annieladd

Here's the situation. My widowed father married and between he and my stepmother, there are now 6 adult children and spouses. Last year these 14 people traveled to Provence, and had a marvelous time. We rented a house in a small town near Avignon for 2 weeks, The elderly parents stayed the full two weeks, and 6 of the adult children stayed one week and 6 the other. We'd like to do something similar, either next spring or fall. We enjoyed getting up each morning, piling in a few cars, and touring Rousillon, Avignon, Les Baux, St. Remy, a day to Monaco, etc. We'd usually arrive home each evening, exhausted, so didn't mind not having much in the way of night life in this small town, but in reviewing our trip, it might have been nice to stay someplace closer to a town, like St. Remy. We're looking at the Dordogne and Tuscany right now, but just getting started. Please give your suggestions or where we should go in general, where we should base ourselves specifically, even suggest a villa if you know of one. We need 4 or 5 bedrooms, and as many baths with showers as we can find. My father is getting frail, so it needs to be a place he can get around easily (bedroom on 1st floor), and enjoy if he decides not to take a day trip with us. We're pretty set on either France or Italy, only somewhat set on Dordogne or Tuscany, and know we don't want to stay in a big city. Ira, Underhill, St. Cirque, Cigale, all the rest of your travelers, please all, give me the gift of your experience.

annieladd

Maybe I should mention one more thing, you're likely to ask, what do we like to do. Well, we really just enjoyed touring all the ancient cities, soaking up the history, eating great food (some are more foodies than others), shopping, and seeing art. We're not seeking high adventure sports or anything like that.

elaine

I have to say I am VERY impressed that your whole group has become a family that enjoys traveling together.

I can't help you with renting a villa, but I do have friends who as a group rented an apartment (not large enough for you lot) two years ago, and they found Arezzo charming and convenient for daytripping by car.

here's some info to get you started

http://www.comune.arezzo.it/ click on English at the top of the page

www.arezzocitta.com/tourist%20information.htm

www.emmeti.it/Welcome/Toscana/index.uk.html
Arezzo area: www.lfi.it/indice.html

The 14th century Arezzo bell tower,is called “with one hundred holes”. Church of San Francesco house a cycle of frescoes by della Francesco. The Pieve di S. Maria is a Romanesque building with a notable façade.
Museums include the Museum of Archeology, the Vasari House, and the Public Museum of Medieval and Modern Art. There is an antiques fair the first Sunday of each month, in Piazza San Francesco.

Marianna

Annieladd, we have used villeinitalia.com several times for renting villas in Italy for our family trips. I can't recommend a specific villa in the area you may visit, but this company offers a variety of many large properties in Italy.

As I read your name on your message, I remembered that you were also considering the Madison for your parents for an upcoming trip to Paris. We loved the Madison and got a great rate through Utell. This was last summer and I haven't checked their rates lately, but I thought I would let you know anyway in case you want to check it out.

gracejoan

If the Dordogne area is where you really want to go, then go for it. There are so very many choices for lodging. I think if you settled in the nearby Sarlat area you would be well situated. Many websites to seaarch for a house. www.holiday-rentals.com
www.gite.com www.vrbo.com
Take a look. When you find some that are interesting to you, and want others to take a look come back and ask for input. Enjoy looking!!

gracejoan

There are also places like the following webstie, where you could have more than one lodging facility within the same "compound"...enjoy..

www.thethums.com

ira

Hi annie,

I haven't been here, but this might be something useful for you:

http://www.carlucet.com/

http://www.canoes-portdenveaux.com/location.htm

Bailey

We've rented from Italy Farm Holidays....they have a wide range of properties...not all of which are farms.
The process was simple...Ralph & Susan Levey live in Tarrytown, so you have the advantage of a stateside transaction.

The property that we rented was in Loro Ciufenna, called Molina le Gualchiere. There is a house on the property & several apartments to chooce from. We went in March & had the place to ourselves.

www.italyfarmholidays.com

annieladd

Thanks, everyone. Marianna, my parents were going to stay at the Madison, then move on through France, specifically, the Dordogne, but they've decided not to go. They just got back from a month long trip to London and a cruise, and all the moving around was just a little tough on Dad. He's 82 and sharp as a tack, but the arthritis has just about made it impossible from him to walk. So the will's there (he's been going to France every year for 25 years), but the way....

That's why were thinking of going someplace where he can just stay put.


Thank you all for your comments, I'll check all the web sites.

I know the Dordogne is great for dining, will there be as many fun, beautiful, historically interesting towns around there as Provence had?

The trip to Provence was the first European trip for many of these folks, so we're trying to decide whether to head to Dordogne or try Italy. I'll keep studying, and if you have any thoughts of a great place to park ourselves for the week, let me know! annieladd

Nikki

I came spent a few days in the Dordogne last month. LOTS of "fun, beautiful, historically interesting towns". Also prehistoric cave paintings, cliff dwellings, castles, markets, scenic canoe rides.

kybourbon

I have a friend renting a villa in Tuscany the end of September that sleeps 24. There are 10 couples traveling together so they needed a villa with mulitple private baths, etc. All I know is they are paying $700 per couple for a week's rental. I can find out the villa info if you think you would be interested.

gracejoan

There is certainly not a lack of things to see or to do in the Dordogne..along with great food!! You could be there for months and still find more to see and to do! You also need some time to stop and smell the flowers!
Look at some of the sites that have been given to you..explore what the area is all about..enjoy