I need help
 

My husband and I shall be travelling from vancouver in canada in September 2010 to attend a conference in Toulouse. We shall have two weeks afterwards to explore europe. we would like to see as much as posible and do not know what really is doable. can we see france , italy and turkey. All suggestions are welcome. All modes of transport are given a chance

U might want to repost with a title that is more descriptive of what u r looking for.

Well, do you want a sneak peak/preview of places or some in-depth experiences? Do you enjoy traveling from place to place or prefer more time savoring a place? Wile I personally think you get more out of sitting sometimes, rather than being part of the rushing crowds, others love a drive-by kind of trip. So, what kind of traveler are you?

Can you actually see France, Italy & Turkey in two weeks? No. Could you go to each country? Yes, but you will spend considerable time traveling.

Are there specific places, museums, etc. you really want to visit? Do you have a burning desire to see the Amalfi Coast, or Venice, or The Sistine Chapel? You can prioritize what you want to see, then figure how much time each will take and how much time to get there. What interests you most in France, Italy & Turkey?

Have you been to Paris already? If not, you might want to do that. Will you get to do any sight seeing during the conference?

As a starting place, if it were me, I would:
First choice
1. Spend four days in Paris, then fly to Italy for the rest of the time. Fly home from Italy.

2. Spend the whole time in Turkey.
3. Spend four days in Paris, the rest in Turkey.
4. Spend the two weeks in Spain. Yea, I know you didn't mention it, but maybe you just didn't think about it.

You are in Toulouse to start so you might want to consider spending some time in the Dordogne region. Goggle it or search here on Fodors. There is a lot of information here as it is a favoured region of many. If you like wine and pate and castles......

From there you could move through Provence to Italy, or head back to Paris before flying on to Italy, or Turkey.

It is fairly easy to get to Spain from SW France, too. San Sebastian, Bilbao, and down to Segovia, and Madrid

Well, I like art and culture. And, I can never get enough of Paris. If you've never been to Paris, you must include it. So, you might want to decide if you want heat/sunshine like Italy/Spain or city/culture like in Paris.

I think that Toulouse has a TGV (tay-jay-vay) high speed train, so you can travel without a car...and go from city center to city center...with no airport taxis and other bee ess. If Toulouse only has a slower train, you can take the slow train to Dijon or Marseille or somewhere to hook up to a TGV (bullet speed train).

You should not try to "see as much as possible" because you will see almost nothing. (I'm from Seattle, and since you are from the Pacific Northwest...I would recommend getting a Rick Steves' book for France, Italy, and maybe Spain. He travels like a laid back Pacific NW-er.) You do NOT want to cram too much into one trip. It's too much work and not much fun! Personally, I would save Turkey for another trip. It's quite far out of your way. (Save Turkey for a Med cruise and don't miss Ephesus when you're on the cruise.)

You should only rent a car if you like little villages. Otherwise use the fab TVG and local trains. It's so much more fun. (ps if you miss your train, just get back in line and exchange your ticket for a diff time... found that out a few months back in Florence.)

I don't know about the order of the itinerary, and you may have to fly out of toulouse (or whatever city you fly into) or face a big airline charge.

After checking out the Rick Steves' France book (stay in his hotels, they are good, not expensive...more money for goodies and wine and food)....consider TGV train travel to any of these cities:

Paris (of course...and see d'Orsay Museum - I like it better than the Louvre...though the Louvre is great if you love art. Start at the top and see Van Gogh's and gaugins, monets..etc. and find the newer museum in tuilleries or some other park which has huge Monet waterlilies) We usually stay in Hotel Castex in Marais...read about it in book or try Left Bank hotels...sound good too.

You are VERY close to Barcelona when in Toulouse. You should take the train and stay overnight. Check out the Gaudi Park. Barcelona is great, in my opinion.

You could TGV to Avignon or somewhere in Provence, then check out cool places like Nice, Aix-en-Provence, or whatever hotel areas that sound good in the Rick Steves' Book (really, I don't work for him... but, I have given impromptu tours to my husband and total strangers by reading out loud and following instructions for a city walk in Talinn Estonia) haha

here's a website that might help...most of the european tgv websites are tricky for me...just keep going until you find a website you can understand but this might be a place to start

http://www.raileurope.com/europe-travel-guide/

Take the TGV to Rome (you HAVE to see the Vatican Museum and pay to walk through the forum and that stuff)... Rome is great!

I thought Florence was ok, but I was amazed at how much I love Venice...I thought it would be too much for tourists... no... it's beautiful and I want to move there. I cried when I had to leave. Rick Steves Italy book will tell you how to get there by train...

So, what the heck... here are my picks in order of priority:

1. Paris (several days... just walk around...stay in Marais, left bank or rue cler)
2. South of France/Provence... I've never been to Avignon...I love Aix, Nice, Canne (forget hotels there) Grasse, and little hill towns.
3. Barcelona (if it fits, I'd do it before Provence and hit provence on the way to Milan (never seen it), Rome (a must see), and Venice (possibly better than Rome) and anything you want to see in Italy.
4. If possible, I'd try to fit Northern France into the schedule: Monte Saint Michel (sp?), Rouen - cool medieval city, and I like Giverny because it has Monet's waterlily garden. Ooooh.

Even if you get lost in Europe and see nothing but one little village for your whole trip, you will love it.

PS If Turkey is important, like your grandmother came from Turkey or something, I would do South of France/ Provence, then Paris, fly to Turkey. You will go kookoo trying to see everything. (tho u might want to sneak Venice in if you are high energy.)

The way you chaps from the other side of the Atlantic do travel is totally different to the way I do, so I find it hard to advise.

If it were me, I'd spend a week in the South West, driving, then a week in Paris. If you feel you must see somewhere else as well, then less time in La France Profonde, less time in Paris, and some time in Rome, Venice or Florence, as your taste takes you.

Yep, you're probably right Sheila. That makes so much more sense.

To each of you, many thanks for your ideas and input. OK , Turkey shall be for another time. I now realise that we should let it go. I can fly from Vancouver on September 4/5 2010. I have to be in Toulouse the evening of September 8 2010 for a conference which lasts until September 12 2010. I do not know where to fly into to prolong or start the trip . I am open to ideas. I can fly home from another city. I would like to see Avignon, Nice, Aix-en provence. barcelona, Florence, Milan are all of interest. Should I look at Rome or Venice. Suggestions for an itinerary would be most welcome. I have spent a week in Paris and loved it. I will take any or all modes of transport or I can rent a car if it is preferable. Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

I forgot to mention that we sahll be leaving wherever to return to vancouver September 29/30 2010

Can you fly into Barcelona? Spend a day or two there, then take the train to Toulouse- it's not far. Have your conference. Hire a car. Go to Monpellier, then drive in a leisurely fashion round the Med, taking in Avignin, Aix, Nice, as far as Genoa. Now here, were I you, I'd make another choice. Milan OR Florence- not both. And if you're only doing one, do Florence. Spend a couple of days there and fly out from there.

Thank you for all the ideas. I have looked at this and it sounds great. Do you have ideas about what to do and see around Florence.

you're kidding, right?

Yep ....LOL