My daughter (adult) and I have travel plans for 17 days in France in Sept. Our itinerary is: 5 nights in Paris, train to Brive, car for 3 days in the Dordogne, 2 days in Bordeaux, fly to Lyon, train to Dijon, around Dijon for 2 days, car through Burgundy going south for 3 days, Lyon 2 nights, fly home from Lyon. We've booked a flat in Paris, we've booked 2 nights in Dijon (because it's a weekend) and the rest, we're winging. Except I want a recommendation for dinner-of-a-lifetime in Lyon, and a hotel or area to be in for early morning access to LSY airport. Any ideas? Thanks.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Ducking the eat and sleep questions, and butting in where not invited:
You got to many changes in mode of transportation that will eat up time.
You're renting a car for a couple of short periods and odds are you will come out cheaper if you keep one longer.
Paris to Brive is a four hour drive. Bordeaux to Lyon is five at the most. Door-to-door, both trips are probably faster by car.
Rent the car as you leave Paris, get rid of it when you get to Lyon. Restructure the driving trip, if possible, so you don't criss-cross the country.
Lyon eating: Nicolas Le Bec. I've only eaten there once. Bring several pocketbooks.
If you can swing eating there, you have no use for my ideas of places to stay.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
There is a Michelin 3 star restaurant in Lyon, Paul Bocuse, which would be a dinner-of-a-lifetime that I could never aspire to.
Posted by
Springfield, VA, USA
283 posts
I can recommend one in Paris: Benoit. It is an Alan Ducasse restaruant in the fourth. 20 rue St Martine. Here is alink to the Michelin site, which includes links to the website:
http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Restaurants#description@poi=5826_41102
We ate there last year, and it was a very memorable experience. The food was wonderful, the service impeccable, and it did not require two pocketbooks--just one with plenty of money in it!
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Ed may be right. But if it were me I'd probably do it Dede's way.
There's no way I could drive as efficiently as Ed, also I dislike long car trips.
There's a 4-hour train to Brive. That's quicker than I could drive, accounting for actually getting the car and getting it on the road and stopping for lunch. (I might look into the 2-1/2-hour train to Angouleme, though).
Even the notoriously optimistic ViaMichelin says the drive from Bordeaux to Lyon will be 5-1/2 hours. Your mileage certainly may vary, but I know that I could not do it that quickly and that it would not be fun.
Besides, Dede & daughter will need a car to see a bit of Burgundy.
Posted by
OP
Chicago
37 posts
Thanks for the responses so far. Ed and Adam, my reasoning is that it's only 17euro for the train from Paris to Brive, and even though it's 4.5 hrs, it's the beginning of our journey so we won't be burned out yet. Renting a car for 3 or 4 days really let's us do a lot in the Dordogne region and Bordeaux wine country. Then, it's only $25@ extra to add a flight to Lyon from Bordeaux on my open jaw fare. Flight to Lyon is 1 hr. compared to 5 or 6 hrs. driving. WORTH IT to me. I could rent the car in Lyon and drive up then back from Dijon. But the train on a Saturday afternoon from Lyon to Dijon has some relaxing appeal. I would rent a car from Dijon and take 3 to 4 days to get to Lyon, sleep over, then catch an early flight back to Chicago. Thoughts??? and thanks again.