My husband and I are planning a 15-day trip to France in June 2009. We are flying in to Nice and departing from Paris. We are interested in driving from Nice to Provence, to the Loire Valley to Normandy and then on to Paris. Was wondering if anyone else has done a similar trip, and if so, if they could share their itinerary. Thanks much!
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
I found both the Rick Steves Provence & the French Riviera and the Lonely Planet Provence & the Cote d'Azur guidebooks very helpful when preparing for my trip in 2005. The LP book is much more thorough than the RS book. Buy the 2007 edition of the LP book now (a new one won't be out until 2010). Buy the 2009 edition of the RS book when it comes out this fall. Go to Barnes & Noble or another large bookstore and browse the latest editions of guidebooks for all of France or for other regions in France. Find the one (or ones) that best meet your needs and buy it (them). A new LP France guidebook is scheduled to be released in February 2009.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
You asked for an itinerary, 15 days, starting Nice ending Paris; here's one of many possible itineraries:1. 3 days: Nice - Monaco - Eze - other Riviera sights2. drive west to Provence, 4 days home base in Arles, Arles - Avignon - Nimes - other Provence sights3. drive north to Lyon and Burgundy & Beaujolais wine country, home base in Beaune, 3 days4. 5 days Paris & vicinity
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
I've driven everywhere you want to go, just not on the same trip. But it's no big deal. You can do this. First of all, visit the Viamichelin website to learn how to use it for driving directions.
Nice to Provence is easy - the Autoroute goes north of Marseilles and then you head towards Avignon. I'd recommend staying in St. Remy. Provence to the Loire can be done by several routes. One would be to drive up the Autoroute du Soleil through Burgundy and cut over to the Loire near Auxerre.
To go to Normandy from the Loire, drive to LeMans and head north. And then back to Paris from Caen.
Posted by
dallas, tx, usa
1358 posts
A lot of good advice from other travelers here. Dont miss Pont du Guard, between Nice and Provence. It is a huge Roman acqueduct
built on three levels. Only one I know of.
Do a google search for "Nice sights" and "Provence sights" and read about all there is to see in each area.
Do the same for Normandy, Paris and Loire Valley. Doing that will prevent your coming home and finding you missed seeing an important one.
Posted by
San Diego/Seattle
178 posts
You could always follow the itinerary of the Rick Steves' Tour of "Paris and the South of France in 15 Days" only in reverse. This won't get you to Normandy but sounds like a reasonable plan.