Help with 2 week Itinerary in France + rail and car advice

The car/rail combo saverpass is not as good a deal as it once was, but could still be best for you, because of the flexibility it offers. So you should cost it out versus tickets plus short-term rental in Beaune and wherever else.

You could do this itinerary entirely by rail, especially if you might rent bicycles in Beaune. There are some great bicycle day trips with that town as a base. Nice and Monaco are accessible by rail and bus.

However, if you want to get out into the countryside a bit farther--to Vezeley or the Fontenay Abbey or Semur in Burgundy, for instance--you probably want a car. Similarly in Nice. But I'd think carefully about exactly what you want to see, because maybe you don't need a car after all.

There's more than one way to skin the cat. Yours is as good as any. In fact, I like yours better.

I'd change the transportation a bit, however. Get the car as you leave Paris and drive to Nice. You'll find more stops along the way that you're not yet aware of. Also. initally bypass Nice and go straight to Monaco (about a half-hour drive on the freeway) and you can back through Eze or along the coast.

You don't need a car in Lyon, but it's not a real hard city to drive in. I'm on dangerous ground since I drive, but I suspect getting a car would be cheaper than a rail pass and you might not even need to use the trains at all.

To give you an idea of the driving times. I've never driven directly from Paris to Nice, but I've driven from Marseille to Paris. I was moving right along, but made it in eight hours including a couple of quick stops.

Thanks for the info.

I noticed that Rick Steves recommends seeing the Western part of France as a first priority (Normandy - Loire - Dordogne - Carcassonne), and puts the Burgundy area near the bottom of his priority list (even saying to skip it and the Alps altogether if you only have 2 weeks.

With my Paris - Beaune - Lyon - Nice route, I am doing the opposite of what he suggests! I chose this route because Normandy did not sound of interest to me, and I wanted to experience the French countryside more....and also to make efficient use of time.

Does my plan sound OK? What am I missing by NOT doing what Rick suggests?

Thanks,
Bobby

I think your plan is fine. It's just different.

I might sub Provence for Nice, but that's just me.

Similarly, Ed would drive the whole way but to me being able to get south quickly by train is a plus. Not that I don't think Ed's plan has a lot of charm. The question is, where do you fall on this, and what are your preferences?

Rick's priorities are also intelligent, but they are based on his idea of what people like generally, as well as a shrewd sense of what is logistically astute.

If you have the luxury of second guessing yourself, then go ahead and read up on those destinations, especially in the Southwest. You could have a very memorable trip staying west.

There's more driving involved that way, and to do it justice I think you'd have to forget Nice and fly home from Toulouse.

Hi Bobby,
Last Spring we spent 18 days in France. Started in Paris-train to Sarlat-train to Carcassonne-train to Arles with stop in Nimes-day trip to Avignon, back to Arles-Car to Roussillon via Pont de Gard (AWESOME)-car to Isle Sur la Sorge- car to Beune (drop car on arrival) - train to paris. Of that trip, Beune was the best, followed by Provence. No car in Beune, but we rented bikes and toured the vineyards for a spectacular day. Trust your itinerary and add provence for at least a night or two. I spent 4 and it wasn't enough. Have Fun

Rick's way is one way. We're in Burgundy every year.
You have a lot of options.

If you get a car in Beaune, you could take a day in Dijon or climb the amazing La Solutre near Macon.

The idea of Provence was great--a small town would give you the flavor and more countryside.

In Nice--don't miss the restaurant La Pizza--one the extended family has gone to for years. Wood oven baked pies--in the pedestrian zone. Branch in Cannes.

BTW as you move south there will be more and more grape harvesting going on in Sept. (and tractors on the two-lane roads).

Sounds fabulous...thanks! Now I KNOW I will keep my own itinerary (and add Provence hopefully) and save the rest of Rick's itinerary for some other day!

Now I just need to find places to stay. May need to purchase that handy guide book, I guess :)

Bobby - two years ago my wife and I honeymooned in France. We flew into CDG and spent two days/two nights in Paris. Then we took the high-speed TGV train to Avignon (in Provence) and stayed there for three nights. We rented a car just down the street from our hotel (we had to play charades to get the rental as no one spoke the same language - so funny). With the car, we drove one day into the Cote-du-Rhone wine region - the best day of our trip. We returned to our hotel in Avignon and then the next day drove to car to see the Pont du Gard aqueduct and then to explore the city of Nimes (with it's Roman Colosseum). Turned in the car late that day. The next day we took a slower train to the French Riviera (staying in Antibes) for four nights. We explored Antibes, Cannes, Nice, and Monaco all by local train.

At the time, I'd forgotten all my previous Helpline knowledge, so I paid Rail Europe for the TGV tickets, and then just paid for second class tickets at the station for the rest of the trip.

We flew home out of Nice, connecting back through CDG to America.

Just figured that since your trip is a "France" trip, my old itinerary my be helpful in small ways.