Hi all! My husband and I are starting our planning journey for a late May 2018 trip to France. We have 12 nights available in France (+2 travel days to and from the US). It will be our first time in France. We did Italy last year (Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre and Venice) and fell in love, but can't quite pull the trigger on another Italy trip without exploring other places first. I might need a little convincing to stick with France! We are also entertaining the idea of a Germany trip, but I'll post on that board for information there. We do want to go to Paris, the Loire Valley and Provence. Other than that, we are open to anything. I really, really want to stay the night in a castle somewhere, it's been a dream of mine since high school french class :) We are B&B kind of people and prefer more of a relaxing schedule to a hustle and bustle-move around every night or two kind of schedule. Good food and wine make up a fairly large percentage of our vacation happiness, so any suggestions there are welcome as well. Thanks!
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
I would feel a little silly trying to convince you to stick with France. I mean, the place speaks for itself! www.ricksteves.com/europe/france
The Loire Valley has a number of "Chateau Hotels" of various ages. Rick's France book lists a few near Amboise. They're easiest to reach with a car, as are the other chateaux you'll want to visit. Another castle-y possibility is to stay a night in the small, walled town of Carcassonne. It was pretty significantly restored, but so was any castle you can actually sleep in.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1336 posts
Cristie, Your 12 days will be plenty full with Provence, the Loire Valley and Paris. I wouldn't add anything else. The Loire Valley would be a solid two days, during which you could see 4 chateaux (2 a day). Remember, you want to enjoy the lovely drive between the chateaux (only about 80-100 miles total), perhaps enjoying a picnic lunch each day.
Paris for a week will allow you to see the main sights there, judiciously chosen according to your tastes, with perhaps a day trip to Fontainebleu, Chartres or Versailles. If you do a Chartres day trip, you can return to Paris in time for a vedette ride on the Seine at twilight and a nice dinner somewhere, without too much rushing around.
Provence, ah Provence! So much to see and a car is the best way to go.....Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Ste. Beaume, Les Beaux, Arles, Vaison-la- Romaine, Cote de Rhone wineries, the Pont de Gard, St Remy de Provence, the calanques, the Camargue, Nimes. There are Roman and Greek ruins all over...in Marseille as well! And lavender fields! The drive to Grasse and St Paul de Vence are not too arduous from there either, if you are so inclined. Towns along the coast, such as Bandol, are relaxing also, and not inundated with American tourists. Your main problem is how to split the extra 10 days between Paris and Provence. A TGV from Paris will get you to the area faster than driving yourself on the tollways/autoroutes. I would definitely, however, rent a car in Provence.
Should you decide to rent a car for the outside-of-Paris trip, you can pick one up at Orly (on the south side of Paris), take the autoroute straight down to Provence, see the sights you choose, and drive up to the Loire Valley before returning to Paris. You can return the car at CDG if that's where you leave from, or at Orly, using public transportation to get to CDG from Paris. My husband and I have driven through every section of France except the coastal areas between Bayonne and Nantes. The Dordogne and Provence/Luberon are our favorites and a car gives us so much freedom to take "the road less traveled."
Whatever you decide, you will have a wonderful time. Eat and drink the local specialties, relax, don't be afraid to alter your choices of things to see or do if the mood strikes you. Many of the places in Provence can be visited from one or two towns as bases. Ditto for the Loire Valley.
We will be in France from late April to mid May for 3 weeks, and anticipate a joyful trip. Bon voyage a vous deux!
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Judy that's exactly what I was looking for! Thanks so much for your response.
Posted by
KS, USA
677 posts
Hi Cristie, I remember feeling the same way after our first big trip (Italy as well!). You'll enjoy anywhere you go, but I have to say France is very special. We loved it and we're going back for round 2 this fall. It's pretty fabulous and I think you'll have a wonderful time!
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15788 posts
I loved driving through France. Without GPS I'd never have found my way around on many of the roads or in towns and cities. There were 2-3 threads in 2015 detailing what you need to know and a few pitfalls people encountered while driving in France. I wish I could put links here, but I'm never successful using the search function. Maybe someone else can help.
It's pretty easy to drive in France, but there are things you really need to know, even if you drove in Italy.