Travel route between Paris and Venice
 

My daughters and I are traveling from the US to Paris and then to Venice. I am wondering what would be a good route to take. We would be interested in seeing Avignon for a day but is this way out of our way and would it add additional train scheduling hassels( is it difffacult)?
What would be the most direct route?
Also, I am unsure how the eurorail pass works, if you have a 5 day pass and you take a Fast train is there an additional fee? Is there a fee every time you make a reservation?
We are traveling in September will reservations even be necessary?

I think it would be too much trouble and too much time on a train to go from Paris to Venice stopping in Avignon. Much as I like riding trains, it's still 8+ hours from Avignon to Venice, with several changes.

You can fly from Paris Orly to Venice on Air Berlin or CDG to Venice on easyJet. Orly is easier to get to and less crowded.

There's so much to see in Paris and Venice. You can fill up your visit several times over. Whereas Avignon is not my favorite place. I sympathize with your wish to see a bit of Provence, but maybe next trip.

Generally, for shorter trips, passes are more expensive than point-to-point tickets, especially if you can buy the latter ahead of time at special offer prices. With a pass you need to purchase a reservation on the faster trains, and those trains may have limited seats available to pass-holders. They can sell out.

Sep is high season--book in advance.
If you have several days to meander from Paris to Venice then consider the trains--otherwise fly. I would allow 5 days in each--how much time do you have?

There is also the Artesia overnight hotel train, if you just want to go between Paris and Venice - but if you have some days i would suggest going via Switzerland (the most direct route would be via Milan from Paris) and spending a few days in the Wunderbar Jungfrau Region just a short mountain train ride from Interlaken. You can hop the TGV from Paris to Switzerland and be in Interlaken in about 5-6 hours - but i'd go to Grindelwald or some place in the Alps - stunning beauty - glacier-girdled peaks - surrealistically gorgeous views, etc.

As for a railpass i think you may have to be doing more than going between Paris and Venice to make one pay off - and perhaps you are doing more train travel that you do not indicate in your OP? Anyway you sound like a novice European rail traveler and for that i always point out these fine fine sites that will tell you more than you want to know probably about European trains - answering the types of questions you pose: www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com. And fodorites like those above are perhaps the best source for having specific questions answered.

lucky,

YOu don't say how long your trip is, but if it's less than 2 weeks, then I agree: fly from Paris to Venice.

Several years (3-4) we took the train from Paris to Venice. We left Gare d' Lyon at abot 0800 on the TGV to Milan.A very scenic trip. Arrived in Milan about 1400. Had an hour in Milan, went to the ticket machine in the station, and bought tickets to Venice. Was really easy. Left Milan about 1500(lots of trains), arrived in Venice about 1900. A short walk to our hotel. I would recommend it if you have time. The trip becomes part of the holiday, as opposed to getting from point A to point B in the shortest way possible. We met several interesting people on the trains.

We have 3 days in Paris,4 days in Venice, Then 5 days in Florence before heading to Rome for 3 more days. So yes we do plan to be purchasing a rail pass,but will it be too late to reserve seating on the TGV for 2nd week in September? From Paris to Milan?