Nice to Toulouse
 

Hello everyone.

I'm in the initial planning stage for my trip. It looks like it will be starting in Nice where I will be attending a conference during the end of May/beginning of June.

I've felt like a kid in a candy store, trying to decide where to go afterwards. (I won't be able to get off work to travel before the conference.) I've started to investigate the Midi-Pyrénées and this looks like just where I'd like to go.

I'm a little leery of driving from Nice to Toulouse - I'll probably be traveling solo and that's a lot of driving, even if I make a stop or two along the way.

So I'll probably take the train and there's a couple of direct trains daily.

Any Fodorites familiar with traveling between Nice & Toulouse ready with recommendations?

As always, thank you for your help.

www.mappy.fr shows the trip as being just under six hours and costing around 100 euros for petrol and tolls, if you take the fastest (auto) route.

I would have thought it would take a bit longer but have never driven that exact route, just pieces of it.

If you plan to see some of the Midi-Pyrenees and/or Provence, you could take your time driving and exploring on your way to Toulouse.

Or, take the train to Toulouse, spend a few days there, then pick up a car to explore more of the MP, which is about the size of Switzerland. If you need a place to stay in Toulouse, I can recommend the Hotel Albert Ier, just off the main Place--reasonable, small and friendly.

There is a direct train that takes 6:42.

However, have you ever thought of driving into the Alps from Nice?

There is the Route des Grandes Alpes which will lead you through a gorgeous mountain scenery, and it starts just in Nice's backyard.

So why bother losing a day with traveling from Nice to Toulouse?

Why don't you fly from Nice to TLS? I just looked at Air France and it is showing one way fares of $37 for June 4 which I chose randomly based on your early June conference date.

OK, if you add the dreaded high AF taxes of $54.60 your fare is 91.60 which I still think is good.

Don't know how much time you have for your entire vacation after the conference, but an overnight in Montpellier would certainly make two 3 hr drives reasonble. Most people would have a hard time passing Carcassonne without a visit.

The drive is not particulary scenic - except the section near the St Tropez turnoff. Mostly vineyards once you get into the Languedoc. Pretty boring drive. Just make sure you do most of your driving in the morning so the sun will not be in your face.

What unique stuff attacts you to the Midi Pyrenees instead of right next door in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur?? We've spent extensive time in both regions, and IMO they are about equal if you add the Dordogne to the Midi Pyrenees.

Stu Dudley

Thank you all for the great suggestions.

Traveler1959, I had thought about going to the Alps but 1) the weather is always iffy and what would I do if it rains and 2) I wanted to go to Annecy but I would arrive just in time for the international animated film festival so it would be very crowded. I'm hoping to eventually have an opportunity to visit when it's not overrun with so many people.

Hi StuDudley - I've been reading a lot of your posts about Provence and it does sound wonderful. I'm not quite sure why I'm drawn more to the Midi-Pyrénée, just that I saw a photo of Albi and immediately wanted to go there and when I did more research, I really was intrigued by the area. Earlier this year, I asked for advice on where to go after visiting Paris & Ira suggested Auxerre. I googled Auxerre & when I saw a photo of it, I just knew I wanted to go there.

However, it looks like I can have my cake & eat it too. I'll have about 12 days after I leave Nice so I can fly to Toulouse (thanks esm) and spend a week driving in that area and then have 4 days in Provence, catch the train, and then I can fly home out of Nice.

Not enough time, I know, but it's never enough time.