Hello all -
Wife and I planning trip to France - Looking for feedback on tentative plan...
4 nights Paris - 2 nights Tours/area - 4 nights Avigion/small villages - 2 nights Paris & Home.. Train between Paris/Tours - Tours -via Paris to Avigion - car in Provence - Train to Paris...
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Thanks!

Hi, gregbo

Are you flying in from the US? UK? Makes a difference cos if it's the states, you have to reckon on losing a day to jet-lag which cuts your days in Paris really down to 3. Then you lose half a day getting to tours, and another getting back, plus a day getting to avignon, and a day getting back - you get my drift?

I would just stick to paris and provence, TGV to avignon, hire a car, then return it is avignon on the reverse leg. you can always do a day trip to Tours if you feel that you've run out of things to do in paris. [you won't!]

good luck!

I agree with the previous poster that you are probably trying to cover too much ground. I'd agree that 2 nights in Tours (especially taking train from Pairs) doesn't make sense. [Also, the Loire Valley definitely is best seen using a car].

A few options:
- I'd think that spending only one night on a return to Paris would make sense instead of two. If you have a morning flight home, I'd definitely think about staying at a hotel at CDG. You can easily go in to Paris for the afternoon/evening if you want.
- Stay in the Loire Valley an extra night (which you could do if you do the above]
- Skip the Loire Valley and just head to Provence.
- Skip Provence and focus on Paris and environs (Loire Valley, Normandy and/or Champagne area)

Happy travels.

John H

Hi G,

I also suggest skipping Tours.

You are going to lose at least one of your days getting to/from Tours.

Why not make Tours a daytrip from Paris? It's only about 1 hr by train.

Thanks for your thoughts!
Coming in from US - arrive sunday so a lay low afternoon/evening.

Our original plans was Paris/Avigion via Fast train - Tours/Loire just seems so doable... Are distances that much different? Last year Italy - 3 nights Venice - 4 Florence - 2 Cinque Terra - 4 Rome - worked great...

Hi, Gregbo,

The concensus, with which i agree, is that you'll lose too much of your precious time between destinations if you fragment it so much.

Remember, every time you move, you lose a day or so. And you have to get back to Paris from Tours before you can get to Avignon.

Taking a/c of jet lag as well, then you are losing 4-5 days in travelling about.

I suggest:
5 nights Paris
5 nights Provence [TGV then pick up car]
2 nights Paris.

When are you planning on travelling?

good luck!