I hesitate putting this here so far in advance, but I have done an impulse "purchase" (used up all my frequent flyer miles--ALL of them) for two plane tix to Paris in June of 2016. I'm taking my will-then-be 14-year-old. We will spend minimally a week in Paris (I'm looking in 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th arrondisements with Airbnb (like the Canal St. Martin area)--any suggestions?).
Beyond Paris for second week, I'm thinking by car: Versailles, Loire Valley (base ourselves in Amboise a couple/few of days and take day trips out to various chateaux), Mt. St. Michel, Honfleur, Giverny, back to Paris (big circle).
Fellow French 365ers, or other travelers to France, or expats in France, can you tell me if this is too ambitious? Should I be thinking somewhere else for the second week given my daughter likes small towns and I want her to experience France beyond Paris, but not too far because I hate spending so much time in a car or a train.
It will be a photography trip, of course, but it is mostly to expose my daughter to the language she is studying and to return to the country where I spent my junior year in college (30 years ago in June--holy cow). We will both be traveling very light but with cameras in hand!
That is not too ambitious. While France is a larger European country, it is still not that big. Unless you plan to travel from Normandy to the French Riviera, you are good. We once drove from Oslo, Norway, to Northern Bavaria (southern Germany) in one day. You can do it. Wish I was going with you!
I think too, it is doable. What I love very much and never skip is the cathedral and the labyrinth in Chartre. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartres. Unfortunately off your way, is the Guédelon castel. A place where they rebuild a castle (over years) with only medival tools. Very interesting for me. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu%C3%A9delon_Castle
Meilleures salutations Mona
Another thought is to take the bullet train to Avignon. It's a manageable city, rich in history, and fascinating tours. We have friends that rent their small condo and theirs is in a small town called Vaisson La Romaine -- one of the top 10 sites in Provence and could put you in touch with them. There are some other wonderful sites there and you could easily spend a week touring around there via renting a car for the week once you get there. That's where we vacationed last year with Bill and Junko and it was really fantastic and a definite change of pace from Paris. In that area, there are market towns easy drives each day which adds to each town's visit.
@darylo defitively a nice trip you're planning. Many things to visit, a lot of driving but worth the drive.
Taffy's suggestion to south of France is a lovely option too. very different from the Loire valley castles.
i'm French, living in Paris.
feel free to contact me if I can help
I think you'll be quite happy staying in the 3rd or 4th arrondissements. Can you two ride bikes? If so, I would recommend using the Velib to get around the city. http://en.velib.paris.fr/
You can buy a 7 day ticket for EUR8. Essentially you check out the bike, ride to where you want to go and check it back in when you get there. Keep your rides under 30 minutes (I swear it used to be an hour) and you wont be charged any more than the EUR8. Its such a cheap and efficient way to get around town. Just remember, ride on the roads and not the footpaths
The Loire valley is beautiful - its got some amazing castles and the food is amazing... Amboise has a host of good restaurants.
This is your call but I would also recommend the south of France as an option - Provence is beautiful. I've not been to Avidnon but can highly recommend using Aix-en-Provence as a base. The city is amazing with fountains everywhere and an absolutely foodie's paradise. You can do an overnight trip to Nice and Monaco (Go via Eze and you'll see some amazing coastal scenery, walk up Chateau Eza and check out the Fragonard perfumery)
@jyokota@parisouailleurs@toast I sent a reply earlier but don't see it! Thanks very much for the advice! I actually booked an Airbnb in Canal St. Martin area (good metro access to everywhere), and a bit of savings on lodging. I hope that was a good decision--going back and forth in my head on it! I'm going to look into Avignon and Aix-en-Provence. It did not occur to me initially, but if two people I really trust say do it, I'll have to see! I'm trying to keep my lodging to no more than $100/night averaged. So far in Paris, I'm "close." I may have a "free" car to take although I will have to pay taxes,fees, gas--the rental is gratis. Taffy, I got your email (and I can't locate it now???), but I would love to be in touch with your friends in that area--I realize their place will not be for rent, though. I know it's months away, but the Airbnb places were raising prices (daily) and the places were getting booked fast. So I bit the bullet and said, Canal St. Martin it is. Helene, perhaps I'll get to take you out for coffee and some photography? My daughter is a photographer now too. :)
@darylo I'm always happy to meet 365 people... I'll be able to give you tips and addresses when your trip will be booked. Around Aix en Provence, Gordes, the Provence is gorgeous.
