PalenQ

A great way IMO to reach Sondrio is to take from Switzerland the Bernina Pass Railway to Tirano, Italy then switch to Italian trains that roll to Sondrio and then on to Lake Como (Varenna-Esino station near boat docks to reach Bellagio) and Milan.

To me the Bernina Pass Railway line is the most dramatically scenic not only in Switzerland but all of Europe! Glaciers tumble near the tracks and at the summit is a Top of the World atmosphere - an Alpine lake at the foot of snow-capped peaks and a glacier.

This train starts from St Moritz, which can be reached by the fabled Glacier Express (which IMO is scenic but not nearly as awesomely scenic as the Bernina Pass Railway. Check it out.

thomo7

ssander, Thanks for the links, I've checked out the eurostar site and was wondering exactly that!Which station.. I;m hoping for something on the left bank that's not too expensive so that's really helpful. Thanks for the other sites too, although I'm a little reluctant to get into the multitude of passes, looks horribly confusing!
PalenQ, I was leaning towards the car idea, mainly because I figured it would be easier with luggage and because I thought we might be able to get off the main roads a bit. Would trains add a lot more time than a car? And generally speaking, do you have any idea if they would work out more economical than the lease/buy back idea?
Re sondrio, about 30 years ago I stayed in Sondrio/Montagna for almost seven weeks with a girlfriend and her family, we were to have taken the Bernina pass by rail but ran out of money...the only regret on the whole trip. It was truely a magnificent experience at 17!!Your train idea for that area sounds terrific, I will definitely follow that up. Depends a bit on budget but maybe the car just for Tuscany? I'll keep working on it!! Thanks for the tips.

PalenQ

PalenQ, I was leaning towards the car idea, mainly because I figured it would be easier with luggage and because I thought we might be able to get off the main roads a bit. Would trains add a lot more time than a car? And generally speaking, do you have any idea if they would work out more economical than the lease/>

Trains are now faster than cars as many run well over 100 mph up to 190 mph between many main cities.

But on your itinerary you have many nice places mentioned that are best seen by car - like in France - Riviera to Avignon area - take back roads away from the coast and it will be so sweet - and putzing thru Burgundy on the Burgundy Wine Road, passing many famous wineries, etc. And in Provence having a car is nice as trains only go between main cities.

Economically it is hard to say - you have to factor $8/gal gas with the size and fuel mileage of a car - predatory tolls on Italian and French autoroutes which at times you have to take because side roads though sweet can be tediously slow IME

Car seems to be best IMO for you - and this from a guy who is a train nut.

PalenQ

Like from Nice to Avignon/Aix you could take the congested and boring coastal autoroute or congested sideroads along the coast you can leave the Riviera on the Route Napoleon from Grasse - a road made for military purposes by Napoleon - that winds up into the hinterlands of Provence, going thru sleepy villages, etc and head over to the Grand Canyon of the Verdun - Europe's biggest river canyon I would think and one that goes for many miles in a deep gorge - take a boat ride thru the canyon if you want like me and my son did - and then head over to Aix-en-Provence - all in all a very sweet route.

PalenQ

There is also a railpass that mixes in days of Avis car rental at France - you take the bullet trains between train stations, pick up a car at the station - boom - drive it thru rural aras not well served by rail to another bullet train station - boom. It's called the France Rail 'n Drive Pass.