From Rome to Paris...
 

Good day to you all. My wife and I are planning a trip that will take us from Calgary ( AB Canada ) to Rome. Expecting to spend a week in Rome ( taking in Pompei by rail ) one day, before heading out to Tuscan hills for a week and then to France ( Cote d'Azur ) where we plan to stay in a neat "Gite" for a week. If you've stayed in a "gite" in France, in Provence, please let me know your experience. I am looking at many possibilities on the "gites de France" website and have several saved as possibilities, but again, your thoughts based on your experiences are what I need. Then take the TGV North to Luxembourg to visit friends. Then train to Paris for a few days prior to returning to Calgary.
Question! I have the books ( Fodors and Rick Steves and they are helpful. BUT, it seems lodging in Rome for a week is a real experience due to noise, unfriendly hotels etc... May I ask for your thoughts on where to stay in Rome, somewhere not expensive yet not hazardous to one's health LOL. I've looked at a lot of websites but your experiences would be more helpful. If you know of places NOT to stay at, I'm all ears.
Also: We plan to use the train systems in Europe as much as possible as they are the best in the world, on time and clean, and did I say fast ? But, train and bus stations are usually in valleys and this means needing another form of transportation to and from train stations to rental places and daily outings. Your thoughts on that would also be helpful. I'm thinking renting a small fuel efficient (diesel) car for a few dyas at a time here and there...if you've done that, please write back to let me know how it all went.
I've been to Paris before, am familiar with the city, no problem there.
Our trip starts Sept. 18, to Oct. 20, 2007.
Anyway, hope this isn't too lenghty. I think my email addy is posted with this message, if not I'll come back from time to time to check on responses. Thank you for your time, may you be blessed with sunny days, health and good feet as you travel the world.
God bless.
Ren in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Based on what seems to be you itinerary I wouldn't reco that you travel by train. Since you have a major city as an anchor at each end of the trip - but a lot of countryside and smaller towns in between I would think that renting a car would be not only much more convenient but also economical.

Many places in Tuscany - and also smaller towns in Provence (gites are usually in the countryside) are very difficult to do without a car - both in terms of obtaining supplies but also in terms of sightseeing. (Yes - there is public transit- but often few and far between - and with limited vacation time you don;t want to find yourselves waiting an hour or two for the next bus or train.)

We have been doing road trips since 1975 and find them to be much more enjoyable - giving you the opportunity to explore each area as you wish, add or delete towns - and if you see something interesting as you drive - change you plans for the day on the spot.

Separately, when rented in advance for longer periods car rentals for 2 people are usualy fairly inexpensive - esp if you can drive a stick - and don't rent the largest cars. (Just be sure you don;t rent the smallest - since small cars in europe are minute - and often have engines too small to easily handle steep hills or highway speeds.)

Swoop...As far as an inexpensive, clean and safe place to stay in Rome, I have a recommendation. We stayed at the The Red Rose Bed and Breakfast twice (2001 and 2005).

Both times we enjoyed the stay and found it to be a bargain which saved money for nicer accomodations elsewhere on our trip. I will say that I have heard some complaints from others about the place (i.e. Trip Advisor) but both my husband and I thought it was a good experience on both of our stays. The rooms were inexpensive, large and clean. And you could come and go as you pleased. It was located about two city blocks from the Coliseum. You can find their website at www.babredrose.com.

Also, Termini Station is within a 5-10 min walking distance which was convenient since we also relied on the trains to move around the country.

Hope this helps you.

Thank you for your responses.
Responding to "dejais": Thank you for that information about the Red Rose. I just checked it out (thanks for posting their website) and the rooms do look nice, roomy and that's all we really need. Did you have one with shared bathroom facilities ? Would you recommend separate facilities ?

Responding to "nytraveller": Thank you for your response. Yes renting a small fuel efficient car is in the books. I agree with you and have been thinking about travelling by train only from Rome to Pompeii and back as someone else recommended. Then from Rome to our next destination (out of large city) where I would rent a vehicle. I also read somewhere that dropping off a rental car in another country adds cost. I'll have to check out the "Renault Eurodrive" website to find out more. I also am starting to read Rick Steve's books and others including Fodor's which are very good, but first hand experience from good folks such as yourselves makes all the difference and gives one peace of mind when making final decisions.

Again, thank you both.

We rented a double with bath en suite and I would say that was best for us. We liked the privacy. And our room was HUGE! Bathroom was a bit small but if you are not fussy I think it is a great place. My husband tends to prefer better accomodations but I loved it for its size, location and most importantly price. It allowed us to save while we were in Rome and spend on lush beachfront accomodations in Capri. Well worth it for me.

Hi Swoop,
sounds like a great trip. I would also recommend renting a car. We drove from Paris to Rome last summer, with lots of stops in between. you will love it!!
happy planning!
dina

Good people here with good ideas. Thank you all.