Itinerary Feedback/Ideas

Looks good to me. I would probably make the following small changes:

1. train to Lyon and pick up the car there unless you have a reason to see Dijon
2. I would spend 4 nights in Arles instead of breaking up Provence into two - but I dislike Avignon - others prefer it
3. Sarlat is great, but keep in mind that it doesn't have the river. If you want to stroll the river in the evenings, Beynac is a better choice. Sarlat has many more restaurants though.
   
4. Unless you have a specific reason to see Orleans, i would stay closer to Tours/Amboise.
   

-Matt

Since you will have a car, how about staying in a smaller place (we liked St. Remy de Provence) instead of the cities of Arles and Avignon ? Parking probably easier/cheaper.

Thanks Matt,
Your reply is welcome and timely. We have not booked anything for the Sarlat area yet, nor Orleans. And I haven't arranged the car rental (or train tickets), so, Dijon might be skipped as well.

In Avignon, we are staying on a barge in the river (across the bridge from the old town), so maybe that will make it more interesting?

The reason I was thinking pick up the car in Dijon was for the drive through Burgundy and a stop in Cluny (for the ruins0, but Cluny is easily reached from Lyon as well, I think.

Orleans was selected because of its train connection to Paris and proximity to the Loire Chateaus, but as I look into car rentals, a drop off at Orly (even though we fly out of CDG) before our last night in Paris doesn't seem too problematic, which would make Tours, etc. workable.

Your reply is just the sort of reason I post here!! Thank you for the thoughts!

Laura,
I agree with the idea (and wished I had posted here sooner), but managed to get a place (actually a river boat) with parking in Avignon for about $100/night (five minute walk across the bridge into the old city) and since we like to walk, this seemed pretty reasonable. But in hindsight, we might have been better someplace other than the heart of Arles (Hotel De l'amphitheatre).

Thanks. For the Loire, I usually use the tours tgv station at St Pierre Des corps. It is small and easy to manage, has plenty if rental car agencies and is an easy drive to Amboise. It is on the Paris time Bordeaux tgv line. Also, that line goes directly to cdg if you want to spend your last night in the Loire.

And yes, I agree. Avignon by house boat sounds cool.

Matt

Hi bnelson. I think this is a thoughtful itinerary with a lot of charm. 6 nights in Sarlat, hurrah! Though the small towns in the valley are also very nice. But I do have a few observations.

You do not need a car for this trip until you get to Provence. By the time you finish picking up your car in Dijon, you can be in Lyon. Remember, the TGV trains are very much faster than your motor vehicle.

You have plenty of driving through much of France, so you will not feel shortchanged if you do not also drive from Dijon to Avignon.

Wherever you stay in Provence (and I would at argue against Avignon), make things a little easier and stay in one place. Arles, St. Remy, and Avignon are about 20 minutes from each other, and you gain little by packing up and unpacking in yet another place.

if you magically gain another day, spend it in Lyon.

By the way, there is great cave art on the way to Sarlat, in the Grotte du Peche Merle.

Have a great trip!

For a different experience try to visit Carrieres de Lumieres at Les Baux de Provence. Not only is Les Baux delightful, the Carrieres de Lumieres show is completely unique. It is very close to Avignon and would make a very good diversion for you trip.
Enjoy

Since someone has added another idea (the Carrieres et Lumieres sounds cool), I'll provide a quick update on how plans have changed or been modified.
Dijon is gone. Train straight to Lyon from Paris. (Still start driving from Lyon, wife wants to make a trip to see the ruins at Cluny, for example.)
And, in the Loire, we will stay in Amboise, instead of Orleans.
Thanks for all the input. Now trying to figure out where to eat in all these places!

Where will you be staying in Lyon ? Does it include easily accessible parking ? I ask only because we picked Citadines Presq l'Isle partly for the parking but found it was NOT guaranteed -- we were able to park but people checking in an hour later were told "parking complet" (full) -- and by the time we had found the hotel through Lyon traffic my husband refused to take the car out again.

In Lyon, we are in an airbnb on Quai Victor Augagneur with free parking on premises, so I hope that means we are okay.