thoughts regarding the overall itinerary (france/italy)?

I would skip Nice and maybe keep right on going toward Venice skipping Milan. Nice and Milan would mesh together nicely for your next trip! I am a younger (30's) traveler and can also suggest some budget places in Paris, Rome and Florence if you need help there.

the absolute BEST advice i got about my trip planning was 'cut down on the travel days'. i got this advice on here and from friends who have traveled. i'm not going to give you any more advice than that, but know that this same advice will be forthcoming from many others on here, and while you might need to rethink your plan, you'll still have an AMAZING trip! you have 19 days--that's fantastic! (ok i am giving more advice--with 19 days, i'd stay in italy. minus travel days you have 17 days--maybe venice (4) milan (3) florence (5) rome (5)?)

Agree with first 2 replies to save Nice & Milan for a future trip plus fly back to Paris from Rome. An additional change could be to replace the night train to Venice with a day train to Bern (Bernese Oberland area) for 2 nights and then a day train to Venice. You'd be able to see the Alps when the sun is out & have a break from the big cities. Paris(5), Switzerland(2), Venice(2), Florence(3), Rome(5), Paris near A/P(1).

thanks for the replies. cutting out nice sounds like a good idea since it'll eliminate getting to the airport to take the flight.

two more things:
1. would you skip florence (paris->munich->venice->rome->paris) to visit munich?

1. we found out that we would be able to change our departing flight and fly out of zurich or frankfurt instead of cdg. would you rec'd either change? if so, how would you change the overall itinerary?

thanks!

No, wouldn't replace Florence with Munich. Would either stick with return from Paris, or change to return from ZRH [If Zurich return, fly Paris to Rome, train to Florence, Venice & Zurich]. Zurich would cut half a day of train travel.

Best change would be, fly home from Rome, but you know that. Still it seems you have some flexibility, is it worth trying again for an Italian departure point?

Second best would be, fly home in the afternoon from someplace to which you can catch an early flight that morning from Rome. Paris, Zurich, whatever is possible.

I would also skip Nice and Milan. If you want to overnight to Milan I would hop immediately on a train to the Cinque Terre. It is fantastic for young people especially in August. Then you still see the Mediterranean and get to enjoy a little of small town italy which is well worth the time.

Or head to Nice immediately by TGV. There is a TGV station right in CDG airport.
Then see Paris at the end of the trip by flying from Rome.
You can easily go from Nice to Cinque Terre to Florence. In that case I would skip Venice and go on to Rome.

You have a lot of overnights trains. Easyjet is so cheap and flies from Orly.
You will be wiped if you overnight everywhere. I never sleep on overnights.

Just my thoughts...

Also...You might consider Loire Valley or Normandy if you want to spend a little more time in France. They are very accessible by train from Paris. I always mix big cities with little ones and plan a vacation from my vacation part way through. (Cinque Terre or Lake Como are very accessible from Milan)

All these spots are in Rick's guide books.