5 Week Itinerary

I haven't been to many of the areas you are going to, but I would have loved more than my 4 nights in Burgundy (based in Avallon) and I never got to Dijon. I also spent 3 nights in Eguisheim and then 2 in Strassbourg (where I dropped the car).

You should be aware of Paris' restrictions about apartments.
You should look for the 13-digit registration number - it may be buried in the copy.

This is in effect for all property owners' and their financial information, and it cannot be faked.

Carcassonne will be a bother to unpack and pack...
And I don't know where you plan to stay "somewhere".

I think three nights for Alsace is short. I happily spent a full day in Colmar, between the wonderful Unterlinden Museum and the gorgeous historic area. Then you have the large Strasbourg and many charming small towns.

Whether 3 nights is right for Annecy depends on what you want to do. The town is very pretty but not large, and it is incredibly touristy. Do you plan side-trips?

What a great trip!

The only actual change I would suggest is to stay in Beaune, not Dijon.

When we took a five-week trip through France years ago, we stayed a whole week in Provence. This let us rent a nice place on a sunday-though-saturday basis (many rentals are so organized). But it also modulated the pacing of the trip in a way we found beneficial.

I'd suggest using those unallocated days to bring Provence or one of your other destinations up to a full week. A 5 week trip is a marathon, not a sprint.

Other than that, I suspect you may feel that one of your nights on the Riviera may have been spent better in either Alsace or Burgundy. Also, you can save a little road time if you rearrange things.

For instance, if you fly into Toulouse and start in the Dordogne, you can skip the long drive from the Loire. Or, if you are willing to skip Carcassonne, you could (after the Dordogne) fly from Toulouse or Bordeaux to Nice, then resume your itinerary by going Arles > Annecy etc.

In the latter case you would rent 2 cars, picking up the second in Provence. But the gains are not great from either gambit.

Have a magnificent time!

I agree with Adam about Beaune. It's easier to drive in and out of, very walkable, has some worthwhile sights, and is a quick train trip to Dijon if you want to see the museum or other sights there.

I think an overnight in Carcassonne is a good idea, try to get a room inside the old walled city if you can. It's best appreciated after and before the daytime crowds.

This looks like a great trip. How many of us can you take along in your car? ;-)

I just noticed from reading Kay's other thread that she and hers have apparently decided to leave the Riviera for another time.

This makes for a more compact and efficient itinerary, since Nice was a sort of logistical outlier.

I would therefore definitely suggest a full week someplace (such as Provence), and perhaps an extra day in each of Burgundy, Alsace, and the Dordogne. if you have unallocated days, Lyon is a really knockout destination, and right in the middle of your route.

Hi All,
I've listened to your advice and incorporated some of it into my other post about the Riviera.. You're right that Nice was an outlier. I've added more days to Provence, Beaune, Dordogne, and Alsace. We're planning to go to the Alps but if the weather isn't looking good, we'll head to Lyon. You're the best!
Merci Beaucoup!
Kay