Vague Itinerary in France

So we have 19 days in France, with 3-night bookends in Paris.

Tentatively:

Strasbourg, or perhaps Colmar which might be more relaxing after Paris.
Anyway the intent is to rent a car for 4 days and wander around the
area, about which we know nothing, and see what there is to see. Even a
hop across the border wouldn't be out of the question. Everyone makes
going to a town, renting a room and blowing out the next day seem so
easy that we'll consider it.

Then a train to somewhere in Provence where do the same thing for four
days. Last year we centered around Nimes but hardly got out of town.
This time we are hoping for something more focused on Provence proper,
with nearby places to drive or daytrip to.

Then to on to Toulouse where we repeat yet again. I suppose that trip
could be to Bordeaux instead.

Why these three? We don't know. We flipped through a book and
something about each of them seemed interesting. But we could be
wrong. Any suggestions, or agenda rewrites are certainly welcome.

Essentially we want to snoop around France about which we know little.
Ancient churches are nice so we hope to see no more than 2. Maybe one
memorial to the war dead. Any town or city that seems a good place for
economy-conscious Americans to escape to permanently would also be
welcomed as a "scouting" consideration as well. We're seem to be
heading west, but are not east-averse.
--
I do not feel obligated to believe that the same God who has endowed us
with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use.
-- Galileo

On Sep 18, 1:15*am, gtr wrote:
So we have 19 days in France, with 3-night bookends in Paris.

Tentatively:

Strasbourg, or perhaps Colmar which might be more relaxing after Paris.
Anyway the intent is to rent a car for 4 days and wander around the
area, about which we know nothing, and see what there is to see. Even a
hop across the border wouldn't be out of the question. *Everyone makes
going to a town, renting a room and blowing out the next day seem so
easy that we'll consider it.

Then a train to somewhere in Provence where do the same thing for four
days. Last year we centered around Nimes but hardly got out of town. *
This time we are hoping for something more focused on Provence proper,
with nearby places to drive or daytrip to.

Then to on to Toulouse where we repeat yet again. I suppose that trip
could be to Bordeaux instead.

Why these three? *We don't know. We flipped through a book and
something about each of them seemed interesting. *But we could be
wrong. *Any suggestions, or agenda rewrites are certainly welcome.

Essentially we want to snoop around France about which we know little.
Ancient churches are nice so we hope to see no more than 2. Maybe one
memorial to the war dead. Any town or city that seems a good place for
economy-conscious Americans to escape to permanently would also be
welcomed as a "scouting" consideration as well. We're seem to be
heading west, but are not east-averse.
--
I do not feel obligated to believe that the same God who has endowed us
with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use.
-- Galileo

Brittany

On Sat, 17 Sep 2011 17:15:02 -0700, gtr wrote:

Strasbourg, or perhaps Colmar which might be more relaxing after Paris.
Anyway the intent is to rent a car for 4 days and wander around the
area,

Alsase has a good reputation for its small villages, its stork nests, its
wineyard and its good beer and nice food. Although the people there has
the reputation to be somewhat coarse, I personally found them to be really
helpful and friendly.
As a base town, you can consider Riquewihr too.
http://www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com/

B&B chambres d'hôtes, and gites ruraux (countryside houses) can be a good
alternative hotels even for a few nights.
http://www.gites-de-france-alsace.com/
(sorry I couldn't find the English version, use google language tools or
babelfish.yahoo.com for a rough translation).

The cathedral of Strasbourg, with its astronomical clock is a must.
http://www.cathedrale-strasbourg.fr/horloge.aspx

http://www.ot-colmar.fr/

http://www.ot-saint-amarin.com/en/

http://www.ot-eguisheim.fr/en/

Some castles he
http://www.casteland.com/puk/castle/...enigsbourg.htm

The black forest in Germany is not very different from the Voges mountain
chain. The Rhein valley is not far away too.
Baden-Baden and its surroundings (Gernsbach, Murg valley, crest road,
Mummelsee lake).


Then a train to somewhere in Provence where do the same thing for four
days. Last year we centered around Nimes but hardly got out of town.
This time we are hoping for something more focused on Provence proper,
with nearby places to drive or daytrip to.

