June 13-26-
Like I said in previous posts, this trip is to sample these regions (Loire, Burgundy, and Provence.) However, we don%26#39;t want to feel like we%26#39;re on %26quot;The Amazing Race%26quot; either... We%26#39;ve all been to Paris, so that%26#39;s why we%26#39;re saving only one full day at the end.
6/13- Early arrive at CDG, take train to Amboise and p/u car. Overnight Amboise.
6/14- Visit chatteax, overnight Amboise
6/15- Drive to Bourges to see windows, then on to Vezelay- overnight Vezelay
6/16- explore Vezelay and area around Vezelay, overnight Vezelay
6/17- more Burgundy exploration, overnight Beaune
6/18- driving day to Provence. Possibly make it to St. Remy
6/19-6/21- St. Remy and surrounding areas
6/22-6/23- Aix
6/24- d/o car, take train from Aix to Paris
6/25 Paris
6/26- home
Thoughts????
T H A N K S !
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I assume you have these links:
Driving routes, time estimates:
www.mappy.co.uk/direct/mappy/accueil…
viamichelin.com/viamichelin/…MaHomePage.htm
France rail map, schedules:
…raileurope.com/map_of_europe/france.html
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
There is a lot of driving and relaocating on this plan--make sure to plot it out.
I would skip the Loire, instead overnight in Paris and then perhaps take the trains to Bourges [or elsewhere] and start from there.
If you want to see a couple of Burgundy chateaux, look up Tanalay and Ancy-le-Franc. The latter is in the style of the Italian Renaissance and is unlike anything else in France.
As to the Loire, St Pierre des Corps is a better destination--Hertz and
Avis have agencies at the statiion. There are morning and afternoon trains direct from CDG--however I think this would be a bad idea. Too much after a long flight.
At the end of your trip you can avoid going back to Paris by taking the early AM train direct from Avignon to CDG.
I would reconsider Aix.
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Thank you SO much for your thoughts!! ***We have decided to SKIP Paris***... our flight leaves at 11:40am on June 26th... so we would need to take the train from Avignon... or go through Burgundy...
I%26#39;m very excited about this decision... and I%26#39;m really looking forward to spending more time in Provence.
So, we may need to re-work our itinerary know that we have 2 extra days. Would you suggest staying in Provence the entire time? Or add more time in Burgundy... or even stay in Lyon...??? I really don%26#39;t want to skip the Loire and the chatteax...
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yes St Pierre des Corps shoud be easier, then why not to skip Amboise and take the Highway to visit Blois casttle (very nice) but a must is CHAMBORD near there (and why not Cheverny).
After you can go to Bourges (but does really worth it?) or directly go from the highway to Orleans and catch te Southern Highway to Burgundy
Another option if you really loves windows is to take the train to Chartres (the best windows you would ever see) and rent your car and go down to Blois....
In Burgundy don%26#39;t miss l%26#39; abbaye de Fontenay
staying 2 more day in Provence would be a good choice and allow you to do Roman sites
Avignon is a great choice, the best things to visit in the area would be Orange (wonderfull roman theater) Nimes arena and le Pont du Gard (must see)
then go to St Remy (skip Aix) and why not to Marseille and Cassis (Calanques)
I do not really know how long that would exactly take to do all that you need to check whith mappy
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The problem with the Loire area is that there are really no autoroutes going east, so getting to Burgundy is time consuming.
Both Avignon [the TGV station] and Dijon have early AM trains to CDG.
One advantage of ending up in Dijon is that you can drop the car earlier. Very nice city. Beaune, for example is an hour away by train.
So per that scenario you would overnight in Paris, take the TGV to Avignon--only two hours and thirty-seven minutes. Stay for a time in St Remy, then in one of the Luberon villages. Bonnieux is well located.
Heading north, there is a very nice hotel near Macon, right off the highway--La Huchette. If staying for a couple of nights, I have a very nice one day tour which includes a chateau and some pretty towns and countryside.
Avoiding Paris altogether, you could rent a car at CDG and head due east a short distance to the Chateau de Fere in Fere en Tardenois. Marvelous hotel with an excellent restaurant. Then in the morning, drive toward Auxerre, stopping in Melun for a visit to the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte, the inspiration for Versailles. Extensive gardens by Le Notre you can tour in a rented golf cart. Very interesting history, particularly with respect to its creator, who ended up in prison.
http://www.vaux-le-vicomte.com/en/accueil.php
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Thanks for your thoughts. Any other suggestions?
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The Amboise part is pretty much set in stone. As much as we would like to see Chartes, that will be saved for another trip. Now that we have extra time, where would you stick those extra days?
Do you think it is a risky move to train in from Provence the morning of our departure? Should we head to Paris the night before?
Or possibly, train to Burgundy the 25th and head for CDG early the 26th.
???
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train are usually on time in france and there are many trains by day from provence to paris and if you miss the first one you can take the next one (but as you need reservation check if this could be a rush day...but even if the train is full you can take it: they will not throw you out the window)
..but of course we never know
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; Do you think it is a risky move to train in from Provence the morning of our departure? Should we head to Paris the night before?%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
It all depoends what time your flight leaves from CDG. You need to allow 3 hours for check-in and security procedures at a minimum, so at least 3.5 hours from the time the train arrives at CDG.
If you have a couple of extra days I would definitely plug one of them into the Loire valley. You really only have one day for that area plus as much as you can manage of Amboise in a jet-lagged and fatigued state in what is left of your first day. You do NOT want to drive any distance (I would say at all...) on your first day. Trust me on this...
If it were me I%26#39;d probably use the other day in Burgundy. There is so much to see in that region. If you don%26#39;t already have them, pick up the Michelin Green Guides for the Loire valley, Burgundy and Provence. Then decide precisely what you want to see in each region and work out how you are going to fit those places into your itinerary. That will pretty much determine where you need the extra day.
As far as Provence is concerned, I really don%26#39;t see the point of moveing from St. Rémy to Aix for just one night. St. R. and Aix are only about 40 minutes apart. if you have time just make a quick trip to Aix from St. R. for a look round.
And whatever you do, do not miss the Pont du Gard.
I still think you are trying to do too much in too little time incidentally...
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Good point about Aix. Also parking is a big problem there.
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**I think we%26#39;ve got it!!! (Rather, I hope we do!) I%26#39;ve just listed our overnights. Any final thoughts before we begin booking hotels???
~TIA
6/13: Arrive CDG, train to Amboise, pick-up car. o/n Amboise
6/14 Amboise
6/15 Vezelay
6/16 Vezelay
6/17 Beaune
6/18 head to Provence, stay near Lyon
6/19 St. Remy
6/20 St. Remy
6/21 St. Remy
6/22 St. Remy
6/23 St. Remy
6/24 St. Remy
6/25- drop off car, early train to Dijon. o/n Dijon
6/26 early train to CDG, fly home
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