My husband & I are doing a trip to France Aug/Sept 2016. We are firstly staying at a country farmhouse/hotel in the Lot Valley for a 10day artists workshop ending Aug 22. Then we intend to see a bit of France.
We thought of hiring a car in Toulose and travelling to Lourdes, then maybe up to Bordeaux and on to Brittany, Normandy and also Lille before travelling into Paris by train hopefully.
As my husband is mad keen artist he will want to spent some time in Paris and am about to book an apartment somewhere near the metro line. Apartment cant have too many stairs as we are both in our 60's.
Can you advise me as to how many days with stops for sight-seeing & browsing we should allow to get to Paris after leaving the Lot area.
Can you also advise how long you would suggest to book in Paris.
We are hoping that we can also get to the Loire Valley. Maybe cut out the Brittany bit & head to Loire instead. It all seems to be adding more & more.
We are travelling from Australia so am somewhat worried about our low $A against the Euro these days.
Hope someone can share their knowledge with us.
Thanks
Grant&Mary
Posted by
Somerville, MA
653 posts
Hi - here's some info on an artist colony just south of Toulouse:
http://joinusinfrance.com/carla-bayle-in-the-ariege-episode-85/
There's a lot (no pun intended) to do in the southwest if you want to spend all of your non-paris time there. Here's some suggested listening:
http://joinusinfrance.com/episode-20-albi/
http://joinusinfrance.com/mirepoix-episode-81/
http://joinusinfrance.com/cave-paintings-in-france-around-foix-episode-48/
http://joinusinfrance.com/episode-43-saint-cirq-lapopie-in-the-lot/
http://joinusinfrance.com/corbieres-and-tarn-trip-report-episode-78/
http://joinusinfrance.com/sarlat-lascaux-and-more-in-the-dordogne-episode-46/
http://joinusinfrance.com/trip-report-loire-valley-and-dordogne/
http://joinusinfrance.com/bordeaux-episode-44/
http://joinusinfrance.com/episode-40-saint-emilion/
http://joinusinfrance.com/cahors-in-the-lot-episode-62/
http://joinusinfrance.com/episode-31-toulouse-top-7-attractions/
Enjoy - Matt
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
Mary -- I don't know who can help with your first question -- "how many days with stops for sight-seeing and browsing...to get to Paris" -- without knowing how long you have available for your whole trip, and something about your budget for the trip. Maybe you can give us an idea.
For Paris, especially if this is your first visit, I'd say at least a week, maybe two if you can spare the time. You and your mad keen artist husband will have plenty to see and do. And you're right to drop off the car before you get there.
So, counting backward from your return date to Australia, allowing a week for Paris, how much time does that leave for the road trip? Or, if you're lucky, allowing ten days or two weeks for Paris.
Posted by
Sacramento, CA
689 posts
So much does depend on how long you wish to be gone. I haven't been to Brittany, but my husband and I would highly recommend the Loire Valley. The chateaux are fabulous, the river valley is lovely, and the town of Amboise was charming. We are both in our 60's, but active, and did not mind the stairs.
We may be the exception to the rule, but we were in Paris 4 days, and that allowed plenty of time to see the sites. Yes, you could spend more time in the Louvre and the Orsay, but we could see plenty in the time we were there. It all depends on how much time you spend in museums. We enjoyed walking around, and even spent some time relaxing in Luxembourg Gardens. We did a bike tour of Versailles and enjoyed seeing more of the grounds before tackling the palace later in the day when the crowds were less. Wherever you go, just enjoy what you see and don't worry about what you might be missing.