Revised Schedule

It is a pity you deleted your original post, as it contains good advice for you, and its always best to show how your plans have evolved. I am not sure what plans you have for renting a car and for what areas.
Sep 2 - Train from Paris to Nice - 4 nights
Sep 3 - Cannes + Antibes
Sep 4 - Monaco (Monte Carlo)
Pick up hire car
Sep 5 - St Paul de Vence + Grasse
Sep 6 - Drive via Aix en Provence to Arles - 4 nights
Sep 7 - Nimes + Pont du Gard
Sep 8 - Les Baux + St Remy de Provence
Return hire car
Sep 9 - Avignon
Sep 10 - Train to Marseille - 1 night
Sep 11 - Put your son on a flight from Marseille to Munich
Lufthansa LH2263 Operated by Lufthansa CityLine
dep 13:30 MRS Marseille / arr 15:05 MUC Munich

Thanks David...

I am a newbie here...so I didn't think about what I was deleting. There were many that were commenting on old info and it was becoming rather confusing.

I do have great retention though...and I've spent hours on here reading. It's soooo amazing the info. I bought Rick's 2016 France book too...so I've been having so much fun planning!
Do you think we should just rent the car in Nice if we train there from Paris? And should we just keep it the rest of the time in Provence and the South?

I'm still undecided about what my husband and I will do after our son goes back to Munich. I know we want to do the Normandy area, and I would love to stay the entire month in France.
Should we keep the car and drive back up through the Loire to Normandy and return the car to Paris if/when we fly out of there? (I don't have our return trip booked yet...."wink wink")

Some places you will find a car helpful, and some places a hindrance (with traffic and parking). There are good local trains around Nice and Avignon/Arles. Take advantage of that and consider splitting your time with, and without a car. (See my edited version above).

You then have direct TGV from Marseille to the Loire Valley, where I'd pick up another car.
TGV 5368
Dep 12:39 MARSEILLE ST CHARLES (France)
Arr 17:29 ST PIERRE DES CORPS (France)
TER 7369
Dep 17:37 ST PIERRE DES CORPS (France)
Arr 17:42 TOURS (France)

Shuttle buses to the airport from the station in Marseille run regularly if you are co ordinating departures with your son.
http://www.marseille-airport.com/access-car-parks/access/shuttle-buses/marseille-station-centre

You are so helpful...thank you!!!

Kim

Kim,

David has given you a great path to follow.

I have two suggestions...

Fly Easyjet, Paris Orly to Nice.
Flight time is 1H25min.
Prices start around 55 euro.
Inter European flight, you need to be at the gate 1-1/2 hours before.

The fast train consumes 5H38m. Cost is about double.
You need to be at Gare de Lyon at least 30-40 minutes prior.

I personally am not a fan of Monaco. Take a look at Villefrache-sul-mar. Sweet medieval village. Best in this area with a good beach. Easy access from the airport. Taxi to st. Laurent-du-Var, 5 min. Then 20 minute train ride along the coast.

I would stay here and train into
Nice.

FWIW for the very little time you have Strasbourg is IMHO a far better choice than Colmar the popularity of which escapes me having visited both. The Strasbourg Cathedral, old town and the river boat trip to the EU headquarters and through old town is more than enough for the time you have.

Paris to Nice I would definitely train. By the time you add getting to the airport, the extra time you need to be at the airport for security and getting from the airport to the city at your destination you have not saved much time and added a lot of aggravation.

Curious why would you need to be at Gare de Lyon 30 to 40 minutes prior to the train departure time? Is there now security slowing things down? We always found 15 to 20 minutes to be sufficient - less for smaller stations and more for for larger (Berlin). Add more time if you need to buy a ticket.

Absolutly agree with Janet about Strasbourg.

Flying is a good option if you've done this trip a few times, but I suggest sticking with the train if this is your first time. From Paris to Marseille the train whizzes, but after Marseille the train slows because it's no longer on TGV tracks. You get to enjoy the scenery from Marseille to Nice along the coast, which is manificent.

Good suggestion from Gerri re Villefranche-sur-Mer.

The reason I recommend 30-40 minutes is the track is not even posted until 20 minutes prior to leaving. This station can be wall to wall passengers between 8-10. This is a first time for Kim and her family, and rather than a mad dash would like them to have ample time to navigate the station.

Since they are using trains from Nice westward did not think it was necessary to do that area twice.

Which is why a flight might make sense.