Just back from France
 

Hi all of you, just got back from France last Saturday and wanted to say thank you to all of you that helped me with the TGV from Paris to Avignon, with choice of hotels etc.

The trip was great. We stayed at Hotel Champs de Mars in Paris for 5 nights, small room but charming and clean. We were right by Rue Cler with all the yummy pastries and about 3 blocks from the Eiffel Tower. Then we took the TGV to Avignon, stayed in Hotel Bristol, thank goodness it was only for 1 night. The worse room ever. Our room was dingy and right over the street with a restaurant and a bunch of drunks yelling all night. The only good thing about this hotel was the staff was very friendly.

The following day we picked up our rental car and drove to Bonnieux where we spent 3 nights at Clos du Bois. I highly recommend this place. It's ran by Pierre, the owner, and his assistant Sophie. They had upgraded us to a better room for the same price. For 92 euros we had a beautiful room and it included a great breakfast. Fantastic views and Bonnieux was a great little village with quite a few restaurants. We loved the country. Also, at Clos du Bois we had all free bottle water and the use of the kitchen. We could use the frig, cook if we wanted etc.

After our stay in the country we drove to Villefranche sur Mer and stayed at Hotel Darse. I was very skeptic about this hotel at 85 euros. The outside of the building looked a little raunchy and I got a look from my husband. I had asked for the upper floor with harbor view and I knew in advance that there was no elevator. We're 60 years old and didn't have any problem carrying our suitcases up. The room was beautiful. It looked as if it had just been renovated, we had a patio overlooking the harbor and watched the cruise ships come in. We were at the end of the boardwalk so we didn't have any noise problems. I had thought of staying at Hotel Welcome and was so glad I didn't choose it. It was right on the busy part of the boardwalk, we would have been miserable. Also, their prices were way higher.

We loved France but boy is it crowded. I don't think I've ever seen so many people in a place in my life, not even in Rome. I would hate to think how it is in the summer. Well, that's it, again thanks to everyone for their advice.

Hi

There are a few national holidays in May (two last week !) and the French add a few days to get a decent spring break.
Add to that the invasion of other tourists in the week after Easter and it seems busy. It will now quiten down until end June.

Peter

I first visited France at the end of September and loved it. When my bother was there at the end of June the next year he complained about all the people -- they were north and south, east and west, and said that everywhere they went there were just masses of folks. I couldn't believe it and now have been fearing that when we are there again this June it won't be at all like what I recall from the autumn trip. I hope you're right, Peter, that it will quiet down now until the END of June (by which time I'll be home).

Here in Chicago I note now that tourist season is in full swing; in the course of walking a block the other night I encounter three different groups of people consulting maps. I suppose if we can deal with it at home we ought to be able to in France, no? ;)

We have been going to France(Paris & then TGV south to drive around Provence & The Riviera) for 6 yrs. in September and never encountered the crowds you spoke of. Villefranche-sur-Mer is one of our favorite towns so it was fun to hear about your time there.

Actually, the only place we ever felt overwhelmed by crowds was in Rome in Sept. Just shows that everyone has a different experience when traveling.

There are too many times when the fact that France is the most visited country in the world become blatantly self-evident.

Luckily there are enough other times that justify the reason that so many people want to visit.