Two weeks in France for honeymoon need help planning intinerary

You really can't go wrong--there are so many areas that would fit the bill. Sit down with a guidebook and see what appeals to you most--the wine regions of Bordeaux or Burgandy? The castles and ancient cave paintings of Dordogne? The fantastic mountain scenery of the Alps? The hill towns and Roman ruins and wineries of Provence (I think June is lavendar time there too)? The gorgeous coastline of the south?

You get the idea. We can't pick for you but you're sure to come up with something fabulous if you take the time to read up (or tape Rick's shows on PBS).

First of all, Christy's advice is good. Why substitute the advice of strangers for your own tastes and preferences? Dig into some guidebooks and figure out what you like.

Paris and Normandy are great destinations. This will be the 65th D-Day anniversary so expect crowds and chaos around the day itself. I don't know how long that effect will last. Don't shortchange yourself in terms of budgeting time to see the sights. You may encounter a rainy day, crowds, delays--plan for it.

Bordeaux is logistically taxing for such an itinerary. It's feasible but far. If you had more time I'd say, Rent a car in Normandy and drive south, stopping in Perigord on the way to Bordeaux. But since you don't, I wonder if Burgundy, which has a sophisticated and accessible wine scene and is much closer to Paris, wouldn't do as well.

Congratulations and have a great trip!

I would concur that Burgundy is more attractive than Bordeaux. Burgundy has small towns, picturesque hills and is much easier to visit from Paris. If you decide to go to Normandy, book as soon as you can because of the D-Day anniversary and Parisians will be vacationing there as well.

Gary,

As you'll be flying to France in the middle of June, I suspect most of the 65th Anniversary D-Day events will be over so that shouldn't be a problem. Also, you probably won't get to that area for a few days so less of a problem.

If you were planning on taking any D-Day Tours (BattleBus is highly recommended by many here, including me!), you might want to book those soon. In order to take the tours, spending at least one night in Bayeux will be necessary (that would be a good "home base" for exploring that area and also visiting Mt. St. Michel).

Given that you only have two weeks, I'd suggest limiting your stay to France and visiting Ireland on a future trip. You'll find there's LOTS to keep busy with in France. You'll probably want to allot at least four days for Paris. If you're planning on visiting any of the Museums, a Paris Museum Pass would be a really good idea (perhaps the two day version?).

And finally, congratulations!!!

I appreciate all the advice. I am loaded down with guide books, I just wanted to get on here and get some advice from other people. Please keep the ideas flowing, it is so hard to decide what to see and what to save for another time.

Have you considered the Loire Valley and their dreamy chateaux for a few days? Easy access from Paris by TGV and easily toured with rental car. And maybe just a tad romantic. Try the Auberge de Launay across from Amboise...terrific small hotel with fabulous meals and very reasonably priced. PS...would you consider adding the words "planning intinerary" at the end of your posting title? :-)
And congratulations!

I agree pass on Ireland for this trip. It deserves a whole loooong trip into itself. There is so much to see and do there. Definitely add it to your must see list. For now enjoy your honeymoon. You already have plenty planned for France.

Gary, I agree sometimes having too many guides just makes things confusing. Since you're on this site I assume you like Rick's books; why not start with his France book, and narrow down your list to the regions that sound most interesting. Then reference other books if you want to learn more about a certain area on your finalist list; hopefully that will be the right amount of info to help you choose.