Hi there, This is my boyfriend and I's first trip to France. We are trying to decide the best area to spend roughly 8 days before heading to Paris for another 5 full days. We were planning on traveling by train from Barcelona (March 1st) to either Provence area or possibly fly to the Normandy region. We will definitely not be renting a car. We're looking to spend some relaxing time in the countryside / smaller towns before we hit the city of Paris, but aren't sure what to expect in the off-season. We enjoy hiking and the great outdoors but wouldn't mind enjoying some of the local restaurants either. Any wisdom would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
Posted by
Vancouver
32 posts
If you like the outdoors, you might prefer Provence to Normandy, which can rainy in March. Also, Provence is on your route and you can be sightseeing instead of travelling further. You could head from Barcelona to Arles for a day, with its VanGogh history and great town center; then go to Avignon which could be a great base to see some of the hilltop villages or go wine tasting on the Rhone. From Avignon, there's a really quick train (TGV) to Paris. Have fun!
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Wherever you go, I would not stay to far from a city or two. In bad weather, cities have cafes, museums, and nightlife. For that reason I second the suggestion of Provence. If the weather is good you can rent a car and get out into the countryside, but otherwise you can have a rewarding couple of days in Avignon, Arles, and Nimes, which are connected by rail (chose one as a base). Lyon is also enroute to Paris from Provence and ought to be good for a few days. You can safely travel without reservations that time of year, and thus turn on a dime and decide as you go based on weather and other things. Be warned however that some buses will be on limited schedule or outright hiatus that time of year. Thus the car suggestion, though you could probably scare up some bicycles if that appeals to you.
Posted by
OP
Toronto, ON, Canada
4 posts
Thanks so much, a lot of great advice. We've planned a loose itinerary which I'll be posting in a new thread to get some feedback on. I would love your opinion if you have time - thanks again!