My husband and I will travel to Germany and Finland mid-June on business. Afterwards we plan to fly to Paris and spend a few days. We are considering a 3-5 day trip to Provance. We have also heard that the new Millau Bridge is amazing. Here's a few questions:
1. Is it better to rent a car or take the TGV? Obviously a car would give up flexibilty, but the high speed train would give us more time on site.
2. What towns are best for checking into a hotel and exploring on foot, without renting a car?
3. Any other suggestions? We have Rick's 2008 France book and will be reading it carefully!
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
1) To maximize time in Provence, take the train. (To maximize your use of time in Provence, rent a car when you are there.)
2) Many wonderful towns are served by rail. The largest is Avignon. I like Arles. Read some guidebooks (Rick's is great) and decide on a good base.
3) Do arrange to rent a car for some of the time you will be in Provence. You will be able to go deeper into the countryside and see more sights in the time you have if you have wheels.
3A) Think about flying out of the region (airport in Marseilles).
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Laura - You're asking about travel across a fairly broad area. The Millau bridge is a long ways from Provence and you would need a rental car to get there. The surrounding area is quite rural with its own charms. But it's not Provence.
By rail you could get to Avignon which would be a good base. To see the countryside without a rental car, you'll depend on local buses or rail. There is a lot of advice about routes in previous posts on this site.
Here's what I would do: Decide where you want to visit. Provence or Languedoc? Get there by rail and then rent a car. Autoeurope is a dependable agent for rental cars.
Posted by
Pearland, TX, USA
852 posts
Hi Laura,
Click on this .... www.viamichelin.com ... it could be of assistance...
.... bon voyage ! P.