we are planning to drive through france - two couples in our fifties enjoy food %26amp; wine and want to get a good look around france as we haven%26#39;t been before.
We have never been to europe before and are planning our first trip for July 06.
We are planning on getting the train from Barcelona to Perpignan and want to drive over a week to get to Paris - through avignon, lyon, dijon, and the loire valley. Does this sound like a logical itinery and is it enough time? Where would be the most important places or best places to stay? Are we best to book our accomodation in advance as we will be travelling in the 2nd week of July. We would ideally like to drive for 2 - 3 hours per day and stay a night in each place arriving in Paris on Friday 16th July.
Any suggestions would be very welcome and help with suggested towns %26amp; places to stay at would be great! Would it be easier to get the train from Barcelona straight to Avignon and start our driving after our night here? Would love any help!!!
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Hi
There is quite a lot of stuff here so let%26#39;s take each point in turn:
Does it sound like a logical itinerary and is it enough time?
I don%26#39;t know what you mean by %26quot;logical%26quot; but it certainly is one (of many) good itinerary depending on who you are and what you are looking for. Personally I would give Lyon and Dijon a miss and concentrate on a couple of the beautiful areas between Perpignan and Paris.
I guess I would suggest Avignon and its surroundings for a few days then move up to Tours to use as a base for exploring the Loire valley. I think you may enjoy this more than to try and fit in a whole road trip in a week.
Is it a good idea to pre-book your accommodation?
I would say yes since you are travelling during the busiest time of the year and may waste valuable time trying to find a bed for the night ( several actually as you will be with friends). If all you have is one week then I would strongly suggest you book in advance. One less thing to worry about.
Would it be easier to get the train from Barcelona straight to Avignon and start our driving after our night here?
Not necessarily easier as such but you would save time and could as a result squeeze in a bit more time in between to stay one night or two in the Auvergne region. A beautiful area.
If you do do this (Avignon - Auvergne - Loire valley) in a week it will give you a very good flavour of what France has to offer. As you will see the three areas are very different indeed. Each one of them full of its own specific charm.
Enjoy!!!
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My initial impression is that you have planned to do quite a bit and you may be rushed.
I would do three things in the week you have. Perhaps take the train to Avignon and rent the car there; spend two days around there (just east of Avignon is a beautiful area called the Luberon); drive up to Beaune, the center of the Burgundy wine area and spend two days there; then drive to Tours and have a look around the Loire Valley for a couple of days. Otherwise, I fear your memories will be of a lot of driving and being tied to an aggressive schedule.
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I can recommend with enthusiasm a wonderful place near Gordes called La Ferme de la Huppe. It is a wonderful restaurant with beautiful rooms. At the time we stayed, the restaurant had three %26quot;menus%26quot; or pre fix meals. One changed nightly, one weekly and one monthly. Perfect for our three night stay. The breakfasts (included) were wonderful as well. There is a beautiful pool and it is close to many sights. The staff/owners are very kind and helpful. This place would be great for your interest in food and wine. It is upscale but so comfortable.
By the way, have you investigated Karen Brown%26#39;s website and books? Great itinereries for all of France.
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Hi there. Have a look at http://www.stopoverconnections.com if you are looking for the b%26amp;b/small hotel type accommodation. There is an interactive map on the site which is very useful for planning accommodation along your route.
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