We would like help with the itinerary for our first trip to France in mid-September 2016. We are booked on a seven-day RS Paris tour, arriving on the Wednesday morning before the tour begins on Sunday. We have 28 days total, flying into and out of Paris, and hope to gain a broad exposure to the whole country. We want to make the best use of the pre-tour days. Options we’ve thought of, leaving CDG:
- Alps: Train to Annecy and Chamonix to see this area in best weather, back to Paris for tour, then counterclockwise toward Normandy.
- Normandy: Train to Rouen or Caen then car to D-day sights, back to Paris for tour, then clockwise toward the Alps.
- Sites close to Paris such as Chartres, Rouen, and Reims, back to Paris for tour, then clockwise toward the Alps.
We may have the option of switching to the Paris tour that starts on Monday if an extra day in one of these areas would make a big difference in the experience. Thanks for any thoughts on the best way to make use of these pre-tour days.