Marseille to Paris Itinerary

Posted by etollef on 04/21/15 06:32 PM

I would love suggestions on the feasibility of this 16 day, early summer 2015 itinerary. We have already purchased plane tickets and will be traveling by train with point to point tickets.
.
1: Fly into Marseille. Train to Avignon
2-3: See the Provence area around Avignon, especially Pont du Gard, Arles, Les Beaux, St Remy
4: Isle Sur la Sorgue market, train from Avignon to Annecy, sleep Annecy
5: Annecy
6:Annecy market, train to Chamonix, sleep Chamonix
7:Take lift to Aguille de midi, sleep Chamonix
8: Early train from Chamonix to Colmar
9: Colmar, bike to Eguisheim, or day trip to Strasburg, sleep Colmar.
10: Take train from Colmar to Reims, see cathedral, continue to Paris.
11-15: Paris, including day trip to Versaille
16: Fly out of CDG.

Is this too fast paced? Would you spend fewer nights in Avignon and facilitate seeing Les Beaux by staying in Arles/St Remy for one night? Thank you for your advice.

Posted by Kent

US Pacific Northwest

04/21/15 07:24 PM

10344 posts

On day 2, just be aware that it will require extra planning and time for you to see the country locations (Pont du Gard, Les Beaux, St. Remy) without a car or at least signing up for a van tour--because these locations are in the country where the trains don't go.
You can do it by bus, I guess, but it will require extra planning and time.

Posted by Laura

Rick Steves' Europe

04/21/15 10:23 PM

16893 posts

Sounds like a fine, considered plan. I don't notice any other issues of concern.

Posted by Southam

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

04/22/15 01:51 PM

4037 posts

In case you haven't researched the train connection between Marseille and Avignon, here are some basics. There is no need to go into Marseille's central train station. A regional train runs from Marseille Provence airport to the old central station in Avignon. It begins with a five-minute shuttle bus to the airport train stop, formally called Vitrolles Aeroport Marseille Provence. Or you can take a 10-minute bus to the Aix TGV station and whisk to the Avignon TGV station on the outskirts of that city, where there is a brief rail connection into the centre.
Sources of info:

http://www.marseille-airport.com/

http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en

Posted by Zoe

Toledo, Ohio, US

04/22/15 04:51 PM

11613 posts

I went from Nimes to Pont-du-Gard by bus, it took most of a day. I don't think you can see four different sites in one daytrip. Otherwise, it looks good.

Posted by Dave

Eugene, Oregon...Formerly Ventura, CA

04/22/15 06:18 PM

2261 posts

As Southam has said, you can shuttle to Vitrolles station from the airport. Just a caution-when we arrived there at 10 on a Saturday morning in September, there was no staff at the ticket booth there, and the only way we were able to purchase tickets was using a true chip and pin credit card. As I recall there was no provision to purchase from the machine with cash.

We bought a pair also for a young couple that was on our flight, their non c & p card would not work. If this is a concern then heading for the TGV at Aix, as Southam also mentioned, would be a better bet.

Also, if you're feeling frisky after a long flight, and if you arrive early enough in the day, you may consider training to Arles to have a look, however brief. We did this, and while we were in a bit of a fog it was an enjoyable way to stretch our legs, and also to kill some time til out B & B was ready for us in Avignon. We had a great lunch al fresco by the Arena.

If you love oysters be sure to find the guys in Avignon's indoor market (Les Halles), they're in one of the corners, great spot.

Posted by etollef OP

04/26/15 06:01 AM

4 posts

Thank you for your help! I edited our list of places to see in Provence based on your recommendations.