Once again feel free to ask if you need help.
In Paris make sure to visit the catacombs. No photos allowed, but people have been known to sneak cameras in.
When you go to Versailles the main palace is amazing, but try to take time to get out to Marie Antoinette's little village out back, Le Hameau de la Reine. I'm a country boy so I like it better than the palace.
Hi Daryl - I'm glad that you've made the leap... a word of caution if I may: you can't do it all in two weeks and if you try, you will be forever travelling. I thought your original plan to spend a week in Paris and then do a big loop round the Loire Valley, Brittany, Normandy and back to Paris was a sound one. Amboise would be a great base to see some châteaux and Mont Saint Michel shouldn't be missed, but it will be busy. We're not far off that loop and could put you up for a night or two - tag me if you're interested and I'll give you my e-mail address.
@parisouailleurs I loved Aix-en-Provence and second Helene's suggestion. It's a college town in a way, so a wonderful array of options for sightseeing.
Ok, I have been convinced that Provence is the best idea.
Anyone want to weigh in on this idea:
TGV to Avignon, rent car lunch there, tour there, move to St. Remy night there
Tour St. Remy and Les Baux stay in St. Remy second night
Go to Arles, stay there a night
Go to Cassis to be near water, small town, and gorgeous calanques (fiords)
Cassis/water, lazy way over to Marseilles one night there
return car and take TGV from Marseilles to Paris airport directly for an overnight before a.m. flight home.
I have never been to Provence, so this would be a first for the both of us, so first 9 days Paris, next 5-6 Provence. Ahhhhh! Thanks again for all the advice!
@toast@taffy@vignouse@parisouailleurs@jyokota OR since the child is really into the water and has never seen the coast (as I have not either), go Nice from Paris, over to Monaco, back to Cassis, then to Marseilles and leave from there? Would hate to miss the other part of Provence, but the water does look lovely! Oh dear, I'm a mess. Thanks again for listening to my musings. This second half is wide open.
@darylo every places you mentionned are gorgeus. but be careful it's going to be a lot of drive. may be too much. you need to make choices, you won't be able to see all. 5*6 days in Porvence you have to think that train + airport to go back will be almost a full day except if you're taling a late night fligt.
I think Monaco doesn't worth the drive.
you should look at Mapquest and check the time between the places you wanna visit.. it may take you a bit longer as you won't be used to our small roads (and may be you need to rent a automatic car, our cars don't have them... sorry I don't know how to explain that in english. @taffy could you help me?).
@parisouailleurs Thanks! I am not driving to Provence or back to Paris. I'll do TGV for those. For Americans, 3 hours on a train is a short trip :)
The driving will be from town to town starting in Avignon (my daughter is fine with Cassis and Marseille for our beach visits). We will stay each night where we go so we don't make trips back and forth. My map quests for driving between towns is from 30 min. and is never more than 1.5 hours and I think that is from Arles to Cassis. the TGV we will take back to Paris will be from Marseilles directly to the Paris airport (CDG) where we will spend the night to rest before flight in a.m. Does that sound better. Merci beaucoup pour votre expérience et expertise. J'ai étudié le français à Paris il y a trente ans, et j'espère que je peux parler encore quand j'arrive à Paris en Juin! Si vous voulez écrire en Français ici, j'espère que je peux comprendre. Merci, Merci!
ok so the only thing i can add to this is when I was in provence, i do remember that I went to Arles, but it didn't stand out in my mind whereas Aix en Provence did stand out for me. The combination of the many restaurants, the cute little town and all the fountains was just amazing to me
I have no experience of Cassis or Marseille but I do remember someone recommending me not to go. However, I can't remember why.. it may have been something as simple as it just not fitting well in my schedule or it could have been something about it have dodgy areas. Sorry! :(
@darylo I understood you wouldn't drive Marseille to Paris. What I wanted to say is that Provence is gorgeous but it takes time to go from one place to another. They're so many lovely small places to visit. Didn't go there for few years but honestly I wouldn't spend more than 2 or 3 hours in Marseille. The city is not so safe. @toast might just have heard it doesn't worth the visit. Cassis is nice. You can take a boat tour to visit the calenques. Aix en Provence is one of my French fav town. You also need to visit Gordes, abbaye de Senanques and small Provence villages around it. I'll tell you the names later.
