First trip to France

We could use good advice. We figure on 11 days or so this June/July.
Flying to Paris, probably figure on staying in France the whole time,
though not committed to it.

How much time should be spent savoring Paris, and what would be two or
three stops in France (strictly train travel) that you'd recommend?
Feel free to elaborate. We're open to all suggestions.

On 10/02/06 8:00, in article
,
" wrote:

We could use good advice. We figure on 11 days or so this June/July.
Flying to Paris, probably figure on staying in France the whole time,
though not committed to it.

How much time should be spent savoring Paris, and what would be two or
three stops in France (strictly train travel) that you'd recommend?
Feel free to elaborate. We're open to all suggestions.


Paris is like a jewel, has many facets and one never really takes
in all in (I have lived here 30 years). But I guess one could "do"
Paris in 3-5 days. The Eiffel tower, the Louvre, the Orsay modern
art museum, walking around. Recovering from jet lag can be a big
time consumer.

Since you are wedded to areas you can visit by getting of a train
and finding a hotel, that limits you in some fashion. I like Saint
Malo at the edge of Bretagne, which is now accessible by TGV. In the
South I love Arles, since it is old, the Roman arena is largely intact.
Marseille port is also interesting, boat excursions over to the Ile d'If
where the Count of Monte Cristo story. I don't prefer Nice but it is not
far from the other towns on the Corniche, like Menton, right at the border
of France and Italy.

If you can rent a car (car rentals are available through the SNCF at the
train station of arrival) I would drive around in the Dordogne or Aveyron
http://www.tourisme-aveyron.com/fr/index.php. Sarlat is a charming old
town (http://www.sarlat.com/).

I personally find little in the North of France to get excited about
(Strasbourg is really worth a visit, however) .

a écrit :

We could use good advice. We figure on 11 days or so this June/July.
Flying to Paris, probably figure on staying in France the whole
time,
though not committed to it.

How much time should be spent savoring Paris, and what would be two
or
three stops in France (strictly train travel) that you'd recommend?
Feel free to elaborate. We're open to all suggestions.

Best probably is to get a guide-book (the one I prefer
still is Michelin green Guide), compile a list of places
I would like to see, define priorities and and come
back with more specific questions (?)

Using train for travelling is definitely a good solution,
limiting yourself to train travel is probably not the right
approach for visiting interesting regions with mainly
smaller places.

Be also aware that 11 days are not really much for
that country (.... no, I am not French!) :-)

Basically, I would avoid all major tourist places
outside Paris in July and August (especially all
Summer-vacation resorts) - so probably best is
to plan travelling the country late June and spend
time in Paris early July

As for regions/places outside Paris, I would consider
- Cote d'Azur (but not in July), with places such as
Marseille (imho not the place to start a first
vacation in France (?)), Nice, Monaco
- The Alps (SE, several options, including nearby
Swiss or Italian Alps)
- Alsace (different in many regards, Strassbourg as
an option if travelling by train, I would add a short
car tour for places such as Riquewihr)
- one the many wine-producing regions such as
Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux.
Reims, Bordeaux (the city), Dole for visits when
travelling by train only
- Normandie/Bretagne
the places I prefer are St-Malo and Mont-St-Michel;
but most nice villages along the coast are great
for a short stop, lunch at some terrace, and some
walk-around (side-trip to one of the British
Channel Islands an interesting option)
- Corsica (great place but would take to much time,
and as most of the other main tourist areas I
would avoid vacations there in July and August)

For Paris, imho 3-5 days out of an 11 days-trip
is a good approach for a first visit - enough for the
major tourist places (most worth a visit) - more
time would be better of course

Enjoy the trip preparation .... !

Golly, only 11 days. Our first trip to France, travelling by train while
there, was 222 days, and we wished we'd had more.
How much time you spend in Paris depends on what your interests are.
Certainly no less than 3 days, and that would be a whirlwind.
Other places we stopped on our 22 day rail trip that I would recommend
personally are Bayeux, Nantes La Rochelle, St. Jean de Luz, Carcassonne,
Nice (great base for exploring the Cote d'Azur & Monaco, although I don't
particularly care for Monaco), Arles (use as a base for Arles, Nimes &
Avignon), Colmar, Strasbourg, Reims, St. Malo, Beauvais & Rouen. Again, of
course, it depends on your interests. Our biggest disappointment was not
getting to see the chateux of the Loire; you really need a car for that.
I love France, and I could cheerfully travel there every year, but my wife
always wants to go somewhere "new." I'm sure we'll get back there soon.

wrote in message
oups.com...
We could use good advice. We figure on 11 days or so this June/July.
Flying to Paris, probably figure on staying in France the whole time,
though not committed to it.

