I'll be in France for 2 to 3 weeks in September for my honeymoon and am looking for some recommendations. We are flying into Nice and out of Paris. As a general route, we were thinking of spending sometime in the Riviera, Provence, Beaune, and Paris. We are not sure where to base ourselves and how long to spend in each place. Looking for good food and wine, beaches, small towns, countryside, vineyards. We're very flexible on where to go and what to do and see. Thanks!
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Congratulations on nuptials! Beaune and Paris are pretty specific. If you are flying into Nice you might stay there. For Provence, I'd do some planning. Read a few guidebooks and decide what you most want to see, also how you will be traveling. Pick a base accordingly. For more than a few days in Provence and in Burgundy, wheels are helpful. For travel between regions on your route, the train is fast and great. Great destinations and great time of year. You should dig in and do a little planning. That will give you specific ideas about how long in which places and where to stay.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
If you are open to renting a car, you can rent the car in Nice and drop off in Dijon (suggested). You then have much more flexibility. We had a car for 10 days and were primarily in Provence (where you do need a rental car to see the area), Lyon, Annecy, Chamonix-Mt. Blanc, Beaune and then Dijon. Overall, we drove 2,000km. The car rental place in Dijon was the train station so we turned the car in and took the very high-speed train to Paris. It cost us about $1,000 overall for the 10-day car rental plus the tolls for the highways. For the tolls, carry lots of Euro coins. Some tolls were 20Euros (170km trip). We had free parking wherever we went.
Posted by
OP
New York, New York
9 posts
Thanks for your responses. A car does sound like a good idea. We thought the train might be easier and less stressful, but it's true we don't need the car the whole time. Was it easy to get around and find your way while driving? We are thinking of spending 4-5 nights in the Riviera and 4-5 nights in Provence. Any suggestions of where to base ourselves in each of those areas? My fiance has been to Nice and would rather stay somewhere else. Maybe, with a car it doesn't matter as much since transportation won't be an issue. Thanks again for your help!
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
It was very easy to get around by car as long as you have a GPS. We have our own Garmin NUVI with European maps. Works just great. For Provence, you'll get lots of responses for either Avignon or Arles. From there, you can visit some of the most beautiful villages in France. (Lourmarin, Gordes, Rousillon and others). You really need a car to do this.