sally

(I had a message half done when my computer burped and I don't know where it went. Sorry if this is a duplication) My husband and I are planning our first trip ever to France/Europe in Oct. We have booked 3 days in Paris (enough for us as we are much happier in the leisurely countryside pace)Then 2 days in Bruges as my daughter was there last year and says we MUST see it. We have 9 days left and we're stumped.We love wandering towns, taking in the views of the countryside and the sea. Museums and art galleries are good in small quantities (eg.Peace Museum)but we don't want to spend hours indoors reading plaques. This trip will be to get a taste of France and help us plan for our next.<BR> Train travel sounds tempting, but the freedom of a car is a big draw. After Bruges we'll have 9 days.We wonder about taking the train from Bruges to Calais, driving to Normandy to see Bayeux/Caen?MSM etc. Is this a beautiful drive and worth the time, or better to train from Bruges/Paris/Normandy? We then get into real trouble. We'd love to see the French Alps, Loire and Burgundy sound lovely.We eliminated Provence for this trip...too far. We don't really know how much we can handle in this amount of time. We love driving(tho NO WAY in Paris)Any way we can combine areas without being too exhausted to enjoy things. It's so tempting to try to cram all the fabulous sights into one trip. Can experienced French travellers help us out here?

sally

One detail I forgot....do we book hotels ahead in late October, or take our chances? Nice to wander at our own pace, but don't want to sleep in the park.

Wayne

First, regarding where to go: France is a BIG country, which many Americans fail to realize when they plan to travel around. I suggest you decide on one of the following itineraries:<BR>-Environs of Paris, Chateaux, & Normandy<BR>-Beaujolais country and French Alps<BR>-Dordogne and Lot valleys plus central France<BR><BR>Going into the French Alps by driving from the vicinity of Paris will require a couple of normal days of driving. If you head for Dijon, then down toward Lyon, then east in the general direction of Grenoble, that's probably the best route to get there. You could actually get into the Swiss Alps a bit quicker by heading toward the area around and south of Geneva. It'll seem like France, anyway, because that's the French part of Switzerland.<BR><BR>There are several places on the outskirts of Paris where you can rent a car. If you're heading south and east, Fontainebleau is a good place. To go south and west, Versailles is good. <BR><BR>One thing you might have forgotten is that the TGV can get you to various parts of the country a lot quicker than a car. For instance, to tour the Dordogne and Lot valleys, you can take the TGV to Bordeaux (actually stops at Libourne, just east of Bordeaux) and rent a car there for exploring.<BR><BR>I would omit Provence unless you want to make it a primary stop, and you can get there by TGV very easily from Paris.<BR><BR>Whether you drive or go by train after Bruges is up to you; probably either way is pretty easy. To head south from Bruges, my suggestion is to go back to connect in Paris.<BR><BR>Of all the possibilities, realizing the time of year you are going, my suggestion would be to go south (Provence or Dordogne) for milder weather. Otherwise, I would opt for staying around the Loire and Normandy. But weather isn't going to be severely cold anywhere, though in October you might get a frontal snap for a day or two.

mpprh

Hi<BR><BR>the south is very different from Paris, and easily reached.<BR><BR>Paris - Nimes by Air Littoral is Euro 53 each way.<BR><BR>And Avignon (gateway to Provence) is 2.5 hrs from Paris by fast train.<BR><BR>Check out Languedoc / Provence here -<BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com<BR><BR>Peter<BR>

Doug

Trying to decide how much or little to see on a vacation is a perplexing problem. One factor may be how often you intend to go to a country. This is the first time for you to France, is it likely to be the last? If it is likely the only time I suggest that you concentrate on the more exciting ( to you ) destinations. If you are a veteran the Normandy beaches may be it, for me the chateaux in the Loire valley and the cathedrals of northern France (Caen, Lille, Soisson, Rheims, Paris, Chartres) are my destinations. Perhaps you could rent a car in Lille after having been to Brugges and return it to Paris at the end of your vacation. Another suggestion would be to get the Chambre d ' Hote listings. Many of these places are in the country. Have fun!

