P_Texas

We are planning what may be our only trip to Europe. We will be going for 2 weeks and have already decided to spend a week in Tuscany doing day trips to surrounding areas. Our dilemma is whether to spend the second week roaming around coastal Italy or go to Provence. Will Provence be to France what Tuscany is to Italy? Any suggestions. For the record, we prefer the wine country of California to San Franciso.

Wayne

I would have difficulty making that comparison, but there is some validity in it, IMO. But I would think the comparison would be more like: Tuscany is to Italy as the Rhone Valley is to France and as the Napa valley is to California. Others can certainly disagree, depending on their specific points of view.

If you are most seriously looking for wine country, then you will find it in abundance throughout France, but I feel the Rhone valley provides the most "French" wine experience. If you were just making a comparison and all you want is to decide between coastal Italy and Provence, it's still not a clean decision with a clear winner. Do you like coastal environments? Do you like smaller charming villages not on the coast?

I would think you might have to make some more general decisions to narrow down your choices. If beautiful coastal scenes appeal to you, the Italian Riviera and Cinque Terre will fill the bill. But in fact, there is a lot of loveliness in coastal France as well. Your decision might boil down to which area is closer to your point of arrival or departure. Good luck.

rex

Wayne makes good points. Provence matches Tuscany and/or Napa in the geography department - - but it is not the wine match of Tuscany, Napa or Rhone. Of course, there is a goodly overlap area. Avignon (Chateauneuf du Pape, for example) is Rhone valley, and at the same time the gateway to Provence.

I'd advise combing the stretch from Lyon to Avignon... with the region from the Rhone into the Luberon.

Best wishes,

Rex

rex

Bringing your message back up "to the top" since you are (somewhat) new here and may not have figured out how to find your other post (though I realize that they are not identical).

Click on your own name - - it's a valuable tip that Fodors fails to tell you when they send you that initial e-mail confirming your registration.

Best wishes,

Rex

ira

Hi PT,

>We are planning what may be our only trip to Europe.<

Unless you are terminally ill, this will be your *first* trip.

May I suggest that, since you are there already, you visit Venice (3 nights) and Rome (3 nights)?

>...we prefer the wine country of California to San Franciso.<

Rome and Venice aren't SF.

I assume that you will spend at least a day in Florence.

Enjoy your visit.