Marseille is worth a visit. It can be a good base too.
http://www.bestwestern.fr/en/hotel-M...ne-Prado,93552
http://www.ibishotel.com/fr/hotel-06...me/index.shtml
http://www.marseille-hotes.org/

L'Isle sur la Sorgue (Vaucluse spring source, Abbaye de Sénanque, Gordes, near Avignon).
http://www.oti-delasorgue.fr/office-...sur-sorgue.php
http://www.vaucluse-visites-virtuell...igondasus.html


Then to on to Toulouse where we repeat yet again. I suppose that trip
could be to Bordeaux instead.
You could consider Albi and its red brick cathedral as a base to visit the
very curious Bastides (renaissance towns: Cordes sur Ciel, Vieux,
Castelnau de Montmirail, Puycelci, Bruniquel, Montricoux, Pennes), quiet
town, good food, nice Gaillac wine.

http://www.albi-tourisme.fr/us/

http://www.tourisme-tarn.com/en/albi...-bastides.html
http://www.lacordeliere.com/circuit-...ises-tarn.html
http://www.artambule.com/Albigeois.htm
http://www.tourisme-vignoble-bastides.com/

Another alternative is to find a base south of Toulouse:
A branch of the Santiago de Compostela path passed there, with along it
some nice bastides there too, like Mirepoix.
http://www.tourisme-mirepoix.com/
http://www.ariege.com/chateaudefoix/info.html

Lautrec
http://www.lautrec.fr/tourisme_en/index.php

Canal du Midi
http://www.canal-du-midi.org/

Fourcès, Larressingle, Montréal du Gers, Sarrant Lectoure.
http://www.fources.fr/
http://www.tourisme-tenareze.com/
http://www.montrealdugersanimations.com/redirection.htm
http://www.sarrant.com/
http://www.lectoure.fr/

http://www.montsegur.org/html/visite.htm
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikiped...wiki/Catharism


http://www.andorre.fr/
http://www.andorratoerisme.com/

On 2011-09-18 04:02:19 -0700, Paul Aubrin said:

On Sat, 17 Sep 2011 17:15:02 -0700, gtr wrote:

Strasbourg, or perhaps Colmar which might be more relaxing after Paris.
Anyway the intent is to rent a car for 4 days and wander around the
area,

Alsase has a good reputation for its small villages, its stork nests, its
wineyard and its good beer and nice food. Although the people there has
the reputation to be somewhat coarse, I personally found them to be really
helpful and friendly.
As a base town, you can consider Riquewihr too.
http://www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com/

B&B chambres d'hôtes, and gites ruraux (countryside houses) can be a good
alternative hotels even for a few nights.
http://www.gites-de-france-alsace.com/
(sorry I couldn't find the English version, use google language tools or
babelfish.yahoo.com for a rough translation).

The cathedral of Strasbourg, with its astronomical clock is a must.
http://www.cathedrale-strasbourg.fr/horloge.aspx

http://www.ot-colmar.fr/

http://www.ot-saint-amarin.com/en/

http://www.ot-eguisheim.fr/en/

Some castles he
http://www.casteland.com/puk/castle/...enigsbourg.htm

The black forest in Germany is not very different from the Voges mountain
chain. The Rhein valley is not far away too.
Baden-Baden and its surroundings (Gernsbach, Murg valley, crest road,
Mummelsee lake).


Then a train to somewhere in Provence where do the same thing for four
days. Last year we centered around Nimes but hardly got out of town.
This time we are hoping for something more focused on Provence proper,
with nearby places to drive or daytrip to.

Marseille is worth a visit. It can be a good base too.
http://www.bestwestern.fr/en/hotel-M...ne-Prado,93552
http://www.ibishotel.com/fr/hotel-06...me/index.shtml
http://www.marseille-hotes.org/

L'Isle

sur la Sorgue (Vaucluse spring source, Abbaye de Sénanque, Gordes,
near Avignon).
http://www.oti-delasorgue.fr/office-...sur-sorgue.php
http://www.vaucluse-visites-virtuell...igondasus.html


Then to on to Toulouse where we repeat yet again. I suppose that trip
could be to Bordeaux instead.
You could consider Albi and its red brick cathedral as a base to visit the
very curious Bastides (renaissance towns: Cordes sur Ciel, Vieux,
Castelnau de Montmirail, Puycelci, Bruniquel, Montricoux, Pennes), quiet
town, good food, nice Gaillac wine.

http://www.albi-tourisme.fr/us/

http://www.tourisme-tarn.com/en/albi...-bastides.html
http://www.lacordeliere.com/circuit-...ises-tarn.html
http://www.artambule.com/Albigeois.htm
http://www.tourisme-vignoble-bastides.com/