How much time should be spent savoring Paris, and what would be two or
three stops in France (strictly train travel) that you'd recommend?
Feel free to elaborate. We're open to all suggestions.

wrote in message
oups.com...
We could use good advice. We figure on 11 days or so this June/July.
Flying to Paris, probably figure on staying in France the whole
time,
though not committed to it.

How much time should be spent savoring Paris, and what would be two
or
three stops in France (strictly train travel) that you'd recommend?
Feel free to elaborate. We're open to all suggestions.

While Franch has an excellent rail system, it is also a very
car-oriented country. Cars can be rented at most rail stations.

Many great suggestions already, but with only 11 days, you'll really
have to focus and prioritize. Eleven days may shrink into ten or less
once you figure the time taken getting to and from your international
flight.

Be sure to visit one or two of the Paris department stores. I
recommend the BHV right across the street from the Hotel de Ville
(city hall). The BHV basement at least used to have all the repair
parts needed for an apartment. A cultural experience for a
do-it-yourself-er. Also the various signs / menus needed by the
corner bar-tabac.

The French take their vacations starting in mid July and ending the
third week in August. Of course most people are one vacation only 3
or 4 weeks of this period and often go back to the home city /
village. Many French live and work in a major city but keep the old
home place where their roots are located.
Getting out of the big cities into "deepest France" is very important.
In the past fifty years a large part of the French population has
moved from villages and small farms into cities.

For time-efficiency you can get a sampling of the chateaux of the
Loire on a one-day excursion from Paris. On my first trip I did a
two-day version, staying overnight at Tours, but I can't find that
tour any more. Too many chateaux in two days in any case.

Strasbourg is great - but just too far from the other things you
"need" to see on a first trip. Northeast France is the breadbasket
(wheat) of western Europe, but I didn't think you should go there on a
first trip.

Normandy is mostly rather rural. Go if you have a special interest in
the WW2 landing beaches. The Bayeux tapestry (Norman spin on the
1066 invasion of England) shouldn't be missed if you go to Normandy.

I strongly recommend Nimes, Avignon, Orange and Pont du Gard if you
have any interest in Roman things. A rental car for a couple of days
would be VERY useful. The TGV to Avignon takes just under 4 hours
from Paris (400 miles). Avignon still has it town wall, right in
front of the train (not TGV) station.. While you have a car, visit a
Hypermarche on the outskirts of a city. Note that I didn't say Arles;
the ruins were too ruined for me and Ye Olde Touriste Trappe
atmosphere was too strong. An extra day of rental car would allow you
to visit Aigues Mortes, a walled city built in the 13th century as
base for one of the Crusades. It is right next to the coast and you
could visit one of the new resort towns that have been built along the
coast from there as far as the Spanish border.

I didn't think Marseille had much to offer. The harbor is about all
that remains from pre-WW2. OK cathedral on a hill

I liked Cannes a lot better than Nice and there are some
moderate-priced places to stay. The corniche roads east of Nice are
spectacular. Nice itself doesn't much interest me. Pebble beach, lots
of retired people. Sand beaches start just east of Cannes and run to
the west for the rest of the Med coast.

Just some of my disorganized thoughts.

Get one Michelin single Green guide that covers all of France. Also
their Red guide that list loads of places to lodge, along with prices,
etc.

bob c.

wrote:
We could use good advice. We figure on 11 days or so this June/July.
Flying to Paris, probably figure on staying in France the whole time,
though not committed to it.

How much time should be spent savoring Paris, and what would be two or
three stops in France (strictly train travel) that you'd recommend?
Feel free to elaborate. We're open to all suggestions.

I think the other suggestions are splendid, but given your time frame I
would suggest Provence as your other stop--and as your only other one. Here
is why.

First, it is a lovely, friendly place, with lots to see and taste, that is
French in a way that Paris is not. Southern France is the site of many
magnificent Roman antiquities, and in Provence many of these are accesible
by train or (in the summer) bus. Avignon is a cultural and art center that
time of year.

If you were open to renting a car for a few days (which would really let you
see some of the countryside), I might suggest an inn or a small town, but if
you are traveling by train (and bus, I hope) I would suggest Arles, a pretty
walled old town with lots of charm. Arles is on the train line and is also a
bus hub to visit sites like Les Beaux, the Pont du Garde, and the Camargue.

