10 Days in France - best itinerary?

Are you counting days or nights? For example, two nights typically amounts to one day and perhaps a fraction of another day. In terms of the itinerary, its a personal choice. Have you watched France Rick Steves episodes? Another option is to watch some YouTube videos, something like top ten Avignon/Provence. My reaction, for me, you need two full days to explore Normanday. Possibly less time in Avignon. Three full days in Paris, would likely be enough for folks less interested in Paris, although, we liked Paris much more than we thought we would.

A car would be quite helpful for both Normandy and Provence, unless you are booking day tours.

In 10 days you can see a lot. If you go with a car, you have more freedom to do as you please, also once you leave paris, the roads are not as crowded.
It might be a shame not to visit Paris, if you have not been. Even in 2 days, you can see quite a alot. After that Normandy is good and then down to avignon.

Thank you. And I should have said "nights." All three seem like "must-see" destinations, but I worry about fitting it all in at the expense of missing a remarkable experience.

I think three locations is doable. But I would pick three in a more compact triangle. Like Paris, Burgundy, Provence. Or Paris, Normandy, Loire. Just for context Rome to Rio says train from Bayeux (in Normandy) to Avignon (in Provence) is more than 7 hours.

How many people? With more than five people you would need two cars or a large van, which can be difficult sometimes to navigate through narrow streets in towns in France. Yet I prefer a car as giving more flexibility, both in Normandy and Provence. And I concur with counting nights on the ground, not days. If you are including arrival day as day one, be aware that that day is partially lost to arrival details and perhaps jet lag. I would not drive to Normandy, but take a train there (on day one) and rent a car on day two, after a night's sleep. Day 2 and 3 give to Normandy. A drive to Avignon from, say, Bayeux will take over 9 hours even on the autoroute, so day 4 is taken up by the drive. Even by train it will take at least 6 hours (train to Gare St Lazare in Paris, change stations, then Avignon from Paris Gare de Lyon), so day 4 is still a full travel day. Avignon could be 3 days (days 5,6,7). Return car at end of day 7, sleep in Avignon and take the TGV to Paris ( fast 2-2 1/2 hrs), so Paris is most of day 8 and all of day 9). Day 10 return home, or if you go home on day 11, then day 10 in Paris also.
In sum, your trip involves one day of mostly moving from one place to another, and another half day from Avignon to Paris. If your trip is truly 10 full days in France (arrival and departure days not included in your 10 days), then you have more wiggle room. In calculating drive times, be aware that most sites tell you a time that doesn't allow for stops for gas/food/comfort, or often more lovely rural roads. If Viamichelin.com says 4 1/2 hours to drive, add at least one hour to that. If it says 8 hours, add two hours to that. And factor in time to check out of lodgings, find new lodgings on arrival, find parking, and check in.

As for having a car in Normandy, I feel it is not as necessary as in Provence, but that means you will probably have the expense of a DDay beaches tour, which are not cheap. (Train to Bayeux, for example, guided tours once there, train back to Paris with transfer to station to go to Avignon, pick up car rental for Avignon leg).

With ten nights in France:
Nights 1,2,3...Normandy (Bayeux)
Nights 4,5,6,7...Avignon
Nights8,9,10...Paris
Hope this helps to put a perspective on your plans. It sounds doable as you have planned it, but I hate to see Paris shortchanged.

Best of luck!
Judy

I agree with trying to keep it more compact. From Bayeux to Avignon will basically take all day regardless of how you do it (if you train, you have to get to Gare Saint-Lazare, and then cross Paris to Gare de Lyon, then TGV to Avignon). Personally I think Normandy is worth more than two nights—which is really just one full day. And I disagree with the comment about not needing a car in Normandy. That area is not at all well served by public transportation. So you either drive yourself, or pay someone else to drive you. If it were me, and I do this every other year, I would spend more time in Normandy and then the rest of the time in Paris. If you wanted to add some other area, you might consider Brittany. But only you know what is important to your group.

Thank you, all - your suggestions make sense (and we are 6 people). I am re-thinking our strategy - postponing Normandy to another trip (Chunnel crossing from London?). So if we focus on staying in Paris and Avignon - any suggestions for the best day trips (or a brief overnight) near each? Our group enjoys food and wine - exploring small towns, walking/biking - soaking up the local culture.

I just posted this reply to another query on this forum

Not sure how far you want to drive, but Aix en Provence, Arles, Nimes and Avignon are wonderful cities.

3 days in Normandy works, but only 2 in Paris is very short (have you been there before?).
The Rhone Valley (Avignon, Arles, down to the Rivera and Monaco and Nice) will take up a week easily.
I suggest you pick either the Rhone Valley and Paris or
Normandy, the Loire Valley and Paris. Normandy is wonderful, and the Loire Valley has great Chateaux to see.

Thank you, geovagriffith. If we consolidate to Paris and the Rhone Valley - does it make sense to stay in Avignon (looks like my favorite) and then are day-trips doable for Marseille, Nice, etc.? Or is the French Riviera an overnight trip? Looks like Nice is @ a 3 hour car ride.

I wouldn't consider Nice as a day trip from Avignon, or even from Marseille. Nice is about 270 km from Avignon, and from Marseille just over 200 km, an almost 3 hour train ride from either one to Nice. And not a short car ride either. You will spend most of the day going and returning, with very few hours in Nice. The French Riviera should be at least 3 nights, giving you only 2 full days there. You would have to cut something else to fit Nice into your plans.

To be honest, with 10 days, I would spend half the nights in Avignon or Arles, doing day trips from there (not the Riviera...too far), and half the nights in Paris (a remarkable city in SO many ways!). There are tons of places and things to see and do with a base in Avignon. With 6 people and perhaps not renting a car for that reason, Avignon has a better selection of day trips than some other places in Provence, even though I prefer Arles, for instance. There is also a TGV from Paris to Avignon which frees up more of your travel days.

Best of luck with your plans!