Sister and I are in the very early stages of planning for next spring (09) or early summer. I'm pretty good at planning our trips, but I find I don't have many bookmarked resources for this one.

Started out that she really wanted to do Vienna. But skymiles and intereurope travel seem prohibitive $$$. Since she wants to see Alpine villages, I thought about Nice. Rent the car there and drive up into the Alps for a night. Then drive back into Provence.

The trip would be something like this:
---Into Paris--1 or 2 nights (been many times)
---To Nice, pick up car
*8 days*
---Nice (?)to Paris return to U.S.

Do you think the time down south would allow for a drive up into Switzerland and then tour Provence?

I know this is vague, but I'm just having a hard time putting together the outline of the trip in order to start doing more specific research.

Will appreciate sage advice on whether this is reasonable and where to start. Thanks!

PS: Where I talk about picking up a car, I realized rail may also offer some options. Didn't mean to exclude that.

An overnight trip into the Alps from Nice is impractical IMO.

I suggest going from Paris to Geneva and picking up the car there. Go first to Chamonix and Mont Blanc - an hour away - and then take a leisurely drive through the Haute-Savoie (French Alps) on your way down into Provence.

That's exactly the kind of advice I wanted! Easyjet has good svc Orly to Geneva.

Wandering from Geneva down to Provence would it make more sense to do rail? Pick up the car in Provence?

>> Wandering from Geneva down to Provence would it make more sense to do rail? << NO!!!

You'd drive from Chamonix to Megève to Albertville to St-Lean-de-Maurienne to Valloire and then over the fabulous Col du Galibier and on to Briançon. If time permits, you could divert into the Queyras area and the village of St-Véran, said to be the highest settlement in the Alps. Take your time and enjoy the scenery.

From Mont-Dauphin, you're only a few hours from Provence.

Ok...you don't have to yell at me!

It's apparent how green I am about researching this area. That drive from Chamonix...is that one day? How long would it take to drive from there to, say, Aix?

If you were to drive straight through, on the major highways, it'd be about 5 hours. But doing that would miss the point - you want "to see Alpine villages".

And so I suggested that you get off the motorways and take the scenic route. Thus you should make at least one overnight stop along the way after spending at least a day and night in Chamonix.

OK, I think I've got it.

Into Geneva, pick up car, drive to Chamonix area with your cities in mind. Spend night.

Perhaps next morning in that area, head for Provence that afternoon. Right?

If so, that gives me the bare bones I needed to start researching.

Merci beaucoup!

Oops. Upon re-read, it sounds like you think the mountain route requires spending 2 nights along the way before making the straight shot to Provence.

Got it.

Jeanne - I don't think you've got it quite right.

1. A direct one hour drive from Geneva airport to Chamonix. Hopefully you'll have at least half a day there during which you'll go up Mont Blanc. Spend the night in Chamonix.

2. Next day (maybe after lunch), head off as I suggested. Spend a night en route, say in the vicinity of Briançon.

3. Then, a leisurely drive (by way of St-Véran) towards Provence, arriving early evening.

Total in the French Alps: 2 days and 2 nights.

Keep the car and return it in Nice. One thing you should look into: The car should be rented from the French part of Geneva's airport so that the registry is French (for the return in Nice, France).

Actually, I wrote it poorly. I did understand what you were saying. But now it's even clearer!

Great tip about the French car rental. I hadn't thought about crossing borders. I had thought we would turn the car in at Avignon since we'll be working over that way. Does Nice make more sense?

I must apologize that I keep asking all these questions and haven't yet done any research. I can't wait to dive into it, but just couldn't fit it in these last two nights.

I think if you fly back to Paris, Nice would be best. If you take the TGV, Avignon would be right...

I've finally had a chance to pull up a map and look at the routes you've outlined.

I'm now thinking we might best simplify things by flying directly into/out of Nice.

You've helped me get my bearings to the point I think I can start researching more specific items...thanks again.

Note: I meant flying into/out of Nice on the overseas flights.

One last question: I'm wondering what would be the earliest in the year to schedule such a trip.

Provence is relatively easy and could probably be done as early as mid-April.

As for the mountain portion, one must consider roads, heavy clothing, etc. Would mid-May be relatively safe? Or later?

TuckH, Your route sounds Perfect, but I think a bit of warning is in order that the col de Galibier and many of the roads through the Alps can be frightening to drive for someone not familiar with mountain driving. The narrow roads with no guardrails are a bit daunting for many people.
I've driven these roads many times and this region is by far my favorite part of France. But I know the roads can take some getting used to.

Celtic:

Yikes. I've driven in the mountains quite a lot. But even I don't want to drive where there's a sheer drop off and no railing.

Not so much out of fear. It just that I'm usually the driver and it rather misses the point if I can't enjoy the scenery for fear of driving off the mountain!

I'm the driver in our car and I've certainly enjoyed the scenery - no doubt about it!

And I didn't find those well-engineered roads at all dangerous. You're not racing along at high speed; as I said earlier, "take a leisurely drive" and "Take your time and enjoy the scenery."

We would take it in small portions at first. If it's not comfortable, well, we'll just have to figure out another route.

I still have lots of research to do before I start focusing too much on about routes. I'm just happy right now to have the broad outlines of a plan.

I'm sorry if I frightened you JeanneB, that was never my intention. I just thought a heads up was in order so you would not get a shock when you saw the roads.

I would gladly drive this route every day because the views are among my favorite in the whole world.

I also never meant to imply that the roads aren't meticulously maintained and perfectly safe. But they are a new experience for some people.

I just wanted to point out that someone unfamiliar with such roads, might be uncomfortable, if they went along this route without a warning that the road is steep and winding. I wouldn't want somone to have a bad memory of this beautiful area, because they weren't warned that the driving will be slow. I've driven these roads alone myself many times and I was fine.

This is truly a magnificent route and you will never see views this wonderful anywhere else. It is well worth the time it takes to experience a place this magical. For me the Col de galibier and the col de lauteret are the French Alps at their best. There are places to pull over to take photos and a cafe on the top to stop and enjoy a lovely lunch on the outside terrace with views more beautiful than you could ever imagine.

My guess would be that the first day you'll most likely think You must have been crazy to ever consider driving this route, by the second day you can't imagine ever missing this and you be wondering if you have time to go back and do it all over again. You'll never regret taking this route.