Hi, <BR>HELP! Planning a fall 2001 trip to France. Flying into CDG for 2 weeks in Paris. Plan spending 1 week in Provence(train from Paris-pick up rental car)w/home base just outside Avignon then 1 week in Loire Valley-staying just outside Amboise then train back to Paris for flight home. Best way to travel between Avignon-Amboise? Keep same rental car or go by train and rent car for the 2nd week in Amboise? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!

Sandy.. <BR> <BR>You are looking at a 6 to 7 hour train journey from Avignon to Amboise, via Paris, with a change of stations in Paris from Paris Lyon to Paris Austerlitz or Montparnasse. Austerlitz is just under a kilometre (walkable?), but Montparnasse involves either a cab or the RER with a change at Chatelet. <BR>On balance I think I would keep the car, and maybe take your time and stop for the night in a small town on the way. Probably best to make sure there is no drop off fee for the one way hire though, as these can sometimes be very expensive. On the other hand 1 by 2 week hire may be cheaper than 2 by l week hires. Life gets complicated does'nt it? <BR>Tony.

Thanks for the reply, Tony. One other question--would it be less time consuming to drive from Avignon to Amboise rather than take the train back through Paris? Does anyone know the drive time and road conditions? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Have not done that particular drive, but this site should help:<BR>http://www.mappy.fr/direct/mappy/accueil

One other very good site for driving directions/travel time is<BR>http://www.michelin-travel.com/eng/sommaire.cgi?Flash=Oui<BR><BR>This gives Avignon-Amboise 6 1/2 hours nonstop. <BR><BR>We drove from Lyon to Tours once, but it took us the better part of a day. We first stopped in the outskirts of Lyon to visit very nice Vienne (Temple d'Auguste et Livie, Théâtre de Cybèle, Théâtre Romain and Catedral de St-Maurice), Clermont Ferrand (fine Ramanesque and Gothic churches) and the Valençay castle on the Indre. <BR><BR>The driving conditions are very good. If you're driving the fastest route from Avignon to the Loire Valley, you'll have a divided tollway from Avignon to Vienne/Lyon, St-Etienne, Clermont Ferrand and Bourges. You exit at Vierzon and all together, you should drive approx. 100km on nondivided roads. <BR><BR>Paulo

THANKS so very much for the help!