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Help with France itinerary



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 18th, 2006, 09:08 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Default Help with France itinerary

Below is a rough itinerary for an 18-day drive through France next month. I've
listed the main sites we're thinking of visiting and a tentative hotel
choice for each night (in caps). If I've missed something spectacular (or if
something should be in the don't-bother category), I'd like to hear your
ideas.

I'd also welcome recommendations for different hotels/b&bs and for
moderately priced restaurants in the areas we're visiting. I'd especially
appreciate advice on how we might consolidate hotel nights. I've tried to
arrange it so we don't have to change hotels too often, but with the price
of tolls and gas, we'd also like to avoid too much backtracking.

Has anyone taken a hot-air balloon ride over the Loire Valley? The main
company is www.franceballoons.com, but they're also quite expensive (180,
225 or 230 euros per person, depending on which of their web pages you
consult). If you know of a reliable but more affordable company, please let
me know.

Finally, a packing question: I figure Normandy will still be sweater
weather, but I'm not sure about what clothes and outerwear we'll need for
late April in the south.

Thanks for your help.

4/17 -- Arrive CDG 8:20 am. & pick up rental car. Giverny, Rouen, Jumieges
Abbey.
HONFLEUR - Mercure Hotel
4/18 -- Pays d'Auge countryside, Ponte Audemer, Deauville, (Etretat?).
HONFLEUR - Mercure Hotel
4/19 -- Caen & Bayeux
BAYEUX - Hotel d'Argouges
4/20 - D-day beaches and cemeteries, Point du Hoc, St. Mere Eglise. Drive to
Mont St. Michel area.
MONT ST. MICHEL -- La Jacotiere
4/21 -- Mont St. Michel, St. Malo, Dinan. Drive to Loire Valley.
CHENONCEAU -- La Rosaraie
4/22 - Chenonceau, Chambord, maybe Cheverny chateaux. Hot-air balloon ride
over chateaux.
CHENONCEAU -- La Rosaraie
4/23 - Chinon, Montresor, wine tasting or wine cellar tour.
CHENONCEAU -- La Rosaraie
4/24 -- Oradour sur Glane, Sarlat, Beynac.
BEYNAC -- Residence Versailles
4/25 - Cenac market, Dordogne canoe trip, (Grotte de Font de Gaume?).
BEYNAC - Residence Versailles
4/26 -- (Rocamadour?), Grotte du Pech Merle, St. Cirque du Popeil,
(Cahors?), scenic route to Albi.
ALBI -- ???
4/27 -- Albi basilica, Lautrec museum, Carcassonne.
CAUNES-MINERVOIS or MINERVE -- ???
4/28 to 5/2 - Provence: Nimes, Arles, Avignon, Aix, Provence, Les Baux,
Camargue, Cassis, Luberon villages.
ST. REMY - Villa Glanum
5/3 - Ardeche Gorge, (Lyon?).
LYON/BRON - airport hotel (???).
5/4 - Noon flight back to USA

============
Karen Walker, Champaign IL www.prairienet.org/bridge


  #2  
Old March 18th, 2006, 10:05 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Default Help with France itinerary

Wow
just arrived, no jetlag and directly to Honfleur by car ??

"Karen Walker" a écrit dans le message de news:
EMZSf.830970$x96.827119@attbi_s72...
Below is a rough itinerary for an 18-day drive through France next month.
I've listed the main sites we're thinking of visiting and a tentative
hotel choice for each night (in caps). If I've missed something
spectacular (or if something should be in the don't-bother category), I'd
like to hear your ideas.

I'd also welcome recommendations for different hotels/b&bs and for
moderately priced restaurants in the areas we're visiting. I'd especially
appreciate advice on how we might consolidate hotel nights. I've tried to
arrange it so we don't have to change hotels too often, but with the price
of tolls and gas, we'd also like to avoid too much backtracking.

Has anyone taken a hot-air balloon ride over the Loire Valley? The main
company is www.franceballoons.com, but they're also quite expensive (180,
225 or 230 euros per person, depending on which of their web pages you
consult). If you know of a reliable but more affordable company, please
let me know.

Finally, a packing question: I figure Normandy will still be sweater
weather, but I'm not sure about what clothes and outerwear we'll need for
late April in the south.

Thanks for your help.

