Getting from Loire Valley to Tuscany or Venice
Mar 30th, 2014, 05:34 AM
#23
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Oh jamikins, your pictures! Gorgeous, just beautiful. The food! The puddles! Even the rain looks romantic. Can't wait, and now it's your fault: Pienza! Who knew? Another must. Sheesh wait til I tell my husband we have to add another week...
Mar 30th, 2014, 08:24 AM
#24
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Hi Joan
Glad you like my idea of a little Roma. If Hubby would add 3 nights in Roma it would even be better. There are apts in Rome which can be rented for 3 nights.
The reason I suggest Loire 1st is that it simplifies the day you fly Paris to Venice. You will be able to take an earlier flight because you will wake up in Paris. You take out all the uncertainty of driving to the airport from Amboise.
Then your trip looks like this. Arrive CDG in the morning from the USA. Rent a car at the airport and drive 2+ hrs ( actually closer to 3 hrs) to Amboise. Some fodorites would argue against driving on arrival day, but I don't buy that.
After 4 nights in Amboise drive to Paris or turn in car at Orly-cab to Paris or turn in car in "Tours" and train to Paris. I like driving to Paris, drop off luggage at your apt, drop car at rental agency near apt, and walk, subway or cab back to your apt.
By the way , there are No Stinkin' bandits in Italy. At least not compared to Florida! lol.
dugi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsdZKCh6RsU
Glad you like my idea of a little Roma. If Hubby would add 3 nights in Roma it would even be better. There are apts in Rome which can be rented for 3 nights.
The reason I suggest Loire 1st is that it simplifies the day you fly Paris to Venice. You will be able to take an earlier flight because you will wake up in Paris. You take out all the uncertainty of driving to the airport from Amboise.
Then your trip looks like this. Arrive CDG in the morning from the USA. Rent a car at the airport and drive 2+ hrs ( actually closer to 3 hrs) to Amboise. Some fodorites would argue against driving on arrival day, but I don't buy that.
After 4 nights in Amboise drive to Paris or turn in car at Orly-cab to Paris or turn in car in "Tours" and train to Paris. I like driving to Paris, drop off luggage at your apt, drop car at rental agency near apt, and walk, subway or cab back to your apt.
By the way , there are No Stinkin' bandits in Italy. At least not compared to Florida! lol.
dugi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsdZKCh6RsU
Mar 30th, 2014, 10:04 AM
#25
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dugi, LOL! Maybe we should pack some heat 
I see your point about simplifying France to Italy switch.
So, entire trip:
Fly to Paris, pick up car and drive to Amboise.
Four nights Amboise.
Drive back to airport, train to apt in Paris.
Five nights Paris (may have to make it 4 due to Roma).
Fly to Venice.
Two nights Venice.
Train to Florence, pick up car, drive to Val D'Orcia.
Five nights Val.
Drive to Rome, turn in car.
One (or two) nights Rome.
We could cut Amboise to 3 nights to keep Paris at 5...
Also, I have to see if the reverse dates are available with the apts I have my heart now set on..
I see your point about simplifying France to Italy switch.
So, entire trip:
Fly to Paris, pick up car and drive to Amboise.
Four nights Amboise.
Drive back to airport, train to apt in Paris.
Five nights Paris (may have to make it 4 due to Roma).
Fly to Venice.
Two nights Venice.
Train to Florence, pick up car, drive to Val D'Orcia.
Five nights Val.
Drive to Rome, turn in car.
One (or two) nights Rome.
We could cut Amboise to 3 nights to keep Paris at 5...
Also, I have to see if the reverse dates are available with the apts I have my heart now set on..
. Glad you liked the pics...we can't wait to get back...even in the winter Italy is fabulous!
Mar 30th, 2014, 10:25 AM
#27
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Here are some pics of the Loire Valley and Paris - all you choices are excellent!
Loire valley https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7637219497403/
Paris https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7636716043473/
Enjoy!
Loire valley https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7637219497403/
Paris https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7636716043473/
Enjoy!
Mar 31st, 2014, 04:08 AM
#28
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Yup I'd cut a day from Amboise and put it in Paris - driving back to Paris you could easily go via Chartres and see the stunning cathedral and then go around Paris to CDG.
Could also easily hit Auvers-sur-Oise - a really neat old village where Van Gogh and Cezanne and other Impressionists set up easels putting the bucolic village's scenes on canvas - reproductions of them have been put up right at the place they were painted.
Van Gogh killed himself here and his bed in the local is still there with blood stains on it I believe (if I recall right - anyway right on the way to CDG if you do not go thru the heart of Paris.
Could also easily hit Auvers-sur-Oise - a really neat old village where Van Gogh and Cezanne and other Impressionists set up easels putting the bucolic village's scenes on canvas - reproductions of them have been put up right at the place they were painted.
