Itinerary - One Month in France

Check out logis-de-france.com for accommodation in each area. This is a group of small family-owned inns, most with on-site parking. They are all over France.

I think this sounds delightful, and the pacing should allow you to get at least a decent taste of these regions, more than that in the case of Provence. There are several long travel days, but in the course of a month that's not bad.

I think you could consider keeping the car you rent in Burgundy through Alsace. Driving to Colmar should take about as long as the train trip, so it's really a question of how you'd feel about a small road trip, perhaps with a stop or two enroute.

Have you considered flying into Marseilles to start? I would find a trip from Orly to the Luberon to be a small ordeal following a transatlantic flight.

I think your pacing sounds good. I would rent the car in Avignon and keep it until you go to Paris, since you plan to have a car in each area anyway. The longer the term of your rental, the less expensive it is per day. You can travel on your own timetable and stop to see something enroute if you so desire. This would work best if you end the driving portion in Rouen or Bayeux. Last month we had a car for 2 weeks in France. We picked it up at Gare du Nord in Paris, then drove from there to Bayeux, Mont St. Michel, Amboise (Loire), Burgundy (Beaune area), and Provence (St. Remy). We dropped the car in Avignon and took the train back to Paris for 6 nights there.

In the Beaune area we stayed at Le Clos des 4 Saisons in La Rochepot. The rooms are huge and have private back patios. It was too cool for us to take advantage of that, but it would be wonderful in the summertime. We also spent one night at a B&B further north in Burgundy, in the small town of Massangis, called Carpe Diem. It would be on your way to the Alsace. The owners are delightful, and they serve dinner every night except Thursdays. We planned our route to avoid being there on a Thursday, because we were told we had to eat there. It was the best meal we had on our almost 6 week trip. Actually, it ranks right up there with the best meals I've ever had.

Sounds like a great trip!

Looks great to me. Good itinerary. Lucky you! Have fun.

I would definitely check the possibility of flying into Nice. Last spring we found that it wasn't significantly more expensive than into CDG and taking the train south and much more convenient. We decided to spend 2 nights (lots to see there), then drive on to Provence. As I recall, picking up the car in town was quite a bit cheaper than doing so at the airport. The poster who advised to keep the car rather than do several short rentals is correct. The cost/day drops a lot as the rental gets longer. Most, if not all, the rental companies allow a drop-off in a different city in the same country, with no fee. You can check the various options by putting in dates on the AutoEurope website to see how different scenarios would play out. You might also look at leasing. With a 4 week trip you meet the minimum time requirement; however, we found that it was a lot more expensive for a 4 weeks than renting.

Whether you rent a car for the whole time or use a combination of rental cars and trains is up to you and how you want to travel. Two years ago I did a 4 week 'road trip' around France similar to your plans. I decided that I just didn't want to drive everywhere so I used a combination. I flew into Paris, trained to Nice, trained to Avignon, rented a car in Avignon and drove around Provence basing myself in Roussillon for 5 nights, returned the car in Avignon and trained to Annecy, trained to Colmar and rented another car there that I used to travel around Normandy, Brittany, and Loire Valley, dropped the car in Chartres and trained from there to Paris. For me it was better to break up the driving part into two areas and use trains before, after, and between them - mostly because I was driving solo and that can be a little more intense than with another person as navigator. Car rental costs were about the same (maybe slightly more) as if I had rented continually for the 4 weeks and I was happy with my decision.

Loved my hotel in Roussillon - Hotel Reves d'Ocres - it was small and personal and included breakfast and included free parking across the street. In Colmar I stayed in RS recommended Chez Leslie, just a couple of blocks from the train station, good location on a residential street, very nice and very good price. In Bayeux I stayed at Chambre d'Hote Le Relais De La Tour Louise - fantastic small b&b next to the Cathedral.

I envy you your wonderful upcoming trip.

Thanks so much to everyone for responding--all helpful comments! Adam, Andrea, Rosalyn, and Nancy your comments re car vs. train or combo helped me consider keeping car for whole trip. Hubby and I had planned to share driving so with your comments may consider keeping car for long term. Will definitely compare costs.

Had already considered flying into Marseille and Nice but have points through British Air and could get to Avignon faster by flying to Paris and then train vs. long layover in London for flight to Marseille. Flight to Paris and train is long day but less time than flying into Marseille with my points. Also checked into Eurostar from London but if I used points best deal for $ and hours of travel was direct to Paris. Train is only little over 2.5 hrs from Paris. Layover in London much more. If I didn't love British Air so much I'd look at other credit cards.

Thanks for awesome suggestions on lodging....Looking at all.

Many thanks to everyone for your response. This forum is awesome!

I agree with the idea of consolidating your car rental, e.g., keeping the same car longer. You can get comfy with one car, making that your home on the road, and avoiding train schedule deadlines. Often, the rate to rent for 5, 6, or 7 days is all the same price. Autoroutes for the longer distances come with tolls, but the driving is easy; see also www.viamichelin.com for route advice and toll estimates.

If you buy a nonrefundable advance-discount TGV train ticket from Paris Gare de Lyon to Avignon, then you have no recourse if you miss that train, which makes the bus/RER or taxi connections from the airport a bit nerve-wracking. Orly is an easy place to pick up a car, but you might not be ready to drive coming right off a trans-Atlantic flight.

I will just chime in again on the car or cars as the case may be. Not all of these proposed auto segments are the same. The train to Beaune from Avignon is about 3 hours and driving might take you 4 or 5. Advantage train, arguably.

You have to weigh that against other considerations, such as time spent dropping off and picking up each rental. Maybe you like to drive. Maybe there's a stop you'd like to make enroute. But maybe the train is best for that segment, for you.