France Itinerary Suggestions - 3 weeks

Natalie, what a great trip! The short answer is that there is something wonderful in every direction, and you have to set priorities.

Yours are pretty clear, including the two most famous wine regions in France. Your itinerary would be simple but for Bordeaux, which is a bit far from your other stops.

Since Bordeaux brings you to the Southwest, I suggest you consider a stop of at least several days (or longer) near the Dordogne valley. Perigordaise cuisine is great, and there are many wonderful sights to see in this beautiful region.

One way to connect all these dots might be Paris - Loire - Burgundy - Lyon - Provence - Perigord - Bordeaux, with a flight to Italy (or maybe ending Bordeaux - Perigord, with a flight from Toulouse).

Alternatively, reversing this itinerary to travel roughly south-north avoids the chilliest weather; fly to Italy from Paris. (On that same score: Why not start in Italy? Italy ravishing in April; France gorgeous in May.)

Two comments on this plan, though.

Either itinerary can be realized by train or car, except for Perigord, but you will probably want to rent a car in Burgundy, Provence, Bordeaux, and the Loire (and Perigord).

Also, this would be an ambitious itinerary for three weeks, but as the start of a seven-week trip I think it is too much. Some sprinting is OK, but you need to vary the pace.

So my final suggestion is for you and yours to get a good map of France and a general knowledge of rail and driving travel times, then decide which destinations are least worth the time it will take to travel to them and brutally eliminate them. An extra day or two at you best destinations may be more rewarding than a long trip for a quick stop in an additional place.

Good luck with it! And very best wishes.

I spent the month of May in France and found Rick Steves' guide books "Paris-2009" and "France - 2009" invaluable.
May was wet and cool in Paris but south of France was warm. Happy Travels

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! Your honeymoon sounds wonderful--just a couple of suggestions...since you love food and wine Lyon is a great destination to include. You might decide to add a day or two in Paris--especially if this is your first time visiting. Also, since you're flying out of Milan, consider a stop in Verona for a couple of nights.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your help.

Adam - thank you for all the detail! We have already booked our flights so it has to be Paris to Milan... but we do want to keep it simple and not cram in too much. So I'll read up in more detail on all the places you mention and decide what to keep or not.

We start in Paris so I hope 4 days is enough... and of course we will be happy wherever we go!

Thanks again :)

Natalie

Sorry - One more thing...

Do you recommend booking a lot of the accommodation before we arrive or leaving it until we are in France? I have found a place in Paris (Hotel Jeanne D'arc) but I'm not too sure how much else we should set in stone or leave to chance.

I figure I will atleast do the research and make lists for each area of where we would like to stay... just not sure whether to book already!

Thanks :)

Natalie, a benefit of traveling in April is that there is no need to tie yourself down with reservations.

The only exception, maybe, is if there is a particular hotel or room where you simply must stay. But it sounds as though you are flexible.

Do call ahead the day before or day of, if there is a place you like the sound of, if only to make sure the place is open and the owners will be around when you arrive. You can even skip that if you are arriving in a city with multiple hotels.

Just one question, can I come?

Actually, I just got back from France. One of my favorite experiences was:

1) Versaille's evening "spectacle" on Saturday night. It costs about $25 per adult, but it is well worth it. The fountains are running and classical music is piped in and they have some special effects throughout the gardens (hardly necessary, but some are quite interesting). The night ends with fireworks. It's really a magical evening. You can buy your tickets on-line through the Versailles website. We did it the morning of the performance. You need not book way ahead.

I also honeymooned in Italy:

I loved the Amalfi Coast! We stayed at Hotel Luna Convento in Amalfi. I also love Capri. I recommend you spend a few nights on that island too if you can.

We are going to Italy in 2011 and I'm planning to go to Cinque Terre as well. I haven't been there yet but it sounds wonderful.