I apologize as I’ve already asked a similar question, but I’m just undecided on what to do. Without complicating things too much, basically we are currently planning for 5 nights in Provence with 4 nights to then spend leisurely getting back up to Paris for the final leg of our trip. If we cut our Provence stay to 4 nights and spend two in either Antibes or Nice, we’d still have 3 nights to get back to Paris. My husband’s thought was to keep Provence to 5 and skip Cote D’Azur. If we go with that, we’d probably stay 2 nights in either Lyon or Annecy and then 2 in Colmar or Strasbourg(or add a night in Paris?). I’ve never done this long of a trip so just having a hard time knowing what to prioritize. Any suggestions are welcome!
Posted by
Paris
10382 posts
What time of year is your trip ?
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Early June!
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10729 posts
I’ve encountered misty, foggy days in June along the Côté d’azur when I’ve gone to visit family near Monaco. It’s a weather transition time.
Nowhere is a must if you don’t want to go and it squeezes your other stops.
Posted by
Alsenborn, Germany
1629 posts
One of my trip this year will be to drive Dijon, Lyon, Provence, to the water and then back via Basel.
Make sure you hit Caverne du Pont d'Arc while down there.
Posted by
Somerville, MA
678 posts
I’ve been to all the places you’ve mentioned and like Côte d’Azur the least of them.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1471 posts
Not a must. Further down on my list after Paris, Bretagne, Provence, Dordogne region, Alsace, Normandy, Loire region. But I live in Southern California, so beaches are not a focus for me. However,if you choose the Cote d'Azur, I would begin there, then go to Provence, as it is more linear on the way to Paris. Provence means backtracking, unless you choose to fly from Nice to Paris.
Posted by
Nice, France & San Francisco
723 posts
I've never seen a misty, foggy day in June (0% chance per holidayweather) in the Cote d'Azur. The Atlantic coast, yes, definitely. As of late, there have been some blistering hot days in June in Provence and there can be rainy days (usually on part of a day) along the Cote.
I would agree it is out of your way, just like spending 2 in Colmar is out of your way. People often fly direct into the Nice airport and then route their way back up to Paris. There are five flights direct to the US in June and it is the second most trafficked airports after the Paris ones. Thus the open jaw often makes sense as Provence sort of officially starts when you cross the Var river next to the airport.
It really depends on your priorities and interests. You can easily spend 4 days heading back to Paris by stopping in Lyon and environs, Annecy (slightly out of the way), Beaune (Dijon) and Fontainebleu.
Posted by
Gulf Coast, usa
1200 posts
We did a similar trip a couple of years ago. Flew into Nice, spent a couple of nights (we did have rain on and off) then train to Avignon which we only did a couple of nights (again rain, so it encouraged us to move on)/ We did a walk in the rain trip to Arles from Avignon, and worked our way back to Paris. Nice was nice, glad we did it once, but I would do Strasbourg/Colmar over and over. Easy trip from Paris on the train, with lots of options for day trips to Gengenbach, Germany, Baden Baden, Equisheim, the wine towns, etc. Love Alsace. Nice was lovely, but the beaches were rock and not what you think. You can easily day trip to Antibes and Cannes or even Monaco from Nice which gives you some options.
Posted by
Monrovia, CA, USA
63 posts
If you do decide to go to the Cote D'Azur unless your love is of cities and nightlife, Villfranche-sur-mer is much more picturesque. (recommended by Rick Steves) As a person who is often undecided perhaps ask yourself questions like, will this be my only time to France? What speed of travel do I prefer? Does it make logistical sense? What does the rest of your trip look like, will it be a nice blend of water vs countryside vs city?