4/17 -- Arrive CDG 8:20 am. & pick up rental car. Giverny, Rouen,
Jumieges Abbey.
HONFLEUR - Mercure Hotel
4/18 -- Pays d'Auge countryside, Ponte Audemer, Deauville, (Etretat?).
HONFLEUR - Mercure Hotel
4/19 -- Caen & Bayeux
BAYEUX - Hotel d'Argouges
4/20 - D-day beaches and cemeteries, Point du Hoc, St. Mere Eglise. Drive
to Mont St. Michel area.
MONT ST. MICHEL -- La Jacotiere
4/21 -- Mont St. Michel, St. Malo, Dinan. Drive to Loire Valley.
CHENONCEAU -- La Rosaraie
4/22 - Chenonceau, Chambord, maybe Cheverny chateaux. Hot-air balloon ride
over chateaux.
CHENONCEAU -- La Rosaraie
4/23 - Chinon, Montresor, wine tasting or wine cellar tour.
CHENONCEAU -- La Rosaraie
4/24 -- Oradour sur Glane, Sarlat, Beynac.
BEYNAC -- Residence Versailles
4/25 - Cenac market, Dordogne canoe trip, (Grotte de Font de Gaume?).
BEYNAC - Residence Versailles
4/26 -- (Rocamadour?), Grotte du Pech Merle, St. Cirque du Popeil,
(Cahors?), scenic route to Albi.
ALBI -- ???
4/27 -- Albi basilica, Lautrec museum, Carcassonne.
CAUNES-MINERVOIS or MINERVE -- ???
4/28 to 5/2 - Provence: Nimes, Arles, Avignon, Aix, Provence, Les Baux,
Camargue, Cassis, Luberon villages.
ST. REMY - Villa Glanum
5/3 - Ardeche Gorge, (Lyon?).
LYON/BRON - airport hotel (???).
5/4 - Noon flight back to USA

============
Karen Walker, Champaign IL www.prairienet.org/bridge



  #3  
Old March 18th, 2006, 10:07 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Posts: n/a
Default Help with France itinerary

"Karen Walker" wrote in
news:EMZSf.830970$x96.827119@attbi_s72:

Below is a rough itinerary for an 18-day drive through France next
month. I've listed the main sites we're thinking of visiting and a
tentative hotel choice for each night (in caps). If I've missed
something spectacular (or if something should be in the don't-bother
category), I'd like to hear your ideas.

I'd also welcome recommendations for different hotels/b&bs and for
moderately priced restaurants in the areas we're visiting. I'd
especially appreciate advice on how we might consolidate hotel nights.
I've tried to arrange it so we don't have to change hotels too often,
but with the price of tolls and gas, we'd also like to avoid too much
backtracking.

Has anyone taken a hot-air balloon ride over the Loire Valley? The
main company is www.franceballoons.com, but they're also quite
expensive (180, 225 or 230 euros per person, depending on which of
their web pages you consult). If you know of a reliable but more
affordable company, please let me know.

Finally, a packing question: I figure Normandy will still be sweater
weather, but I'm not sure about what clothes and outerwear we'll need
for late April in the south.

Thanks for your help.

4/17 -- Arrive CDG 8:20 am. & pick up rental car. Giverny, Rouen,
Jumieges Abbey.
HONFLEUR - Mercure Hotel

You will be beat, the Mercure isn't the fanciest but it is farirly clsoe
to the old port It is not out of the question for the day in Bayeux I
would stay the extra night.
4/18 -- Pays d'Auge countryside, Ponte Audemer, Deauville, (Etretat?).
HONFLEUR - Mercure Hotel
4/19 -- Caen & Bayeux
BAYEUX - Hotel d'Argouges
4/20 - D-day beaches and cemeteries, Point du Hoc, St. Mere Eglise.
Drive to Mont St. Michel area.
MONT ST. MICHEL -- La Jacotiere
4/21 -- Mont St. Michel, St. Malo, Dinan. Drive to Loire Valley.
CHENONCEAU -- La Rosaraie
4/22 - Chenonceau, Chambord, maybe Cheverny chateaux. Hot-air balloon
ride over chateaux.
CHENONCEAU -- La Rosaraie

La Bonlabourer at least to eat but I would stay there if possible
4/23 - Chinon, Montresor, wine tasting or wine cellar tour.
CHENONCEAU -- La Rosaraie
4/24 -- Oradour sur Glane, Sarlat, Beynac.
BEYNAC -- Residence Versailles
4/25 - Cenac market, Dordogne canoe trip, (Grotte de Font de Gaume?).
BEYNAC - Residence Versailles
4/26 -- (Rocamadour?), Grotte du Pech Merle, St. Cirque du Popeil,
(Cahors?), scenic route to Albi.
ALBI -- ???

