exploration, overnight Beaune
6/18- driving day to Provence. Possibly make it to St. Remy
6/19-6/21- St. Remy and surrounding areas
6/22-6/23- Aix
6/24- d/o car, take train from Aix to Paris
6/25 Paris
6/26- home
Thoughts????
I think you are going to be a little rushed at the beginning of your trip. Remember, places like Chateau Bazouches closes for lunch, Tanlay has specific tour times, museums may close for lunch, all of which may reduce the stuff you can do in a day. We were doing a lot of driving in Burgundy because the main sites were not close together like they are in Provence.
Are you going to do my Lavender Route in Provence? The lavender should be blooming in late June when you are there.
IMO, Aix is a half-day visit. You really don't need to spend 2 nights there if you're on a fast paced schedule. Arrive at noon, have lunch on the Cours, and then explore the town in the afternoon & evening.
Have you considerd staying in Provence on the night before your flight home?? This would give you 2 more days (assumng you're not excited about seeing Paris again - like you mentioned).
There is a 7:55am TGV from Aix that arrives at CDG at 11:21. Also, a 6:12 that leaves Avignon and arrives at CDG at 9:34. You could even go back to Dijon in Burgundy, stay overnight your last night, and take the 6:30am train to CDG that arrives at 8:20. We've done the Dijon thing twice.
Not sure I would stop in Bourges, unless you want to stretch your legs.
Stu Dudley
Are you going to do my Lavender Route in Provence? The lavender should be blooming in late June when you are there.
IMO, Aix is a half-day visit. You really don't need to spend 2 nights there if you're on a fast paced schedule. Arrive at noon, have lunch on the Cours, and then explore the town in the afternoon & evening.
Have you considerd staying in Provence on the night before your flight home?? This would give you 2 more days (assumng you're not excited about seeing Paris again - like you mentioned).
There is a 7:55am TGV from Aix that arrives at CDG at 11:21. Also, a 6:12 that leaves Avignon and arrives at CDG at 9:34. You could even go back to Dijon in Burgundy, stay overnight your last night, and take the 6:30am train to CDG that arrives at 8:20. We've done the Dijon thing twice.
Not sure I would stop in Bourges, unless you want to stretch your legs.
Stu Dudley
Thank you SO much for your thoughts!! ***We have decided to SKIP Paris***... our flights leaves at 11:40am on June 26th... so we would need to take the train from Avignon... or go through Burgundy...
I'm very excited about this decision... and I'm really looking forward to spending more time in Provence.
So, we may need to re-work our itinerary know that we have 2 extra days. Would you suggest staying in Provence the entire time? Or add more time in Burgundy... or even stay in Lyon...???
I'm very excited about this decision... and I'm really looking forward to spending more time in Provence.
So, we may need to re-work our itinerary know that we have 2 extra days. Would you suggest staying in Provence the entire time? Or add more time in Burgundy... or even stay in Lyon...???
I think your schedule is a little more cramped in Burgundy than in Provence. However, I would add a day to each (Beaune & St Remy).
On the day you leave Burgundy, if you feel that you have not visited all the places on your "must see" list, then spend most of that day in Burgundy & leave for St Remy after lunch - or a little later.
On travel day, if you've seen the big attractions in Burgundy & ready to head to sunny Provence, leave early in the day & perhaps hit some of the Northern Provence highlights - Grignan Chateau, the Cote du Rhone winegrowing villages/Dentelles/Vaison la Romaine, etc.
Stu Dudley
On the day you leave Burgundy, if you feel that you have not visited all the places on your "must see" list, then spend most of that day in Burgundy & leave for St Remy after lunch - or a little later.
On travel day, if you've seen the big attractions in Burgundy & ready to head to sunny Provence, leave early in the day & perhaps hit some of the Northern Provence highlights - Grignan Chateau, the Cote du Rhone winegrowing villages/Dentelles/Vaison la Romaine, etc.
