Paris for 2-3 days then Italy ending in Florence

I think that the resort areas of Amalfi and Lake Como will be deserted in early January. While the scenery will be there, the towns will be dead.

Nice might have more going on and you can take short trips to Villefranche sur Mer or other Riviera spots.

Burgundy is another thought, although likely still to be slumbering in off season. I haven't been to Lyon but have wanted to get there because of its reputation for food.

In Italy, Lucca will be on your way and it's beautiful regardless of the season.

Ron, my wife and I have taken the overnight train from Paris - Milan and enjoyed it very much. Reserve a couchette and sleep through France.
We have been to Como several times (Varenna - 1 hr from Milan via train; stay @ Albergo Milano; www.varenna.net, [email protected]) and absolutly love it.
Our last trip in May, we went to Lago Maggiore and thoroughly enjoyed that also. Maggiore (stay @ Il Sole di Ranco)is even more low key than Como but both are great places to unwind at the end of your trip.

In January, Lake Como is not the place to go (because of the weather). The Amalfi coast in January will have limited services and the potential for windy, cold conditions. The cities that offer things to do indoors should be considered. If you're still thinking Amalfi, go to one of the weather websites and figure out what you're up against weather-wise.

Check out Lucca. It is a charming walled city not far from Florence. You can bicycle or walk around the city on top of the wall--it's wide with a road running around. There is great shopping and food with churches, a cathedral, and numerous piazzas. Frequent trains run to Pisa and from there it is another short train ride to Florence. Your whole family will enjoy it.

That time of year argues for an urban itinerary--more to do after dark, more options if the weather is bad. You might consider Lyon, which is enroute from Paris to Italy.

I'm not sure about January, but we enjoyed the Provence area (stayed in Arles) on our last trip more than Nice. (Nice was terribly congested in September, and since it's a winter destination for northern Europe, I don't know how different it is in January.) It probably depends on what kind of activity level you want.

If you're ending up in Florence, you might consider spending some time in Siena. It is also a lovely walled city, and since it's larger we thought it had more to offer than Lucca.

i agree with the recommendations about Lucca: one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Just make sure you get the fast train from Florence; there is also a very, very slow train that takes forever.