Stay at the Mercure great views and decent accomodations with parking.
4/27 -- Albi basilica, Lautrec museum, Carcassonne.
CAUNES-MINERVOIS or MINERVE -- ???
4/28 to 5/2 - Provence: Nimes, Arles, Avignon, Aix, Provence, Les
Baux, Camargue, Cassis, Luberon villages.


ST. REMY - Villa Glanum
5/3 - Ardeche Gorge, (Lyon?).
LYON/BRON - airport hotel (???).
5/4 - Noon flight back to USA


Karen you will be exhausted but you are looking for pretty much the
whole enchilada I would do the Camargue, adn St Maries but think about
cutting Aix Luberon and Cassis unless you stay a night a Aix (Paul
Cezzane is nice - I ndon't really push Mercures as a rule, but you are
going where there are some nice ones the Paul C in Aix is a charmer.

============
Karen Walker, Champaign IL www.prairienet.org/bridge






--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

  #4  
Old March 18th, 2006, 10:13 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Posts: n/a
Default Help with France itinerary

"Runge" wrote in message
...
Wow
just arrived, no jetlag and directly to Honfleur by car ??


My guidebook says it's a 2.5-hour drive, and we planned to break that up
with a "laid-back" stop at Monet's gardens in Giverny and maybe a stop in
Rouen for lunch. I don't usually feel any jet lag until pretty late in the
day after a trans-Atlantic flight, but if the CDG-Honfleur drive is more
difficult and/or longer than I've estimated, perhaps we should stay the
first night in Rouen?


  #5  
Old March 18th, 2006, 11:01 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Default Help with France itinerary

"Runge" wrote in
:

Wow
just arrived, no jetlag and directly to Honfleur by car ??


It depends on the day, I have encountered some pretty hefty traffic headed
to Honfleur from Paris.








--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

  #6  
Old March 18th, 2006, 11:02 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Posts: n/a
Default Help with France itinerary

Karen Walker wrote:

Below is a rough itinerary for an 18-day drive through France next month. I've
listed the main sites we're thinking of visiting and a tentative hotel
choice for each night (in caps). If I've missed something spectacular (or if
something should be in the don't-bother category), I'd like to hear your
ideas.

I'd also welcome recommendations for different hotels/b&bs and for
moderately priced restaurants in the areas we're visiting. I'd especially
appreciate advice on how we might consolidate hotel nights. I've tried to
arrange it so we don't have to change hotels too often, but with the price
of tolls and gas, we'd also like to avoid too much backtracking.


I noticed that you are staying at a few Mercure hotels. I have stayed at several
Mercure hotels and been quite happy with them. If I am not mistaken they are
related to Ibis, a bargain rate chain. We stayed in an Ibis in Reims and while
somewhat spartan, was clean, quiet and comfortable.

Restaurants in France often post their menus outside, so have a look around and
see what if available. It is often quite economical to have a 2, 3 or 4 course
fixed price Menu meal, which often include wine. It is a lot cheaper to eat in the
smaller cities and towns than Paris.

Late April will definitely be sweater weather in Normandy. You may even need
coat. It should be warmer in the south, but I wouldn't pack the jackets anywhere
they will be hard to get at. We were in France a few years ago in mid May. While
there were a few really warm days I sometimes needed a jacket and in the evenings
I needed a sweater and light jacket.

It's a pity you won't be there for Liberation Day. There are big ceremonies at
all the war graves cemeteries.

Gas will be expensive, but tolls shouldn't be a problem. You can drive a lot of
nice highways there without any tolls at all. I remember what it was like driving
from Strasbourg to Paris. We went a long way before we hit a toll both. Then we
hit another, and another. The closer we got to Paris the shorter the distance
between toll booths, and the higher the tolls.