You cleverly do not say what you personally enjoy, but think you might find
that the contrast with Paris makes for a satisfying itinerary.

Logistically it is a good pick because the TGV is a straight shot to
Provence in just a few hours, and you can arrange to fly home from
Marseilles instead of wasting part of your vacation returning to Paris just
to catch a flight home.

You only have eleven days, and each time you shift where you sleep you will
spend time packing, checking out, traveling, checking in, and getting
settled. I don't mean that this is so terrible, but wouldn't you rather be
in a museum or cafe or park or shop or beach or restaurant?

For this reason I also suggest that you limit yourself to these two
destinations, especially since this is your first trip to France. Paris is
an amazing city and you could spend the whole time there and not be bored. I
don't mean that you couldn't fit in a third stop, just that you might have a
better trip if you don't.

That said, if there is some other part of Europe that you especially want to
see, chuck Provence and end (or begin) there instead.

A few travel guides may also inspire and help you--worth the (very minor)
expense.

Have a great trip!

a écrit :

We could use good advice. We figure on 11 days or so this June/July.
Flying to Paris, probably figure on staying in France the whole
time,
though not committed to it.

How much time should be spent savoring Paris, and what would be two
or
three stops in France (strictly train travel) that you'd recommend?
Feel free to elaborate. We're open to all suggestions.

Having read 4 [other] interesting postings, I easily
agree that Provence is a great contrast to Paris and
a train trip to Avignon, Marseille (shortest trip 3 hours!)
or Cannes, plus a tour by car would be an excellent
choice - especially if someone likes heat and sunshine :-)

Nevertheless: what about Paris-Strassbourg (by train
roughly 4 hours) for a short visit, spend the night there
and then continue to Avignon or Marseille for a Provence
"short tour" before returning via TGV to Paris and spend
the remaining 3-5 days there.
Depending on how people adapt to jet-lag (I have lots of
trouble adjusting when returning from the Americas to
Europe), a two-day mainly train-trip could be an option
to adapt to local time-zone (?)
I am aware that Strassbourg/Alsace deserves more time,
and dont know how bad access from the airport to "gare
de l'Est" is - but I would prefer such a tour rather than
just dashing south

If not Provence or "only" a dash, short tour and dash back:
an alternate tour could be St-Malo (TGV around 3 hours)

But I would also check for events in France during the
vacation - might be worth combining a stop with some
cultural or whatever event you might be specially interested
in. TGV and other fast trains permit easy access to most
major city within France, but also parts of Switzerland,
Germany, Belgium or the UK

wrote in news:1139554822.195842.164660
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

We could use good advice. We figure on 11 days or so this June/July.
Flying to Paris, probably figure on staying in France the whole time,
though not committed to it.

How much time should be spent savoring Paris, and what would be two or
three stops in France (strictly train travel) that you'd recommend?
Feel free to elaborate. We're open to all suggestions.



Paris/Provence is what we did for our honeymoon, so how could I not say
yes to that! I would look at flying into or out of Paris and the other
end flying to/from Marseille or Avignon (MRS is closest to Aix en
Provence) The TGV from Paris to Provence or vice versa is the way to go
in the middle.



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

wrote in message
oups.com...
We could use good advice. We figure on 11 days or so this June/July.
Flying to Paris, probably figure on staying in France the whole time,
though not committed to it.

How much time should be spent savoring Paris, and what would be two or
three stops in France (strictly train travel) that you'd recommend?
Feel free to elaborate. We're open to all suggestions.


Look at some of the books such as Europe by Eurail for suggestions and quite
detailed directions on day trips from major European cities including Paris.
OTW, take a trip to the Loire Valley, rent a car and give it a couple of
days to see the major châteaux. Take a day trip to Giverny, if you have an
interest in art. My preference would be to TGV to Avingon, rent a car and
spend a few days driving around the Provence area. It will be quite crowded
in the summer since this is a very popular tourist destination.

On Fri, 10 Feb 2006 11:37:05 -0500, "Duncan Craig"
wrote:


I love France, and I could cheerfully travel there every year, but my wife
always wants to go somewhere "new." I'm sure we'll get back there soon.

I sympathise with your wife. Mine would buy a condo in Paris if we could afford
it and spend every spare moment on walking tours of different neighborhoods.

OK.... Paris is lots of fun, but there's more to Europe than just Paris.

Isn't there ?


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