Preliminary itinerary: Paris, southern France and Barcelona
Jan 16th, 2008, 03:27 PM
#21
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sandi_t,
What Stu and Mimar said (thank you) and:
In Europe and in France, in particular, the road signage is not nearly as user-friendly as here in the US, not to mention it's in French
. I do speak French and found signage very sparse and often confusing.
This difference has been noted by many of my non-US friends visiting here. Those that drove here were very grateful for the unusually helpful US signage. (Things we take for granted...)
I have not yet driven in France with (my new) GPS and so cannot comment whether it would make a significant difference. Certainly not for parking and the need to drive through the "unsightful and commercial outskirts".
-e
What Stu and Mimar said (thank you) and:
In Europe and in France, in particular, the road signage is not nearly as user-friendly as here in the US, not to mention it's in French
. I do speak French and found signage very sparse and often confusing. This difference has been noted by many of my non-US friends visiting here. Those that drove here were very grateful for the unusually helpful US signage. (Things we take for granted...)
I have not yet driven in France with (my new) GPS and so cannot comment whether it would make a significant difference. Certainly not for parking and the need to drive through the "unsightful and commercial outskirts".
-e
Jan 21st, 2008, 04:59 PM
#22
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This may be just reiterating what others have said, but here are my two cents : )
We are planning a similar adventure, only we will be in Barcelona first then touring Provence. I think we are going to train from Barcelona to Montpellier (thanks StuDudley for that suggestion), then rent a car in Montpellier to drive through Provence. We will then drop off the car in Nice, and overnight train to Venice. I have read here that dropping off a car in a country different from where you picked it up is very expensive, that is why we are training it from Barcelona into France before we get our car. Perhaps you could do something like that - TGV from Paris to Aix or Avignon, pick up a rental car and tour Provence by car, drop off the car in Montpellier, then train to Barcelona for your visit there.
Whatever you decide to do, I would definitely get the GPS navigation system with your rental car. We had it a couple of years ago when we were driving through the French countryside and Normandy, and it was absolutely a lifesaver. "Sally Satellite" (as we lovingly referred to our voice in a box) expertly guided us everywhere we wanted to go!
Good luck!
We are planning a similar adventure, only we will be in Barcelona first then touring Provence. I think we are going to train from Barcelona to Montpellier (thanks StuDudley for that suggestion), then rent a car in Montpellier to drive through Provence. We will then drop off the car in Nice, and overnight train to Venice. I have read here that dropping off a car in a country different from where you picked it up is very expensive, that is why we are training it from Barcelona into France before we get our car. Perhaps you could do something like that - TGV from Paris to Aix or Avignon, pick up a rental car and tour Provence by car, drop off the car in Montpellier, then train to Barcelona for your visit there.
Whatever you decide to do, I would definitely get the GPS navigation system with your rental car. We had it a couple of years ago when we were driving through the French countryside and Normandy, and it was absolutely a lifesaver. "Sally Satellite" (as we lovingly referred to our voice in a box) expertly guided us everywhere we wanted to go!
Good luck!
Jan 23rd, 2008, 05:55 AM
#23
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Attnymom - that's exactly what we've been talking about..but in reverse (and without Venice). Unfortunately, my company is about to announce 4,000 layoffs so we are holding off on purchasing until we know more about my future with them.
Wish me luck!
Wish me luck!
Jan 23rd, 2008, 09:12 PM
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Sandi -
Sounds like your plans are on hold for now. But in case they're back on again, or for the future...
We (husband, 12yo son and I) did a similar trip to yours last May, but in reverse. We'd been to France and Italy a number of times, and love both countries, but wanted to try somewhere new.
We started our trip with 4 nights in Barcelona, to test the Spanish waters. Then one night in Figueres, after visiting the lovely small city of Girona and the Dali museum in Figueres. Then on into France. We spent two nights in Languedoc - another new area for us (not enough time there, we'll definitely return), then 4 nights in the Dordogne (DH and I had visited there before, but our son had not). Took the train from there up to Paris for two nights (we've all been there several times).