  #7  
Old March 18th, 2006, 11:05 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Posts: n/a
Default Help with France itinerary

On Sat, 18 Mar 2006 20:08:04 GMT, "Karen Walker" wrote:
EMZSf.830970$x96.827119@attbi_s72


4/24 -- Oradour sur Glane, Sarlat, Beynac.
BEYNAC -- Residence Versailles
4/25 - Cenac market, Dordogne canoe trip, (Grotte de Font de Gaume?).
BEYNAC - Residence Versailles
4/26 -- (Rocamadour?), Grotte du Pech Merle, St. Cirque du Popeil,
(Cahors?), scenic route to Albi.


We stayed at Residence Versailles last year and had a wonderful time. Francoise
makes her own jams and jellies for the breakfast table. You're going to love
watching the sun set while sipping a glass of wine on the balcony... oh, wait,
this will be April... maybe not. Ask Jean-Claude to tell you about the two
girls from California who thought they could 'do the Dordogne' without a car...

Do you have reservations for Font de Gaume? You must have reservations in
advance; the best way is via FAX unless you are quite fluent in French; their
answering machine speaks only French.

Between Les Eyzies and Montignac plan to spend a morning or afternoon at La
Roque St Christophe. This 55,000-year-old cliff-dwelling looks like some giant
used an oversized ice cream scoop to take a horizontal strip right out of the
rock face. It's pretty impressive. The exhibits chronicling its uses through
the ages are well done.


(change Arabic number to Roman numeral to email)
  #8  
Old March 19th, 2006, 12:21 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Posts: n/a
Default Help with France itinerary

The main company is www.franceballoons.com,
but they're also quite expensive (180,
225 or 230 euros per person, depending on which of their web pages you
consult). If you know of a reliable but more affordable company, please let
me know.


The pages were written at different times. Considering that inflation
never goes backwards, 230e is the price.

You're are unlikely to find anything substantially cheaper for about an
hour of a baloon flight. Under the best weather conditions, you will
most likely cover less than 15km (in an unpredictable direction). For a
less romatnic, but more predictable and cheaper adventure, consider a
helicopter flight:

http://www.ligeris.com/usa/ta_heli.html

  #9  
Old March 19th, 2006, 12:36 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Posts: n/a
Default Help with France itinerary

On Sat, 18 Mar 2006 22:05:55 GMT, Frank Clarke wrote:


On Sat, 18 Mar 2006 20:08:04 GMT, "Karen Walker" wrote:
EMZSf.830970$x96.827119@attbi_s72


4/24 -- Oradour sur Glane, Sarlat, Beynac.
BEYNAC -- Residence Versailles
4/25 - Cenac market, Dordogne canoe trip, (Grotte de Font de Gaume?).
BEYNAC - Residence Versailles
4/26 -- (Rocamadour?), Grotte du Pech Merle, St. Cirque du Popeil,
(Cahors?), scenic route to Albi.


We stayed at Residence Versailles last year and had a wonderful time. Francoise
makes her own jams and jellies for the breakfast table. You're going to love
watching the sun set while sipping a glass of wine on the balcony... oh, wait,
this will be April... maybe not. Ask Jean-Claude to tell you about the two
girls from California who thought they could 'do the Dordogne' without a car...


Norene saw this and said "You didn't tell them about the restaurant...??" Just
up the street from the big parking lot along the river, almost across from the
pharmacy, is a lovely little restaurant with the best pommes frites we had on
the trip. The duck wasn't bad either. It has a little porch in front and if
the weather co-operates you can dine al fresco.


(change Arabic number to Roman numeral to email)
  #10  
Old March 19th, 2006, 12:48 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
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Posts: n/a
Default Help with France itinerary


"Dave Smith" wrote in message
...
....

I noticed that you are staying at a few Mercure hotels. I have stayed at
several
Mercure hotels and been quite happy with them. If I am not mistaken they
are
related to Ibis, a bargain rate chain.


They are related insofaras they are part of the same hotel group. They are
unrelated in terms of facilities offered. Ibis are one of the Accor group
budget chains, while Mercure are 3 and 4 star hotels.

....
Gas will be expensive, but tolls shouldn't be a problem. You can drive a
lot of
nice highways there without any tolls at all. ...


The non-Autoroute roads are for people who don't mind taking their time
getting somewhere.

Colin Bignell


 




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