Another alternative is to find a base south of Toulouse:
A branch of the Santiago de Compostela path passed there, with along it
some nice bastides there too, like Mirepoix.
http://www.tourisme-mirepoix.com/
http://www.ariege.com/chateaudefoix/info.html

Lautrec
http://www.lautrec.fr/tourisme_en/index.php

Canal du Midi
http://www.canal-du-midi.org/

Fourcès, Larressingle, Montréal du Gers, Sarrant Lectoure.
http://www.fources.fr/
http://www.tourisme-tenareze.com/
http://www.montrealdugersanimations.com/redirection.htm
http://www.sarrant.com/
http://www.lectoure.fr/

http://www.montsegur.org/html/visite.htm
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikiped...wiki/Catharism


http://www.andorre.fr/
http://www.andorratoerisme.com/

Yikes! This will take some time to dig through. Thanks so much for
the effort!
--
I do not feel obligated to believe that the same God who has endowed us
with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use.
-- Galileo

On 2011-09-18 01:28:43 -0700, Beer Tricks Potter said:

Brittany

If you could pick any three locales from which to base 4 day
explorations. Which three would they be?

--
I do not feel obligated to believe that the same God who has endowed us
with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use.
-- Galileo

Wolfgang Schwanke wrote:

gtr wrote in news:2011091717150247555-xxx@yyyzzz:

Then a train to somewhere in Provence where do the same thing for four
days. Last year we centered around Nimes but hardly got out of town.
This time we are hoping for something more focused on Provence proper,
with nearby places to drive or daytrip to.

Avignon, Orange, Marseille, La Camargue, St Maries de la Mer, Les Baux,
Pont du Gard, Nice/Monaco are obvious "musts", can all be done in
daytrips from a convenient location somewhere in the middle.

I would add Arles and (for all its visitors) Aix.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

Martin wrote:

On Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:53:52 +0200, Wolfgang Schwanke
wrote:

gtr wrote in news:2011091717150247555-xxx@yyyzzz:

Then a train to somewhere in Provence where do the same thing for four
days. Last year we centered around Nimes but hardly got out of town.
This time we are hoping for something more focused on Provence proper,
with nearby places to drive or daytrip to.

Avignon, Orange, Marseille, La Camargue, St Maries de la Mer, Les Baux,
Pont du Gard, Nice/Monaco are obvious "musts", can all be done in
daytrips from a convenient location somewhere in the middle.

Nice Monaco are a bit far away from the rest.

It only takes under 45 minutes longer to get from Marseille to Paris on
the TGV (a wonderful journey!) than it does to get from Marseille to
Nice on the TGV.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

Martin wrote:

On Sun, 18 Sep 2011 22:14:23 +0100, (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

Wolfgang Schwanke wrote:

gtr wrote in news:2011091717150247555-xxx@yyyzzz:

Then a train to somewhere in Provence where do the same thing for four
days. Last year we centered around Nimes but hardly got out of town.
This time we are hoping for something more focused on Provence proper,
with nearby places to drive or daytrip to.

Avignon, Orange, Marseille, La Camargue, St Maries de la Mer, Les Baux,
Pont du Gard, Nice/Monaco are obvious "musts", can all be done in
daytrips from a convenient location somewhere in the middle.

I would add Arles and (for all its visitors) Aix.

and Ales, where I had one of the best free meals of my life.

Visiting ales is always a good idea.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

Wolfgang Schwanke wrote:

(David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)) wrote in
:

It only takes under 45 minutes longer to get from Marseille to Paris
on the TGV (a wonderful journey!) than it does to get from Marseille
to Nice on the TGV.

That's because it's Train à Vitesse Médiocre on that route.

Indeed!

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

On Sat, 17 Sep 2011 17:15:02 -0700, gtr wrote:

Tentatively:

Strasbourg, or perhaps Colmar which might be more relaxing after Paris.

Strasbourg is very nice. We spent a most enjoyable New Year there when the Euro
came out.

But headed from Paris to Provence, I would recommend Dijon as your stop. It's a
most interesting city.

In provence and southwest of there, we've enjoyed brief stays in
Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Carcassone, and Perpignan.

Then to on to Toulouse where we repeat yet again. I suppose that trip
could be to Bordeaux instead.

Bordeaux doesn't impress us much. Big, noisy, dirty. And while Toulouse is
ineteresting, we prefer spending time in much smaller Castres and Albi (with the
Toulouse Lautrec Museum).

Heading back toward Paris, we loved Cognac, Tours, and Orleans.

Enjoy your trip!

-- Larry