Just returned from Provence, Normandy & Paris
 

Just returned from France. The first 8 days in Provence: Visited Availlon, Arles, Orange, Fontaine-de-Vacluse, Gordes, Roussillon, Buoux, Lourmarin. Then we took the train to Normandy and based ourselves for 3 days in Bayeux to see the WWII sites. Finally completed our trip with 3 days in Paris. Traveled using a French rail pass train or by foot. We are in our 50's and well traveled. One of the most enjoyable trips we have ever done. Questions? I will check the board for the next few weeks. RC

Hi! I'm off to Provence in a week and would love to hear the highlights of your time there -- especially in Arles and the Luberon. I'll be spending about six days in that area, and the rest of my time in Montpellier and Antibes. Thanks!

Welcome back! My wife and I (also in our 50s) are contemplating a similar trip in October 2005. Question: what specific route(s) did you take traveling by train from Provence to Normandy? Did you travel via Paris, or take a combination of trains to bypass Paris?

I'm interested in that train ride you took from Provence to Normandy, as I'm helping to plan a trip for some friends and am having a real struggle getting them from Normandy to Provence without going back through Paris, which makes for a very long day.

Where did you leave from in Provence, and what was your destination in Normany? How long a train ride was it, and which route did you take?

Thanks in advance.

>>>Where did you leave from in Provence, and what was your destination in Normany? How long a train ride was it, and which route did you take?<<

There are several trains from Avignon TGV to Rennes (Brittany), but I think it also stops in Le Mans (it did when I took it a couple of years ago).

Lv 6:39 change trains in Lyon - 6 hrs
Lv 12:17 change trains at Disneyland - 6 hrs
Lv 9:32 change trains at CDG - 7 hrs

There are probably different schedules for Sat & Sun

Stu Dudley

Welcome back RockCrest. Tell us more.

We flew into Paris (CDG)and took the TGV to Avignon and used that city as a base for a few days. Did day trips to Arles and Orange via the train from Avignon. Started our hiking in Fontaine-de-Vacluse and hiked daily to the small villages. We hiked independently but used a service out of England to transport our luggage daily. We completed our hiking in Lourmarin and caught a taxi to Cavallion and then a train to Avignon - TVG to Gare de Leon and a metro transfer to Gare de St Lazare (10 minutes) and finally a train to Bayeux - Yes, a very long day, but it can be done. We arrived in Bayeux around 5pm. We used Bayeux as our base in Normandy.
I thought Avignon was a good base to see a lot of small towns via the train. RC

I agree that Avignon is a great place to base themselves. Especially for someone like me who does not drive. I took trains, the bus, and the autobus.

Did you have a car in Normandy or how did you get around?

Curious if 3 days in Bayeaux was enough and how you picked it over Honfleur.

We took 2 different tours in Bayeux with 2 different tour companies. First day we took the American highlight tour with Alain, a Frenchman, from the Overlord Company. There were 6 of us on the tour and he drove to all the sites in his 9 passenger mini van. The following day we took the Canadian/British highlight tour with Paul, a Brit, with BattleBus Tours. Both tours were different with different points of view, but they were of equal outstanding quality. Both days were 9+ hours of passionate, historical visits to the obvious sites of the beaches and monuments, but also included smaller out of the way monuments with compelling stories. Each tour was 75 euros per person and left from a central meeting spot in Bayeux.