Stu Dudley
My only thought regarding taking the TGV on the date of your departure flight is to check the days before to make sure there isn't a strike planned on that day. Train strikes are not uncommon in France, from what I recall of my days os study abroad. I think the last train strike in France was in November. It happened to us in Italy a number of years ago as well. We stayed in Orvieto (about an hourish away from Rome, with frequent train service into Rome) the night before our 11:55 AM flight out of Rome. We showed up at 7:15 AM at the Orvieto train station, and there were no trains running on that day. We had to take a cab to Rome for 200 euros. Ever since that experience, I always sleep the night before at the town my flight departs. If you choose not to sleep in Paris, then you need to make sure that the trains will be departing as planned on your departure day, so you have time to extend your car rental or rent a car.
Hi TX,
>***We have decided to SKIP Paris***... our flights leaves at 11:40am on June 26th... so we would need to take the train from Avignon.....<
Highly contraindicated.
To get from Burgundy you will arrive in Paris at the Bercy.
You have to get to the airport from there.
In order to be at CDG 3 hr before flight time, you'll take the 04:54 out of Auxerre.
The first TGV from Avignon won't get you to CDG until 09:34.
What happens if your train is delayed en route?
I strongly recommend that you stay in Paris the night before.
>***We have decided to SKIP Paris***... our flights leaves at 11:40am on June 26th... so we would need to take the train from Avignon.....<
Highly contraindicated.
To get from Burgundy you will arrive in Paris at the Bercy.
You have to get to the airport from there.
In order to be at CDG 3 hr before flight time, you'll take the 04:54 out of Auxerre.
The first TGV from Avignon won't get you to CDG until 09:34.
What happens if your train is delayed en route?
I strongly recommend that you stay in Paris the night before.
Can you work this in reverse? Head straight for Avignon on the TGV on the day of arrival, then work your way back to Paris. Makes for a busy first day, but it might be possible given your early flight arrival.
You could ditch the car in Tours after doing your Amboise section, and head for Paris on the TGV for just the night in Paris before your flight. (In case of emergency, i.e. strike planned for day of departure to Paris, you could always revert to your last-2-nights-in-Paris plan, i.e. leave earlier for Paris. Or even drive to CDG from Amboise, ditch car there and overnight Paris prior to departure.)
You could ditch the car in Tours after doing your Amboise section, and head for Paris on the TGV for just the night in Paris before your flight. (In case of emergency, i.e. strike planned for day of departure to Paris, you could always revert to your last-2-nights-in-Paris plan, i.e. leave earlier for Paris. Or even drive to CDG from Amboise, ditch car there and overnight Paris prior to departure.)
Ira/TXgalinGA
Like I stated earlier, there is a TGV that goes directly from Dijon to CDG and arrives at CDG at 8:21am. We have taken this train twice.
We have also taken the TGV from Avignon that arrives at CDG at 9:34. We've even started the day in Chambery & taken the slow train to Lyon, changed to the TGV & arrived at CDG in time for the flight home.
I don't have any statistice to prove this, but I suspect the on-time rate of the TGV is better than Air France's on-time rate. Both the TVGs from Dijon & Avignon arrive at least 2 hrs before departure. If you would be comfortable with taking a flight from Nice (for example) to CDG for a connection home, then you should be equally comfortable with taking the TGV, IMO. I actually feel more comfortable because I'm in control of my luggage on the train.
Several years ago, our very close friends tooka Tax i from Paris to CDG. There was a huge strike & blockade of some sort and they missed their flight. I've had good luck, & never missed a flight from Paris.
Stu Dudley
Like I stated earlier, there is a TGV that goes directly from Dijon to CDG and arrives at CDG at 8:21am. We have taken this train twice.
We have also taken the TGV from Avignon that arrives at CDG at 9:34. We've even started the day in Chambery & taken the slow train to Lyon, changed to the TGV & arrived at CDG in time for the flight home.
