Advise on France

Marseille is worth a visit. after Provence, why not go next door to the French Riviera and visit Nice with side trips to small towns like Villefranche, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, Menton, then on to Monaco? You could work you way back up through France and then visit Belgium as well, but, of course, you would have to go across the whole of France. I'm sure you'll find lots of interesting places to stop along the way! bon voyage!

Thanks for the advise.
I heard the French Riverira is nice.

Would it take about a day to get a train across to Belgium?

I wonder how the weather will be im May?

Stew, it would take most of a day, with a transfer across Paris, to get from Provence to Belgium. It's at least worht comparing airfares. But won't you have just come from there on your tour? I'd rather go someplace different. If you want to add Brugges, maybe go there before your tour?

With 10 days you could go just about anywhere, so it's hard to make useful suggestions about that without knowing what you'd like to do. Sounds like you are putting together a very memorable trip for yourself--good luck!

Stew,

After your eight days in Provence, I suggest that you travel northeast into Switzerland...spend 3 to 5 days there then drop down into N. Italy..and spend the remaining time between Venice and Milan (fly out of Venice...easy small airport close to town)

thanks Bill, Susan and Adam

Very good sugestions.

I am bad for trying to do too much but once over in Europe there is just too much to see.
I have been 5 times and feel like i just scratched the surface.

The bike tours are real good for slowing you down.
My last bike tour was from Passau Germany to Vienna along the Danube. That is one of the best things I have done. Just don't get into the wine if you still have to ride.

Anyways after the military tour with the guys, I will be on my own, which ends in Paris.

Is Burges far fron Paris? Maybe I could do it then and then head down to Avigon where the bike tour starts.

I like the idea of going to Italy.
I seem a lot of Italy but not so much of the north except Venice. I did not know Venice had an airport.

so maybe heading by train/bus from Provence to Milan and flying home from Rome.

What other areas of Northern Italy are ther that would be worh seeing?

Paris-Bruges is 2 1/2 hours by train.

Bruges-Avignon is 6-7 hours by train.

Definetley the Cinque Terre. It sounds like you are an active person and it is a hikers dream! Plus they have mountain bike trails there.

I am assuming that Burges is Brugges, an old town in Belgium not far from the Dutch border. It's something like 3 hours from Paris.

Brugges is charming, and there is terrific food and beer, but it might be a place to save until you can work it in to an itinerary with less zigzagging. Some people think Paris, where you will be, is charming and has pretty good food, though good beer harder to find.

I don't mean to discourage you and if you know you want to see it this trip you should go. Just trying to save you a long haul from Belgium to Avignon, but maybe you don't care about that.

I did mean Brugges Belgium.

You are right. Maybe I would be wasting too much time. That could be for another time.

I think I will concentrate going into Italy and fly home from there.
I really ltaly especially the pizza.
I have only been in Rome 2 short days so I think it need more exploring

Stew if you're doing the First WW sites, you won't be all that far from Brugges. If you're going West to east in your tour, you may be able to take a day and a night to visit Bruges, then head back to Paris. It depends on where your final stop is before you head south. O/wise, as the other suggest, Italy is a great place to stop over once you've finished the tour of Provence.