@parisouailleurs aahhh ok yes that may have been it... I think my friend was saying something about the harbour being ok but outside this, it wasn't worth it
@darylo there you go... maybe avoid Marseilles. For me the beauty of Provence is not whats near the water, its the beautiful inland areas
@toast It's pretty much the watersports (snorkeling) she would be interested in at that point and it would be the last day really. Cassis, if we can go snorkeling there, we'll probably just head up to Aix then. I don't think I want to go as far as Nice, and honestly, after everything that is so wonderful up to that point, I won't mind a fun water day -- we don't see "clear" water ever. I've only seen it twice in my life (Mexico and Bali--and Bali's was not very clear like I see in the searches I have been doing). Regardless, I really thank you for your time and input! I've got Paris booked; the rest can come a bit later around the new year when I get more steam to research! It's so hard planning ahead.
@darylo awesome! good luck and keep us posted with pics as and when you can. End of the day, only you can figure out whats best for your trip :)
Have an awesome time!
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Meilleures salutations Mona
Taffy's suggestion to south of France is a lovely option too. very different from the Loire valley castles.
i'm French, living in Paris.
feel free to contact me if I can help
You can buy a 7 day ticket for EUR8. Essentially you check out the bike, ride to where you want to go and check it back in when you get there. Keep your rides under 30 minutes (I swear it used to be an hour) and you wont be charged any more than the EUR8. Its such a cheap and efficient way to get around town. Just remember, ride on the roads and not the footpaths
The Loire valley is beautiful - its got some amazing castles and the food is amazing... Amboise has a host of good restaurants.
This is your call but I would also recommend the south of France as an option - Provence is beautiful. I've not been to Avidnon but can highly recommend using Aix-en-Provence as a base. The city is amazing with fountains everywhere and an absolutely foodie's paradise. You can do an overnight trip to Nice and Monaco (Go via Eze and you'll see some amazing coastal scenery, walk up Chateau Eza and check out the Fragonard perfumery)
Once again feel free to ask if you need help.
When you go to Versailles the main palace is amazing, but try to take time to get out to Marie Antoinette's little village out back, Le Hameau de la Reine. I'm a country boy so I like it better than the palace.
for the record though, the loire valley really is beautiful but its totally different than Provence. Also, make sure you do your research on restaurants in the area you decide to go - there are some really amazing and cheap restaurants around and it would be a shame to miss them. I can highly recommend Mitch from when I was there http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187209-d779386-Reviews-Mitch-Aix_en_Provence_Bouches_du_Rhone_Provence.html
Ok, I have been convinced that Provence is the best idea.
Anyone want to weigh in on this idea:
TGV to Avignon, rent car lunch there, tour there, move to St. Remy night there
Tour St. Remy and Les Baux stay in St. Remy second night
Go to Arles, stay there a night
Go to Cassis to be near water, small town, and gorgeous calanques (fiords)
Cassis/water, lazy way over to Marseilles one night there
return car and take TGV from Marseilles to Paris airport directly for an overnight before a.m. flight home.
I have never been to Provence, so this would be a first for the both of us, so first 9 days Paris, next 5-6 Provence. Ahhhhh! Thanks again for all the advice!
I think Monaco doesn't worth the drive.
you should look at Mapquest and check the time between the places you wanna visit.. it may take you a bit longer as you won't be used to our small roads (and may be you need to rent a automatic car, our cars don't have them... sorry I don't know how to explain that in english.
@taffy could you help me?).
The driving will be from town to town starting in Avignon (my daughter is fine with Cassis and Marseille for our beach visits). We will stay each night where we go so we don't make trips back and forth. My map quests for driving between towns is from 30 min. and is never more than 1.5 hours and I think that is from Arles to Cassis. the TGV we will take back to Paris will be from Marseilles directly to the Paris airport (CDG) where we will spend the night to rest before flight in a.m. Does that sound better. Merci beaucoup pour votre expérience et expertise. J'ai étudié le français à Paris il y a trente ans, et j'espère que je peux parler encore quand j'arrive à Paris en Juin! Si vous voulez écrire en Français ici, j'espère que je peux comprendre. Merci, Merci!
I have no experience of Cassis or Marseille but I do remember someone recommending me not to go. However, I can't remember why.. it may have been something as simple as it just not fitting well in my schedule or it could have been something about it have dodgy areas. Sorry! :(
@darylo there you go... maybe avoid Marseilles. For me the beauty of Provence is not whats near the water, its the beautiful inland areas
Have an awesome time!