A girlfriend and I are going to Paris in late October, both first-timers. We will have 17 days. I've totally studied Paris (thanks to this site!). I'm to put together an itinerary and am thinking 11 days in Paris, 6 in the countryside. <BR><BR>I thought we'd go to CDG to rent the car since we'll need to turn it in on our last day (Sunday) to catch a noon flight. Is six days enough to see: Blois, Saumur, Angers, Mont Sainte Michelle, D Day sites, Honfleur and Rouen? (On sixth night we'll have to be in proximity to CDG). I'm also thinking we may wing it and not book hotels except for the Paris portion.<BR><BR>Obviously, I'll have to get a lot more information before we leave, but I would appreciate your input at this stage of my planning. Does this sound reasonable? <BR><BR> <BR><BR><BR>

I think it sounds great. As you progress with your planning, you may want to consider subtracting a day from Paris and adding it to the countryside. You can rent your car in the city or on the outskirts of the city and return it to CDG. Just because you're returning it there, doesn't mean you have to pick it up there. Might want to start in Normandy, etc. since it will be colder and you might as well schedule that for the warmest (presumably earliest days) you have. That would mean you'd pick the car up at CDG--assuming you're flying in there--and drop it before you enter Paris for the final part of your trip.

Charlotte: 6 days to do all that traveling, you´re going to be more the time in the car than visiting. I did same itinerary last year and my suggestion is to arrive in b & b or chateaus in the countryside. We bought while in Paris a book of the best b & b<BR>in france and had the most wonderful experience, arriving by the evening and looking in the respective town the recommended b & b. You will meet very nice people and they will explain gladly the area for you. They have diferent prices, but we stayed at top places in little towns in the countryside not paying more than $ 100/night.<BR>You should think of concentrate in 1 or 2 areas for those 6 days, to visit without a rush. My advise is the normand region: Honfleur, landing beaches and M. Saint Michel are a must.If you have time,<BR>the loire valley is great. Concentrate in the Blois area and from there visit the diferents palaces and chateaus.<BR>So, in Paris go to the bookstore (many have books in english) and you will find good information about lodging. Enjoy!

I would shift a few days from Paris to your countryside tour, if I were you. Any, no, I wouldn't go all the way to CDG to pick up the car as this is in the opposite direction you need to go and there is no extra charge in Europe for dropping off in a different place than you pick up.<BR><BR>If you are nervous about picking the car up in Paris proper, then just train to Versailles, or Chartre, or Blois and pick up the car in a smaller city to start your touring. Also, do check the location of the rental car return at CDG. Last time I did this the rental car return with in the ramped up main terminal parking lot and we had a hard time finding it because we assumed (wrongly) that the return would be on the outskirst of the airport with good signage as you approach the airport.

I couldn't find this thread for the life of me...and now I see why. I spelled "Loire" wrong...that'll do it! <BR><BR>Thanks for the tip about dropping off the car. I assumed you had to pick up and drop off at the same place. But it will be a lot better to pick up the car in Chartres or Tours and turn it in at CDG. <BR><BR>I don't want to cut more time out of Paris, so maybe I'll narrow it down a little more. Perhaps drop off the D Day/Honfleur/Rouen leg. That would concentrate us more in the Loire and Ste. Michel areas. We love just driving through lovely countryside...will Loire to Ste. Michel to Paris be a pretty drive?