Lyon, France - Brainstorming ideas
 

We may have an opportunity to go to Lyon, France next June and I am looking for travel ideas to get me started planning. We would like to see some other areas besides the ones we have been to - Paris, Nice, Arles, Loire. Sigh...I do love Paris and so must plan to either spend a couple days upon arrival or departure.

We have to use American so thinking we will fly into Paris or Geneva. Would like to see Anncey (sp?) for sure. Perhaps Grenoble and Chamoix besides Lyon. My husband complains that I drag him around to much and would like a relaxing time. I have never rented a gite but might be an option. Any thoughts? He also like to train and not drive but I think a car would be essential for this area.

My computer is kaput and so I may not have access until tomorrow. Thanks.

You can manage quite well without a car. If you land at CDG, the TGV takes 2 hours to Lyon, direct from the airport. Lyon is easily worth spending a few days in. There is so much to see. Besides, you have to stay at least a few days in order to eat as often as you'll want to! The train to Geneva is just over 2 hours. Annecy is on the way to Geneva. You could also go on to the Vaud from there (Montreux, Vevey?) and train back to Paris to end your trip.

If you do have a car, an hour from Lyon takes you to Parc du Pilat. You could find your gite in that area, along with small villages, foie gras farms, mountains, vineyards and forests. It would be a nice counterpoint to the France you have already seen.

Ronda, we will be visiting that same area of France next August. If you follow the Tour de France at all you might want to look at their schedule when it comes out early in 2006, see which climbs they will be doing and what route and include them in your travels then you can see where you were again when they race in July.

Gites are wonderful and a great way to see France at a slower pace but most of them are for one week. There are some great looking B&B's that you can stay at for shorter stays listed on the Gite website. In the French Alps June is not high season so the prices are a little better.

Our plan is to stay 4 or 5 days each in the Briancon area, Annecy and then finish in Lyon. I think it would be very difficult to see this area without a car. I haven't found a way to work the Vercors into our visit but that is another area to consider.

My husband does complain if I have too many things scheduled on our trips so I know what you mean ;;)

Good luck with your planning, there is so much to see in the area it is going to be difficult (but so much fun) to choose. Deborah

Thanks for the ideas Catbert and DeborahAnn. Great idea - checking out the Tour de France route. I'll have to start looking up the places mentioned as well. My husband likes Italy so we are contemplating heading over to the Piedmont area as well. Might be too much.

We rented a gite for two weeks once; I would imagine that you could rent one for as many weeks as it is available. If it's in a popular area, I'd look into renting one now for June, esp. if you want it for a number of weeks.

My experience has been that most (not all, of course) gites are out in the country, where you would need a car. The definition of gite is "rural dwelling".

Have fun!

grandmere, I have read many of Stu's postings and know that he often rents gites, but how do you go about finding one? Thanks.

We have rented various gites over the past 10 years. Since they are now on line it is much easier to find gites with the qualities you want. Go to www.gites-de-france.fr There is an english version, some can be rented on line and others are through the owner. We have done it both ways and never had a problem. Some will allow shorter stays than a week. You can also find B&B's thru the same service. Deborah

http://www.gites-de-france.fr/eng/index.htm :-)
if you're looking for something in town, you'll have to search for "meublé de tourisme classé" (rated self catering accommodation) they all have been checked. no bad surprise.

this website seems interesting (though no star rating):
http://www.chambreslyon.com/index-gb.htm

Dijon is between Paris and Lyon ;-) stop and discover my nice town center for a few hours (no car needed) and then go on to Lyon.
Have a Great trip! :-d
corinne

It's been over 10 years since I rented--before email. I had a catalogue from Gites de France, chose a place, wrote the owner, sent a deposit,and that was that! Nowadays you can go online:www.gites-de-france.com. It isn't the most user friendly site, but it can be done. Give it a try and see if you find a place that looks good, has what you need, etc. Post back with any questions. Good luck!

This past Sun. Wash.Post travel online had an article about renting gites, apts., instead of staying in hotels. It began with the writer saying her parents had rented a place outside Gordes in 1992, etc., and that's where and when we rented! If I still have the article, I'll post the link here; you might find it helpful to read.

I got it! I noticed she would like to go Dijon next year... :-)(see the end of the article)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...r=emailarticle

and I thank again georgiegirl to have sent it to me! ;-)

I would support the idea of renting a car in Lyon, so that you can have the broadest range of possibilities in terms of getting about. If your husband is set against it, then, of course, stick to the rails! I say this in part because I really enjoyed visiting Vonnas, France which is northeast of Lyon by an hour and a half--I used it as a site for following the Tour de France two years ago. I recommend it for the George Blanc hotel and restaurant--it's a pretty nice place, a good choice if you enjoy fine dining. He also has a less expensive restaurant down the street where he prepares meals made, in part, from his grandmother's recipes. Very sweet and very delicious!

Bon chance!

Merci beaucoup! Lots of ideas to get me started. I'll check out all the sites as soon as I GET A NEW COMPUTER. (So frustrating to be COMPUTER-LESS)

Hi Ronda et al. Limiting your travel to trains might be a challenge, but I've never been sorry to forego hunts for parking places or negotiating traffic or narrow switch-back roads. Train travel is relaxing. If you can't get "everywhere", well you have time to savor the places you do reach. Even if you pass on the gite option, you can book extended stays in a small hotel or chambre d'hote or two and enjoy the luxury of settling in. It is possible. J.

Hi Ronda, I suppose you've got a new computer now... ;-)
à bientôt
coco

ttt

Yup!! My husband bought a Sony Vaio because he liked the #$%@^&#*$( capabilities. I don't care if it slices bread as long as I can get on the internet.

Quote: jmw44
<<Limiting your travel to trains might be a challenge, but I've never been sorry to forego hunts for parking places or negotiating traffic or narrow switch-back roads. Train travel is relaxing. If you can't get "everywhere", well you have time to savor the places you do reach. Even if you pass on the gite option, you can book extended stays in a small hotel or chambre d'hote or two and enjoy the luxury of settling in. It is possible. J.>>

Thanks for confirming my idea of traveling around France by train without the need to rent a car.

Coco, the chambreslyon.com site is great! I wish I'd know about it last year when I spent 4 days in that wonderful city.

Yes, crepes, sometimes I think the primary factor that has made me slow down and appreciate quiet time while traveling IS the train schedules. Otherwise, I'd fall prey to that compulsion to fit in one more sight. As it is, I sometimes schedule too many rail destinations in a single day, but even when I do, at least I've not got the frustration of parking. Later, I'm going to take a look at that Lyon chambres website, too. J.