We are plannning at least 3 weeks in France for next summer. Although we have both been to Paris we have not ventured any further than that. We would like to rent a cottage/gite etc in three different areas, one week in each. We love our wines and these three areas have that.
At the moment after several weeks of researching we are thinking - Alsace, Provence, Dordogne. Originally I had thought must do Loire and now are wondering if we could drive through and spend a couple of days at B & B's. Does this sound about right? Or should we stick to only three.
It is very difficult to narrow it down to only three but I know we will probably get back to France again and again. We would fly in and rent a car probably drop it off at a different location and fly out.
spend as much time as possible in one area at a time will get you a memory for a lifetime; too much moving around you only see glimses of the area alsace,dordogne and provence are vast expanses and far apart; you will need to cut in travel time. What cities in those areas? for overall rentals you can check this site used by many including me http://www.gites-de-france.fr/eng/index.htm
Sounds great to me. If you had asked in advance I would have suggested just what you came up with. Each of these areas will put you near some great wine, though of course they are pretty big areas and you will want to pick a gite near the vinyards. In the Dordogne, for example, the most scenic part is in the Sarlat/Beynac part of the Dordogne, but the better wines are closer to Bordeaux, starting around Bergerac.
Since Gites almost always rent from Saturday to Saturday, you will be spending most of three days in transfers.
Since you will need a car, you might consider the scheme in France for, in effect, buying and selling back a new French car. We do it every year and it saves a great deal of money because the car is considered an export sale (even though you do not take it from the country) and thus avoids the high tax placed on rentals. We do it through Europe by Car here in the US but there are other ways to do it. You can pick up and drop off the car at pretty much any larger airport in France. You could, for example, fly into Bordeaux and out of Strasburg.
Dennis
Posts: 195 | Location: Tacoma/France | Registered: 24 February 2005
The more we see and experience of France, the more we want to see and experience! Our family has an informal goal of trying to visit all the regions over the next several years. We have made a good start, but still so much to see.
I think you are taking the right approach to slow down and focus on a few areas. And you have come to the right place for help, since that is the focus of this website: traveling more slowly using vacation rentals.
As Dennis said most rentals are Saturday to Saturday. You can depart between nine and ten am, with a goal of getting to your next place between four and five. I think that is do-able with the three regions you are considering, but you might check www.viamichelin.com to get a sense of the driving distances/time.
We have lots of rental reviews on the Slow Travel website here. Well, there are a lot for Provence, quite a few for the Dordogne (Aquitane) and really nothing from Alsace. Our family has traveled in all three areas, loved them all, but has ended up focusing on the Luberon in Provence. I think you've chosen three areas that will give you very different views of France (terrain, architecture, food, culture)...
I also second Dennis' recommendation of looking into a lease-buyback vehicle if your stay extends more than 17 days (I think that's the number). Our family has used www.ideamerge.com but you can also look at leased Peugeots through Auto Europe. (Just drill down to "Car Rental" and then "Peugeot Buyback")
Rentals will be more expensive in the height of summer. If you can travel in June, that does have some benefits.
What a wonderful trip you have planned. My personal nature is to stay put somewhere, so like Pedmar, I'd spend more time in one (maybe two) locations.
Gites gites gites! We have rented several and would have to recommend that avenue as well. The Sat-Sat period can be a nusiance if your arrival date is mid-week. Try to book your flights to coincide. Or...have another adventure and try a chambre d'hote for the interim.
While not as experienced as Dennis and Kaydee, I would also recommend the auto lease. We spent 5 weeks in France last summer and 6 weeks this summer both with a leased-buyback car (autoeurope). It provides great insurance and better pricing. Also, the company employees couldn't have been nicer.
Bon voyage! Laura
Posts: 594 | Location: Edmonds, WA | Registered: 01 April 2006
I second Underhill's suggestion - for more than one reason. Alsace is wonderful - and its white wines are very special. But it is a LONG trek from there to Provence. If you want to visit Provence and Dordogne, the Burgundy region will have you headed in the right direction.
And I agree with previous posters -- you have the right idea, in seeing more of fewer places. Enjoy your travel planning.
Judy
Posts: 1803 | Location: Berkeley, CA | Registered: 22 March 2005
We are still researching our trip and we find ourselves not completley convinced of Alsace, Provence, Dordogne. Although we seem set on Alsace and it is just a question of which direction after that. We don't mind driving for a whole day on changeover day to get to our next base.
We have checked out threads regarding the heat during July/August, unfortunately that is the only time we can get a way. We spent one month this summer in China/Hong Kong/Bangkok and it was very very hot and very very humid. Having said that we had air conditioned hotel rooms and could at least escape when it got too bad. Should we let the 'summer heat' effect our decisions for visiting the South of France? Will we be able to sleep at night in an apartment? (Hope this isn't a dumb question).
We are planning on arriving at CDG and spending two or three nights in the Loire and then heading to Alsace for one week and then we have to choose two other bases. How far ahead should we book our cottage/apartment if we need July/August?
We enjoy planning and researching our vacations and like to take it slow, our motto is "if we don't see it this time, then we will have to come back". Or our personal favourite "we have nothing to do and all day to do it". It is more about the journey than getting there and roaring around.
July of this summer was horribly hot and a/c was a real blessing. You could always buy an electric fan for use if your place isn't air conditioned, and most aren't. August of this year was really chilly and a/c wasn't needed. So, you never know. I think you will find that only some hotels will have a/c.
We had the same idea as you, yet my family has never been to France. After a ton of reading (and still at it!) and lots of thinking about driving (we had considered Alsace and Provence and everywhere else), we've got what we think is our itinerary. We're starting in Chamonix to see the Alps (arriving in Geneva and renting a car), spending four days there, then driving to Sarlat to stay in an apartment for two weeks so we can explore the Dordogne region. After that, we'll drop our car in Bordeaux, take a train to Paris, and spend a week there. We are looking for hiking, canoeing, and other various outdoor activities to do with our kids (8 and 10), and from what we've read, the Dordogne seems to definitely fit the bill. We're also adding two weeks in the Cotswolds after Paris to keep the walking going! My husband is reading a Cadogan guide to the Dordogne--look on the recommended reading link that's somewhere around here (on this site). He thinks it's wonderfully written and very detailed. I like to get him to read everything and then tell me about it when we get there--he's my personal tour guide!
Posts: 137 | Location: Lilburn, GA | Registered: 29 July 2006
We visited France in late May/early June and like you, chose 3 bases. In retrospect, we should've narrowed it down even further to just two stops. If we had to do it again we would've stayed longer in Paris (we were only there 3 night) and longer in Provence. The Luberon area is filled with fun places to explore and while we were there for a week, it wasn't enough. We would've loved to hang out in Lourmarin and Avignon for a few days, rather than just making pit stops. And, we would've canned the whole visit to The Ardeche. Of course, it's hard to know this before you take off on your excursion - there are so many variables that can make one area a gem and another a waste. But, I agree with other posters that less is usually more when it comes to bases
Posts: 58 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: 10 April 2006
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