One of the sweetest walks anywhere -Monaco to Cap d'Ail train station-walk and take train back to Monaco or just 2 miles go both ways:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cap+...hrome&ie=UTF-8

Really sweet overall itinerary.

Yes, PalenQ the walk seems lovely! I was trying to figure out how to plan that with a car. You make it sound doable after all.

Not sure if Cap d' Ail (Garlic Cape?) station has parking or not but may have and you could waltz to Monte Carlo - not have to worry about car parking and take shuttle train back to Cape Garlic!

When I took the path several years ago I saw several skinny dippers in isolated swimming hole so if into a dip in those uncannily clear azure-hued waters go for it!

Also great place for a picnic -ah the Cote d'Azur of old coast -just the signature cypress trees clinging to boulders frozen in their eventual tumble into the sea - no visible development that have ruined the natural beauty of much of Riviera - I have not taken your other hikes but none can beat this for sheer natural beauty like the coast must have looked eons ago.

Even in August when I traipsed over it there were few others on it -afraid that may have changed but hope not.

Can someone comment on parking at either train station, Cap d'Ail or Monaco, for the Cap d'Ail walk? PalenQ> your description is exciting! After looking at photos of both Orange and Nimes, I've changed my Day 8 to this order: Uzes, Pont du Gard and then to Nimes. And, Day 9 will now be:
Day 9: 1 Hr. Hike at Les Concluses de Lussan,La Roque-sur-Ceze and the Cascades du Sautadet, Aigueze overnighting at Chambres d'Hôtes De Caïre Noù in Saint-Martin-d'Ardeche nearby.
Day 10: Vallon Pont d'Arc then drop rental car and train to Paris.
I could use suggestions on where I can drop a car and get the train after leaving the Pont d'Arc. Also, where to stay for Days 6, 7 and 8? Avignon seems the obvious location but I'd appreciate recommendations.

>>I could use suggestions on where I can drop a car and get the train after leaving the Pont d'Arc.<<

Either the Valence TGV station, or the Avignon TGV station

>>Also, where to stay for Days 6, 7 and 8? Avignon seems the obvious location but I'd appreciate recommendations.<<

I always recommend NOT to stay in Avignon. Too much ugly urban sprawl that you'll have to drive through (not the image of Provence you'll want to remember). And parking is a little difficult too. Stay in St Remy if you want a largish village with lots of shops, restaurants, cafe's, & English spoken. In the Luberon near Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, etc if you want to be in the countryside surrounded by vineyards, rolling hills, & lots of "cute little hill villages".

Stu Dudley

I am a fan of Avignon -the town center -still ramparted in part is a gem -don't miss it at any case -the Palace of the Popes is one of the most monumental ancient edifices in France (extent from times when Vatican had a schism I believe (not sure) and the rival Pope set up shop here as did his successors.

The town center is so so neat - yes lots of tourists and that makes lots of strollers at night.

The Bridge of Avignon still stands part straddling one of the rivers that flow by Avignon - it too is a evocative site.

Lots of resetaurants of all kinds. Parking could be a problem - one time I went by car we put it on a car-train and then walked around town car-less (we slept on the same train).

St-Remy is a perpetual favorite here and for folks looking for a quieter much smaller town that would be my choice for that -like Stu says easier to drive out of as Avignon, as most larger French cities, is surrounded by tacky commercial development but driving thru it on main roads may afront your asthetic senses but is no problem really - for folks who only want to see the rural Provence and not the real Provence yes avoiding the sprawl around Avignon would be nice. I actually like to see both the iconic wild Provence and the modern side too-most do not and I appreciate that.

French cities are often nice in a small central core but horribly tacky surrounding it - a paradox that always amuses me - that the French would allow such unfettered commercial development - I mean really tacky - one big billboard after another and huge store signs just like we see on main roads surrounding cities in America. Few other countries in Europe seem to do that. I counted once in the outskirts of Orleans -where I stay often near a Route National -busy main road - in a kilometer 50 big obtrusive billboards and store signs - I wondered how the French allowed this -not the commercial development but these tacky signs right along the road.

StuDudley> Gare de Montelimar looks to be 30 min closer but I don't know if I could drop my rental car there or if TGV to Paris is available from that station. Both Valence and Avignon seem to be 1.5 hours drive from Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. Would either drive be more scenic or easier than the other? And, we will spend a full day in Avignon on Tues, Sept.5, so what would be the best way to visit with a car? (We will need the car for 3 more days after our Avignon visit).Thanks again PalenQ for the sites not to miss while we are there.
For the 3 nights, Saint Remy would be best to visit Avignon, Uzes, Pont du Gard and Nimes? We will be coming from Gordes to begin the 3 night stay and afterwards head up towards Lussan.