I really enjoyed Barcelona. Even though its neighbor is France, it felt to me much more like Italy than like France. The short visit to Spain was a good way to check out the country; we will be back, including another visit to Barcelona and the countryside surrounding it (and probably the rest of Spain, too).
And while we really like Provence, and considered going there instead of Provence, we ended up choosing the Dordogne because our son likes castles, and there are many of them in the Dordogne. (And because I love foie gras!)
While I liked our itinerary, and it worked well for us, Stu's suggested itinerary is ideal if you want to visit Provence (I would choose St. Remy over Gordes).
Sounds like your plans are on hold for now. But in case they're back on again, or for the future...
We (husband, 12yo son and I) did a similar trip to yours last May, but in reverse. We'd been to France and Italy a number of times, and love both countries, but wanted to try somewhere new.
We started our trip with 4 nights in Barcelona, to test the Spanish waters. Then one night in Figueres, after visiting the lovely small city of Girona and the Dali museum in Figueres. Then on into France. We spent two nights in Languedoc - another new area for us (not enough time there, we'll definitely return), then 4 nights in the Dordogne (DH and I had visited there before, but our son had not). Took the train from there up to Paris for two nights (we've all been there several times).
I really enjoyed Barcelona. Even though its neighbor is France, it felt to me much more like Italy than like France. The short visit to Spain was a good way to check out the country; we will be back, including another visit to Barcelona and the countryside surrounding it (and probably the rest of Spain, too).
And while we really like Provence, and considered going there instead of Provence, we ended up choosing the Dordogne because our son likes castles, and there are many of them in the Dordogne. (And because I love foie gras!)
While I liked our itinerary, and it worked well for us, Stu's suggested itinerary is ideal if you want to visit Provence (I would choose St. Remy over Gordes).
Mar 13th, 2018, 12:06 PM
#26
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Did you ever take this trip?
I am considering this same travel itinerary.
We have been to Paris many times, so fewer days there are OK, and would like to visit southern France on this trip. Why not include Barcelona (never been) as it is so close.
I would love to get some advice.
I am considering this same travel itinerary.
We have been to Paris many times, so fewer days there are OK, and would like to visit southern France on this trip. Why not include Barcelona (never been) as it is so close.
I would love to get some advice.
Mar 13th, 2018, 12:50 PM
#27
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What kind of advice? Itineraries?
There are many possibilities - Avignon area, Cote d'Azur, Toulouse/Carcassone, etc. all just a 4-5 hour train ride from Barcelona.
No reason not to include Barcelona - how long do you have, etc. Train or car - makes a huge difference with pluses for each- like in French Riveria no need for a car and reasons not to have one - huge traffic snarls in summer and trains and buses go everywhere. Other areas better with car.
Many land in Paris, always great for few days even on umpteenth trip thre and blast south on TGV trains at nearly 200mph the rent car at TGV stations like at Avignon.
Anyway, best IMO to start a new thread as old threads draw little new input.
There are many possibilities - Avignon area, Cote d'Azur, Toulouse/Carcassone, etc. all just a 4-5 hour train ride from Barcelona.
No reason not to include Barcelona - how long do you have, etc. Train or car - makes a huge difference with pluses for each- like in French Riveria no need for a car and reasons not to have one - huge traffic snarls in summer and trains and buses go everywhere. Other areas better with car.
Many land in Paris, always great for few days even on umpteenth trip thre and blast south on TGV trains at nearly 200mph the rent car at TGV stations like at Avignon.
Anyway, best IMO to start a new thread as old threads draw little new input.
Mar 13th, 2018, 01:49 PM
#28
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Martillac, France near Bordeaux has an amazing hotel/spa called Les Sources de Caudalie if you're going that route down.
Through the Loire is beautiful and about an hour east of Aix is Aups which is a charming town. And if you have never seen Arles, France on the way to Aix, it's lovely.
Through the Loire is beautiful and about an hour east of Aix is Aups which is a charming town. And if you have never seen Arles, France on the way to Aix, it's lovely.