Van Gogh killed himself here and his bed in the local is still there with blood stains on it I believe (if I recall right - anyway right on the way to CDG if you do not go thru the heart of Paris.
Mar 31st, 2014, 06:00 AM
#29
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OK, PalenQ, that's what we'll probably do, especially if we get to make the switch to Paris day a sightseeing day...can't wait to see those bloodstained sheets lol. Just kidding, I'd love to see the village with the painting set up, very cool idea!
Love your pics jamikins!
Love your pics jamikins!
Mar 31st, 2014, 06:16 AM
#30
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Mar 31st, 2014, 06:24 AM
#31
Also, I've read some horror stories about bandits etc attacking drivers in Italy>>
no more than in the US! not really something you need to worry about.
After your stay in Amboise, you don't need to drive all the way back to CDG to return your car - if you are heading to Chartres, leave all your luggage in it while you tour the city, then return your car to the nearest office to the train station, and get the train into Paris.
personally I would ad a day to Venice - one day to see what you can in the city, the other to see the islands and anything else that takes your fancy. That way although you can't see everything, you do at least get a good feel for the place. i know that it may reduce the time you've got in Rome, but you have no chance of doing more than scratching the surface of Rome anyway, so losing a night there probably won't make a huge difference.
no more than in the US! not really something you need to worry about.
After your stay in Amboise, you don't need to drive all the way back to CDG to return your car - if you are heading to Chartres, leave all your luggage in it while you tour the city, then return your car to the nearest office to the train station, and get the train into Paris.
personally I would ad a day to Venice - one day to see what you can in the city, the other to see the islands and anything else that takes your fancy. That way although you can't see everything, you do at least get a good feel for the place. i know that it may reduce the time you've got in Rome, but you have no chance of doing more than scratching the surface of Rome anyway, so losing a night there probably won't make a huge difference.
Mar 31st, 2014, 09:47 AM
#32
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I like your latest thinking:
>>So, entire trip:
Fly to Paris, pick up car and drive to Amboise.
Three nights Amboise.
Drive to ORLY airport or other outskirt of Paris, train to apt in Paris.
Five nights Paris .
Fly to Venice.
Two nights Venice.
Train to Florence, pick up car, drive to Val D'Orcia.
Five nights Val.
Drive to Rome, turn in car.
Two nights Rome.
We could cut Amboise to 3 nights to keep Paris at 5...<<
With 3 nights in Amboise you should be able to see the best of the chateaus east of Tours. Choose from Chenonceau***, Chambord***, Blois***, Cheverny***(great interior but feeding of the dogs not for everyone), Chaumont**, Amboise**. You could stop in Chambord on your drive from CDG to Amboise.
>>So, entire trip:
Fly to Paris, pick up car and drive to Amboise.
Three nights Amboise.
Drive to ORLY airport or other outskirt of Paris, train to apt in Paris.
Five nights Paris .
Fly to Venice.
Two nights Venice.
Train to Florence, pick up car, drive to Val D'Orcia.
Five nights Val.
Drive to Rome, turn in car.
Two nights Rome.
We could cut Amboise to 3 nights to keep Paris at 5...<<
With 3 nights in Amboise you should be able to see the best of the chateaus east of Tours. Choose from Chenonceau***, Chambord***, Blois***, Cheverny***(great interior but feeding of the dogs not for everyone), Chaumont**, Amboise**. You could stop in Chambord on your drive from CDG to Amboise.
Mar 31st, 2014, 11:01 AM
#33
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Yes, two nights Venice and two nights Rome....I don't like that because you only actually get one day in each, not enough for either. I'm greedy!
So maybe three nights Venice, I didn't expect to get to Rome at all, so two nights there would be a bonus.
Annhig, if we're going to Paris anyway, and we already have the car rental reserved roundtrip CDG, then why bother to pay for the one way car rental to Chartres, plus connect to a longer train ride. Wouldn't that turn out to cost more?
So maybe three nights Venice, I didn't expect to get to Rome at all, so two nights there would be a bonus.
Annhig, if we're going to Paris anyway, and we already have the car rental reserved roundtrip CDG, then why bother to pay for the one way car rental to Chartres, plus connect to a longer train ride. Wouldn't that turn out to cost more?
Mar 31st, 2014, 12:16 PM
#34
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>>Annhig, if we're going to Paris anyway, and we already have the car rental reserved roundtrip CDG, then why bother to pay for the one way car rental to Chartres, plus connect to a longer train ride. Wouldn't that turn out to cost more?<<
Some fodorits do not like to drive in Paris. Therefor suggesting dropping off the car outside of Paris and then taking the train into Paris. You do not have to return the car to the location where you picked it up. You would not want to return it to CDG. The cheapest would be to drop it off near your Paris apt.