elvira

Are you locked into a flight in/out of Paris? If yes then:<BR><BR>3 days Paris, 2 days Bruges, day or so in Brussels, train to Luxembourg for a couple of days, train to Reims and the Champagne region (renting a car isn't a bad option to visit the area) - an alternate is to take the train to Strasbourg from Luxembourg - again, a car isn't a bad idea here. Either the Champagne region or Alsace can still be done via train and bus.<BR><BR>If you're not locked into your flights: fly into Brussels, a day and a half, Bruges for 2 days, then to Paris for 3 days, then a train from there to Bayeux for the tapestry, D-Day beaches, on to Mont St Michel. All by train and bus if you don't want to rent a car (you will have to get a tour to the D-Day beaches as there is no train that goes close enough). Fly home from Paris.<BR><BR>Or, 3 days Paris, 2 days Bruges, 1 1/2 days Brussels, catch a cheap flight from europebyair.com to Nice, and return home from Nice.<BR><BR>

sally

Thanks for all the replies... Wayne, you really hurt with your "you Americans" comment. I am a CANADIAN, and proud of it, with a reasonable comprehension of French geography. It's bad enough that most websites assume that 90% of the world is American, but you guys too?!! I'm crushed. (no offence to our American neighbours). Our questions have more to do with how much time to allow to take in an area as first time visitors. Yes this is our first visit, and yes we hope to go again before we're so old that we need to be pushed through France! We are not Vets. We thought Normandy was a beautiful area to visit, as well as taking in the history aspect. No? Can we do 3 days Paris, 2 days Bruges, 4 days French Alps and 4 days in Normandy using trains? We hadn't allowed time to stop in Brussels because we really don't thrive in the big cities (last year we visited London and after five days breathed a huge sigh of relief as we leaded for the Scottish hills. Nice place to visit...but not for long!)And can anyone comment on booking ahead versus showing up at the inn (someone tried that once, ended up in a stable didn't they?) Thanks folks!

jeanne

We're going in October and have booked ahead only in Paris, otherwise we're winging it. We may not get our first choice, but I've no concern that rooms will be hard to come by. <BR><BR>In researching our trip, I got the impression many Normandy establishments might be closed by the last week of Oct. You might want to keep that in mind. We're heading south to Dordogne, Loire Valley.

Rick

Your itinerary as posted , Paris, Brugges, French Alps and Normandy as listed would have you passing through Paris at least 3 times to get to the places you want.

homer

ttt...help anyone....similar problem for me

xxx

In October, it should be fairly easy to wing it in terms of hotels everywhere but Paris (and possibly Bruges). You may want to consider that October means it will be getting cold in the Alps, though Loire/Burgundy should still be nice. Take a look at the ViaMichelin site for ideas in terms of driving itineraries and times - they are pretty accurate. Also, totally agree with one of the other posters that the TGV will get you to many places very quickly. My suggestion would be to not try to do too much, as you will feel the same kind of stress from rushing around as if you were in a city the whole time. If you plan to go back to France, just pick one area and explore it more slowly, leaving time to hang out at a cafe and watch the world go by and talk to your neighbors, rather than rushing around trying to see everything which you couldn't do in 9 days anyway. Have a great trip! Whatever you decide to do will be the right decision. Bon voyage!

Vincent

With a rental car, I think Brugge-Normandy-Loire-Burgundy is doable, even if a bit rushed. Take advantage of the season: October is still quite mild, and you won't have the crowds, so that's a definite plus for the Loire chateaux, Brugge, and MSM (unapproachable in season). The Loire to Burgundy is quite a trek, so maybe I would leave this Eastern part (Burgundy, Alps) for another trip. And it's true that October is a so-so season for the Alps: too chilly to take advantage of the cool air as in summer, but no snow yet.

Dolores

Those are all a bunch of good questions 'n answers.<BR><BR>Four weeks from today, on Sept 16, we take off from LAX, to Toronto for a 2-hr layover and then to Amsterdam.<BR><BR>We will immediately take the train to Eindhoven for 3 nights; train to Caen to pick up a car and drive to Normandy (hopefully Arromanches or Bayeux)for 4 nights; to Caen to return the car, train to Paris for 3 nights; to Brugge for 4 nights; to Brussels for 2 nights; to Amsterdam for 3 nights; back to LAX and reality on Oct 6. We have hotel reservations everywhere except Normandy and hope to have that nailed by today.<BR><BR>Question- - -other than packing an umbrella, how do we plan for the weather?