I am planning my first trip to Europe late Sept/early Oct. We are starting in France for 7 days and moving on to northern Italy for 7 days. Does this itinerary sound reasonable?..... Paris 3 nights (on our last day we would like to take a day trip to Rouen, before a 3 night stay in Annecy. I believe there is a 4 hour train to Annecy. After Annecy, I believe we can take a bus to Geneva airport so we can fly to Florence. Do you see any issues? Thank you for your help.
Posted by
Washington DC
28096 posts
I think your logistical plans sound fine.
It depends on what you want to do in each place, of course, but spending your first 3 nights in Paris may give you only 2 full, usable days there. A lot of people are walking zombies on their arrival day due to a combination of jetlag and sleep-deprivation. It's often impossible to do much more than walk around outdoors, fighting to stay awake. Of your 2 days (or 2-1/2 if you're lucky enough to sleep on airplanes) you're planning to spend one on a day trip to Rouen. Rouen is a very pretty place (I liked it a lot), but it isn't Paris. If your preference is for smaller cities, there's no law that says you have to go to Paris at all. It takes longer to get settled and oriented in a huge city like Paris. If your heart isn't in it, why go there?
Annecy is also lovely, but its historic area is not particularly large. 2-1/2 days there will give you lots of time; maybe too much time unless you have special plans. The city was seriously overrun with tourists during my mid-week visit on June 20-22, 2017. I imagine it will not be so crazy in September.
Posted by
OP
23 posts
Thank you for your advice - very helpful. Yes, hoping to sleep ok on the plane. We want to see just a few places in Paris since we are flying in - I want to give it a whirl. We mainly want to eat good food and see just a couple of classic sites during our short time. Our goal for this trip is to spend time in smaller cities and not being in a rush. We want to actually vacation lol.
Posted by
613 posts
As this is your first trip, acraven correctly warns you about jet lag. To best combat jet lag, force yourself to stay awake until at least 10:00pm on arrival day, and get out in the sun as early as possible the next morning.
As I understand your plans, you arrive in Paris on day/night 1. You will get to your hotel in early afternoon, so stay on the left bank near Isle de la Cite and after you check in, hit the streets to savor the atmosphere and perhaps visit Notre Dame and/or St Chapelle.
Day 2: basic bus tour of Paris
Day 3: Rouen. Not a bad idea, but consider Versaille
Annecy. I like Annecy. I've been there at lesast 4 times. I have a cat freind in Annecy. We hang out after dinner. But I can't understand why anybody would want to spend 3 consecutive days in Annecy.
For 2-4 people, rental car is usually the best buy in travel and the best way to see Europe. Suggested route: Paris to Rhiems to Nancy to the Route de Vin Alsace (one of Europe's top sights) to Annecy to Grenoble to Italy.
Note: route N91 from Grenoble to Italy offers short detours to L'Alp de Duez (the most famous climb on the Tour de France) and to the Oratory at Chazoulais, the most spectacular view point in the Alps.
Posted by
OP
23 posts
We don't want to spend all of our time just in Paris before Annecy. Is a day trip doable to Rouen followed by spending the night back at our base in Paris before heading to Annecy?
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
I see no problem with your itinerary except maybe for the Rouen part. Since you've never been to Europe and will be in Paris first, why not spend the whole 3 days there? Annecy is a beautiful town, so 3 days there is fine (we spent a week there the first time, and have been back several times). Even w/o a car you can walk and take buses around the lake.