I am working out an itinerary for our trip to France/Italy May 2014, will be our first Europe trip. Whole trip is 5 1/2 weeks (including initial 3 nights in London), we are going to split the 5 weeks evenly between France and Italy. I would love some suggestions on an initial itinerary I have just roughed out (this is just one idea, so any other ideas are very welcome). We are staying in an apartment in Paris for the first 7 nights, and I know that we would like to end up in Provence so we can settle there and relax for a few days to make our over to Italy. The plan is to get the train between the main areas, then when we are in Provence we would like to hire a car to get around some of the smaller country areas.
2 and a half week itinerary for France:
Paris-7 nights (this is already booked)
Strasbourg - Looks very different to the other areas in France, so thought it would give us a broad range of things to see on our trip
Annecy - Sounded like a beautiful area to see
Lyon - Thought of going here as we heard it was a real 'foodie' area, so thought it sounded interesting
Provence - Any ideas on where would be a good base to stay here, so we can drive around to the different areas easily?

Are there any places people would subtract or change from this itinerary? Initially we hadn't considered going to Strasbourg, and were going to go via Dijon...however, someone told me that they wouldn't recommend Dijon, and for a first visit would rather see Strasbourg.....any opinions on this? We also don't want an extremely rushed trip, would rather enjoy areas than rushing through them...have I packed in too many places?

Thanks so much for your help

If you have two and a half weeks and are spending a week in Paris, I would consider dropping Strasbourg. Ten days would be a good amount of time for the rest of your trip. Or, if you really want to see Strasbourg, I'd think about dropping Lyon and going directly from Annecy to Provence. A week in Provence would be great - St. Remy is a good central base and a nice town.

Lyon is big, interesting and a good place to eat, but if you want time in your schedule for Provence, I'd continue south to Avignon for two nights, enough time to enjoy the walled city. Then on to wherever you choose to make your base in Provence to the southeast.

Take the TGV to Lyon, at the end of your stay in Lyon rent the car and make a detour to Annecy on your way to the Provence.

That seems like way to much for only 1.5 weeks, the part after Paris. I would think you could spend several days in Lyon and then Provence for a week or so. Maybe you can fit Annecy in.

Strasbourg doesn't make sense given it is in a completely different direction. And no, I don't agree at all with whoever told you it was so much better than Dijon. Yes, it is very different, that's one reason I wasn't that crazy about it. I just am not into that whole Alsacien cuisine, etc. I prefer real French food.

So if you want to go there because it is different, fine, but I don't see how that fits into your itinerary logisitcally.

Burgundy (not only Dijon, but also the gems of Vezelay, Beaune, Tournus, Cluny) is real France. Strasbourg is (from the historic and architectual poin t of view) rather a "German" town" (the local dialect is a Gemran one) and therefore of course a bit different from the rest of France.
I would skip Strasbourg (only because it's in the wrong direction) and Annecy. There is much more to see and to do at Lyon/Fourviere/Vienne than at lovely Annecy.
And as you have only about 10 days, I would skip Burgundy too: there is so much to see in Provence!

Provence has lots and lots to do and see and great variety. I would spend a week there. You are already spending a week in a big city. Strasbourg is pretty, but logistically not good. So, for France, I would stick to primarily Paris and Provence with a couple of days somewhere else, and do a couple of day trips from Paris.

I guess your Paris apartment is booked, and you can't change London, but if you could, it would be good to have four nights there (three days) because there is a lot to do & see and you may be a bit jet lagged.

Your plan to visit mostly two countries is excellent. Even then, the two you have chosen are so filled with wonderful places, art, etc., you will still have to be very selective about where to go and what to see.

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses

I think we will be dropping Strasbourg from the itinerary now, it wasnt one of the places I had initially considered visiting anyway. We are still quite keen on going through Burgandy to get to Lyon, so will have a look at some of the towns that have been suggested around this area. Not sure about Annecy now, we are really wanting to go up to the lake area in Italy when we do the Italian leg of the trip (Lake Como etc), would people recommend the Italian lake area rather than the Annecy area...or the other way around?
Thanks!

We spent 2 weeks in The Luberon area of Provence and loved it; so much so we went back for another 5 weeks.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ugh-france.cfm

The big 6 among the North Italian Lakes (Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano, Lake Como, Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Orta are all beautiful. Each one is different and has it's lovers.

Lake Annecy is nice too, but a detour on your itinerary (there is much more to see in and around Lyon than at Annecy).

I would pick the Italian lake area over Annecy.