Hi all,
I'm a long time reader, first time poster on this forum and would appreciate suggestions and feedback on the following itinerary. This spring I will be meeting my parents in Paris and traveling with them for 13 days (inclusive of 2 travel days). My parents are in their mid- to late-70s and have not had a lot of opportunity to travel outside the US and have never been to France. I have spent a considerable amount of time in France and want to make this trip as magical for them as possible. My parents are in fine health for their age but will not be up for hours on end of walking. I had them do a lot of thinking about where they would like to go and what they would like to see and after many discussions, Rick Steves's TV shows, and guide books they asked to see Provence and Normandy with Paris not being a high priority. Thank you in advance for your thoughts!
Arrival and Provence
- Wednesday, 3/27 (arrival in Paris - 6.10am)
- Arrive CDG morning & spend day & night in Paris
- Visit central areas: Île de la Cité, Île St. Louis, Marias, Place des Vosges
- Hotel or Airbnb near Marais or Gare de Lyon/Bastille
- Thursday, 3/28 (morning in Paris - train - afternoon & evening in Avignon)
- Breakfast, stroll in neighborhood
- TGV to Avignon in morning (depart 9.37am or 10.37am & arrive 12.19pm or 1.19pm)
- Check-in to hotel and rest of day in Avignon
- Night in Avignon
- Friday, 3/29
- Arles (by train)
- Night in Avignon
- Saturday, 3/30
- Pick up rental car in Avignon
- Pont de Gard, Uzès (& Nîmes?)
- Night in Avignon
- Sunday, 3/31
- Luberon villages, e.g. Gordes, Roussillon (by car)
- Drop off rental car in Avignon
- Night in Avignon
Post-Provence Option A: West to East
- Monday, 4/1 (note: looks like no direct TGV to Rouen on 4/1 only 4/2)
- Train from Avignon to CDG (10.39am - 13.30pm)
- Pick up rental car at CDG
- En route options:
- Giverny
- Lyons-la-Forêt
- Evening and night in Rouen
- Tuesday, 4/2
- Morning in Rouen
- Scenic drive to Bayeux (possible stops: Étretat/Veules-les-Roses, Beuvron-en-Auge)
- Honfleur
- Night in Bayeux
- Wednesday, 4/3
- D-Day beaches (self-guided, half-day, full-day?)
- Night in Bayeux
- Thursday, 4/4
- Bayeux tapestry in morning
- En route cidery (Cider Route) and/or farm visit
- Afternoon at Mont St. Michel
- Night in Fougères
- Friday, 4/5
- Drive to Rennes, Train to Paris
- Evening in Montmartre
- Night in Paris
- Saturday, 4/6
- Musée d’Orsay, Rodin museum, St. Germain de Prés
- Night in Paris
- Sunday, 4/7 (departure to US)
- Les Grande Boulevards, Arcades
- Flight to US (late afternoon CDG)
Post-Provence Option B: East to West
- Monday, 4/1
- 9am train from Avignon to Le Man, arrive 1:30pm
- Rental car pick up at train station
- Scenic drive (via Vitré and Fougères or others)
- Night near Mont St Michel (or on island itself?)
- Tuesday, 4/2
- Morning visit to Mont St Michel
- Scenic drive to Bayeux
- En route self-guided visit to Utah Beach
- Night in Bayeux
- Wednesday, 4/3
- Bayeux tapestry
- Half-day guided tour of Omaha Beach
- Night in Bayeux
- Thursday, 4/4
- Scenic drive to Rouen
- En route cidery (Cider Route) and/or farm visit
- Honfleur
- Étretat
- Return car in Rouen
- Night in Rouen
- Friday, 4/5
- Morning in Rouen
- Train to Paris (8:58am, 10:58am, or 12:58am - 1hr25m to St. Lazare)
- Check-in/drop bags off (hotel near St. Lazare)
- Afternoon and evening in Montmartre
- Night in Paris
- Saturday, 4/6
- Musée d’Orsay, Rodin museum, St. Germain de Prés
- Night in Paris
- Sunday, 4/7
- Les Grande Boulevards, Arcades, Opéra Garnier visit
- Flight to US (late afternoon CDG)