Touring France - limited time
 

I would appreciate any suggestions you all can provide. My daughter will be studying in Nice until mid November at which time the rest of the family will fly over and meet her. I have Hilton points for two night s in Cannes. My wife wants to spend a couple days in Paris. This leaves us three nights for the country side (I guess I am renting a car)Any suggestions as to where best to spend the time? We all enjoy wine and would like to be able to drop the rental car off and then take a train to Paris.

Thanks

I'd spend the three days in the Bouches-du-Rhône area (St-Rémy, Pont du Gard, Uzès, Les Baux, Arles....), drop the car off in Avignon, and take the TGV back to Paris.

I agree completely with St. Cirq. TGV from Avignon to Paris takes just two and a 1/2 hours.

One additional thing you might do is on your way to the Bouches de Rhone is stop in Vence and see the Matisse Chapel and, nearby, in St.Paul de Vence, see the Meaght Foundation an indoor/outdoor museum with wonderful outdoor modern art.

Good luck.

Anthony

Anthony

Thanks to StCirq and Powell.
Since you two obviously know the region any insights you can provide for food and lodging would be greatly appreciated.

What did you have in mind for a budget for accommodations, fishman? And what about restaurants - are you major foodies? Just want good provençal food for a reasonable price? Will be happy with a sandwich and an Orangina?

On the road between Maussane-les-Alpilles and Les Baux there's at least one winery - it's hard to miss because the sign jumps out at you as you pass the road up into it. Wish I could remember the name of it, but I've bought wine there a few times and certainly have drunk my share of it, and it's very good.

The Mas des Barres olive mill/store is also in Maussane - their olive oil got the médaille d'or in 2005. So it's officially the best olive oil in the world (though of course there are hundreds of wonderful olive oils).

There's a great market in St-Rémy on Wednesdays and a good but smaller one in Maussane on Thursdays, and a huge one in Arles on Saturdays.

StCirq,
Is that the Romanin? That seems to pop in mind....

gracejoan:

It could be, but some faint whisper in my head tells me the name begins with a "D"- but maybe it's just Domaine de something I'm thinking of.

Anyway, it's easy as pie to find - on the left about halfway between the roundabout in Maussane and the turnoff to Les Baux.

Hotel budget isn't a problem we are looking more for ambiance than cost savings. As far as food - good, reasonable and of course, the can't miss splurge. Wine and olive oil are excellent diversions which we will want to avail ourselves.
These suggestions are priceless; please keep them coming.

Restaurants:

Splurge: Oustau de la Beaumanière in Les Baux

Special: La Chassagnette in Sambuc (in the Camargue), and La Telline, also in the Camargue.

Delicious/good value: La Petite France in Maussane

Hotels:

Château des Alpilles - St-Rémy (http://www.chateau-des-alpilles.com/...sentation.html)

The Gounod Ville Verte, St-Rémy (http://www.chateau-des-alpilles.com/...sentation.html)

I'm sure you'll get lots of other suggestions here, too.

And in St-Rémy be sure to visit Joél Durand's chocolate shop and Le Petit Duc, a couple of storefronts down, for amazing calissons.

<I guess I am renting a car>
I may be reading that wrong but you don't appear to enthused about driving. If you are going to TGV it to Paris, you may want to look into a France Rail pass instead of a car rental. ($ depending on how many family members) That is if you want to experience different regions in France. This will also allow you a leisurely three days of slowly heading north but will require changing hotels everyday. You get unlimited travel (Speed trains need seat reservation but you can book day of travel, 2-3 Euro extra.) I drove all over France for 17 days. I have also traveled around France by train. Having done both I prefer the train. Do you want to stay primarily in the south or do you want to explore different regions of the country? If this interest you, I will give you sample itineraries that I have done.

Hello Parisnow,
I would welcome sample itineraries etc.
I basically want to avoid driving in Paris but want to be able to visit some smaller villages on the way to Avalon (?)We would love to sample some good French wines as well as meals; probably more emphasis on the wine.
We will be leaving Cannes for (see StCirq). My wife just mentioned trying to find lodging in a castle and possibly wine touring/tasting.
Any and all suggestions welcome.
THANKS

If you do end up staying around Avallon with a car, I would highly recommend a side trip to the lovely walled town of Noyer (has a hyphenated name after it, I can't bring to mind at the moment) which you have to climb up through winding roads among the vignyards to get to and a lunch/dinner at the Restaurant Alain Renaudin (also a Logis de France hotel) in the tiny bled of Vincerolles on D362. A dining room and cuisine to die for! The chef comes out personally to chat with each table and make recommendations. He didn't steer us wrong.

Since you will be driving from Cannes to Avignon let me give you a recommendation. Go to local bookstore and pick up or glance through Frommer's copy of "France's Best Loved Driving Tours" to get some ideas of the region you will be in. Then google "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" website, translation "The most beautiful villages of France". It is a France historic organization, each village has to meet certain criteria every year to remain listed. Many of these are the old medival villages or places like Sarlat and Flavigny (village that the movie "Chocolate ?" with Johnny Depp filmed). I picked one of these villages a day and plotted them in our route..labeled them mystery city... the people I was traveling with loved everyone of them. Pick out the towns that interest you and your family then go to mapquest or one of those websites and map out the routes you want to take. I second StCirq.. don't miss Les Baux. The Frommer's book map #16 actually list alot of the places StCirq recommended. Sorry can't help with wine tasting for that region, I am more familiar with the Alsace/Champaign region of France.

fishman- Also check out Maison de la France/French government tourist office website. I get e-mails from them and they just recently had something regarding Chateau/Castle hotels in France in their newsletter. If you contact them immediately they will also send you information about the region you will be touring and also this years copy of France Guide 2005 magazine. For Paris you may want to pick up Tripbuilder Paris with it's fold out map $6 at bookstore.

parisnow,
Tried the web site but was unable to find castle/chateau article. Did order the Frommer's drive book - great suggestion. Thanks.