Pewit

We're getting a cruise that finishes in Barcelona in September and then plan to catch a train to Perpignen and then drive a rental car over 3 days to Tours (or Lyon?) where we'll catch the TGV to Paris for the weekend before returning to London.

I've driven through France many times but my partner never has.

He is disabled due to replacement knees and can't walk to far or up/down too many hills/stairs so we'll need to stop in places that are reasonably accessible. We may think about renting a wheelchair for the trip to make life easier.

We've both been along the Cote D'Azure before so a trip through Provence is our preferred area - any suggestions as to a scenic route and places to go to?

ira

Hi P,

I would go from P --> Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer --> Avignon --> Lyon.

More details in the Provence part of my trip report.

Ira Returns From 22 Loverly Days in Europe - Sep, 2009
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-europe.cfm

I can highly recommend Le Cadran Solaire (www.hotel-en-provence.com/uk/index.php )

Enjoy your visit.

Dr_DoGood

Yes, definitely, if you want to visit Provence then you'll want to end up in Lyon not Tours. Tours would involve a drive east into Provence and then an almighty drive west (and north) to Tours.

A suggested itinerary might look like this -

Ppg - Carcassonne - Beziers
Nimes - Uzes/Pont-du-Gard - Avignon
Mt.Ventoux - Gorges du Verdon - Vaison-la-Romaine - Lyons

It's not just Provence but I wouldn't limit yourself that way. Not all these locations need you or your passenger to get out of the car - Mt Ventoux and the Gorges du Verdon can be enjoyed from inside the vehicle, but you'll need a wheelchair to make the most of Carcassonne, Uzes & The Pont Du Gard, Avignon and Vaison.

(Overnighting in Beziers & Avignon).

Whatever you decide I hope you have a great trip!

Dr D.

Cathinjoetown

You might look at driving from Perpignan across the Millau Bridge, maybe going as far as Figeac but that's about 6 hours. I thought of Figeac as the old town center is flat. A beautiful drive in the area is the Lot River Valley.

Your next destination could be Sarlat--the central pedestrian center is relatively flat but parking is difficult. Sarlat is about 3 hours from Figeac or if you do the Lot drive, about the same distance from Cahors. There may be other more accessible villages. Hope St Cirq sees this as she knows this area well.

From Sarlat, it's at least another 5 1/2 hours drive to Tours. Rather than driving to Tours, you could spend more time in this area and pick up a train to Paris in Brive.

The lightweight wheelchairs, the kind with small wheels that have to pushed, are absolute rubbish on anything other than smooth concrete and tough on the pusher. A much more important thing to bring would be the blue disabled parking hanging sign for your rental car.

This area is just beautiful in September but so is the Rhone River Valley up to Lyon.

Pewit

Thanks for all the suggestions - I'd love to take in the Millau Bridge as well as some of Iras suggestions - so Lyon looks like a better target.

There seem to be many Michelin scenic Green routes to the East of Millau and I wonder if this might be a way to get to the Provence area along the D907 and the Gorge du Tarn.

Is the a reasonable suggestion and does anyone have recommended stops and hotels along this route?

Should we turn off on the D980 towards Meyrueis if we were heading towards Ira's base at Graveson?

Pewit

Hmm, I've just found this route from Karen Brown which would seem to be a good route for the first part of the trip. What do you all think?

http://www.karenbrown.com/Trip_Plann...du_Tarn/29.php