Hello-we are an adventurous young couple, looking to explore the French and Italian countryside between July 16 and 28. In that time we would hypothetically enjoy hitting these major spots: -Loire Valley to explore chateaux (2 days) -Bordeaux region (we found a very cool looking hands-on cooking class about 40 km from Bordeaux, with reasonable accommodations) (~3 days) -South of France-looking at this as more of a stop off point between Bordeaux and Florence (1-2 days) -Tuscany/Florence-looking to stay in an agriturismo and explore the countryside, and then venture into Florence for 2-3 days (5 days total) Here are the stipulations: We are trying to maximize our time and budget. In theory, it would be great to rent a car and drive to all the locations (we really enjoy road trips, and recognize that many of these places are far apart.) We have read that picking up in one country and dropping off in another can be prohibitively expensive. Also, we can only drive automatic cars. So we are now trying to figure out: 1) Should we just take trains and only stay in bigger cities (aka, Bordeaux instead of the countryside?) 2) If we were to rent one car in France, and a second in Italy, where should we drop off in France, and where should we train to in Italy?
3) Should we just throw caution to the wind and be spontaneous, or are booking cars and trains in advance really the cheapest way to go? Thank you for your help-this may be our one chance for a big European adventure, and we are trying to explore as much of France and Italy as possible.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
This is a challenging itinerary, but let's assume you are nimble folks. You do not say from where you are starting this trip, so I assume Paris. From Paris the train ride to the Loire is straightforward. However you'll need a car to get about to chateaux, or else bicycles. The drive to Bordeaux would take you most of a day. The train, however, will get you there in less than 3 hours, so you might consider returning your car in Amboise. If you need a car in Bordeaux, rent another one. There are many charming places to visit with a car between Bordeaux and the Italian border, but unfortunately you lack time to do so. So return the car (if you still have one) and take the train to either Provence (6 hours) or the Cote d'Azure (9). There is also a night train if you are up for it. Night trains are controversial around here but in your case I think that is what I would do; it will also save you a day of travel. The rail connection from France to Italy is not great - about 7 hours. If you are keen on driving you could just take the train into Italy, rent a car, and drive the rest of the way, but I do not think you will save any time. You could investigate budget flights from either Marseilles or Nice. You will of course want another car in Italy if you want to see the countryside. This is not an especially efficient itinerary, or cheap one, for the reasons you have noted: lots of widely spaced destinations. So I hope you will perform a thought experiment and compare this plan with several alternatives. Given your penchant for driving one could have an admirable road-trip vacation in either France or Italy instead of all this jumping around. You may also find that such a plan is more economical, and entails more time sightseeing and less time in transit.
Posted by
Los Angeles
1825 posts
Everything looks small and close together on a map but it is not. There is no easy way to drive or take a train from the South of France to Italy and is the reason they are separate countries. My preference is to choose fewer places and spend more time. I would also fly from anywhere between Bordeaux and Provence to Florence.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
When are you taking this trip? It can be much cheaper to book trains in advance. To be certain of getting a car with an automatic transmission you'll definitely need to book in advance. Availability is limited. Drop your car in Nice. Take the train to Genova (one connection in Ventimiglia) and pick up another car there. If you have time to do so, learn to drive a car with a manual transmission. For Bordeaux-Nice viamichelin.com gives a non-stop driving time of 7 1/2 hours if you stick to the autoroutes (freeways), but you'll pay around €70.00 in tolls. Avoiding the autoroutes would be more scenic, but would take a lot longer. If you want to both maximize your time and save money, take a direct train from Bordeaux to Nice (9 hours). Booked well in advance (up to three months allowed) at tgv-europe.com, you can get a Prem's fare as low as €40.00 for Bordeaux-Nice. The standard 2nd class fare is €98.50. If you're art lovers, spend two nights in Nice. Outside of Paris, Nice and the surrounding area have the best art museums in France. Both the Chagall and Matisse museums in Nice are wonderful!. The Picasso museum in Antibes is a short and cheap train ride away. There are no direct flights on any airline between Bordeaux and either Florence or Pisa. The same is true for Marseille to either Florence or Pisa.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
One important note about driving in Italy. In addition to your driver license, Italian law requires that you have an International Driver Permit. While the rental car agency may not ask you to produce an IDP when you pick up your car, if you are stopped by the police for any reason you could be fined on the spot if you don't have one. You can buy an IDP at your local AAA office.
Posted by
OP
Washington
2 posts
Thank you all for your thoughtful advice. We have decided to streamline our trip-Paris (one week) to Bordeaux (one week), a stopover in Nice (two days) and Florence (one week). The message that we would be spending more time commuting than enjoying our location rung true. Thank you so much for your time and messages.