I don't have any statistice to prove this, but I suspect the on-time rate of the TGV is better than Air France's on-time rate. Both the TVGs from Dijon & Avignon arrive at least 2 hrs before departure. If you would be comfortable with taking a flight from Nice (for example) to CDG for a connection home, then you should be equally comfortable with taking the TGV, IMO. I actually feel more comfortable because I'm in control of my luggage on the train.
Several years ago, our very close friends tooka Tax i from Paris to CDG. There was a huge strike & blockade of some sort and they missed their flight. I've had good luck, & never missed a flight from Paris.
Stu Dudley
Thanks Stu! I'm pretty risky 
... so I don't think I would be too concerned about missing our flight. And if something happens, then it was meant to be! I guess the question is, where do we want to spend our last night?? It won't be Paris... Dijon may be safer...
... so I don't think I would be too concerned about missing our flight. And if something happens, then it was meant to be! I guess the question is, where do we want to spend our last night?? It won't be Paris... Dijon may be safer... The Dijon station is right in town. We stayed at the Tulip/Jura, which is about 50 yds from the station. Very nice hotel.
The Avignon TGV is out of town. We walked to an area across the street from the in-town station & took a shuttle to the Avignon TGV.
Like I said earlier, I think your Burgundy itinerary is cramped. Dijon is a "do not miss" for me. I would skip Dijon while you're in Burgundy, and hit it the day before your flight home. There are many TGVs from both Aix & Avignon to Dijon. If you get there by 3:00 or so, you'll have plenty of time to see lots in Dijon in June, when it's light late. Dine at Stephane Derdord for the best meal you'll likely to have on your trip. Click on my name to see a detailed description of our dinner there.
Stu Dudley
The Avignon TGV is out of town. We walked to an area across the street from the in-town station & took a shuttle to the Avignon TGV.
Like I said earlier, I think your Burgundy itinerary is cramped. Dijon is a "do not miss" for me. I would skip Dijon while you're in Burgundy, and hit it the day before your flight home. There are many TGVs from both Aix & Avignon to Dijon. If you get there by 3:00 or so, you'll have plenty of time to see lots in Dijon in June, when it's light late. Dine at Stephane Derdord for the best meal you'll likely to have on your trip. Click on my name to see a detailed description of our dinner there.
Stu Dudley
**I think we've got it!!! (Rather, I hope we do!) I've just listed our overnights. Any final thoughts before we begin booking hotels???
~TIA
6/13: Arrive CDG, train to Amboise, pick-up car. o/n Amboise
6/14 Amboise
6/15 Vezelay
6/16 Vezelay
6/17 Beaune
6/18 head to Provence, stay near Lyon
6/19 St. Remy
6/20 St. Remy
6/21 St. Remy
6/22 St. Remy
6/23 St. Remy
6/24 St. Remy
6/25- drop off car, early train to Dijon. o/n Dijon
6/26 early train to CDG, fly home
~TIA
6/13: Arrive CDG, train to Amboise, pick-up car. o/n Amboise
6/14 Amboise
6/15 Vezelay
6/16 Vezelay
6/17 Beaune
6/18 head to Provence, stay near Lyon
6/19 St. Remy
6/20 St. Remy
6/21 St. Remy
6/22 St. Remy
6/23 St. Remy
6/24 St. Remy
6/25- drop off car, early train to Dijon. o/n Dijon
6/26 early train to CDG, fly home
Hi I just saw your posting on tripadvisor and came back here to tell you the same as Ira! I think it is a pity to see such a tiny bit of Dijon!
Would it be okay take the train from Provence and stay in Dijon without a car. Maybe an afternoon train... that way we would have 2 evenings and one full day in Dijon...would we want our car?
Also, does it make sense to stay in Beaune towards the middle of our trip and save Dijon for last? (With Provence in the middle)
Also, does it make sense to stay in Beaune towards the middle of our trip and save Dijon for last? (With Provence in the middle)