>>StuDudley> Gare de Montelimar looks to be 30 min closer but I don't know if I could drop my rental car there or if TGV to Paris is available from that station.<<<

Good research on your part. I've never picked up or dropped off a car there. There is a Europcar near the gare, and there is a 9:25 & 1:25 TGV departure to Paris with no train changes


Both Valence and Avignon seem to be 1.5 hours drive from Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. Would either drive be more scenic or easier than the other?<<


Valence, if you drive through Previs

>>And, we will spend a full day in Avignon on Tues, Sept.5, so what would be the best way to visit with a car? (We will need the car for 3 more days after our Avignon visit).Thanks aga<<

We always park in the garage next to the "ville" train station. A little complicated - but do-able (we were there 4 weeks ago).

Stu Dudley

StuDudley, Thank you for all your answers. Do any of your itineraries cover Lussan, LaRoque-sur Ceze, Aigueze or Vallon-Pont d'Arc? As for wine tasting in Avignon, a Fodor's guide book says you can sample Rhone wine inside the Palais des Papes at the Bouteillerie and purchase bottles there as well. Has anyone done that? The only tasting we may get to do will be with our dinner each night, since I scrapped the visit to Chateaneuf du-Pape to go up to the river and Ardèche area.

All of those areas are in my Provence & Cote d'Azur itinerary - the Ardeche section and also around Uzes. If you are traveling north of Vallon Pont d'Arc in the Ardeche, I have more info on that which I can share with you.

I have no idea if I have sent you my Provence itinerary - I get 5-8 requests every day. If you don't have it, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach it to the reply e-mail. Also ask for my Ardence itinerary I wrote for a friend if you are traveling north of Vallon.

For Paris, I booked Hotel Parc Saint-Séverin 22, rue de la Parcheminerie Paris 75005. When booking a train from Avignon or Valence stations, which stations would I choose? (Would Paris Gare de Lyon be the closest station to my hotel?)

22, rue de la Parcheminerie Paris 75005 is smack dab in the center of "touristy first-timers" Paris. Not where I would want to stay. Trains from Avignon/Valence/Lyon terminate at the Gare de Lyon. We've taken the TGV from these southern cities around 5-7 times and have usually stayed at the Terminus Hotel across the street from the Gare de Lyon if we are just staying in Paris for one night. But this past July, we stayed at the Novatel hotel for a change (liked it more than the Terminus). However, if you are going to be staying in Paris for multiple days, I would stay elsewhere - but not at the Hotel Parc Saint-Séverin - unless you prefer "tourist central".

Stu Dudley

I find the location to f the St Séverin great for a first timer. Yes very touristy but a tourist for a first time in Paris us not exactly a local or us he ? I even found some restaurant that were eduble in the neighbourhood.

Everything close by and some walks along the seine ir around Cluny before going to bed.
What else ?

(I hated terminus Lyon and I usually dislike Novitels that I find overpriced. ).

StuDudley> Thanks for the train info. Whathello> it's good to hear my hotel choice might be okay. I looked for a quiet room, not too small but with some character and under 300EUR per night. I wanted to be close to some of the tourist sites to cut down on transit time. We have 4 days in Paris and a 5th day for Versailles. It is our first time but we'd like to find some non-touristy restaurants. Not being "foodies" but wanting the food to taste good and be a good value, are there recommendations for places near our hotel?

There is an IBIS hotel also opposite Gare du Lyon where I have stayed - kind of like a Holiday Inn -

https://secure.accorhotels.com/store...ccorhotels.com

Thanks again, PalenQ. I don't need to sleep near Gare du Lyon this time, but will keep the info in mind for our next visit.The hotel I picked in Paris was also on the list of Left Bank hotels made by Fodorites. The final note there on St. Severin was "why not". We will arrive from Avignon by train into the Gare du Lyon and sleep in Paris 6 nights, then head to CDG airport on a Thurs.morning to depart France.

Can anyone comment on the time we should allow to return a rental car at the Avignon rail station before train travel?

You probably want Avignon-TGV station not Avignon-Centre which does have shuttle trains to the TGV station but maybe not as many car rentals and have to drive into the city. TGV station is a few miles outside Avignon, which does as an area have a lot of traffic.

We took the train from the Avignon TGV station to Paris on July 1 this year. The answer to your

We took the train from the Avignon TGV station on Saturday July 1 this year. The answer to your question is to get to the the entrance of the train area 1 hr to 1 1/2 hrs before departure. Closer to 1 1/2 hrs for less stress. However, I strongly suggest that you do a "dry run" to the station several days before your departure. The TGV station is in the industrial section called Courtine on the Rocade Ch de Gaulle which is the ring road outside of Avignon. The station is on the southwest side of Avignon. The TGV station is well marked on this road, but in July they were doing a lot of construction which delayed arrival. Once inside the grounds, swerve to the right & look for the Location de Voitures sign (car return), and then the sign for your specific rental (Avis, Europcar). We had a Europcar & there were attendants roaming around to accept our return & print papers "on the spot".

Stu Dudley