Some fodorits do not like to drive in Paris. Therefor suggesting dropping off the car outside of Paris and then taking the train into Paris. You do not have to return the car to the location where you picked it up. You would not want to return it to CDG. The cheapest would be to drop it off near your Paris apt.
Mar 31st, 2014, 01:27 PM
#36
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I hate to jump in this late with an entirely different suggestion, but you are planning a trip very similar to one we took a few years ago. Yours is just in reverse order. If you want to do Venice after Tuscany, it would be easier to start in Italy and end in France.
Consider this:
---Fly into Rome (Stay a few nights if hubby agrees)
---DRIVE from Rome to Val D'Orcia. Spend at least 3 nights.
---Then drive to Florence, return car, visit for the day or stay for a couple of nights.
---TRAIN to Venice (Nothing is more enchanting than your first view of Venice from the train station!!!)
---Fly Venice to Paris ORLY. Spend a few nights in Paris.
From Paris you could go a couple of different ways. You could train down to the Loire and use tour guides to get around. Or you could train down and rent a car in Tours. I think that's preferable to renting a car in Paris.
Departing, if your flight is late enough, I believe the TGV train goes directly from Tours to Charles de Gaulle (Roissy). I seem to recall it's being a pretty short trip, maybe 1 1/2 hours? ? ?
Or you could fly in from Venice and head straight to the Loire Valley, then do Paris at the end. I couldn't find exactly how many nights you had reserved for France, but maybe you could even split Paris/Loire/Paris. Lots to think about.
Consider this:
---Fly into Rome (Stay a few nights if hubby agrees)
---DRIVE from Rome to Val D'Orcia. Spend at least 3 nights.
---Then drive to Florence, return car, visit for the day or stay for a couple of nights.
---TRAIN to Venice (Nothing is more enchanting than your first view of Venice from the train station!!!)
---Fly Venice to Paris ORLY. Spend a few nights in Paris.
From Paris you could go a couple of different ways. You could train down to the Loire and use tour guides to get around. Or you could train down and rent a car in Tours. I think that's preferable to renting a car in Paris.
Departing, if your flight is late enough, I believe the TGV train goes directly from Tours to Charles de Gaulle (Roissy). I seem to recall it's being a pretty short trip, maybe 1 1/2 hours? ? ?
Or you could fly in from Venice and head straight to the Loire Valley, then do Paris at the end. I couldn't find exactly how many nights you had reserved for France, but maybe you could even split Paris/Loire/Paris. Lots to think about.
Apr 1st, 2014, 04:06 AM
#38
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Oy! More thinking must be done! Also, (of course) "my" apts in Loire and Paris are not available for the dates of Plan B. So, Plan C with a reverse order...I had picked the original order because it is fall, and going south in the fall makes temperature sense. But really, in 2-3 weeks time, it may not matter.
So I will think on this. Thanks again!
So I will think on this. Thanks again!
Apr 1st, 2014, 06:09 AM
#39
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In 2 or 3 weeks time it may make a difference in fall when it comes to Venice. Depends on how deep into autumn you are talking about.
There is a certain glamour in jumping into Rome for just two nights but I actually think you would do better to focus on Tuscany and Venice in addition to France. Even if you have no choice but to fly into Rome, I would by pass it and go directly to Tuscany.
Any chance you can fly into Venice, spend sufficient time there to enjoy it fully, complete the rest of your Italian journey, and then fly to France?
There is a certain glamour in jumping into Rome for just two nights but I actually think you would do better to focus on Tuscany and Venice in addition to France. Even if you have no choice but to fly into Rome, I would by pass it and go directly to Tuscany.
Any chance you can fly into Venice, spend sufficient time there to enjoy it fully, complete the rest of your Italian journey, and then fly to France?
Apr 1st, 2014, 10:56 AM
#40
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How deep into Fall? The autumn foliage in Tuscany was magnificent around the turn from Oct to Nov. Especially the Chianti area, just south of Florence, was a riot of colors. We observed it was like driving through a fabulous oil painting...with good food!
Before November 1, the towns are crowded and lively. All Saints is widely celebrated with folks travelling to their home towns to put flowers on family graves. Immediately after the feast day, Tuscany became deserted and many places close. Before the holiday it was hard to get reservations. We actually preferred the quieter time because we shared many meals and experiences with locals.
Before November 1, the towns are crowded and lively. All Saints is widely celebrated with folks travelling to their home towns to put flowers on family graves. Immediately after the feast day, Tuscany became deserted and many places close. Before the holiday it was hard to get reservations. We actually preferred the quieter time because we shared many meals and experiences with locals.
