I'm going to be in Monaco for Christmas this year--very excited about that. I'd like to take a few days or a week to explore the French countryside after that. I definitely want to go to Carcassonne, maybe Amiens or Rhiems as well, probably end up in Paris to fly home. Does anyone have any advice on where else is good to go in the winter, or if any places are less accessible or welcoming in winter? Also, do you recommend taking the train or renting a car? Thanks.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Max: If you haven't yet done so, may I suggest that you closely study a map of France so that you will be able to allow for the number of days needed to see the areas you mentioned, which are widely separated. For what it's worth to you, 90% of people on this site don't seem to be big fans of Monaco, possibly you will want to allow a shorter time there and more time to get to the far corners of France that are represented on your list? Reims is not far by train from Paris with weather the same as Paris that time of year, probably somewhat warmer than Pittsburgh but this is northern Europe so you'll come with appropriate clothes for the weather. Paris, Reims, and Carcassonne are rated by guides like Michelin higher than Amiens. You'll pass through Provence on your way to Carcassonne. The destinations you mention are all easily reachable by rail, except for the heartland of Provence (my suggestion, not yours).
Posted by
OP
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
11 posts
Thanks Kent. Yes, after I wrote this I realized how far away those cathedral towns are, so probably not those this time. Exploring Provence sounds great, and I'll probably do that. No problems in Winter, as far as you know?
Oh, and Monaco is actually for business, so I don't really have flexibility there, but I'll keep that in mind.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Unfortunately, visiting Provence in late December/early January will involve limitations. Provence is famous for its bone chilling winters when the wind blows. It will be OK in larger cities such as Nice and Avignon, but you'll find smaller places buttoned up tight in many cases. Hours of operation of what is open will be shorter and you have only 8 or 9 hours of daylight to work with. In other times of the year I'd suggest a car to get outside the large Provencal cities, but for winter travel a train probably makes sense because the rail connections between the larger cities of Monaco, Nice, Arles, Avignon, and Nimes are good. If still interested in Provence, you might want to focus on Avignon for this trip, then get up to Paris (which I understand you've been to before), there are always things to do in Paris in the winter. And Reims can be easily reached from Paris by train.